A special thanks to CEO Goh Choon Phong, for his excellence in customer focus and service.
I look forward to flying with Singapore Airlines again soon.
Sunday, March 23, 2025
A Special Thank you to Singapore Airlines and Goh Choon Phong
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Critical Bandit Tow Truck Ransoming Altadena Fire Victim's Cars Most Likely Identified
On September 26, 2024 - on the Pasadena Freeway, 210 West - Elder Arambula, college athlete, was involved in a similar scandal. After a serious car crash on the freeway, a similar tow truck featured on the ABC story came literally 5 to 10 minutes later. The driver told him that Toytoa and Allstate partnered together to tow his truck for free because of the collision. The Prius was then stored at Stanton, California. Arambula attempted to pick up his car on the weekend, but the manager of Cyrus Towing, Daniella Sulllivan "Dee Dee" told him not to worry about the fees.
But four days after the accident, she charged around $1,700. Dee Dee ransomed the car and threatened that she would take title to it, if he didn't pay. Cyrus Towing and Dee Dee appeared interested in Prii and Teslas in particular. Other victims have said their hybrids and electric cars were also targeted.
After an investigation of the incident, Arambula believes that the tow trucker owner hired a professional car crasher to collide into him, and that same professional car crasher then called the tow truck to pick up his Prius. Arambula has suffered with four herniated discs from the crash.
Arambula took a photo of the tow truck, and the Legal Lens team has matched it to the photo of the tow truck featured in the ABC story.
The owner and driver behind the tow truck that allegedly defrauded Arambula is Amir Eftekhari, an Iranian national. Eftekhari's preying ground appears to be the Pasadena and Altadena vicinity. He lives in Monrovia. Eftekhari has been sued around 60 times and has recently came out of bankruptcy to discharge a majority of his debts. Eftekhari has also expunged his criminal conviction of driving a commercial vehicle without a proper license.
Former employee of Cyrus Towing, Vinny Smith, on the record, has identified the car crasher as an employee of Cyrus Towing. Smith said that Espiridion Mendietamorante goes by the monkider of "Delta". Smith recalled that at least one car he picked up was crashed in a similar manner to Arambula's.
Smith also alleges that the Iranian national has a long history of problems with Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE"). This is relevant to the story, in so far as the fact that terrorist and organized crime expert, Loretta Napoleoni states that money from such operations go back to the government state. Hence, in this case, the fraud money may be going back to the State of Iran.
It appears that Arambula's car crash and evidence has triggered a probe with the Department of Insurance and California Highway Patrol. According to Google Reviews and Yelp, it appears that Cyrus Towing is no longer in business. The Department of Transportation states that Eftekhari's tow truck is only licensed for private tows.
That doesn't mean, however, that Eftekahri is still not targeting and preying on the property of vulnerable victims. Another concerning aspect to this story, is that the circumstantial evidence and a recent expert opinion suggests that the Altadena CHP station may be receiving a kickback for these tows. According to video evidence of Dee Dee, the Altadena CHP call Eftekhari regarding which cars have crashed. According to Smith, for every car successfully impounded, Smith alleges that the officer and other spotters receives a $500 kickback.
The Legal Lens has obtained more evidence today, article to come, that strongly suggests the Altadena CHP is working with these bandit tow truck owners to facilitate these predatory tow-and-impound scams.
Nonetheless, the clearest identifying unique factor that matches both the ABC's photo and Arambuala's photo of the bandit tow truck is the cruelty behind the predatory scheme. Eftekhari, Sullivan, and Mendietamorante would fit the match for that level of reprehensibility.
When asked to comment about Eftekhari, Arambula stated, "We need him [Eftekahri] to face justice against every innocent human being that he harmed and pay his time."
California State Bar Files Charges Against Former City Attorney, Robert Tafoya for Federal Bribery and Tax Evasion Convictions
On February 21, 2025 - Office of Chief Trial Counsel for the State Bar of California transmitted a copy of Robert Tafoya's conviction of federal charges of bribery and tax evasion. It is now pending review before the State Bar Court.
Tafoya pled guilty to bribing current State Senator Susan Rubio with marijuana kickbacks. According to Tafoya, in turn, Rubio would vote to grant those who gave her bribes, a marijuana business license. Rubio apparently amassed around $230,000 in this scheme. Also, in exchange, Tafoya would keep his job as city attorney and receive additional work, if Rubio became State Senator, which happened. Rubio allegedly used her marijuana slush funds to finance her campaign race.
Around 2014, General counsel of Legal Lens, filed a bar complaint against Robert Tafoya when he misrepresented his signature in a court filing, amounting to forgery. It's similar to the same type of forgery that Cristeta Paguirigan-Summers, who was the consultant for marijuana licenses in Baldwin Park, committed and was disbarred for. (Legal Lens suspects that Cristeta was Tafoya's legal mentor.) Despite the clear and convincing evidence, the State Bar dropped the complaint against Tafoya.
The State Bar should make available all complaints that have been filed against Robert Tafoya in light of the Tom Girdardi scandal. Girardi embezzled more than $15 million. Over 40 years, the public filed more than 200 complaints against Girardi, but the bar failed to discipline Girardi over any of them. Had it done so, it's probable that victims would not have been so injured.
Hence, the public should also know how many complaints were filed against Tafoya, and in fact, all attorney complaints should be made available as a public record that could be requested by anyone.
Monday, February 24, 2025
After Decades of Little Change, a Lawsuit Looks to Shake Up Probate Court System by the Epoch Times (Michael Clements)
A decade later, Hartman testified before a U.S. Congress committee in a hearing titled “Abuses in Guardianship of the Elderly and Infirm: A National Disgrace.” Hartman, a tavern janitor-turned-guardian and convicted thief, testified that the probate court’s guardianship system almost encouraged abuse.
“It allows those who choose to do so to abuse the rights of and steal from mostly helpless people,” Hartman said.
Nearly four decades have passed since that hearing, but very little has changed about the probate court system, according to Rick Black, co-director of the Center for Estate Administration Reform. Black’s group is dedicated to stopping what he considers the organized plundering of assets owned by court wards.
“Bar members, namely litigators in family court and probate court, have carved out a profit center here over the last century that we have not challenged as a society,” Black told The Epoch Times.
According to their website, Black and his wife founded the center in 2014. The couple claimed a neighbor who had been appointed guardian of Terri’s disabled father had stolen $220,000. The guardian was convicted but that conviction was later overturned on appeal.
“It was very obvious this was organized,” Black said.
Black’s case led to investigations and reforms in Nevada, but he said the investigation had little to no effect outside of that state.
A lawyer in South Carolina said he believes he can prove that the probate court in his state is corrupt.
Frances Michalski’s death during outpatient surgery has inspired a lawsuit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act. RICO is part of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 to prosecute organizations such as the mafia.
The lawsuit after Michalski’s death, filed on Sept. 4, 2024, is one of three that claims that lawyers, health care businesses, health care workers, and a hospital system operate a “Sham Probate Enterprise” in Greenville County, South Carolina.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants used the probate court to “initiate and facilitate the collaborators’ raids upon the assets and income of the victims ... to enrich the collaborators, all of whom operate for profit and all of whom profited.”
Paul Hulsey, an attorney in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, is one of several attorneys from three law firms that filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, Greenville Division.
This is not the first time RICO has been invoked in guardianship cases. So far, the tactic has failed, but Hulsey believes several South Carolina cases meet the RICO standards.
“This is the third of several similar cases that have been filed, and more will be filed for the benefit of other victims,” the lawsuit states.
According to the lawsuit, Michalski bled to death after an alleged botched heart catheterization at Bon Secours Mercy Health St. Francis Hospital in Greenville.
The lawsuit alleges that Bon Secours collaborated with lawyers R. O’Neil Rabon and Trey Suggs to have Luis and Mayra Michalski, Frances’s adult children, placed under guardianship during an ex parte hearing on July 21, 2021. An ex parte hearing is a proceeding in which not all concerned parties are present.
According to the lawsuit, the Michalskis were interviewed by court visitors, subjected to medical examinations, and allegedly threatened if they did not cooperate with the court—all within weeks of their mother’s death.
Most of the defendants’ lawyers did not answer emails requesting comment.
A person who answered the telephone at Ballard & Watson, one of the plaintiff’s law firms in West Columbia, South Carolina, had no comment on the lawsuit.
Court records describe how Frances Michalski died coughing up blood from a ruptured pulmonary artery on July 8, 2016. According to the lawsuit, a doctor allegedly overinflated a balloon inserted in the artery, causing the rupture.
“Francis [sic] Michalski survived for a matter of minutes between the artery rupture and her death,” reads a 2019 malpractice settlement petition filed by the Michalskis.
“Her level of consciousness during this time was subject to debate.”
Bon Secours sought the guardianship to “ensure that plaintiffs ... never knew the true nature of their mother’s suffering at the hands of collaborators Bon Secours and St. Francis, and more importantly, would not have the ability to personally bring a legitimate multi-million dollar action for malpractice against them,” the lawsuit states.
Megan Rushton, Suggs’s attorney, called the lawsuit baseless in an email to The Epoch Times.
“The allegations ... are without any factual basis. The underlying medical malpractice lawsuit ... was approved by the Greenville Court of Common Pleas. It appears that this is an effort ... to relitigate civil disputes which have long since resolved,” Rushton wrote.
A Bon Secours spokesperson declined to comment.
“Consistent with upholding patient privacy and out of respect for the legal process, we are not able to provide comment on pending litigation,” Bon Secours spokesperson Jennifer Robinson wrote to The Epoch Times.
Five of the defendants have filed defamation lawsuits against Hulsey and others involved.
Rabon, a Greenville lawyer, accuses Hulsey and his colleagues of “Lazy, sloppy, greedy and self-serving lawyering—resulting in baseless and libelous accusations impugning the character of a veteran lawyer with a sterling reputation.”
Probate Is an Equity Court
Critics of guardianship say probate court insiders use the legal system to get rich.
In most states, the probate court is an “equity court.” Probate judges have greater latitude in their rulings since they divide property, rule on child custody, determine a person’s ability for self-care, and other issues not clearly defined in the law.
And since they are local courts, federal courts have no jurisdiction to hear appeals.
Law enforcement generally will not investigate complaints against guardians, as they are considered civil matters. Instead, they are directed to the court that appointed the guardian.
“Because [probate court] has no oversight, because there [are] no penalties for this function, it becomes an environment that serves insiders at the expense of the law and the public,” Black said.
Paul Cook, a Los Angeles lawyer, was shocked at how the probate court operated.
“They’re basically not following the rules,” Cook told The Epoch Times.
Since 2016, Cook has held a durable power of attorney for his father, who has dementia. Cook and his brother share the responsibility of caring for their father.
Attorney Paul Cook walks with his father, Kwan Whan Cook, at Lacy Park in San Marino, Calif., on Nov. 26, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
Cook said a woman secretly married his father in 2012 and began selling his real estate holdings. In 2021, Cook was able to have her ruled as an elder abuser in court, limiting her authority over the elderly man.
In April 2024, he learned she was petitioning the probate court for the conservatorship of his father. Cook went to court to oppose the conservatorship, an experience he described as “horrible.”
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| Retired Judge William P. Barry, Exclusively added for this-republication. |
According to court documents, Cook, as his father’s attorney, attempted to challenge Judge William Barry. Cook was surprised by Barry’s reaction.
Barry told Cook he would not accept the challenge and then issued orders to fine Cook $1,500 and to self-report to the state bar because he had refused to let a court-appointed lawyer interview his father.
Cook appealed Barry’s rulings, and the Court of Appeals for the State of California rescinded Barry’s orders and accepted Cook’s challenge.
‘Following Their Own Rules’
“A number of other attorneys and activists have told me that [probate court is] kind of its own little world,” Cook told The Epoch Times.
“They’re following their own rules, and people on the inside track are these probate-appointed attorneys, and they do not give outside attorneys a fair shot at this.”
Attorney Paul Cook stands in Lacy Park in San Marino, Calif., on Nov. 26, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
Sandi Cobianchi of Irvine, California, told The Epoch Times that she knows how it feels to be ignored by a judge.
The Orange County woman was trying to contact her mother, Bertha Bernal, but claims her brother and court-appointed guardians denied her.
Cobianchi said Probate Judge David Belz barely glanced at her filings.
“I’m the face of the average family member who has fought for their loved one to no avail,” Cobianchi told The Epoch Times.
Cobianchi’s brother, Michael Bernal, is now estranged from his three siblings.
Bernal said guardianship became necessary when the family could not agree on their mother’s care.
He said the point of contention began over where she would spend her final days and branched into her finances and how the adult children behaved when visiting their mother.
Cobianchi said she had placed her in a facility because her mother was happy there.
Bernal said the facility was unlicensed and could not guarantee adequate care for the 90-plus-year-old Alzheimer’s patient.
Bernal had power of attorney for his mother, so he moved her to a licensed care facility.
Family Conflict Leads to Court
“That was really the crux of the issue. My sister didn’t want her where I wanted her, even though ... it was my choice because my mother had put me as power of attorney,” Bernal told The Epoch Times.
The family tried mediation but failed.
According to court documents, in March 2015, Bernal petitioned the Superior Court of California, Orange County, for conservatorship.
Bernal said the only aim was to ensure his mother got adequate care. He acknowledged that the process drained her estate.
“The courts get involved ... and the attorney hires an attorney to help an attorney, and before you know it, you’re paying four or five attorneys big money,” Bernal said. “It’s a money grab.”
Court records state that the guardians and health care workers were hindered in their duties by the conflict between Cobianchi, Bernal, and their siblings over their mother’s care and finances.
“The acrimony between her children seems to have caused Bertha’s mental cognition to decline,” the court documents state.
Mark and Sandi Cobianchi hold photos of Sandi's mother in Lake Forest, Calif., on Nov. 27, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
Cobianchi accuses Bernal and the guardians of intentionally isolating her mother. She said she had merely questioned what she considered substandard care for her mother.
“If standing up for my mother is disruptive, then I’m disruptive,” she said.
Bernal said he was ensuring that his mother received proper medical care from licensed professionals.
Bernal’s power of attorney was eventually removed as the court took authority over his mother’s affairs.
Unlike his sister, he was able to maintain contact with his mother because he followed the court’s orders, he said. Bernal said he didn’t like following the orders, but he had no other choice.
“I’m not 100 percent behind [the guardianship]. I played along like I had to,” Bernal said.
Cobianchi said guardianship is designed to keep wards under control and ensure everyone appointed by the court gets paid. It has little to do with protecting people, she said. According to Cobianchi, the damage extends beyond the finances.
“What about humanity? What about human beings?” Cobianchi asked. “We didn’t get to talk to my mom at all in the end.”
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Monday, February 10, 2025
The Hidden Lawyer Lobbyists Behind Senator Susan Rubio: How Susan Rubio Got Higher on Marijuana Money.
Albright, Yee & Schmit; Cristeta Paguirigan-Summers; and the Jade Effect.
At the center of these hidden lawyers is the law firm of Albright, Yee, & Schmit. Tafoya contracted out this law firm on behalf of the City in 2017. The Tafoya-Albright deal brought the Albright law firm around $206,458.20 for that year, which is also the year that Rubio received her contributions from the Albright firm.
The three relevant lawyers in this firm are Clifton Albright, Lucian A. Schmit III, and Cristeta Paguirigan (“Cristeta”). Cristeta is a disbarred attorney, who perjured documents, in representing a defendant, in a criminal case.
Besides billing the City for defending free speech and public records act lawsuit, Cristeta is also the principal of a consulting firm called the Jade Effect, which represents marijuana businesses, in obtaining licenses from the City of Baldwin Park.
The law firm donated to Rubio the maximum campaign contribution of $4,400 (in two separate payments.) Cristeta donated $3,500; Partner, Lucien A. Schmit III $2,500; Partner, Albright, $500; and the Jade Effect, LLC $2,500.
Expectedly, the Jade Effect was successful in obtaining city cannabis licenses for RD Baldwin Park; Cloud Control, Inc.; and Medical Grade Farms BP.
(Albright, Yee, & Schmit also donated $8,000 to Monica Garcia, a former Baldwin Park City Council Member, who also voted in favor of the Jade Effect businesses.)
The California Latino PAC, Women’s Political Committee and Stephen J. Kaufman.
The California Latino PAC gave Rubio $8,800. The PAC paid Rubio twice $4,400. This appears to be above the legal campaign contribution limit.
The PAC’s mission statement says, “The California Latino PAC is a political action committee representing the interests of California’s Latino Community.” According to the Secretary of State website, the PAC’s phone number is (213) 452-6565. That phone number is traced to the Kaufman Legal Group. The main partner of the group is Stephen J. Kaufman.
Kaufman’s profile says that he is “A recognized authority in the field of campaign finance and election law[.] Mr. Kaufman advises and represents elected officials, candidates, PACs, . . . non-profit organizations . . . political parties, major donors, lobbyists and government agencies on a wide variety of campaign finance, election and governmental ethics matters.”
The Fair Political Practice Commission (FPPC) has previously appointed Stephen as chair. Conveniently, the FPPC has the discretion to fine or not fine politicians for violating campaign contribution law.
The Latino PAC has also given money to Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara; Governor Gavin Newsom; former California State Senator, Ed Hernandez; former Los Angeles Mayor, Antonia, Villaraigosa; former Secretary of State and current Senator, Alex Padilla; former California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra; California State Assembly Woman, Blanca Rubio; and others. In 2017-2018, the PAC gave $36,500 to the California Democratic Party.
The Woman’s Committee also gave $4,400 to Rubio. That PAC’s phone number is also traced to the Kaufman Legal Group.
The Legal Lens believes that Stephen and Martin Kaufman are brothers. Martin is a personal injury attorney. Tafoya hired Martin as a contracted attorney, when Tafoya was general counsel at West Valley Water District.
Tafoya’s appointment as counsel at West Valley Water was also a pay-for-play deal. The details of this story could be read about in Tafoya; Baldwin Park’s former Chief, Michael Taylor, and former Council Member Ricardo Pacheco’s coup in overtaking West Valley Water District, also all funded by marijuana money.
Incidentally, Page Valley News has accused a Stephen Kaufman and his wife of engaging in healthcare insurance fraud in the amount of $808,000 in Luray, Virginia. The Legal Lens obtained a photo of the accused Kaufman, and one of the photos appears to resemble Martin.
Currently, Martin is seeking victims for the Edison Wildfire to sue Southern California Edison. Given that Rubio has taken money from insurance lobbyists and from Stephen Kaufman’s PACs, the public will have to see whether Rubio endorses new laws to sue insurance companies, regarding the wildfires, or, whether she will side with the insurance companies, which would disproportionately harm the residents of California.
Susan Rubio Reappointed as California’s Chair of Insurance
Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire recently reappointed Rubio as chair of the committee that oversees insurance-related legislation. The LA Times has exposed issues about the re-appointment of the insurance chair, especially in light of Rubio’s state and federal probes and the Southern California wildfires.
As chair, Rubio would have the power, directly or indirectly, to influence the settlement payouts of wildfire victims, justify insurance rate increases for consumers, justify denial of coverage for those victims, justify insurance companies dropping consumers, and foster insurance fraud by declining to prosecute insurance scammers.
Although McGuire and Rubio maintain that Rubio hasn’t been found guilty yet, Rubio’s critics have stated, “Where there’s smoke, there’s also fire.”
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
2025 - the Year of Exposing the Snakes - the Year of Light
According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2025 will be the year of the wood snake. Snakes, generally represent, evil, deceit, treachery, envy, and danger in the Scriptures. On few occasions, they also represent God's judgment and even healing.
I've had numerous encounters with deadly snakes in my life. For some reason, I'm not afraid of them. I remember picking up the most venomous snake in the world: a sea snake. The Dubois sea snake is 100 times more deadly than a terrestrial snake, and like I said, I picked it up on a scuba dive. Then I let it back down. It slithered away.
When I was in Kakadu, Australia, I picked up a huge python, which urinated in my hand and left a terrible stench. It's body was as thick as a coke bottle. So, I've had my fair share of snake handling.
As per my usual tradition, let's review 2024 - which was a good year for me.
* * *
We ended the year strong, by breaking the story on the Legal Lens regarding Susan Rubio, and all her marijuana kickbacks. There's a snake, if I've ever seen one.
Also, I won my first reversal on an appeal. No, I didn't make some great law, or settle some complex or significant legal issue, which I've always wanted to do. But again, consistent with the theme of 2025, I exposed more snakes in that appeal.
I always published another opinion editorial, advocating for conservatorship reform.
We also exposed a pretty big story, which didn't get as much attention as it should've. Elder and Marilyn and I discovered that it appears Cyrus Towing was hiring a professional car crasher to hit cars, engage in insurance fraud and make a profit at the risk of serious harm to people.
According to an admission from Cyrus Towing, an officer is calling in these crashes to make a profit. His name is Eric Voss. He appears to be a snake too, along with Daniella Sullivan ("Dee Dee") and Amir Eftkhari.
Furthermore, I made significant progress on my father's case, which I'll be writing more about this year. The reason I haven't written as much from 2021 until now, is because I've been taking care of my father and this case.
* * *
Last year, I wanted to set the vision that Truth would prevail and expose evil. I think I'm accomplishing that. To me, it appears 2025 will be a continuation of 2024 in bringing "the utter darkness into the light."
In 2025, I'll be writing more on government corruption, elder abuse, and other dark crimes. 2024 was a good year for me, but regardless, it's time to say goodbye to it. The Year of the Dragon has ended, and now comes the Year of the Snake.
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