A wealthy Chinese national accused of hiring four men with ties to law enforcement or the military to get millions of dollars of assets from an Irvine man during an ongoing legal battle over ownership interests in a China-based rubber chemical company is not currently facing federal charges, because authorities would need evidence to show she endorsed, or conspired with the men, to use force or fear to achieve her goal, authorities said.
The Chinese national, who was not named in a federal indictment against the four men, two who were Los Angeles County deputies at one point, hired one of the men and asked him to help her get the assets because an ongoing lengthy, costly battle in the courts wasn’t working to her satisfaction, U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman Ciaran McEvoy said.
She also allegedly said in an email if he were to help get the assets, “We could both retire,” according to the indictment. The man then hired the three others, authorities said.
The investigation was ongoing, McEvoy said.
The men pleaded not guilty on Monday, Aug. 12, in federal court: Steven Arthur Lankford, 68, of Canyon Country; Glen Louis Cozart, 63, of Upland; Max Samuel Bennett Turbett, 39, of Australia; and Matthew Phillip Hart, 41, of Australia.
“We are disappointed that five years after the incident in question and days before the statute of limitations expired, the United States (Attorney’s Office) chose to bring these charges based on the word of an unreliable witness motivated by financial gain,” said lawyer Craig Wilke, who represents Turbett, in a statement. “(He) is a citizen of the United Kingdom and decorated military veteran who served honorably in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“He chose not to contest his extradition, which would have delayed proceedings for years,” Wilke said. “He voluntarily travelled to the United States to appear on a summons in federal court … and enter his not guilty plea. He looks forward to answering these unfounded charges at trial in this case.”
They face four federal charges, including attempted extortion, for allegedly raiding the victim’s home on June 17, 2019, which culminated with the victim signing a settlement agreement to give up his shares in the company, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, authorities said.
According to federal authorities, the men were also seeking nearly $37 million in cash, but the agreement the victim signed was only for his shares.
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Lankford retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 2017, but he was working as a reserve deputy at the time of the alleged raid, while Cozart retired from the department in 1994, last serving at the Temple Station, the department said in a statement. Lankford left the department in 2020, with his last assignment in the Homicide Bureau.
“These allegations do not reflect the values of the dedicated men and women of our department,” LASD said in a statement, adding that it was working with federal authorities “to ensure a comprehensive investigation and accountability for any misconduct. Criminal misconduct will not be tolerated and those who violate the law will be held accountable.”
Federal authorities allege the four men planned their strategy at a Santa Ana hotel in the days leading up to the raid. On the day of the raid, Lankford drove the men to Irvine in an unmarked LASD vehicle and displayed his badge to the victim, told him he was a police officer and falsely identified Cozart as an “immigration” officer, authorities said.
One man slammed the victim against a wall and choked him, the indictment says. Fearing for his safety and that of his family, he signed the documents.
The longstanding dispute between the two had led to at least three lawsuits in China and one in Georgia, McEvoy said.
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