Former Ethics Commissioner disciplined by state bar
Krishna Haney, who drove car while impaired, must go to bar's Ethics School
Krishna Haney, a former commissioner of the San Diego Ethics Commission (appointed by former Mayor Jerry Sanders), has been disciplined by the California State Bar. In 2011, her car struck an emergency call box. She went to a gas station …
Gang collecting bogus tax refunds broken up
Fifty-five indicted, many from foreign countries
Culminating a two-year investigation by federal authorities in San Diego and Los Angeles, four federal indictments accusing 55 people of participating in financial schemes were unsealed today (Sept. 26). Officials have arrested 22 defendants, but 33 are still at large …
Minkow may face criminal charges related to his former church
He may have used Community Bible Church funds in his fraud-busting business
Barry Minkow, the con man-turned-pastor-turned con man, may face more criminal charges, according to a story in the New York Post today (Sept. 25). Minkow is now serving a five-year sentence in the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky after …
Regulator points finger at Edison, Mitsubishi
But the two companies continue to blame each other over San Onofre
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a notice of non-conformance to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, manufacturer of steam generators at the now-closed San Onofre nuclear plant. The regulatory commission has given a similar warning to Southern California Edison, the utility that …
Tale of two pairs of guilty brothers
One pair cheated sports fans; other pair filed fictitious documents
Twin brothers Anthony David Casias and Leo Ronald Casias Jr. today (Sept. 23) pleaded guilty to cheating sports fans through their L&T Sports Events, Inc. Clients paid in advance for flights, game tickets, and hotel accommodations for sporting events. But …
SD hotel business up, but lagging coastal California cities
Could trail other cities through 2015
According to Smith Travel Research, August occupancy at San Diego hotels rose only 1% from July, while Orange County rose 4%, L.A. 2.3%, and San Francisco 2.5%. Year-to-date figures are similar: San Diego occupancy is up 0.8%, versus 3.3% for …
Stock swindler sentenced to 15 years
His lending scheme smacked of a Ponzi
Douglas McClain Jr. was sentenced to 15 years in prison today (Sept. 23) and ordered to pay $81.7 million in restitution for his lending scheme which defrauded people in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Panama, China, England, and Belgium. According to …
Ex-Qualcomm exec vp charged with insider trading
Former Merrill Lynch broker charged; they used offshore account
Jing Wang, a former executive vice president and president of global business operations at Qualcomm, was today (Sept. 23) charged with insider trading in stock of Qualcomm and Atheros, a company Qualcomm bought. As a senior Qualcomm executive, Wang was …
San Diego home prices keep rising and remain very high
Values up almost 24% from year ago
In August, San Diego County home prices were up 23.7% from a year earlier -- one of the biggest gains in the country, according to Zillow.com. Of the top 30 metro areas, only 5 did better. Sacramento values rose 34.1% …
Pharmacist loses license for stealing dangerous drugs
Mario Olivares caught on concealed camera
The state Board of Pharmacy has revoked the license of Mario G. Olivares, who worked as a pharmacist at Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy on Avocado Boulevard in La Mesa. Audits revealed that large amounts of Restoril (temazepam), a controlled substance used …
Former Fallbrook Klansman involved in town takeover attempt
Tom Metzger and fellow white supremacists want to occupy tiny North Dakota town
Tom Metzger, former Fallbrook white supremacist and losing Congressional candidate, is involved in an attempt by neo-Nazis to establish an all-white beachhead in Leith, North Dakota, population 24. The town is resisting. The group intends to "plant the seeds of …
Magazine tells clearly how NFL fleeces taxpayer
Article tears apart the tax-free status of the league, and subsidies it receives
The October issue of The Atlantic magazine is "must" reading for San Diegans. Title: "How the NFL Fleeces Taxpayers," by Gregg Easterbrook, who is writing a book on the topic. The article focuses on taxpayer screwings that have been covered …
Chinese hackers gathering info on drone technology
San Diego center of U.S. drone manufacturing
A story in today's (Sept. 21) New York Times tells how Chinese hackers have been gathering information about drone manufacturing. China wants to expand its drone-making capability in a big way. San Diego is the nation's biggest drone-making location, dominated …
Local unemployment rate falls to 7.4%
County adds 2900 nonfarm jobs in August
The San Diego County unemployment rate dropped to 7.4% in August from a revised 7.8% in July, as 2900 jobs were added. Over the year, employment rose by 14,800 jobs, according to the California Employment Development Department. Leisure and hospitality …
San Diegans remain mired in low incomes, poverty
A full 28.4% of individuals earn less than the minimum it takes to exist in county
The Center on Policy Initiatives, working with 2012 U.S. Census Bureau data just released, says that the top-earning 20% of households raked in half of all income in the county, as inflation-adjusted income declined. Almost 30% (28.4%) of persons working …
California homes remain nation's most expensive
San Diego's homes among the least affordable
The affordability of San Diego County homes is eighth worst in the nation, according to a new study by Kelly Cunningham, economist for the National University System Institute for Policy Research. The National Association of Home Builders measures the percentage …
American households ailing; Wall Street rejoices
Federal Reserve will keep interest rates low, harming family savers
A new set of statistics plus an action by the central bank, (Federal Reserve) dramatically showed today (Sept. 17) why Wall Street is feasting off Main Street's pain. The Census Bureau announced that median household income, adjusted for inflation, is …
International military bribery scheme uncovered
Singapore executive arrested in San Diego
Three individuals were charged with participating in a criminal military bribery scheme unsealed in federal court today (Sept. 17). Leonard Glenn Francis, head of a Singapore defense contractor, was charged with providing luxury travel and prostitutes to U.S. Navy Commander …
A year behind bars for mortgage loan fraud scam
Loan applications falsified
John Allen of Laguna Hills was sentenced today (Sept. 16) for participation in a mortgage scam. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, he solicited so-called investors who would become straw buyers of homes. Allen would falsify loan applications by claiming …
Two accountants lose licenses for criminal offenses
Money laundering, witness tampering among charges
Two San Diegans have lost their Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licenses, according to the California Board of Accountancy. Steven Martinez earlier pleaded guilty to 12 felony counts, including mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering, and use of interstate commerce …