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Posted by: The Rainmaker Member Level Date: Friday, August 27, 2010 9:53:09 AM
In reply to: rylawi who wrote msg# 43408 Post # of 43426 Send a link via email Share on Facebook Tweet this post
This post needs no introduction, speaks for itself. Even Maytag couldn't spin their way out of this one. Turn the lights out here for me when your done OK Ryan.

Man Arrested in Alleged Film-Investment Scam
By Josh Dickey
Published: May 19, 2010 @ 4:03 pm
http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/man-arrested-alleged-film-investment-scam-17557
Police in Manhattan Beach have arrested a man they say lied about having ownership rights to several independent movies in order to scam $20,000 from an investor -- and there may be more victims out there in Hollywood.

Jose "Tony" Perez was arrested May 5 at his Hermosa Beach home, according to a Wednesday press release from the Mahnatten Beach Police Department. He's since bonded out.

Charges included theft by false pretenses and grand theft.

Police say Perez claimed to have the ownership rights to several independent movies when soliciting an investor for $20,000 to convert movies to a downloadable digital format.

Perez had promised to return the investment within three months, then provided the victim with phony invoices and bank statements when pressed for accounting, police said.

Detectives then contacted the movies’ rights owners, who all alleged being scammed by Perez in similar fashion. According to the release, Perez was representing himself as being from Phoenix Entertainment Group, Inc.

Culver City-based Phoenix Pictures, Inc., confirmed to TheWrap that it had nothing to do with Perez; a small Plano, Texas-based marketing firm called Phoenix Entertainment Group did not have a listed telephone number.

It could not be immediately determined whether Perez was represented by an attorney.

Anyone with more information about Perez or his activities is encouraged to contact the Manhattan Beach Police Department.

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Hannover House on Target to Acquire Phoenix Entertainment
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7:45 AM ET 8/27/10 | Marketwire

Hannover House, the entertainment division of Target Development Group, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: TDGI), has entered into a letter of intent to acquire the assets of Phoenix Entertainment Group, a California-based distributor of videos and video-on-demand products. Phoenix Entertainment President, Anthony Perez, will join Hannover House in the capacity of Senior Vice President of Domestic Sales, and will work out of the company's new West Coast offices in El Segundo, CA.

The existing library of film and video titles from Phoenix Entertainment consists of over forty feature films, primarily in the genres of Latino, urban and horror. An additional twenty Asian-origin titles are expected to be added to the venture following closure of the Phoenix acquisition, and will feature martial arts and anime releases.

"We're very excited to be adding such a diverse mix of product to our existing library of films," said Hannover House President D. Frederick Shefte. "Hannover House had previously assisted Phoenix with the placement of some of their titles into WalMart, but this will be the first opportunity for Phoenix to place our titles into their large network of wholesale, retail and VOD accounts. Our product lines are complementary, not competitive, and this new venture will give us a much needed office and West Coast sales presence," Shefte concluded.

"Hannover House is one of the most dynamic independent studios in the market today," said Perez. "The momentum from their high-profile releases has enhanced their corporate credibility in the industry, and we think our Phoenix titles are a perfect fit. I'm pleased to be formalizing a working relationship with Eric Parkinson, Fred Shefte and the Hannover House team, and am confident that our fourth quarter sales promotion will be a success."

With the addition of the Phoenix titles, the Hannover House library will expand to over 250 titles, inclusive of the prior acquisitions of the Elite Entertainment and FocusFilms libraries. The letter of intent between Hannover House and Phoenix allows for a due diligence period, with a planned closing of the venture on Tuesday, September 7.