Court Orders DOJ to Indict Serial Fraudster for Criminal Contempt
Post 4890
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gANKyfm5, see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gHJncZe8 and at https://lnkd.in/gXjP5eUQ and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4850 posts.
September 13, 2024
The USDC described Defendant Alberto Marzan as a serial fraudster who has largely managed to dodge accountability for victimizing individuals in the entertainment industry. Plaintiff Michaleen Josephs sued Marzan and his company, Press Media Group (“PMG”), after Marzan fraudulently induced Josephs to issue a series of bogus investments and other payments. When Marzan failed to respond, the Court entered default judgment for Josephs and awarded damages and equitable relief, including a requirement that Marzan divest from his enterprises and provide any future potential investors, employees, or business associates with copies of the Court’s default judgment order and his 2014 guilty plea for insurance fraud.
In Michaleen Josephs v. Alberto Jose Marzan and Press Media Group, Inc., doing business as VumaTV, CIVIL No. 21-749 (JRT/DTS), United States District Court, D. Minnesota (August 22, 2024) found its patience exhausted because Marzan has continued to defraud others using the same businesses and has not complied with the Court’s disclosure orders, all while expressing his knowledge of, and disdain for, the Court’s order.
The Court asked the United States Department of Justice to prosecute Marzan for criminal contempt.
BACKGROUND
Marzan fraudulently induced Josephs to lend him and his business, PMG, more than $250,000, which he never repaid. Josephs also rented and furnished an apartment for Marzan based on his promise to repay her, incurring nearly $50,000 in additional expenses. Marzan’s fraud was nothing new: Josephs discovered Marzan’s prior convictions for insurance and investment fraud and eight unpaid default judgments for which Marzan was responsible.
Josephs sued Marzan for violations of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”) predicated on mail and wire fraud, fraud, breach of contract, promissory estoppel, and abuse of process. The Court ordered default judgment for Josephs and awarded her over $800,000 in damages, interest, and attorney’s fees.
The Court entered the injunction after considering the statutory and constitutional propriety of equitable relief. The USDC found that Marzan has created an enterprise designed to skirt damages awards and is using the enterprise to intentionally evade recovery by the same people and entities harmed by the enterprise. The undisputed facts show that he takes advantage of the court’s leniency to find a new victim.
Equitable relief is appropriate when defendants take advantage of the law to shield themselves from accountability at law.
VIOLATIONS
Marzan continues to defraud employees and contractors from a business that the Court ordered him to divest from and without issuing the required disclosures. And he has done so while making clear that he is aware of, but has no regard for, the Court’s order.
DISCUSSION
Because the Court cannot let Marzan’s blatant disregard for its order go unpunished and neither compensatory nor coercive civil contempt are appropriate, the Court refers this case to the United States Attorney for a criminal contempt prosecution.
Fines would likely accomplish nothing, as Marzan habitually ignores monetary judgments.
The Court found that Marzan knew of the Court’s order and the proper mechanisms to ask the Court to reconsider, but decided he would instead disobey the order while denigrating these proceedings. He was not entitled to take matters into his own hands by unilaterally deciding to disregard the Court’s order.
The Court, therefore, requests that the United States Department of Justice prosecute Defendant Alberto Jose Marzan for criminal contempt.
ZALMA OPINION
Marzan’s actions and disrespect and failure to obey court orders is a aggressive form of chutzpah. He blatantly disobeys the orders of the court, fails to appear after receiving an order to show cause, and ignores judgments rendered against him and disobeys orders of the court. It takes a great deal of abuse to cause a U.S. District Court Judge to request the DOJ to prosecute a party before the court for criminal contempt. Hopefully the DOJ will fulfill the court’s request. Fraud should not be allowed to continue.
(c) 2024 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
Please tell your friends and colleagues about this blog and the videos and let them subscribe to the blog and the videos.
Subscribe to my substack at https://barryzalma.substack.com/subscribe or Subscribe to my substack at https://lnkd.in/gmmzUVBy
Go to X @bzalma; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gwEYk
Dentist Who Defrauds His Insurer Can’t Pursue Bad Faith Claim
Post number 5295
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/finding-fraud-voids-insurance-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-yizic, see the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5250 posts.
In Andy Fletcher Montano v. The Dentists Insurance Company v. Dr. Sandy Fletcher Montano DDS, PLLC, Deer Park Dental, PLLC, No. 24-5202, United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (February 19, 2026) Sandy Fletcher Montano appealed pro se from the district court’s summary judgment in his diversity action against The Dentists Insurance Company (“TDIC”) alleging claims stemming from its denial of insurance coverage under a fraud clause in Montano’s policy.
ANALYSIS & DECISION
The Ninth Circuit concluded that the district court properly granted summary judgment on Montano’s claim for breach of contract because Montano ...
Declaratory Relief Granted to Insurer
Post number 5294
Suit for Defective Windows Excluded from Insurance
See the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5250 posts.
In Acuity v. Marion Glass And Mirror, Inc., No. 3:25-CV-00562-NJR, United States District Court, S.D. Illinois, Acuity, a mutual insurance company based in Wisconsin, filed a Complaint for Declaratory Judgment in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Acuity sought a declaration that it has no duty to defend or indemnify its insured, Marion Glass and Mirror, Inc. (“Marion Glass”), in connection with a Third-Party Complaint brought by Samron Midwest Contracting, Inc. (“Samron”) in Williamson County.
Facts
The underlying lawsuit, filed in June 2023, involved allegations of property damage at the City of Marion’s Community Recreational Center due to allegedly faulty construction work ...
Neither Defense nor Indemnity Available Because of Exclusion
Post number 5293
See the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5250 posts.
You’re reading from the free part of Excellence in Claims Handling. You should consider joining as a paid member to get full access to articles for members only, to our news, analysis, insurance coverage, claims, insurance fraud and insurance webinars, by clicking at the “subscribe” button above.
Security at Low Income Housing to Risky for Insurer
In Everest Indemnity Insurance Company v. Kates Detective & Security Services Agency, Inc., et al., No. 25 C 5488, United States District Court, N.D. Illinois, Eastern Division (February 18, 2026) dealt with a clear and unambiguous exclusion.
Facts
Everest Indemnity Insurance Company sued Kates Detective & Security Services Agency, Inc. and the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) seeking a ...
Contract Breaches that Allow Multiple Different Grounds to Make a Policy Void
More from Excellence in Claims Handling Substack for Subscribers Only. You can Subscribe to my substack at https://barryzalma.substack.com/subscribe
Posted on February 24, 2026 by Barry Zalma
You’re reading from the free part of Excellence in Claims Handling until you reach the paywall. You should consider joining as a paid member to get full access to articles for members only, to our news, analysis, insurance coverage, claims, insurance fraud and insurance webinars, by clicking at the “subscribe” link below.
If an insured breaches one or more material warranties and increases the risk covered by the policy, the contract may be voided by the insurer, depending on the jurisdiction. It is, therefore, essential that every claims investigation include efforts to establish compliance with every warranty.
In Cummings v. Fire Insurance Exchange, 292 Cal. App. 3d 1407, 249 Cal. Rptr. 568 (1988), the Court of Appeal ...
Passover for Americans
Posted on February 19, 2026 by Barry Zalma
“The Passover Seder For Americans”
For more than 3,000 years Jewish fathers have told the story of the Exodus of the enslaved Jews from Egypt. Telling the story has been required of all Jewish fathers. Americans, who have lived in North America for more than 300 years have become Americans and many have lost the ability to read, write and understand the Hebrew language in which the story of Passover was first told in the Torah. Passover is one of the many holidays Jewish People celebrate to help them remember the importance of G_d in their lives. We see the animals, the oceans, the rivers, the mountains, the rain, sun, the planets, the stars, and the people and wonder how did all these wonderful things come into being. Jews believe the force we call G_d created the entire universe and everything in it. Jews feel G_d is all seeing and knowing and although we can’t see Him, He is everywhere and in everyone.We understand...
Passover for Americans
Posted on February 19, 2026 by Barry Zalma
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/passover-americans-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-5vgkc.
“The Passover Seder For Americans”
For more than 3,000 years Jewish fathers have told the story of the Exodus of the enslaved Jews from Egypt. Telling the story has been required of all Jewish fathers. Americans, who have lived in North America for more than 300 years have become Americans and many have lostthe ability to read, write and understand the Hebrew language in which the story of Passover was first told in the Torah.
Passover is one of the many holidays Jewish People celebrate to help them remember the importance of G_d in their lives. We see the animals, the oceans, the rivers, the mountains, the rain, sun, the planets, the stars, and the people and ...
