Release Date: September 29, 2009

Contact:

Miles Weiss, Senior Deputy District Attorney

(805) 662-1735  

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that the Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Unit obtained full restitution in the amount of $220,091 on behalf of crime victim Carolyn Koenig.

On September 17, 2009, Ronald Ted Hasson (DOB 1/19/54) of Encino was sentenced on two felony counts – theft from an elder and securities fraud. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Edward Brodie ordered the court-appointed Receiver to disburse these funds to the victim, Ms. Koenig, who is 70 years of age. The funds were obtained by use of California 's “Freeze and Seize” law which allows prosecutors to seek court orders to liquidate assets owned or controlled by convicted criminals who have violated the aggravated white collar crime enhancement.

In December 2006, Hasson convinced the alleged victim to “invest” in his company by advising her that he had been in business for 30 years, his company was secure and she had nothing to worry about. Based on these and similar statements, Ms. Koenig gave Hasson three separate cashier's checks totaling $205,000. She advised Hasson these funds were her life savings. In reality, Hasson loaned $105,000 of the funds to others facing foreclosure, a fact he failed to disclose to Ms. Koenig. Hasson also used $100,000 of Ms. Koenig's money to repay a debt he owed to another individual. None of the purported “investments” made on behalf of Ms. Koenig were property secured by equity in real estate. As a result of this financial distress, Ms. Koenig was forced to live in her car for a period of months.

During the investigation conducted by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigation, it was discovered Hasson had significant assets in the form of a 2005 Lamborghini, bank accounts and other real estate. After the sale of the exotic sports car, which Hasson facilitated, combined with other funds surrendered by Hasson, sufficient funds were obtained to pay back Ms. Koenig the full amount of her loss, plus interest, and to pay for the approximately $35,000 in costs to investigate and prosecute the case.

In addition to ordering full restitution be paid to the victim, Judge Brodie also sentenced Hasson to serve 270 days in the Ventura County jail and placed him on three years formal probation. Judge Brodie noted Hasson's lack of criminal history and his cooperation in obtaining full restitution for the victim when he imposed the sentence. As a result of these convictions, Hasson surrendered his real estate broker's license to the Department of Real Estate.