Evan McKenzie on Las Vegas Fraud Case: It makes no sense to put untrained, uncompensated, and often unqualified volunteers in charge of billions of dollars, based on a bogus ideology of privatism. http://m.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/new-details-revealed-hoa-fraud-caseWhat this massive fraud reveals is how vulnerable … Continue reading
KTNV: Homeowners association accused of hiding dozens of vehicles By Darcy Spears September 15, 2014 Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) — A homeowners association is part of an investigation by the state and Contact 13 after angering residents by hiding 70 cars. … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: New details revealed in HOA fraud case By Jeff German September 13, 2014 After months of maneuvering behind the scenes, losing a $7 million contract to fix defects at the Vistana condominium complex was not an option … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Delay sought for HOA fraud trial By Jeff German August 13, 2014 Defense lawyers for the six defendants charged in the massive scheme to take over homeowners associations, including alleged mastermind Leon Benzer, have asked to delay … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: $2 million awarded to couple in condo fraud case August 15, 2014 By CARRI GEER THEVENOT A couple was awarded $2.4 million on Friday in a federal breach-of-contract and fraud case involving a condominium they purchased in … Continue reading
by Shelah Lynn, Katherine Noonan, Roger Winston Ballard Spahr LLP August 1, 2014 A recent Nevada Supreme Court decision suggests that community association common areas may be subject to property tax based upon the value of common area improvements, even if the underlying land … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Federal magistrate orders medical help for HOA defendant By Jeff German July 29, 2014 Las Vegas – U.S. Magistrate Judge George Foley Jr. on Tuesday ordered federal authorities to get outside medical treatment for a jailed key defendant in … Continue reading
KTNV News: Dilapidated driveways put Forest Hills in HOA Hall of Shame By Darcy Spears July 15, 2014 Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) — A homeowner left high and dry with no water wonders why she’s footing a big bill she said … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: HOA case defendant gets yearlong federal prison term By Jeff German June 20, 2014 The first defendant sentenced in the massive scheme to take over homeowners associations was given 366 days in federal prison Friday. Kenneth Allen, … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: New details emerge in construction boss’ role in HOA scheme June 6, 2014 By Jeff German Federal prosecutors Friday provided new details in an elaborate conspiracy to fix homeowners association elections across the Las Vegas Valley. The … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Guilty plea delayed after key defendant in Las Vegas HOA scheme suffers heart attack May 23, 2014 By JEFF GERMAN — LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL Ricky Anderson was supposed to plead guilty Friday in the massive scheme to take over … Continue reading
Homeowner associations are so confounding, confusing and complicated they can be difficult to understand. Proponents of HOAs will have us believe associations are “democracy up close and personal”, that they offer homeowners greater control over their immediate surroundings, that unlike … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Sandoval replaces three members of HOA oversight panel March 5, 2014 By SEAN WHALEY LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU CARSON CITY — Three members of a state board overseeing Nevada’s homeowners associations have been replaced by Gov. … Continue reading
By JEFF GERMAN — LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL February 26, 2014 Federal prosecutors won a hard-fought victory Wednesday in the high-profile criminal case involving the takeover of Las Vegas valley homeowners associations. U.S. District Judge James Mahan ordered a seven-month delay in … Continue reading
LawyersandSettlements.com: Rally Against Las Vegas HOA Bully Boards Will Only Grow February 14th, 2011 By AbiK Thinking of Martha Stewart Gustavian Blue for your home’s exterior reno? Think again. Like that stamped cement driveway you saw on your trip to the northeast? Forget … Continue reading
KTNV: Honest mistake or harassment? Local man fears he could lose home Darcy Spears — Feb. 14, 2014 Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) — Harassment, honest mistakes or an attempt to take someone’s house? No matter what you call it, it’s a … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Lawyer accused of stealing from clients pleads guilty in HOA scheme February 3, 2014 By JEFF GERMAN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL A suspended Las Vegas attorney accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his clients pleaded guilty … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review Journal: Federal HOA investigation still mired in secrecy January 20, 2014 By JEFF GERMAN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL It’s one of the biggest criminal investigations in Nevada history, and yet more than six years after the FBI began … Continue reading
Due Process? Screw Process! In Nevada, Jonathan Friedrich gets Due Process pledge passed by 7-member commission Posted on December 10, 2013 by Ward Lucas One of my angriest complaints against the HOA movement is the almost complete void of the recognition of … Continue reading
timesunion.com: HOA to pay $65K after banning family’s ambulance By Michelle Rindels, Associated Press — October 30, 2013 LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Las Vegas homeowners association agreed to pay $65,000 to a family after refusing to allow them to park an ambulance … Continue reading
abc13: Homeowner wins tree battle against Southern Highlands HOA By Darcy Spears —September 6, 2013 Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) – To plant or not to plant? That was the question. Now, Contact 13 Chief Investigator Darcy Spears has the answer … Continue reading
August 11, 2013 By JEFF GERMAN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL In the grand scheme of the millions of dollars the Vistana homeowners association lost because of corrupt board members, $356,000 is not a lot of money to get back. But the … Continue reading
By BARBARA HOLLAND — HOA EXPERT Posted August 19, 2013 This is the first of a four-part series of articles pertaining to the new Nevada Revised Statutes homeowner association laws that were passed by the legislature in July. ■ Senate … Continue reading
August 1, 2013 — By JEFF GERMAN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL It had the makings of a lucrative construction defect scheme. A California law firm, an architect and a construction company were conspiring to pack the homeowners association board at the … Continue reading
By Loni Blandford — July 22, 2013 Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) – Many believe homeowners associations help keep communities visually appealing. But how far is too far? One Southern Highlands homeowner says it comes down to counting trees. They’re a setting for … Continue reading
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Hearings to address 3.1 million pages of documents July 9, 2013 — By JEFF GERMAN Two federal magistrates on Wednesday are to take up the subject of the massive evidence in the long-running criminal investigation into corruption … Continue reading
June 7, 2013 By JEFF GERMAN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL Justice Department lawyers say they have turned over more than 1.5 million pages of documents to defense lawyers in the sweeping investigation into the scheme to take over Las Vegas Valley … Continue reading
Posted by Darren Welsh — May 31, 2013 “Short Sale – Dual Tracking” during residential foreclosure is where the lender pursues foreclosure AND other loan modifications (short sales) simultaneously. SB 321 has passed and is set to be signed by the Nevada Governor. It affects foreclosure … Continue reading
May 14, 2013 By JEFF GERMAN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL The accused mastermind of a massive scheme to take over homeowners associations was indicted by a Las Vegas federal grand jury Tuesday on charges of evading roughly $1.2 million in personal … Continue reading
May 21, 2013 By JEFF GERMAN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL Leon Benzer, the accused mastermind of a massive scheme to take over homeowners associations in the Las Vegas Valley, told federal authorities nearly two years ago that he once consulted with … Continue reading
By Andrew Doughman — Posted May 23, 2013 Anyone living in a homeowners association in Nevada might want to pay attention to the next few weeks at the Legislature. Lobbyists representing investors, debt collectors, property management companies, real estate firms and banks … Continue reading
By JEFF GERMAN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL — Posted May 5, 2013 Edith Gillespie marveled at the way her half-brother, former construction company boss Leon Benzer, was spreading money around town. While sharing a bottle of wine at her home with a … Continue reading
by Brentt Taylor — Posted April 24, 2013 The financial and housing crisis of 2008 has brought about many changes to the housing market. Some have been very good, while others have been bad. It has also brought about new opportunities … Continue reading