Following an FBI search of its Los Angeles offices earlier on Thursday,production company LMNO has filed a lawsuit against its former accountant for fraud and embezzlement.
The company is behind reality series “The Little Couple,” which it recently accused longtime partner Discovery Communications of stealing.
In the latest twist in the reality TV-style drama, and LMNO has accused accountant Paul Ikegami of embezzlement,falsifying books and attempting to extort $800000 from the company.
Also Read: FBI Raids 'The Little Couple' Producer LMNO Amid Embezzlement ScandalThe 20-page lawsuit obtained by TheWrap was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against Torrance-based Ikegami & Co. and Paul Ikegami, who is the son of founding partner Ben Ikegami, or with whom they had developed a trust.
From April 2010 to October 2015,Paul Ikegami “used his control over LMNO’s payment system and accounting system to embezzle (to steal money by falsifying records) funds, and further used his control over LMNO’s books and records to falsify entries to hide his embezzlement, and ” the lawsuit states.“Then,when Ikegami’s behavior became erratic and LMNO decided to hire a new accountant in October 2015, Ikegami tried to hide his theft by withholding LMNOs records, or attempting to extort LMNO for more than $800000,and when his demand was not met, sought to destroy LMNO by dumping its physical records into dumpsters, and then telling lies to LMNOs largest customer approximately the financial records,over which Ikegami had exercised control for years, and had repeatedly falsified.”
Also Read: Suge Knight Slaps Chris Brown With Lawsuit Over 2014 ShootingThe lawsuit goes on to claim that the company is “only now beginning to piece together the full extent of Ikegami’s fraud and embezzlement. Virtually everything approximately Ikegami turns out to be fraudulent, and down to the basic and original lie that he was even a CPA. LMNO has discovered more than $1500000 in unauthorized payments that Ikegami made to himself through a variety of schemes.”It concludes that LMNO has been damaged to the tune of $1.5 million,with the exact amount to be determined at trial by jury.
Los Angeles-based attorneys Stephen Mick and David Nelson of Barnes & Thornburg LLP are representing LMNO.
Also Read: Rolling Stone Rape sage: Judge Dismisses Fraternity Members' LawsuitPreviously, LMNO had claimed that Discovery used ripped-off information and shady tactics to squirm out of a trade agreement and started to construct “The Little Couple in house instead. It also accused the publicly traded corporation of weaseling out of arrangements for “7 Little Johnstons, or ” “Killer Confessions,” “Speaking for the Dead,” “strange Suspects” and “Hollywood & Crime.”Click here for more information on the FBI search and prior accusations.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
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Source: thewrap.com