Friday, November 4, 2011
Page 3
Coliseum Commission Sues Ex-Employees, Vendors
By a MetNews Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission yesterday filed suit against two former employees and a variety of vendors who allegedly conspired to divert over $1 million in revenue from events at the historic arena.
Charles Slynstad of Burke, Williams & Sorensen LLP, who is representing the commission, accused former General Manager Patrick Lynch, Event Coordinator Todd DeStefano, and DeStefano’s wife Carisse DeStefano, of having abused their positions in order to profit personally.
The commission alleges that Lynch, between August 2006 and January 2011, received $394,716 in a series of consistent deposits from Tony Estrada and his firm, Services for All Events, which provided workers for cleaning and event setup at the Coliseum. These payments, the complaint states, represented approximately $1 for every hour of labor billed by Estrada’s firm to the Coliseum.
DiStefano also is accused of approving contractual arrangements in which he and/or his wife had a financial interest, and of manipulating contracts and accountings of events to divert revenue from the Coliseum to himself.
The case is Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission v. Lynch, BC472814.
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