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Starr Gave No Hint of Trouble to Clients Day Before Arrest

Roger Friedman
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Starr Gave No Hint of Trouble to Clients Day Before Arrest

The Ken Starr scandal is going to be far reaching and affect not just big name celebrities but plenty of small investors.

One producer of more than two dozen “classic” films of the modern era met with Starr, his financial manager, last Wednesday, the day before Starr was arrested. The producer’s elegant wife was also at the meeting.

“Everything was fine, we had a nice time,” the wife told me yesterday. “He didn’t show any sign of trouble.”

And yet, the next day Starr was arrested by government agents after the SEC filed a massive fraud complaint against him in Manhattan Federal Court. The SEC puts the value of Starr’s misbehavior at $30 million.

Many news organizations have the names wrong of Starr’s victims. This couple’s name has not yet been revealed. There will be more like them.

The couple is visibly shaken. “Is it possible it was just a mini Ponzi scheme?” the wife asked me.

MIA aka Edgar Bronfman’s Daughter-in-Law: Phony, Yet Catchy

Roger Friedman
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1
MIA aka Edgar Bronfman’s Daughter-in-Law: Phony, Yet Catchy

I can’t overemphasize how much I loved Lynn Hirschberg‘s piece on rap singer M.I.A. in the May 25th New York Times Magazine. It is a must read. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/magazine/30mia-t.html?pagewanted=1

Maya Arulpragasam is depicted as a conniving, calculating, manipulative, aggressive, ambitious pathological liar who has crept into the American culture by presenting herself as a Madonna in waiting. Lady GaGa has nothing nothing on her. It is interesting though that Madonna has spawned these two daughters. And they each come from Interscope Records, where Jimmy Iovine has made survival in a dying business in art form. The tension levels in his offices must be off the charts, but the records are on them so what the hell?

The greatest thing about this story is what Hirschberg only hints at: Maya has inveigled herself into the very wealthy Bronfman family, of Seagram’s fame. She’s technically the daughter in law of Edgar Bronfman, Jr., the man who bought and wrecked Warner Music. (Her boyfriend and father of her child is Bronfman’s eldest kid, Ben.) I have often criticized Bronfman about how he’s handled WMG. But but now I feel some pain for him. You never know what’s going on in someone’s family. Edgar has a grandchild whose mother is a walking billboard, made herself a target for no reason to Sri Lankan terrorists, lies about her background and parentage, and still has a taste for posh Brentwood, California and Givenchy.

Hirschberg is a killer. She gets to the worst parts of a subject’s inner life, unless, of course, she’s obsessed with them (Jerry Seinfeld, Sofia Coppola, hello). Hall & Oates were nearly destroyed by her. The late Bernie Brillstein probably lived on Mylanta for a month after she executed him. But Hirschberg is an artist, and her M.I.A. piece should be framed. I had to lie down after reading it. Her next subject should be Justin Bieber.

As for Maya, it turns out her music is pretty good. Hirschberg depicts it as being constructed by many producers and musicians. Maya is more of a supervisor. Whatever she is, there’ s denying that the new songs “Born Free” and “XXXO” are catchy and well made. The irony is that she’s signed to Interscope, which is part of Universal and not Warner Music. She’s exactly the kind of artist Bronfman’s WMG never developed but needed so desperately. Like all else in the Edgar Bronfman world, she’s spending his money, not making it. I’d love to be a fly on the wall at Thanksgiving.

PS Maya, of course, is not happy about the Times piece. Check out her blog at http://neetrecordings.com/blog/node/50

Ollie (Ali) Woodson, of the Temptations, Dies at 58

Roger Friedman
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Ollie (Ali) Woodson, of the Temptations, Dies at 58

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPUsQDm-HQY

Ollie (Ali) Woodson of the Temptations died on Sunday. He was 58 and had been suffering from leukemia.

Woodson was not an original member of the group. They were David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams. Melvin Franklin and Otis Williams. Only Williams survives from that era beginning in 1960.

Ollie joined in 1984, and sang lead on the Temps’ last real hit, “Treat Her Like a Lady,” in 1985. He took breaks, but lasted until 1997. He was a class act, and a great performer and soul singer.

Rest in peace, Ollie. Say hello to the boys for us.

Clinton Dem Fundraiser Entangled in Hollywood Ponzi Story

Roger Friedman
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Clinton Dem Fundraiser Entangled in Hollywood Ponzi Story

Marvin Rosen, Bill Clinton’s chief fundraiser in the mid 1990s, is embroiled in the Ken Starr Hollywood Ponzi story.

Two years ago, when Starr was sued by the late Joan Stanton for fraud, Rosen was very much a part of the story.

This week, when the SEC arrested Starr, they named a limited liability company called Marose as a beneficiary of Starr’s fund manipulations. Marose is owned by Marvin Rosen.

Rosen was not arrested and has not been named by the SEC. Yet.

The Democratic fundraiser has long been glued to Starr’s side. The two men are partners in Starr & Co. They are also linked socially at countless charity events.

When Stanton sued Starr in 2008, her lawyers named several companies in which Starr had invested over $20 million of her money. Among the dozen or so companies named were Fusion Communications and Terremark Worldwide. Marvin Rosen is the Chairman of the Board of Fusion, a company he founded.  His son, Matthew Rosen, is  CEO of Fusion.

Former basketball great, Julius Erving is also on the Fusion Board. He’s named in the SEC’s complaint against Starr as a former basketball great who owns a golf course. Starr may have diverted funds to his businesses as well.

Marvin Rosen also sits on the board of Terremark Worldwide.

More to come…

“Lois Lane” Settlement May Have Triggered Hollywood Money Manager’s Arrest

Roger Friedman
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“Lois Lane” Settlement May Have Triggered Hollywood Money Manager’s Arrest

A multi million dollar settlement with the family of radio’s Lois Lane this past January may have triggered the panic that caused money manager Ken Starr‘s downfall.

The late Joan Stanton was the original voice of Lois Lane on the radio. Her husband, Arthur Stanton, was responsible for bringing Volkswagen to America. When he died in 1987, he left her $60 million. When she died last year, Joan Stanton should have been worth $87 million. Instead, she had been bilked, allegedly, over two decades, by Ken Starr.

Stanton sued Starr and movie producer/Planet Hollywood owner Keith Barish in 2008. It was too late. She alleged in her suit that Starr had either stolen her money directly or put it into phony investments. It may turn out that Stanton’s estate is what funded his enterprise for the last twenty years, making it possible for him to (allegedly) run scams on movie star and celebrity investors.

Joan Stanton died on May 21, 2009. Her estate settled with Barish, who was named as a defendant, in August 2009. But the Stanton didn’t settle with Starr until this past January. Stanton’s daughter, novelist Jane Stanton Hitchcock, signed a confidentiality agreement with Barish and Starr, and cannot speak about anything that happened.

But it seems that the Stanton settlement was what sent Starr around the bend. It’s speculated that his funds were depleted by the settlement. The timing is about right, because the SEC complaint against him picks up a timeline that commences shortly after the Stanton settlement. That’s when actress Uma Thurman asks for but cannot get $1 million from her account, triggering what the SEC alleges is the exposure of Starr’s “Ponzi” scheme. At that point he starts moving funds from one account to another, trying to cover his tracks.

The original Stanton complaint against Starr from 2008 details what was going on, and foreshadows this week’s escapades. Stanton alleged in her complaint that Starr had made unauthorized loans to film companies from her accounts. The lawsuit names Mike Nichols and Diane Sawyer, Wesley Snipes (in whose tax drama Starr was involved), Neil Simon and Broadway producer Hal Prince has potential other victims.

“Because of Mr. Starr’s conduct and mismanagement of her financial affairs, Mrs. Stanton was left on occasion without sufficient liquid assets to cover her tax bills,” the complaint states. “For example, in 2006,” Mrs. Stanton was forced to take out one or more loans of approximately $1 million to cover her tax liabilities and other expenses.”

Starr was charging $228,000 a year just in fees for allegedly stealing from her.

PS Here’s a lovely memorial tribute to Joan Stanton from David Patrick Columbia: http://newyorksocialdiary.com/node/409477

Catherine Zeta Jones Calls Douglases “Her Family” At Theater Awards

Roger Friedman
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Catherine Zeta Jones Calls Douglases “Her Family” At Theater Awards

Catherine Zeta Jones picked up her Best Actress in a Musical award yesterday afternoon from the Outer Critics Circle at Sardi’s. She gestured to the myriad caricatures hanging on the walls around her and said, “You have my family here already.” She meant Michael Douglas and his father Kirk. It was very touching.

Zeta Jones wasn’t the only star in the room, however. Both Denzel Washington and Viola Davis came to get their citations for “Fences.” Frank Langella came at his own request to present the Best New Play award to John Logan, who wrote “Red.” Langella couldn’t have been more effusive.

Also on hand were Jan Maxwell, who won for her part in “Lend Me a Tenor,” Katie Finneran, who picked up Featured Actress for “Promises, Promises,” Montego Glover, winner from “Memphis,” and Bon Jovi’s David Bryan, who wrote the “Memphis” songs (he was on his way out to the new Giants Stadium for the Bon Jovi show) and the cast of “God of Carnage”–all of whom presented awards- including Jeff Daniels, Janet McTeer, Lucy Liu, and Dylan Baker. Actress Hallie Foote accepted the award for her late dad, playwright Horton Foote, for his “Orphans Home Cycle” nine hour set of plays.

Around the room: “Fences” producer Scott Rudin, the famed Roger Berlind, and Coen brothers movie producer Ben Barenholtz.

Some picture follow, all c2010 Ann Lawlor.

Will Columbia University Have to Change School’s Name?

Roger Friedman
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Will Columbia University Have to Change School’s Name?

Lots of news today about people stealing money and the SEC catching them.

Arthur J. Samberg has to pay a $28 million settlement to the SEC thanks to his Pequot Capital Management, a $5 billion hedge fund, enriching itself from manipulating stocks.

The SEC says Samberg–now barred from being an investment adviser– hired a former Microsoft manager, David Zilkha, and then usedhim to get the inside info on Microsoft. Samberg doesn’t seem to be doing jail time. But Zilkha has been arrested and the SEC is seeking a jury trial against him. There’s no admission of guilt, just the settlement.

The New York Times and NY Post each skipped over the fact that in 2006 Samberg endowed what is known as the Arthur J. Samberg School for Teaching Excellence at Columbia Business School with a $25 million donation.

Whoops!

The school’s website notes: “The Arthur J. Samberg Institute for Teaching Excellence was founded in 2002 with a generous grant from Arthur J. Samberg ’67, chairman of Pequot Capital Management, Inc., and a member of the Columbia Business School Board of Overseers.”

Yes, the grant was generous. The money wasn’t his!

Hmmm. Now what? The Robin Hood Foundation may get a a kick out of this, too. The highly secretive fundraising group of New York billionaires has been the recipient of Samberg’s generosity with other people’s money, too–in the millions. Samberg has been a regular participant in their famous Javits Center galas that include auctions for things like vacations in exotic locales or walk on parts in hit movies and TV shows.

The whole story of Robin Hood must have appealed to Samberg in so many ways.

Samberg also operates two charities. One, named for himself and his wife, donated $637,181 in 2008 to local arts charities in Westchester county, New York. They must be thrilled. That foundation has $3 million in assets.

But more interesting is the $70 million Samberg Family Foundation, which pays the Sambergs’ daughter a $104,000 annual salary, and a $312, 266 salary to one Gerald Levine.

(If you can get a gig with a big charitable fund, it’s really great. For example: David Saltzman, who runs that Robin Hood Foundation, makes $500,000 a year. Kowabunga!)

In 2008, the Foundation gave almost $5 million to various groups in New York and Israel.

Janet Jackson Was Great on “American Idol.” Period.

Roger Friedman
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Janet Jackson Was Great on “American Idol.” Period.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z6CCacSAVY

Janet Jackson was just super Wednesday night on “American Idol.” Looked great, sounded great. If this is the new direction for her career, she’s all set. Somewhere, Michael was smiling.

Money Advisor in $30 Mil Ponzi Scheme Had Friends and Clients in High Places

Roger Friedman
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2
Money Advisor in $30 Mil Ponzi Scheme Had Friends and Clients in High Places

EXCLUSIVE

Ken Starr--not the Ken Starr from Whitewater–has been charged by federal prosecutors with a $30 million Ponzi scheme.

Starr is a money manager for dozens of Hollywood names. Sources tell me this investigation has been proceeding for some time, with many of his former clients settling cases with him to get their money back before Starr was hauled away in handcuffs today.

One of his victims was Joan Stanton, the original voice of Lois Lane on the radio. Stanton is also the now deceased widow of Volkswagen magnate Arthur Stanton. In 1987, Joan Stanton inherited $87 million from her husband. By the time she died, little of it was left. Starr was her financial adviser.

Joan Stanton’s heirs wound up settling with Starr, I am told, in a backstage Upper East Side money scandal that was little publicized when it was first discovered.

But in 2008, Stanton’s family sued Starr. What proceeded from there was an official investigation. Names of Starr’s clients include Mike Nichols and Diane Sawyer, Uma Thurman, David Blaine, and literally dozens of other celebrities.

Starr has always been a steady presence on the social scene, regularly attending premieres and award shows with his second wife, Diane Passage, a former pole dancer and stripper from the famous gentleman’s club Scores. The couple is also known for throwing their own lavish parties. Starr is also a regular at Michael’s, the Manhattan lunch spot for the A list.

Starr’s close friends and associates include Marvin Rosen, former finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and Andy Stein, former New York City Council president. Stein was arrested today as well.

PS Tons of pics of Starr, Stein, Rosen and friends at Rob Rich’s photo site: http://tinyurl.com/36zdjys

When it’s all sorted out, you can expect a stunning list of recognizable names whom Starr allegedly bilked. It’s all of the New York glitterati who trusted him. Actors, directors, writers, producers. Henry Kissinger and Caroline Kennedy are also on his list of clients.

More to come…

Greta van Susteren is a Hypocrite about Sarah Palin

Roger Friedman
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Greta van Susteren is a Hypocrite about Sarah Palin

Greta van Susteren has posted a picture of Sarah Palin‘s new badly built fence on her blog (no link, sorry). The wobbly structure, which angles up off the ground enough to leave room for a crawl-through, is designed to ward off journalist Joe McGinnis. He’s rented the house next door for five months.

van Susteren captions the fence picture: “To protect against the Wasilla stalker.”

Greta, nominally a journalist for quasi-news organization Fox News, seems to forget that McGinnis is simply a journalist. he’s not breaking any laws, or stalking anyone. He’s writing about Palin. And Palin has obviously lost control over the situation.

But van Susteren is a hypocrite. Her husband, Washington DC attorney John Coale, a prominent Scientologist, worked for Palin through the 2008 election. It’s possible he’s still on her payroll. Thanks to the relationship, Palin gave her first exclusive post-election interview to … Greta. Surprise!

No one expects Fox News to be objective when it comes to supporting Republicans, but this is ridiculous. After all, in her pursuit of tabloid stories for her Fox show, van Susteren and her people have certainly done far more than rent a house next to a subject they were reporting on, whether it was something to do with Natalee Holloway in Aruba or Anna Nicole Smith in the Bahamas.

If McGinnis had moved in next to the Clintons in Westchester, New York, van Susteren would be praising his moxie and inventiveness.

But good work, ladies. You’ve raised the profile of McGinnis’s book three thousand percent! And it’s not even written yet.

PS John Coale has taken at least fifteen Scientology courses, the most recent in 2005 according to this informative site:

http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/j/john-p.-coale.html

One more thing: Glenn Beck is quoted as saying he won’t have any more Random House authors on his show because he’s so mad at McGinnis. Beck had authors in the first place? From Random House? His fans read books? I think this may a win for Random House.

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