Complaint for breach of contract, constructive fraud, constructive trust and unfair business practices against Joshua Macciello, self-pronounced bidder for the Dodgers and alleged film producer. Anyone with knowledge of Mr. Macciello's whereabouts, or who "invested" or "lent" money to Mr. Macciello, please contact CharismaticScam@gmail.com
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2013 0609 - complaint5 (f w exhibits)
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COMPLAINT
2. Joshua Macciello (“Defendant”) is, and at all material times hereto was, a single
man and a citizen of California. Plaintiff currently resides in the state of California, County of
Los Angeles.
3. Plaintiff is presently unaware of the true names and capacities of the Defendants
sued herein under the fictitious names of Does 1 through 50, inclusive, and therefore, sue said
Defendants by such fictitious names. Plaintiff shall seek leave of this court to amend this
Complaint to insert the true names and capacities of each of said fictitiously named Defendants
as said true names and capacities of said Defendants are ascertained. Plaintiff is informed and
believes, and thereupon alleges, that each of said fictitiously named Defendants, by reason of
their acts and/or inactions and/or by reason of their interrelationships to other Defendants
named in this action, are in some manner responsible for the events and occurrences alleged in
this Complaint and for the damages and injuries of Plaintiff alleged herein.
4. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and thereupon alleges, that each of the
Defendants were at all times mentioned herein acting as the agent, servant, and/or employee of
each of the remaining Defendants, and in performing each of the acts and/or inactions alleged
herein, was acting both on their own behalf and within the scope and capacity of said agency,
employment, and/or master-servant relationships, and with the full knowledge, ratification
and/or approval of each of their respective principals.
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
5. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action because this case is not
a cause given by statute to other trial courts and because a substantial portion of the wrongdoing
alleged in this Complaint took place in California. Moreover, the amount in controversy
exceeds Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00).
6. This Court has personal jurisdiction over the Defendant because the Defendant
resides in California, the Defendant has extensive business dealings and transactions within the
State of California, a substantial portion of Defendant wrongdoing took place in California, the
contracts were entered into California, and Defendant otherwise intentionally availed himself of
the markets in California, to render the exercise of jurisdiction by California courts permissible
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COMPLAINT
under traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice.
7. Venue is proper in the County of Los Angeles as Plaintiff resides in the County
of Los Angeles at all times relevant hereto, the agreements were executed by Plaintiff and
Defendant in the County of Los Angeles, a substantial portion of the actions and events alleged
in this Complaint occurred in the County of Los Angeles, and Defendant resides in the County
of Los Angeles.
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
(All Causes of Action)
8. Defendant is a charismatic man who describes and portrays himself as a
Hollywood movie producer and successful entrepreneur. Defendant recounts stories of his
famous Hollywood contacts and how, under the banner of his movie production company
Armital, LLC (“Armital”), he’s an influential, well-liked, and immensely prosperous Hollywood
dealmaker. Defendant is ever quick to drop the name of a Hollywood executive that he plays
baseball with at the park or meets for dinner.
9. Defendant boasts regularly of his accomplishments and his ability to change the
world, such as the time last year that he nearly acquired the Los Angeles Dodgers in the
bankruptcy bidding war. He quickly defends his bid and attributes the loss to his lack of inner
circle clubbiness with the major league owners and a specious and dishonest hatchet piece
published by a writer for the LA Weekly. Defendant is resolute that were it not for the
falsehoods written about his drug conviction, he otherwise would have won the auction.
10. Plaintiff met Defendant through a mutual acquaintance in the late Fall of 2012.
The acquaintance suggested that Plaintiff could assist Defendant in a deal to sell a sizeable art
collection of a world renowned, deceased, musician. What Defendant failed to disclose, and
would not become apparent for another six months, was that the artwork was a cornerstone of a
well-publicized lawsuit and title to the collection was very much in doubt. Nevertheless, by
virtue of this initial meeting Defendant and Plaintiff struck up a business relationship to explore,
develop, and capitalize on other opportunities.
11. Approximately one month after their initial meeting, Defendant approached
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COMPLAINT
Plaintiff with several other business opportunities. In one in particular, Defendant sought
Plaintiff’s help in acquiring, developing, and commercializing the rights to an efficient energy
technology (the “Technology”). The technology was in dire need of new capital, and the
objective was to acquire the rights and joint venture with several key distribution partners
around the world to commercialize the Technology (the “Opportunity”). The first distribution
partner would pay a significant sum, with 2/3rd
paid to the inventor/ownership group that
controlled the Technology (The “Inventor/Ownership Group”) and the remaining 1/3rd
shared
equally between Plaintiff and Defendant (the “Agreement”).
12. Several drafts of an agreement between Plaintiff and Defendant were exchanged
(the “Agreement”), with the Agreement generally reflecting that they would create and use their
entity Verde Technologies, LLC to acquire and exploit the rights. The Draft of the Agreement
included the following language:
“JM [Defendant] and SL [Plaintiff] intend to form Amici Holdings, LLC
(“AMICI”) to hold their ownership interest in Verde. JM will own 51% of Amici
and SL will own the other 49%. JM and SL agree to help capitalize Verde and
provide management expertise to Verde as described in Capitalization and
Business Development Section below.”
While the ownership interest contemplated a slight majority for Defendant for voting
purposes, with certain veto rights contemplated for Plaintiff, the economic interests of the two
partners was to be shared equally (50/50).
13. Over the ensuing four months, Defendant and Plaintiff worked tirelessly to both
acquire the rights for the Technology from the Inventor/Ownership Group and to develop a
$40,000,000 commercial distribution opportunity with a major entertainment company (the
“Joint Venture Partner”). Plaintiff created the structure, strategic plan, information
memorandum, offering circular, use of proceeds, financial projections, and in general all of the
resources and tools for acquiring, developing, and commercializing the Technology.
Defendant’s contribution consisted of a introduction to the parties and the creation of a
corporate logo.
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COMPLAINT
14. By mid May, 2013, Plaintiff and Defendant’s partnership appeared to bear fruit.
Defendant and Plaintiff executed a Memorandum of Understanding (the “MOU”) with the
Inventor/Ownership Group to acquire the worldwide rights to the technology. Section 11 of the
MOU recites as follows:
“11. Capitalization and Business Development. JM and SL shall endeavor to
capitalize VERDE with no less than $30M from the initial license of the
technology, from which VERDE shall pay VPS $20M of the license fee in
accordance with Section 7 above. VERDE shall develop, produce and distribute
the technology worldwide, including through joint-venture . . . and
collaboration/licensing agreement and strategic alliance relationships with major
companies . . .”
15. Similarly, the commercial opportunity with the Joint Venture Partner had
progressed to the point that the technology and business plan had received preliminary approval
and the Joint Venture Partner was ready to move forward and finalize a deal.
16. Despite the positive momentum, Defendant’s pedigree would soon become an
issue. By the beginning of May, 2013, the Joint Venture Partner raised a concern that created
chaos for the deal (and Defendant) and threatened to derail everything. Unbeknownst to
Plaintiff, the LA Weekly article was extremely damaging and portrayed Defendant as nothing
more than a confidence man and “huckster.” The article, written by Gene Maddaus, was
entitled “Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buy the Dodgers. But He Was
Really a Fraud.”
17. Although Defendant is quick to denounce any negative press as full of
inaccuracies regarding his drug problems, this particular article went well beyond a mere
conviction for drug possession. The article suggested extensive and wide-reaching fraud by
Defendant, buttressed by falsified claims of billionaire wealth, deceit, sham gold mine sales, a
string of abandoned projects, and broken promises. A true and correct copy of the LA Weekly
article on Defendant is attached hereto as Exhibit “A.”
18. Despite the scathing article painting him out to be a charlatan that exacts funds
out of unwitting victims and ties up projects in order to use them for his own purposes,
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COMPLAINT
Defendant’s publicist responded the same day with a feigned rebuttal to the article, and
conspicuous by its absence was any response to the fraud allegations. The publicist merely
stated that the conviction for drug charges had later been expunged and that Defendant was a
good family man. Nothing was said of the many claims of swindles and fraud. A true and
correct copy of the Publicist response is attached hereto as Exhibit “B.” And despite
Defendant’s threats, a lawsuit for defamation against the LA Weekly never materialized.
19. Throughout their relationship Defendant discounted any negative press that
could arise and suggested that he was a strong contender for the Dodgers until the smear
campaign orchestrated by a writer for the LA Weekly derailed his bid, instead providing press
clippings from unknown third parties who spoke highly of Defendant.
20. A closer look at the bad press though revealed a far more troubling sign – a
recurring theme that would soon rear its ugly head in the negotiations with the Joint Venture
Partner. The article intimated that Defendant preyed on the fortunes of others and obtained
monies and property under false pretenses. The article suggests that Defendant employed a
common scam by raising funds in advance of a film deal and then diverting the funds for
Defendant’s lavish lifestyle without ever advancing the film production. It was not unlike the
claims successfully raised by other “investors” in numerous lawsuits against Defendant’s
former mentor / employers, Arnold Rifkin and Chris Eberts.
21. Defendant had similarly asked Plaintiff to lend him $350,000 to bridge his
personal finance while his "multi-million" dollar estate in Studio City was being rehabbed from
water damages, and various other capital commitments that he needed to meet. Defendant also
attributed his cash flow issues to the $3,000,000 (later reduced to $1,900,000) that he spent on
his failed Dodger acquisition bid.
22. Defendant thereafter repeatedly asked Plaintiff for a loan of $50,000 - $100,000
to help bridge his finances, suggesting that he was near completion of a movie deal and only
needed this last bit for all of the pieces to fall together. He offered to secure the loan with his
automobile which he said was valued at over $120,000. As Plaintiff would learn only recently,
both of these requests were merely ruses used routinely by Plaintiff to “borrow” funds from
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COMPLAINT
others, without the means or intent to repay the funds. As the LA Weekly article suggests,
Plaintiff “borrowed” money from others for movie production, but nary was a movie made and
the monies were never repaid.
23. Much like the article’s suggestion of Defendant obtaining advances of funds
under false pretenses, so too was the advance of funds to become an issue with the Joint
Venture Partner. In mid May defendant began demanding that the Joint Venture Partner pay a
$1,000,000.00 non-refundable advance fee to show its good faith interest in the deal, a
requirement that made no sense to Plaintiff as the parties anticipated closing within 60 days.
Within three weeks Defendant would balloon this amount to $2,000,000.00
24. By the beginning of May, the principal representing the Joint Venture Partner
(the “JV Principal”) began questioning Defendant regarding the LA Weekly article, including in
an email a link to the article and a reference to the same issues by another media outlet.
Defendant was livid with the inquiry, at first intimating that Plaintiff was somehow responsible
for the LA Weekly article and Defendant’s past misdeeds and that Plaintiff failed to adequately
come to the defense of Defendant. Defendant demanded that Plaintiff write an email to the JV
Principal defending him and stating that the “LA WEEKLY later retracted on the story for
inaccurate information.” These were Defendants precise words, although Plaintiff would also
later learn that the article had not been retracted.
25. By the middle of May, 2013, it was apparent that Defendant’s flimsy excuses
were not holding sway over the Joint Venture Partner. While Plaintiff was away in Canada,
Plaintiff was informed on a telephone call with Defendant and the JV Principal that Defendant
must take a less visible role and step aside to allow the deal to progress. At first Plaintiff was
astonished to hear the Joint Venture Partner – which was spearheaded by Defendant’s “long-
time friend” – would specifically seek to marginalize Defendant’s participation in the deal.
Immediately following the call, Defendant called Plaintiff to inform that he planned to demand
$10,000,000 to be bought out of the deal.
26. Upon his return to Los Angeles Plaintiff met with the JV Principal in-person to
understand the concerns. The JV Principal confirmed the Defendant had too much baggage and
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COMPLAINT
they could not proceed with Defendant at the helm. He would need to take a lesser role if the
deal was to move forward.
27. More shocking than the JV Principal’s revelation though was Defendant’s
reaction to the news. Defendant immediately went into a tailspin, announcing that he planned
to exit the partnership in exchange for a $15,000,000 up front payment. In essence, Defendant
proposed that the Joint Venture Partner pay him a ransom for the deal. Plaintiff attempted to
dissuade Defendant from this ludicrous and self-destructive course, suggesting that it wasn’t
economically feasible to demand a ridiculously high exit fee. Instead, Defendant presented
Plaintiff with a plan to replace Defendant with the Investor of the Technology, suggesting that
the Inventor would be a “puppet” CEO answering directly to him.
28. Defendant’s erratic behavior continued over the ensuing days, culminating in a
string of impulsive, unpredictable, and offensive text messages to Plaintiff that truly called into
question his current state of mind and stability. Among the many text messages were the
following:
“Just breaking your balls.”
“That’s how you push buttons.”
“I’m gonna play games with you now.” and
“This partnership is not working this way Stephen.”
29. The relations between Defendant and Plaintiff had quickly deteriorated
overnight, with Defendant misinforming the JV Principal by email on May 18, 2013 that
Plaintiff had quit the venture. The email recites as follows:
“Stephen Lee has stepped down today as COO and President of Verde
Technologies LLC. All matters regarding Verde Veactor Technology will be
handled by myself and Richard Dellacona.”
30. Later that night, the JV Principal responded again to Defendant in writing that he
must take a less visible role and step aside to allow the deal to progress. The email of May 18,
2013 sent by the JV Principal to only the Defendant recites as follows:
“Thanks. You need to step aside. There should be no further communication
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COMPLAINT
between us”
31. Plaintiff was informed that the Joint Venture Partner was not looking to affect
Defendant’s economic interest in the venture, but merely sought a much lower profile for
Defendant. The email applied only to Defendant, as the Joint Venture Partner desired to
continue to work with Plaintiff to consummate the deal, and this made perfect sense given
Defendant’s history.
32. Over the ensuing days Defendant sent multiple emails to the JV Principal and
Plaintiff misrepresenting what the other had said. Defendant also sent a message that his friend
and long-term associate Don Scott – who was also prominently mentioned in the LA Weekly
article and was the Chief Executive Officer of Armital – would take over the negotiations with
both the Inventor/Ownership Group and the Joint Venture Partner. Plaintiff would later learn
from Mr. Scott that he was neither a deal negotiator nor had any technical expertise, and much
like Defendant he too had a checkered past. Unbeknownst to Plaintiff, Defendant had set the
entire play in motion when he appointed Mr. Scott and a string of Defendant’s associates as
various employees of Verde several weeks prior. Although Plaintiff objected at the time to Mr.
Scott because of his connection as Chief Executive Officer to a defunct financial firm, Wanger
OmniWealth, and a SEC cease and desist order, Defendant nevertheless ignored Plaintiff’s
admonitions and was openly hostile to Plaintiff’s objections.
33. The following day, May 20, 2013, Defendant forwarded to Plaintiff an email
reciting that the JV Principal had ordered that “there will be no further contact by you and
myself as this deal approaches the finish line.” That was only one more in a long litany of
distortions and misrepresentations by Defendant, as the email from the JV Principal clearly had
ordered only Defendant to cease communications and the JV Principal had called Plaintiff to
inquire about keeping the deal on track. The email also attached an MOU, which Defendant
described as “the one and only MOU created between you and myself.” The MOU recites that
Plaintiff would be paid a $3,500,000 fee, plus a sales royalty, once the deal with the Joint
Venture Partner closed. And the email also admonished Plaintiff not to contact certain parties
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COMPLAINT
that Plaintiff was currently working with on other deals.
34. Plaintiff’s counsel responded by letter to Defendant’s counsel on May 22, 2013
that Plaintiff “will not be executing the MOU and does not recognize any authority of Mr.
Macciello to usurp the opportunity that they collectively spent months developing.” The letter
went on to recite as follows:
“Without Mr. Lee the deal would not have progressed this far. Mr. Macciello
fictionalizations and misrepresentations, all in an effort to seize control of the
project, will not dissuade Mr. Lee from protecting that which he has spent
considerable time and resources building. . . . The LA Weekly article did not
address merely a heroin conviction. It suggested extensive and wide-reaching
fraud by Mr. Macciello.
. . .
Please be advised that Mr. Macciello is interfering with the opportunity that both
our clients worked hard to develop. Mr. Lee will hold Mr. Macciello responsible
for the loss of the deal now if it falters and for any lost revenue.”
35. Ignoring my counsel’s letter, the following day Defendant then sent another
email stating that his attorney would prepare a fee agreement that would pay Plaintiff a small
finder’s fee for his participation in the negotiations with the Joint Venture Partner and the
Inventor/Ownership Group. However, no agreement was forthcoming from Defendant or his
attorney.
36. Instead, on May 30, 2013, Defendant sent yet another erratic email to Plaintiff
and the JV Principal, this time reciting as follows:
“I have just received word that both of you have still been in contact regarding
Verde. Verde Technologies LLC is no longer involved in the project for Verde
Power Supply. The only was I have agreed to back out meant the whole company
including Stephen Lee along with myself. I have an agreement signed with Mr
Dellacona and Mr. Arnon CTO and CEO of Verde Power Supply regarding
Stephen Lee. The agreement states that if Joshua Macciello is out then so is
Stephen Lee. . . . Stephen Lee was part of Verde Technologies LLC and when I
was asked to step aside and allow this deal to move forward then the whole
company Step aside. That is my deal breaking point! Or I will take this to other
companies I have interested as well.”
37. In response, on May 31, 2013, Plaintiff’s counsel sent an email and letter to
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Defendant’s counsel, demanding payment for breach of the agreement. The letter recites as
follows:
“Mr. Macciello is in breach of his agreement with Mr. Lee to jointly develop,
produce and distribute the VPS technology. As a result of the contractual breach,
and his breach of his fiduciary obligations to his partner, Mr. Lee has been
damaged in an amount well in excess of $5,000,000. Accordingly, demand is
hereby made for payment of $5,000,000 from Mr. Macciello to Mr. Lee within 3
days of this letter.”
Defendant has not responded to the letter, although Defendant’s counsel acknowledged receipt
of the letter.
38. On June 5, 2013, Mr. Scott informed Plaintiff that Defendant had terminated the
MOU with the Inventor/Ownership Group and had struck an entirely new deal with them.
Defendant and Mr. Scott would now be working exclusively with the Inventor/Ownership
Group and the Joint Venture Partner to exploit the technology. Plaintiff would no longer be
needed or paid anything for his involvement.
FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION
(Breach of Contract)
39. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein by reference paragraphs 1 through 38
as though fully incorporated herein and made a part hereof.
40. The Agreement calls for Plaintiff and Defendant to jointly acquire and
commercialize the Technology, with the profits from their joint efforts to be shared 50/50.
41. Defendant breached by willfully and without justification notifying the Joint
Venture Partner that Plaintiff had been terminated, by terminating the MOU, and by engaging in
a pattern and practice of self-dealing and usurping the opportunity to acquire and commercialize
the Technology for himself.
42. Plaintiff has made demand to Defendant to pay to Plaintiff the damages for such
breach.
43. Defendant has failed to respond to such demand and failed to make such payment.
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COMPLAINT
44. Plaintiff has performed all conditions, covenants, and promises required by him
on his part to be performed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement.
45. As a direct and proximate result of Defendant’s acts, Plaintiff has sustained
damage plus interest thereon, in an amount not less than $5,000,000.00 to be proven according
to proof.
SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION
(Breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing)
46. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein by reference paragraphs 1 through 38
as though fully incorporated herein and made a part hereof.
47. The law implies a covenant of good faith and fair dealing into the contract
between Plaintiff and Defendant, which provides that each party deal fairly with the other and
that neither party do anything that will deprive the other party of the benefits of their
agreements.
48. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and thereupon alleges, that Defendant
breached this duty of good faith and fair dealing by performing in a manner that was unfaithful
to the purpose of the contact and the parties’ intentions in entering into the contract.
49. Plaintiff performed each and every covenant and condition of his agreement with
Defendant, except those which they were prevented from performing or were excused or waived
by Defendant’s misconduct.
50. As a direct and proximate result of Defendant's acts, Plaintiffs have sustained
damage according to proof.
THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION
(Breach of Fiduciary Duty)
51. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein by reference paragraphs 1 through 38
as though fully incorporated herein and made a part hereof.
52. Both agency and statutory law impose fiduciary obligations upon partners of
general partnerships and limited liability companies. As a business partner in connection with
the Opportunity and the development and commercialization of the Technology and as a partner
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of Verde, Defendant owed a fiduciary duty of, inter alia, care, diligence, loyalty, fairness and
truthfulness to Plaintiff. In addition to acting in the highest good faith toward Plaintiff, this duty
precluded Defendant from obtaining any advantage over Plaintiff by virtue of their agency and
position.
53. As alleged herein, Defendant engaged in a pattern and practice of self-dealing,
placing his own interests ahead of the interests of his partner, by terminating Plaintiff from the
partnership, and by usurping the opportunity that the partners had developed.
54. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and thereupon alleges, that the aforesaid
termination of partner, self-dealing and usurpation of the business opportunity constitute a
breach of his fiduciary duty.
55. As a direct and proximate result of the breach of fiduciary duty of Defendant,
Plaintiff has suffered damages in an amount to be proven at trial.
56. The above recited actions of Defendant was done with malice, fraud or
oppression and in reckless disregard of Plaintiff’s rights, and his conduct was despicable and
done with a willful and knowing disregard of Plaintiff’s rights, thereby subjecting Plaintiff to
cruel and unjust hardship. As a result, Plaintiff is entitled to an award of punitive damages
pursuant to California Civil Code Section 3294.
FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION
(Constructive Fraud)
57. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein by reference paragraphs 1 through 38
as though fully incorporated herein and made a part hereof.
58. Both agency and statutory law impose fiduciary obligations upon partners of
general partnerships and limited liability companies. As a business partner in connection with
the Opportunity and the development and commercialization of the Technology and as a partner
of Verde, Defendant owed a fiduciary duty of, inter alia, care, diligence, loyalty, fairness and
truthfulness to Plaintiff. In addition to acting in the highest good faith toward Plaintiff, this duty
precluded Defendant from obtaining any advantage over Plaintiff by virtue of their agency and
position.
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59. As alleged herein, Defendant made material misrepresentations, or omitted to
disclose material facts, to Plaintiff regarding their Agreement, the Opportunity, and the
development and commercialization of the Technology. Defendants misled Plaintiff as to his
fraudulent dealings and as to his interest in the Technology.
60. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and thereupon alleges, that the aforesaid
misrepresentations and omissions by Defendant constitute a breach of his fiduciary duty and
constructive fraud.
61. At the time the representations and promises were made and/or concealed, and at
the time Plaintiff took the actions herein alleged in reliance thereon, Plaintiff was unaware of
the falsity and intentionally misleading nature of the aforementioned representations and
concealments and reasonably relied upon the aforesaid representations and misleading
presentation of the facts.
62. Plaintiff reasonably relied on Defendant's representations, statements, and
omissions when deciding to develop and commercialize the Technology. If Plaintiffs had
known of the actual truth of the matters stated and/or concealed, Plaintiffs would not have taken
such action in reasonable reliance thereon.
63. As a direct and proximate result of the breach of fiduciary duty of Defendant,
Plaintiff has suffered damages in an amount to be proven at trial.
64. The above recited actions of Defendant was done with malice, fraud or
oppression and in reckless disregard of Plaintiff’s rights, and his conduct was despicable and
done with a willful and knowing disregard of Plaintiff’s rights, thereby subjecting Plaintiff to
cruel and unjust hardship. As a result, Plaintiff is entitled to an award of punitive damages
pursuant to California Civil Code Section 3294.
FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION
(Constructive Trust)
65. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein by reference paragraphs 1 through 38
as though fully incorporated herein and made a part hereof.
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66. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereon allege that as a result of the
alleged breaches of fiduciary duty and other wrongful acts alleged above, Defendant entered
into a new agreement with the Inventor/Ownership Group which Defendant should equitably
hold in trust for the benefit of Plaintiff.
67. By reason of the fraudulent and otherwise wrongful manner in which the
Defendant obtained their alleged right, claim or interest in and to the Technology and any
distribution deals resulting therefrom Defendant is an involuntary trustee holding said property
and profits therefrom in constructive trust for Plaintiff with the duty to convey the same to
Plaintiff forthwith.
68. Plaintiff therefore ask that the Court impose a Constructive Trust upon all rights
Defendant may have in and to the Technology, and that Defendant be required to convey said
rights to Plaintiff.
SIXTH CAUSE OF ACTION
(Preliminary Injunction)
69. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein by reference paragraphs 1 through 38
as though fully incorporated herein and made a part hereof.
70. Defendant has instructed Plaintiff not to contact certain business opportunities
and has informed third parties to refrain from doing business with Plaintiff.
71. Plaintiff will suffer irreparable harm to his reputation and future opportunities
should Defendant’s acts that interfere with Plaintiff’s business continue unabated.
72. Plaintiff respectfully requests that this Court enter a temporary, preliminary, and
permanent injunction enjoining Defendant from interfering with Plaintiff’s business
opportunities and otherwise disparaging Plaintiff to present and/or potential clients.
SEVENTH CAUSE OF ACTION
(Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage)
73. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein by reference paragraphs 1 through 38
as though fully incorporated herein and made a part hereof.
16. 1
2
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16
COMPLAINT
74. Beginning in mid-May and continuing throughout the month, Defendant engaged
in a series of acts that interfered with Plaintiff’s contractual relations with the
Inventor/Ownership Group, including, inter alia, terminating the MOU and entering into a new
agreement with the Inventor/Ownership Group.
75. The actions of Defendant, as described above, were carried out in a manner
reflecting a deliberate and calculated intent to: (i) cause third parties to cancel contracts with
Plaintiff, (ii) damage Plaintiff’s ability to perform and enter into joint venture agreements with
the Joint Venture Partner, and (iii) compromise and destroy Plaintiff’s business standing in the
community.
76. As a direct and proximate result of Defendant’s acts, Plaintiff has suffered and
will continue to suffer damages in an amount to be proven at trial, for which Defendant is liable.
77. The above recited actions of Defendant was done with malice, fraud or
oppression and in reckless disregard of Plaintiff’s rights, and his conduct was despicable and
done with a willful and knowing disregard of Plaintiff’s rights, thereby subjecting Plaintiff to
cruel and unjust hardship. As a result, Plaintiff is entitled to an award of punitive damages
pursuant to California Civil Code Section 3294.
EIGHTH CAUSE OF ACTION
(Commission of Unlawful, Unfair, and Fraudulent Business Acts and Practices, Business
& Professions Code Section 17200 et seq.)
78. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein by reference paragraphs 1 through 38
as though fully incorporated herein and made a part hereof.
79. The Unfair Practices Act (Business and Professions Code section 17200 et seq.)
prohibits acts of unfair competition, which are defined to include any “unlawful,” “unfair” or
“fraudulent” business act or practice.
80. Defendant, in doing the acts alleged hereinabove has engaged in unfair and/or
unlawful business practices in violation of Business and Professions Code section 17200 and
has thereby acquired money or property rightfully belonging to Plaintiff by engaging in such
unfair business practices, thereby inducing and causing Plaintiff to suffer “injury in fact” and to
17. 1
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17
COMPLAINT
lose money and/or property as a result of such unfair acts, in violation of the Unfair Practices
Act.
81. As a direct and proximate result of the above-referenced acts of Defendant,
Plaintiff sustained “injury in fact” and lost money or property as a result of such unfair acts
[Business and Professions Code section 17204].
82. Pursuant to the Unfair Practices Act, Plaintiff is entitled to enjoin the practice of
Defendant misrepresentations and fraud and to obtain restitution of all funds and property
obtained by Defendant by reason of and through the use of these unlawful, unfair and fraudulent
acts and practices.
83. Pursuant to the Unfair Practices Act, Plaintiff, individually, and on behalf of all
members of the general public who are, have been or may be, subjected to the unlawful, unfair,
and fraudulent practices of Defendant, hereby requests injunctive relief prohibiting these
practices in the future, and such other orders as may be necessary to restore to any person in
interest, any money or property, real or personal, which may have been acquired by Defendant
by means of this unlawful, unfair and fraudulent business practice, or to disgorge profits that
Defendant have thereby earned. Plaintiff further requests that Defendant be ordered to pay a
civil penalty in the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) for each violation
of Business and Professions Code section 17200 by Defendant, in an amount according to
proof.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff prays for judgment against Defendant as follows:
1. For an award of general damages in the sum of no less than Five Million Dollars
($5,000,000.00);
2. For an award of punitive damages in a sum sufficient to make an example of
Defendant;
3. For imposition of a constructive trust on all property in the possession or control
of Defendant otherwise belonging to the partners, including any and all rights in and to the
Technology and any and all distribution deals relating thereto, to be held as a constructive
20. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
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PHOTO BY TED SOQUI
Joshua Macciello says the Chinese New Year
delayed his money transfer.
Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was
in Line to Buy the Dodgers. But He Was
Really a Fraud
By Gene Maddaus Thursday, Mar 15 2012
Joshua Macciello appeared on ESPN Radio on Jan. 5 to announce his intention to buy the
Dodgers. He was an unknown but, as he explained to hosts Steve Mason and John Ireland,
he had completed some real estate deals and mineral transactions that put him in position
to buy the team in the upcoming bankruptcy auction.
On air, Macciello came off as a regular guy
with big money and big plans for the team.
With a thick Brooklyn accent and a no-
nonsense demeanor, he said he would
surround himself with the best minds in the
sports business. He'd already had dinner with
Dodger legend Tommy Lasorda. Because he
was a fan, he would be a hands-on owner.
"My plan is to win the bid first, and then win
the World Series immediately following,"
Macciello said.
Mason and Ireland have been broadcasting
together for 16 years, and their show is the
highest-rated sports program in their market.
In the world of L.A. sports, their opinions
mean a lot. And they were high on Josh
Macciello. When he said he would sign first
baseman Prince Fielder, Mason nearly
jumped out of his chair.
"That's the right answer!"he said. "That's what
fans want to hear!"
The hosts noted, however, that Macciello was
an underdog because he lacked connections
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21. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
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PHOTO BY TED SOQUI
Joshua Macciello
S. BUKLEY/NEWSCOM
Frank McCourt filed for bankruptcy in June.
PHOTO BY TED SOQUI
Joshua Macciello
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within the clubby world of professional
baseball.
"Am I a long shot?"Macciello asked. "Y es, and
there's no other place that I'd like to be. I'm
the Rocky Balboa."
Some listeners who called in were skeptical.
How come no one had heard of this guy
before? But Mason and Ireland stood firm.
Ireland said he had seen an appraisal for one
of Macciello's gold mines. It was worth $20
billion.
"It's not a hoax,"Mason said. "Believe me, this
guy doesn't get on the air without passing a
vetting process. We're not gonna risk our
reputations."
After his debut, Macciello talked to a dozen
more TV stations and radio and print
reporters. He answered skeptical comments
online. He showed up at a softball game
organized by Dodger bloggers, where he went
5-for-7 , with two doubles and a triple, and
hustled to make a diving catch in the outfield.
"Everybody's worried about me being Frank
McCourt,"he said later. "Frank McCourt's not
laying his body out."
After their initial report, Mason and Ireland
did a follow-up interview with Ramona
Shelburne, an ESPN reporter who spent five
weeks checking into Macciello's background.
The verdict: He's the real deal.
"At the end of the day, it's just a great story,"
Shelburne told them. "This guy, I honestly
think, is just a guy who came into a lot of
money and thinks it might be cool [to own the
team]. There's something endearing about
that."
They took some calls. Lance in San Diego, a
Dodger fan since the age of 8, was sold.
"He's aggressive like Steinbrenner, young like
Cuban. ... He's got my vote, dawg. ... I love
him."
"I think a lot of fans are buying what he's
selling,"Ireland concluded.
Frank McCourt has owned the Dodgers
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22. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
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NL West National League (MLB)
Los Angeles Dodgers Josh Macciello
Myung Ho Lee
Dodger Stadium to Host -- Gasp! -- Soccer?
May 29, 2013
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since 2004. His tenure has been a disaster.
After spending two years disgracing himself
in divorce court, McCourt filed for
bankruptcy in June. Last year, the fans
boycotted. The team played mediocre
baseball against a backdrop of empty seats.
Under duress, McCourt agreed to sell the
team last fall.
At this point, Dodger fans are desperate to be
told two things: That the McCourt era is over,
and that the team will win again.
Unfortunately, nobody can say those things.
McCourt seems to have every intention of
hanging on to the Dodger Stadium parking lots. That would force the new owner into an
awkward partnership with the most hated man in Los Angeles.
As for winning, no one can make any promises about that, either — at least not while the
bankruptcy sale is pending. The auction is a secret process, and the bidders making a play
for the team have signed nondisclosure agreements. Though there have been plenty of
leaks, no one is permitted to speak directly to the fans.
No one, except Josh Macciello.
Because, as it turns out, Macciello was never a real contender for the team. He is, instead, a
fraud. Despite what he's told reporter after reporter, and despite what those journalists
have dutifully repeated, he does not have billions of dollars. He does not have rights to any
gold mines. He is, instead, a convicted drug dealer and a huckster who has used his talents
to persuade many people — not just journalists — to place their confidence in him. In his
wake he has left a string of abandoned projects and broken promises.
The Dodger play is his boldest stunt so far. And, judged strictly as a bid for attention, it was
a fantastic success. Reporters and fans ate up the tale of the regular guy who wanted to buy
the team. Never mind the gaping holes in that narrative: At the end of the day, it was a great
story.
Macciello is such a charismatic force that people continue to believe in him, even when
confronted with evidence of his deceit. Provided with some of that information, his
publicist, Cindy Rakowitz, continues to stand up for him. "I really do believe he has the
money somewhere, somehow, some way,"she says. "I want to believe."
And it's not just Rakowitz. The story was remarkably easy to pitch.
"There are a lot of reporters who wanted to believe he was going forward with this,"she
says. "The L.A. press wants the Dodgers issue to be resolved. From a PR/marketing
standpoint, Josh filled that void."
L.A. Weekly's interaction with Macciello begins with an email from Rakowitz's firm,
offering an interview with "the potential new owner of the L.A. Dodgers."The pitch
describes Macciello as "the coolest 36-year-old billionaire you will EVER meet!!!"
An interview is arranged at Macciello's home in Studio City. The five-bedroom house has a
brick facade, inset with two-story white columns. It has been appraised at $1.5 million.
23. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
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A doughy young man in glasses and a Dodgers windbreaker answers the door and
introduces himself as Eric. He says he is Macciello's assistant.
Nothing about the interior of the house, however, says "billionaire."The furnishings are
modest and awkwardly arranged. Asked for a restroom, Eric points to a shabby half-bath
next to the entryway. On the counter by the sink are two books: What Is My Pee Telling
Me? and What Is Y our Poo Telling Y ou?
Macciello comes downstairs, wearing ripped white jeans and a black T-shirt. He has a long,
scraggly beard and a receding hairline. On his right bicep is an elaborate tattoo of a Joshua
tree alongside a New Y ork Y ankees cap. He says he's planning to get a Dodgers cap added
on there somewhere.
He's planning to do a lot of things. He has restless energy and an eagerness to win people
over, to get them to buy into his dreams.
One thing Macciello plans to do, he says, is buy a new house in Bel-Air. (This one's a rental.)
Once he buys the Dodgers — he has recently disclosed he is offering $2.2 billion — he
intends to keep general manager Ned Colletti and manager Don Mattingly around for a year,
to give them another chance. By this time, Prince Fielder has signed a nine-year deal with
the Tigers for $214 million. Macciello says he would have passed.
"I would have given him three years, $60 million,"he says.
The financing for Macciello's bid appears to be a work in progress. Sitting at a long, dark
wood dining room table, he explains that he is no longer using the gold mines, which he has
touted in previous interviews. Instead, he has partnered with two gentlemen — Myung Ho
Lee and Fred Furrow — who will put up the equity for the deal. They will take a 49 percent
stake in the team, and Macciello will keep 51 percent.
But Macciello makes it clear he is not using the gold to secure his 51 percent stake in the
bid. So what is backing it?
"There is no backing of the 51 percent,"he says. "I can't get into the deal too much. The
profit sharing will be in their favor."
Asked why these two guys would agree to buy Macciello a baseball team, he has a ready
answer: "They saw my business plan. All these up-front costs I'm paying for."
Macciello tells Eric to retrieve some other documentation. Eric produces a packet that
includes a single-page "proof of funds,"which purports to show that $10 billion is sitting in
an account at HSBC in Hong Kong, under the name of Myung Ho Lee.
Macciello says he's been having some trouble getting the Blackstone Group, the investment
firm handling the Dodger sale, to accept that. So they are in the process of transferring the
money to an American bank. There's been a delay, however, because of Chinese New Y ear.
"Everything shuts down for Y ear of the Dragon,"Macciello says.
The packet also includes the trio's $2.2 billion bid and a curriculum vitae for Myung Ho
Lee, including his phone number. But when the Weekly begins to copy down that number,
Macciello grabs the notebook and vigorously crosses it out.
"We're not using that right now,"he says, a little edge in his voice. "I don't want you
disturbing Myung Ho."
24. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
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Instead, he suggests emailing his other backer, Fred Furrow, who runs a company called
Full Circle Energy. Macciello says he is doing big things with water and renewable power.
Fred Furrow wants to save the world by zapping sewage with a plasma beam. The 63-
year-old entrepreneur has been working for the last dozen years on several energy
technologies, each of which he believes is revolutionary. But the one he is most excited
about involves generating clean, renewable electricity from garbage and human waste.
It's still in the conceptual stage. But Furrow is convinced that the idea will revolutionize the
energy industry and make him "an instant multibillionaire."
"The technologies we have are kind of overwhelming,"he says over the phone from his
home in Clovis, just outside Fresno. "It's Einstein and Edison times 1,000. Full Circle
Energy could be the first trillion-dollar company."
Furrow grew up in Santa Maria. After college he started a white-water rafting business on
the Kings River. He had five sons, and wound up working a more stable job in commercial
real estate in Fresno. But he never lost his entrepreneurial drive.
He formed a company with a partner, and in 2006, they were selected to be part of the
Water and Energy Technology Incubator at Fresno State. The program supports small
businesses as they attempt to bring new technologies to market.
"Like most of the other entrepreneurs, they're very visionary,"says Travis Sheridan, who
supervised Full Circle's work at the incubator. "They want to create something that solves
all of the problems. One of our jobs was to get them focused on what is your core product."
Full Circle struggled to find investors. "Sometimes Fred would get in his own way,"Sheridan
says.
He remembers Furrow talking about a number of investors who were on hook. But it was
always a " 'the check is in the mail' kind of thing,"Sheridan recalls. Full Circle left the Fresno
State program after two years, unable to secure financing.
Full Circle also needed access to a river of sewage, so Furrow shopped the idea to several
cities in the Central Valley. His pitch: Give me your waste, and I will change the world.
"It's a lightning bolt–in-a-can approach,"says Patrick Wiemiller, Fresno's public works
director, who spent a lot of time investigating the idea.
Wiemiller says he was open to the plan if Furrow could find financing but the city would not
invest. "I'm not sure it's economic. A lot of things you say, 'Wow, that makes sense.' But if
the economics aren't there, they aren't there."
The Central California city of Tulare (population: 59,000) entered into a negotiating
agreement with Full Circle in 2008. City officials were upbeat about the idea but hired an
outside consultant to check it out. The consultant's report was fairly damning, finding "no
firm commitments of personnel, intellectual property or financial resources."
"Virtually all technical and developmental information seems dependent on a key new-hire
and his access to the owners of the technology, who are located in Russia,"the consultants
wrote. "Existing commercial examples DO NOT EXIST."
The agreement lapsed, and Tulare is no longer involved.
Furrow is wary of getting into some of these details. He says he would much prefer to
25. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
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remain "under the radar."He is worried about competition, especially from the likes of
established enterprises such as Pacific Gas & Electric and Waste Management, whose
business models he intends to radically disrupt.
"We don't want to end up in one of their landfills,"he says.
But Furrow says he has finally landed a big investor: South Korea–based Myung Ho Lee,
who has committed to put $10 billion into his technologies in the very near future. He says
he expected to have received some of the money already, but Lee recently came down with
a potassium deficiency, which put him in the hospital for a week.
Furrow explains that the opportunity to buy the Dodgers came about quite recently
through a friend who knew Macciello, and knew that Macciello was looking for financing.
Furrow had always thought he might want to own a baseball team someday, and he was
about to become an instant multibillionaire. The timing was perfect.
They got in touch by phone and Skype, and hit it off. Furrow told Macciello that he had
proof that Myung Ho Lee had $10 billion in an account in Hong Kong. Could they use that
to buy the team? When Macciello said yes, they were in business.
"We can show the cash when the cash is needed, in April. That's not gonna be a problem,"
Furrow says. "We're not really looking at the Dodgers deal as a true business deal. Even if it
loses money, I'm gonna need the write-off for everything else we got going."
Macciello's parents divorced when he was young. His father is Josh Cruze, an actor and
singer who grew up in New Y ork in a Puerto Rican household that rooted for the Y ankees
and Roger Maris. Cruze, now 62, got his acting break in Tracers, a stage play about the
Vietnam War, and over the years, he's had small parts in TV shows such as 24 and The Unit.
More recently, he says, he's been devoting himself to his music group, the Banditos de
Amor.
His relationship with his son has been sporadic at best: Cruze says young Josh grew up in
New Y ork and played baseball in high school in Tampa. His athletic career ended with a
shoulder injury in community college. As for the rest, he's a bit hazy.
"We don't talk a lot,"he says.
Macciello came out to L.A. about 15 years ago to attend Valley College. In 2002, he says he
was working for Y ellow Pages Advertising, when he was pulled over and arrested for drug
possession. Court records show that he pleaded no contest to a felony count of possessing
3,000 Vicodin tablets for sale. He was placed on probation. The charging documents also
allege that Macciello sold more than 14 grams of heroin, and possessed 62 tablets of
codeine.
Macciello contends that he was driving someone else's car and was illegally searched. He
also denies ever touching heroin.
According to his bio, Macciello broke into the entertainment industry by working as a
showroom manager at the Improv comedy club and as a talent scout for a reality show
called But Can They Sing? From there, he says, he went to work for movie producers
Arnold Rifkin and Christopher Eberts.
Rifkin and Eberts had a troubled partnership that dissolved in a flurry of litigation. Both are
now in bankruptcy, and both are being sued by investors who claim they were defrauded.
Jeff Elliott, a self-published author from Normal, Ill., alleges that Eberts swindled him out of
26. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
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$600,000 by claiming he would use the money to make a movie out of Elliott's book
Rebounding From Death's Door. The movie never got made, and the suit is pending.
None of the lawyers involved in those lawsuits has heard of Macciello, although one of
them, Brent Gray, who represents Jeff Elliott, says he'd be leery of any connection. "The
association between him and Eberts would raise red flags with me,"Gray says.
Rifkin did not return calls seeking comment. Eberts could not be located.
Macciello also struck up a relationship with George Zakk, a movie producer who has
worked with Vin Diesel. According to Zakk, Macciello tried to raise money for several
projects, but "nothing came to fruition."
"He was very aggressive, and a big dreamer,"Zakk says. "And I mean that in a positive
sense."
Through that connection, Macciello says he came into contact with screenwriter Joe
Eszterhas (Basic Instinct). Macciello established his own film company, which bought an
Eszterhas script titled Charisma.
Viktor Kakavas, a partner in the company, says they paid $250,000 for the script.
Macciello persuaded a Colorado wealth manager, Don Scott, to put up the bulk of the
investment, which Scott verifies. "We invested a lot more than that,"he says. The film has
not been produced.
Macciello also sought to raise money for a film called Walkaway Joe. That film — which
Macciello lists on his bio — never got off the ground, either. The screenwriter, Michael
Milillo, says their association was brief and they parted with no hard feelings.
Others on the project had a more jaundiced view.
"I've talked to dozens of jack-offs who say they have money,"says Zachary Matz, one of the
film's producers. "My read on Macciello, from hearing the stories, is that he never closed.
He talked the game, but he never got the elements in place."
Kakavas says his partnership with Macciello ended when Macciello began devoting more
and more of his time to gold deals.
"We didn't actually really produce anything,"Kakavas says.
Don Scott, who seems to have a lot invested in Macciello's success, is convinced that he has
the money to buy the Dodgers. But when asked why none of that money has been put to
work making their $15 million movie, he pauses.
"I guess I can't give an answer to that question,"he says. "I think Josh is really not focused
on the movies at this minute."
Nobody else involved in Macciello's film career knows quite what to make of the Dodger
bid. Macciello's father says he learned about it by reading his son's interviews.
"He knows a lot of people in this town,"Cruze says. "He can pull together resources. Whether
it's true or not — that I cannot tell you."
When Macciello first began touting his interest in the Dodgers, he used a multibillion-
dollar gold appraisal to establish his credibility with reporters. By the time of the interview
at his house, he was no longer providing it.
27. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
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"I don't have to show that no more,"Macciello says.
The author of the document is Chuck Adkins, a veteran appraiser in Portland, Ore. Reached
by phone, he says he does all sorts of appraisals — mostly on homes and commercial
buildings — but, he says, he does not specialize in mineral rights. Adkins says he was asked,
a couple of years ago, to analyze some gold claims in Arizona, which led to the brief report.
He does not consider his report to be an "appraisal."It was just research.
Oddly, Adkins says he doesn't know Macciello. He says he did the report for a company
called Golden Oasis.
Asked if his report could be taken as evidence of sufficient wealth to acquire a sports
franchise, Adkins says, "It sounds squirrelly to me.
"If they want to find out what it's really worth, they should do an appraisal,"he adds.
A search for Golden Oasis turns up a Canadian concern that folded a few years ago and was
consolidated into another mining company. Nobody at that company knows anything
about Macciello or the Dodgers.
A few hours after the L.A. Weekly called Adkins — and Adkins denied knowing Macciello —
the Weekly received an email from Macciello.
"The appraisal company we used says you have called three times today and are getting
very upset,"he wrote. "These mines are confidential and are not in any way being used for
the Dodger deal. I gave you a face-to-face interview a couple of weeks ago and explained
that the mines were off-limits and none of your concern.
"If you continue to contact parties I specifically told you were not to be contacted, I will
have no other choice but to take legal actions."
In a follow-up phone call, Macciello reiterates that the mines are out of the picture. "I don't
own gold no more. I sold it off,"he says. "By going and ruffling feathers and talking about
gold — that's not your interest."
It turns out Macciello has good reason to back off the gold claims.
A few days later, Adkins is confronted with the fact that he had been less than candid about
his relationship with Macciello. That prompts him to open up. And what he says demolishes
Macciello's claims of gold-mine riches.
First off, there are no mines. The gold is in the ground. Adkins was tasked with determining
whether it would be profitable to try to extract it. Asked again about Macciello's assertions
that there are "mines"worth "billions of dollars,"Adkins says. "That's totally bogus as far as I
know."
"This guy sounds like a real flimflam artist,"he adds.
Adkins also supplies the name of the person who hired him to do the appraisal.
Sterling Griffiths is in his 7 0s, and lives in Portland. In 2005, the Oregon Department of
Consumer and Business Services ordered Griffiths to cease and desist from promoting a
multilevel marketing scheme. The outfit, called the Redwood Trust, purported to offer
"humanitarian grants"to participants. Griffiths is now "managing partner"of Golden Oasis,
an entity that consists of himself and a friend.
28. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 9/21
Reached at his home, Griffiths is extremely reluctant to talk about gold claims.
"I don't want to raise any red flags,"he says. "I do not trust the government. They're trying
to make us all slaves."
He does not want to talk about Macciello, either, although mention of his name draws a
strong reaction.
"He's been ceased and dismissed!"he says. "We're through with him! We have nothing to do
with him! He does not have our gold claims. He does not have nothing to do with us
anymore."
Griffiths said he acquired the claims about eight or nine years ago. With the price of gold
reaching new heights, he has begun to investigate whether it would be feasible to extract
the gold from black sand. The project would require a lot of up-front capital, which he does
not have, so he has been looking for financing.
He says he heard about Macciello through a broker. Macciello said he could help raise
money.
"He never came through,"Griffiths says.
Macciello apparently has been using the report Griffiths commissioned to pitch investors.
But Griffiths is adamant that Macciello has no right to his claims.
Even if he did, it's not at all clear what the claims are actually worth.
"If you could get 100 percent of that, it's up in the billions of dollars,"he says. "But how
much you can get out, nobody knows."
Macciello ordered the Weekly to cease contact on Monday, Feb. 27 , copying his
attorney, Todd Bonder, on the email. In a phone conversation with the Weekly, Bonder
explains that he has been hired to facilitate Macciello's bid for the Dodgers.
"All the indications are that it is legitimate,"Bonder says. "Josh seems to me to be a man of
means. ... Ultimately, it comes down to put up or shut up at the end of the day."
Bonder says he's quite confident that Furrow and Myung Ho Lee will arrange to transfer the
$2.2 billion to an American bank account by the end of the week. He is so certain, in fact,
that he accepts a bet. If the money doesn't materialize by Friday, he will owe the Weekly
$5.
Myung Ho Lee has a colorful background. He is not on the Forbes list of Korean billionaires,
but a quick Google search shows that he used to manage Michael Jackson's financial affairs
before the two had a falling-out in 2001. Lee made a number of headline-grabbing
allegations against the pop star, including that he hired witch doctors and paid hush money
to his ex-wife. Jackson's lawyers claimed that Lee stole millions from Jackson. Lee filed a
$12 million lawsuit against the singer, which was resolved in an out-of-court settlement in
2003.
Lee re-emerged in March 2011, in a press release from a company called Colorado Rare
Earths Inc. According to the release, Lee's company — Union Financial and Investment
Corp. — had agreed to partner with the company to provide precious minerals to Korean
companies. But the press contact on the release tells the Weekly the deal never went
through.
29. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 10/21
With Myung Ho Lee now Macciello's last possible source of billions for the Dodger
purchase, and the clock ticking away on the promised money transfer, the Weekly
attempted to reach him.
The phone number that Macciello scratched out does not work. It begins with an 822 area
code, which does not exist. After some research, it becomes clear that 82 is the country
code.
An assistant answers the phone in Korean but switches effortlessly to English and gives
Lee's cell number.
Reached on that number, Lee says he's in a meeting. Asked if he's involved in the Dodger
deal, he says, "I'm not at liberty to confirm or deny that at the moment."
Are you a billionaire?
"Far from that,"he says. "I would not characterize myself in that fashion. Talk to Fred about
this, please."
An hour later, Macciello sends another email. The subject is "cease and desist."
"[Y ]ou came to my home to get information out of me, and I told you then that Myung Ho
Lee was not to be bothered and you chose to ignore me,"Macciello writes. "This is my final
warning [sic] if I hear from any of my partners, colleagues or anybody involved that you
are asking about me I will be forced to sue you for damages."
Another email arrives an hour later from Fred Furrow, also with the subject "cease and
desist."
"We are no longer a player,"Furrow writes. "Y our call to Myung Ho Lee has caused us to
totally drop out with Josh. ... Any mention of our names in any future article will force us to
take legal action."
On Thursday afternoon, attorney Todd Bonder calls the Weekly back.
"It looks like I'm probably gonna owe you the $5,"he says.
Days after Fred Furrow's "cease and desist"email, he has calmed down enough to give his
explanation for why the deal went south.
"Myung Ho and I got caught up in the fantasy of thinking we were gonna be part owners of
the Dodgers,"Furrow says. "We didn't think it through at all."
After Lee heard from a reporter, Furrow says, "He called me and blew up.
"That money in Hong Kong was not allocated for the Dodgers,"Furrow continues. "If our
investors found out we were using that money for the Dodger deal, we could lose $100
billion in international revenue."
He says he has informed Macciello that the deal is off.
"Josh is devastated,"he says.
In a final interview, Macciello is despondent and combative. He is dropping out of the deal,
and he blames L.A. Weekly.
"I have nothing. My whole financing got pulled. I have no means, nothing,"he says. "I'm the
30. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 11/21
Show Pages
Roy Hobbs of this deal. I came out of nowhere. Then an L.A. Weekly reporter ruined that. ...
We're starting to put a case together. Y ou cost me $2.2 billion."
Asked about his film career, he concedes that he never produced a movie. But he insists he
has gold claims, although he again declines to offer proof. Informed that the appraiser has
called him a liar, he says, "If the gold guy said that, God bless him."
So why, if Macciello never had the money to buy the Dodgers, did he make such a push to
get publicity? There are at least three possibilities.
The first is that Macciello genuinely believed that somehow he would be able to find the
money. This is Macciello's explanation.
"I thought I was gonna own the Dodgers,"he says. "I thought I was using that to introduce
myself."
The second is that it was a publicity stunt. Macciello has batted that allegation away, saying
he wouldn't have sunk money into the bid if he were just looking for attention. "That's
stupid,"he told the L.A. Daily News, in a favorable story that ran in early February. "I'm not
looking to be a Kardashian."
The third explanation is that Macciello's profession is raising money from gullible
investors. Any extra bit of credibility — such as all the favorable press clippings now posted
on his company website — makes it easier to close the next deal, whatever it turns out to
be.
Macciello flatly rejects that explanation.
"I honestly didn't even think of that,"he protests. "I don't have anything that I'm promoting
to where your angle makes sense."
Macciello says he doesn't much care which explanation the Weekly goes with.
"Nothing you can write can make people not like me,"he says. "I'm a likable guy."
But a few minutes after hanging up, he calls back.
"So what do you think of me?"he asks. "Are you leaning toward you don't believe me?"Given
an affirmative answer, he says, "Someday I'm going to make you think differently."
Why is it such a problem that one person might hold a negative view?
"My father left when I was a kid,"he says. "Maybe it's need issues."
Well, it's a heck of a story.
"I'll let you write it when we make the movie,"he says.
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31. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 12/21
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May 1, 2012
Newest | Oldest | Top Comments
Skeptic
Josh has no gold
Sign in or Create Account 1 person listening
Just found this....an apparent internet sports talk show, which was started last
month, and had Josh on as its first guest:
https://www.facebook.com/EssentialSportsTalk
Interestingly, the FB page devotes a lot of time to talking about Josh, and seems to
imply that he then went on to be a host of the show? And the co-host of the show is
a wedding DJ out of New Jersey, which is somewhat interesting. I mean, I am not
calling anyone a liar or fraud, but this is really weird the way the people sometimes
accused of such things are these people that have the most vocal quotes about how
they "have a lot to offer" or they set up the appearance of a somewhat balanced view
by saying things like "is he a madman or a prophet?"....it just seems like such bad
PR hot air...
Like Reply
Well, it's been over a month since Josh proclaimed on his Twitter account that a
"major" paper would be doing a story "soon" which would refute 80% of the content
of this article. An article that has been backed by all of the other newspapers and
even Josh's beloved Mason and Ireland. He has not sued for liable or defamation like
he threatened, because you can't sue when the information is true. I guess we
shouldn't be holding our breath while waiting for this redemption piece as it seems
150 comments
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32. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 13/21
Apr 9, 2012
Apr 7, 2012
Apr 7, 2012
Apr 6, 2012
Apr 6, 2012
Apr 6, 2012
Apr 6, 2012
Josh has no gold
BlahBlahBlah
Josh has no gold
BlahBlahBlah
Josh has no gold
kana_mae
Pretty_izah
that Josh's definition of "soon" appears to be similar to his definition of "owning gold
mines." Whatever you do Gene, don't go around calling his fellow "investors" and
mess up his financing deal to buy the Padres.
Like Reply
Goodbye Ann. You were never comical, just tragically in denial. The saddest part is
the kids. Josh's oldest one is probably old enough to find this on the internet, and
the twins won't be far behind. Josh's true test will be when they come to him and ask
if all of this is true. He'll have a choice then, either come clean and explain how
daddy did some not so good things, or look at them straight in the face and lie to
them. If he decides to keep the trail of lies going he might as well get up and walk
out on them like his own father did because it's just as bad. Now back to the kitchen
with you!
Like Reply
Silly Gene, this article is bs like this dialogue between me and you. Boring!! And the
people who read this article and take it for face value are not people who anyone
would want in their camp anyway so that weeds out that!! As before on Mason and
Ireland, I promise you will never hear from me again, lucky you. I will never comment
or allow you to rent any space in my head even when you are proven wrong. You are
simply not worthy. The last comment proved that to me, desperate! Take care and
have a Blessed Easter, you need all the prayers you can get... so long Vale
Tudo/Gene/Josh has no gold etc etc etc! BlahBlahBlah!!
Like Reply
Silly Ann! You can bet that everywhere Josh goes people will be searching him and
finding this article. Unfortunately he's going to have a tough time getting any press in
San Diego because of it. Even if he wanted to get back into "producing" (nothing) in
Hollywood this article will follow him and expose him for the fraud that he is. Silly
Ann, you've become quite the punchline in my circles as well, the brainless, defiant
sister who can't grasp the truth about her brother the fraud! hahaha Now go clean the
oven before hubby gets home! hahahaha
Like Reply
Hahahha if you think anyone but you or I are reading this bs article than that
solidifies the notion of me believing you are delusional haha. No one cares and who
is everyone else. Oh and just told the girls you said hi and they are laughing and
said hi Vale/Gene haha you have become a very comical household name <3.
WooHoo Go Josh your family loves you!! Have a happy and blessed Easter Gene!
Like Reply
Yeah, you should quit now Ann. I don't think you realize how ridiculous you sound to
anyone who reads the article and then reads your comments. I know that denial is
the only viable means to dealing with a close family member being outed as a fraud
and liar, but it doesn't play outside your family circle. Everyone else can see Josh for
the liar that he is. Every day that goes by without the article with the "real story"
being published proves that he is all talk and no game. Good luck supporting a
fraudulent con man!
Say hi to the girls for me! ;)
Like Reply
my neighbor's sister-in-law earned $20165 the previous month. she gets paid on the
computer and got a $575600 house. All she did was get fortunate and make use of
the steps revealed on this web page ...MakeCash10.comONLY
Like Reply
my roomate's step-aunt made $13705 past month. she is making income on the
computer and got a $469700 home. All she did was get lucky and put in action the
advice written on this web page MakeCash10.comONLY
33. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 14/21
Apr 6, 2012
Apr 5, 2012
Apr 5, 2012
Apr 5, 2012
Apr 5, 2012
Apr 5, 2012
Apr 4, 2012
Apr 4, 2012
kana_mae
BlahBlahBlah
Josh has no gold
BlahBlahBlah
BlahBlahBlah
Josh has no gold
BlahBlahBlah
BlahBlahBlah
Like Reply
@everyonemy roomate's mom brought in $17515 a week ago. she has been working
on the laptop and moved in a $351300 home. All she did was get fortunate and make
use of the directions made clear on this website .................MakeCash10.com
Like Reply
Sweetie finally offering Pennance for all the lies you wrote! What took you so
longJust say one Our Father and maybe you'll be forgiven. Gene/Vale actions. Sit
down during this Holy Week and really reflect. And if you can rest at night knowing
you did your part as a human than you have our blessing. Otherwise you watch for
that karma I see can be brutal! Only wishing you nothing but the best for I now know
how distorted your reality is so this is it for me because you are no longer comical
but instead desperate so farewell Vale/Gene!
Like Reply
"We don't talk a lot," Josh’s father."nothing came to fruition."The film has not been
produced.— never got off the ground, either."I've talked to dozens of jack-offs who
say they have money""He never closed. He talked the game, but he never got the
elements in place""We didn't actually really produce anything""It sounds squirrelly to
me”"That's totally bogus as far as I know.""This guy sounds like a real flimflam
artist""He's been ceased and dismissed! We're through with him! We have nothing to
do with him!”"He never came through"
Pretty much says it all about this dirt bag! Josh is the only one who is going to have
a karma problem with all of his lying and deceipt. Glad that I can't claim him as
family!!!
Like Reply
Apr 5, 2012BlahBlahBlah
Believe me Vale/Gene I am glad you can't claim him as family because I
would have to train my kids into believing that lying is a tool used when
desperate and deliberatly hurting people is the price they pay for self
recognition whether warranted or not. Phew! Now that would take many
years of restructuring!
Like Reply
Silly Vale/Gene/Josh Fraudillo you are hahahahhahaa a grade a liar. Period haha.
Like Reply
Woo hoo Go Josh we are so proud of you!! We know the truth and Josh has no gold
does not!! hahahaha. Karma oh sweet Karma..
Like Reply
Silly Ann, Josh is a fraud and a con man. Buying a pack of gum is about all he'll ever
do. Everything he has ever been involved in has been a sham. He never had gold
mines. Never had an actual bid for the Dodgers. Never actually help produce any
movies. And you can bet your butt he will never own the Padres or any other sports
team. There is a difference between the truth and what you want to believe. Deceive
and con the gullible and CLOSE family members, that's what losers do. Josh is a
grade A loser.
Like Reply
Go Josh...We are so proud of you...God Bless!!!
Like Reply
Ha...Why would I feel silly for a man who, against all odds, gave it his all despite
34. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 15/21
Apr 4, 2012
Apr 3, 2012
Apr 3, 2012
Apr 2, 2012
Mar 31, 2012
Mar 31, 2012
Mar 31, 2012
Mar 31, 2012
Josh has no gold
BlahBlahBlah
BlahBlahBlah
tony
BlahBlahBlah
BlahBlahBlah
Sad but true
BlahBlahBlah
guys like Gene, and Josh has no gold? Please tell me why you guys despise him
so? What has he done to you? And my character shows that I stand for the truth.
Being a CLOSE family member I know he is not a drug dealer or con because I
know the truth and know you are lying, so I stand proud against people like you
Vale/Gene. Because we are a close knit family unit, I would feel proud if he bought
the Dodgers, Padres, or a pack of gum because that's what an unconditional family
member does when they love one another.. but oh wait..you wouldn't know that
because you prey on the innocent, look them in the face, knowing how you are
going to screw them, and distort the truth to get recognition. Yeah Vale/Gene that's
what losers do. How dare you talk about character. One has to have character
before questioning another. Vale/Gene. So God Bless and have a Happy Easter.
Like Reply
Blah, do you feel silly now that he didn't pull the Dodger deal off. Your character
shows in that you're are so proud of a drug dealing con man. Will you feel silly when
he doesn't pull off the Padre's deal either? Josh the fraud is the only one in need of
morals and character, and maybe you.
Like Reply
Apr 5, 2012BlahBlahBlah
Silly, why would I feel silly, I am supportive and stand strong from
something/someone I believe in, never intentionally hurt anyone under no
circumstance and can put my head on the pillow every night because of
that. And have taught my kids to live their lives with better character and
morals than you ever will possess. So whose the silly one
Vale/Gene/Josh F.
Like Reply
So proud of you Josh.....Show them what you are made of..paper champion my a**.
Let's go Josh.
Like Reply
Tony, real original. Has to be Vale/Gene because there is no mention of Josh buying
the Padres anywhere else other than Josh's personal pages and why on earth would
anybody look up Josh's name now and even comment on this old artricle. Who gives
a hoot about Josh get a life Vale/Gene, a life filled with morals and character.
Like Reply
i remember hearing this guy on the radio and thinking everything that this article
describes. you could just hear the desperation of trying to make the hosts believe
him but it was clear that he was full of it. and now he want's to pull the same act
with padre's, i guess a con's gotta con!
Like Reply
Go Josh...we are so proud of you....
Like Reply
WooHoo Josh we are so proud of you....Keep it up can't wait for the truth to
prevail...Wait for it....wait for it God Bless! Go Macciello for the PaPaPaPa Padres!!!
Still waiting for you to prove I am Josh...Oh but wait you can't..hahhahaa
Like Reply
Sad Josh, really... pathetic. Or maybe Blah is the "fan" who started your web site.
Hahahaha!
Like Reply
35. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 16/21
Mar 31, 2012
Mar 31, 2012
Mar 30, 2012
Mar 30, 2012
Mar 30, 2012
Mar 29, 2012
Mar 29, 2012
BlahBlahBlah
Sad but true
BlahBlahBlah
Vale Tudo
BlahBlahBlah
BlahBlahBlah
Josh has no gold
Go Josh. WooHoo
Like Reply
Go Josh, a family man with true character who prevails!!! So proud of you. God Bless
Like Reply
Everything to prove and no proof. Can't wait to see what he considers a "major
paper" to be and who the "big time LA reporter" is. It will most likely end up being an
open letter to the editor, by Josh himself, where he spews more of his fraudulent
lies. Every facet of his persona: rented Studio City house, Armital(the web site does
not list a single accomplishment made by the company, gold bearing land or
"mines", and history of producing in the entertainment field has been exposed as a
total sham. The only thing left to figure out is how this huckster thought that he
could parlay this into anything profitable in the future. Maybe he thought that he fail
in the bidding and not be exposed and then use the press for his next endeavor, but I
have a hard time believing that he is so stupid that he thought that he wouldn't have
been found out for being a fraud. He probably was though. It is sad to see him
continue to try to spin the facts and try to save any credibility. He should probably
take his act back to New York and hope that there are a few people that didn't hear
about the debacle that is Josh Macciello/Armital. Good reporting on behalf of the
Weekly for not getting sucked in and trying to fill page space or air time with a fluff
piece like all the rest. You can almost feel Josh squirming at the end of the article,
like the worm he is.
Like Reply
Vale/Gene, no more fun for me. Go Josh, they have nothing on you and I cannot wait
until you are living your dream for you and your family. Nothing to prove to these
people. God Bless!
Like Reply
Haven't touched Josh/you on twitter, have been accused of being people on that site.
Funny you guys think I'm the only person that's been critical. But now he says a
major paper is doing a background on him. Let's see what "proof" he offers. 1) let's
see how he's "acquired" these other mines; 2) let's see proof of his movie producing
successful; 3) let's see him explain why he plead to a felony if the it was an illegal
search and he was driving someone else's car; 4) let him show at least the info he
gave to shebourne,etc; 5) let him answer questions regarding why he's contradicting
his own words on the media.
Like Reply
@TudoI guess I would be yawning too if I had to manage all my alias' here and on
twitter to pursue my obsession with Josh Macciello..Take a break buddy, you
deserve it and maybe when you wake you will have some real, hard evidence to
prove your points or maybe something new to write about...
Like Reply
Go Josh, a true inspiration to all. The truth will be told soon, but remember these
people and their lies and know they are everywhere but really nowhere.
Like Reply
Hilarious to see this carpet bagging, huckster, snake oil salesmen pack up a move
on as soon as the gig is up. Now all of his "many" supporters can see him for what
he really is. I hope his month to month Studio City rental doesn't hold up his
serpentine slinking down to Mission Beach. Just know Josh, this article will follow
you down I-5 and there won't be any press for you this time.
Like Reply
Mar 29, 2012BlahBlahBlah
Great for him, I hope this article does infact follow him because one
36. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 17/21
Mar 29, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
Vale Tudo
BlahBlahBlah
Vale Tudo
magic johnson
BlahBlahBlah
always needs reminding that there are haters/liars lurking in every crevice
of reality and will do whatever it takes to be noticed, even at their own
character's expense...Hope to hear for you when this gig is up. hahaha
Oh and just an observance, once someone starts "name calling" it takes
credibility away from the one who is "name calling". I tell my kids that all
the time. No one looks beyond the blah blah blah..know what I mean?
BlahBlahBlah
Like Reply
Same 'ol story. I guess he can get some more "fans" to start up a Padres site(and
again claim he has nothing to do with it). You know, because he has millions of
supporters. Hey I wonder if furrow actually got the $10B. The padres would not be as
big of a tax write off as the dodgers but it's still a write off, yes? #sarcasm.
I've already faxed my "proof of funds" and my bridge valuations I'm using as collateral
to finance the purchase. Dodgers and Blackstone wouldn't accept it, but I'm sure the
padres would gobble it up.
Like Reply
Mar 29, 2012BlahBlahBlah
Will you feel silly when he pulls this off or will you guys spread some
more of your lies? You might want to know how to answer that real
soon...Vale. God Bless.
Like Reply
Mar 29, 2012Vale Tudo
Yawn...
Like Reply
Let it roll Josh, they cannot deny your dreams. Show them what you are made of.
Like Reply
Wow!!!! As I predicted. Josh has now indicated that he will either buy or in some
fashion provide financial aid to the San Diego Padres. Maybe by aid he means buy
tickets? lol The Padres were the second most profitable team last year next to the
Yankees. I'm sure Jeff Moorad would welcome the clown with open arms. My guess
is that it's the Padres because it keeps him in the southern California media base.
Not the Marlins, Rays, etc. Teams that actually need investors....lol Man, this guy is
predictable.
Like Reply
Mar 28, 2012BlahBlahBlah
I bet you exposed that on the Mason & Ireland show as well..Damn Vale,
the only predictable one here is you...Which is why when I need a quick
pick me up I look at these comments and can always rely on you..but not
for long...
Like Reply
i've got the team. can this fraud slink back under the rock he crawled out from now?
Like Reply
Mar 28, 2012Littlelarryloulou
Now that's funny!!! Hahaha
Like Reply
And Vale, for all intensive purposes, you are still considered a man who lost his
credibility due to the very strange obsession with Josh Macciello. Weird!! My
obsession is, I know him personally and I know the truth..that's my
obsession/motive, a person who knows he is telling the truth and you guys are
not....I hope you are getting compensated for this because if not, you have to
37. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 18/21
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 27, 2012
BlahBlahBlah
BlahBlahBlah
BlahBlahBlah
Vale Tudo
wonder...Why?? Are you an old girlfriend? At the end of the day, Josh prevails and
you......Well, you can prey on another innocent citizen trying to make a difference in
the world..Again, you can trace me, which I know you did, and know this is not
Josh, just someone who knows the truth...Have a great life buddy, that's if karma
doesn't get in the way...
Like Reply
And Vale, for all intensive purposes, you are still considered a man who lost his
credibility due to the very strange obsession with Josh Macciello. Weird!! My
obsession is, I know him personally and I know the truth..that's my
obsession/motive, a person who knows he is telling the truth and you guys are
not....I hope you are getting compensated for this because if not, you have to
wonder...Why?? Are you an old girlfriend? At the end of the day, Josh prevails and
you......Well, you can prey on another innocent citizen trying to make a difference in
the world..Again, you can trace me, which I know you did, and know this is not
Josh, just someone who knows the truth...Have a great life buddy, that's if karma
doesn't get in the way...
Like Reply
And Vale, for all intensive purposes, you are still considered a man who lost his
credibility due to the very strange obsession with Josh Macciello. Weird!! My
obsession is, I know him personally and I know the truth..that's my
obsession/motive, a person who knows he is telling the truth and you guys are
not....I hope you are getting compensated for this because if not, you have to
wonder...Why?? Are you an old girlfriend? At the end of the day, Josh prevails and
you......Well, you can prey on another innocent citizen trying to make a difference in
the world..Again, you can trace me, which I know you did, and know this is not
Josh, just someone who knows the truth...Have a great life buddy, that's if karma
doesn't get in the way...
Like Reply
Haha no crickets here just people who know the truth and soon you will too...Vale
baby..you need to get a life or if your lucky girl/boyfriend...wow were you watching
the news all night dude.. hahaha..Buddy now I really feel sorry for you..Really Josh
has no goldmines...hahaha you guys are hilarious...thanks for the chuckle
everyday..Will miss you and wish I could see the look on your face when the truth
comes out...and as for Gene...Good for you buddy you got some exposure, negative
but still the same someone was reading..Me I never read any articles before and now
you can bet I never will...hahaha you guys...
Like Reply
...Crickets... lol
Like Reply
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
BlahBlahBlah
BlahBlahBlah
Haha no crickets here just people who know the truth and soon you will
too...Vale baby..you need to get a life or if your lucky girl/boyfriend...wow
were you watching the news all night dude.. hahaha..Buddy now I really
feel sorry for you..Really Josh has no goldmines...hahaha you guys are
hilarious...thanks for the chuckle everyday..Will miss you and wish I
could see the look on your face when the truth comes out...and as for
Gene...Good for you buddy you got some exposure, negative but still the
same someone was reading..Me I never read any articles before and now
you can bet I never will...hahaha you guys...
Like Reply
And Vale, for all intensive purposes, you are still considered a man who
lost his credibility due to the very strange obsession with Josh Macciello.
Weird!! My obsession is, I know him personally and I know the
truth..that's my obsession/motive, a person who knows he is telling the
truth and you guys are not....I hope you are getting compensated for this
because if not, you have to wonder...Why?? Are you an old girlfriend? At
the end of the day, Josh prevails and you......Well, you can prey on
another innocent citizen trying to make a difference in the world..Again,
you can trace me, which I know you did, and know this is not Josh, just
38. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 19/21
someone who knows the truth...Have a great life buddy, that's if karma
doesn't get in the way...
Like Reply
Mar 28, 2012Josh has no gold
"for all INTENTS and purposes," it's funny how you make all of
the spelling and grammatical errors of a half educated Brooklyn
fraud. Hmmmmm?! I'd rather be discrediting this fraud than
have a huge hard on for him like you.
Like Reply
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
BlahBlahBlah
Vale Tudo
BlahBlahBlah
@Vale wrote: Josh, for all intensive purposes you
still are considered a convicted felon. It does not
change the facts that you pleaded to which lead to
you being convicted of a felony. It's a wrap, clown.
Lol!!!!
Copied from another LA Weekly commenter....bud.
Again just someone who cares about Josh and the
truth..do you know what it's like to have your friends
back? Oh yeah right you got Vale's back the one
who wrote "for all intensive purposes" I just copied
his words....Bud. It would be kinda of weird to have
a hard on for Josh though..hahahaAnd when there is
no come back one always looks for a grammatical
or spelling issue..Hahaha is that all you got?
Besides a lack of character.
Like Reply
No need to get out of shape over grammar spelling
guys. Typing from a droid phone. Man, this is
entertaining. And like I've said from the beginning,
this thing all started when Josh answered my post
on Mason and Ireland page while I was at the
airport. But the truth of the matter is, this thing has
played out like I have always said it would. Case in
point: Josh is still claiming he's going to prove
everyone wrong even with strong evidence to the
contrary. His sisters and other "fans" have come
after me but it still doesn't change the fact that I am
right(along with several others). Kind of makes you
think Josh has a "mole" in his camp. lol. Vale Tudo
is me. If it's not under that name, than it's not me.
It's not Gene, etc. (I heard his sister even thought I
was the one who wrote this article) I've been coming
at Josh under my name from the beginning. I offered
Josh an interview, etc but he backed out thinking I
wasn't worthy. His choice. But the most hilarious
thing about this is that he was steered straight to
LA Weekly and they slaughtered him!!! lol He
probably thought the Weekly was going to do a
"puff" article on him. By the way, he's also getting
slaughtered on twitter. lol Thing was never taken
seriously on my part. PS: How are you going to get
rid of and/ answer all that twitter negativity? Also,
"Josh has no gold" said something negative about
Josh. How come you didn't accuse him of being me
as well?
Like Reply
That's the first thing we agree on..this is
entertaining..Cute that you think his sisters are even
giving you the time of day Vale...and by the way, I
would love to hear from you when this all plays out
as planned...Please answer when you are proven
wrong because this has been, as we both
agreed,...entertaining.
Like Reply
39. 6/10/13 Josh Macciello Convinced L.A. He Was in Line to Buythe Dodgers. But He Was Reallya Fraud - - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly
www.laweekly.com/2012-03-15/news/joshua-macciello-los-angeles-dodgers-mccourt/full/ 20/21
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Mar 28, 2012BlahBlahBlah
Mar 28, 2012
Mar 28, 2012
Vale Tudo
BlahBlahBlah
Check the Mason and Ireland Fan page and see if
his "sisters" have acknowledged me. If they haven't
erased their comments like Josh did. Either way I
copied all the comments. Josh will move on the next
project to keep his name in the press. He'll say the
proof is coming, but it will never come. He'll
cryptically state that he's going after something else
big(even playing more into his attention starved
persona and ignoring the fact that he should just do
it under the radar) and draw the drama out as long
as possible. I've been here all along and I've been
right about his moves. It's so predictable. I even said
those gold mine "appraisals" were bogus even after
you were on the show and the Shelbourne interview.
No one bothered to vet Josh until this author. When
Maddus told him to put up the proof, Josh punked
out. Even though he freely displayed the docs to M
and I, Shelbourne and some bloggers. Funny how
Josh knew this article was going to expose him, but
he still acted like he was in the process. That's why
this thing is so funny. So is he going to buy a
football team now? I predicted that play also. What
about the Padres? I told him, buy Facebook stock.
lol But I know his millions of fans are strong (even
though he doesn't even have 1000 followers between
FB and Twitter) so I'll back off of Josh. He's quoted
in the article as "having no means" to buy the team.
Again, what happened with the gold mines he sold
off?
If Josh is real he can contact someone like Darren
Rovell (CNBC), WSJ, Fox Business or anyone else
along those lines to check out his financial status. I
suggested this several times in the past, but for
some reason it was ignored. Instead he went to
those brow-beating bloggers, sports radio hosts,
etc. Lol Clown.
Like Reply
Ummm the only social media freak is you
Vale..Again a little strange but what's the
obsession...answer that question...have to
know..you are not a threat, by no means, or a
friend, please enlighten us all, because I have a lot
of people reading and chuckling and they asked me
to ask you...What's with the obsession with Josh
Macciello..half say you are an old flame..some say
a lonely soul..while others have commented that
they feel sad for you that this is how you get your
kicks..so which is it Vale. I have to go with the latter
now, I mean this when I say, I am even feeling a
little sad for you. So tonight I offer up prayers to
Vale Tudo becasue he is that lonely and sad that he
has to follow someone like Josh Macciello..God
Bless!
Like Reply
Sorry Vale..No crickets now..They are all gathering in massive numbers
waiting for the real moment of ahhhaa..when the truth comes
out...bwahhaha...
Like Reply