Four of five people who allegedly defrauded hundreds of
motorists in local small claims courts have been released on bail,
while a fifth awaits an extradition hearing in Idaho, according to
the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Gilroy – Four of five people who allegedly defrauded hundreds of motorists in local small claims courts have been released on bail, while a fifth awaits an extradition hearing in Idaho, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Paul Greer, 30, and his father Vincent Cardinalli Sr., 64, were arrested Wednesday on dozens of felony charges related to their former towing businesses.
Greer’s process server Jeffrey Horan, was arrested in Gustine between Wednesday and Thursday, and Greer’s sister Rosemary Ball turned herself in to Gilroy police Thursday, according to Deputy District Attorney Dale Lohman and the Gilroy Police Department.
Ball’s husband Michael was arrested in Idaho and is awaiting a June 25 extradition hearing.
The felony complaint against the family and process server includes 88 counts of criminal conduct, including forgery, attempted grand theft and perjury.
The vast majority of the charges are leveled against Cardinalli and Greer, who until 2004 operated A&R Towing and B&C Towing, respectively, in the Gilroy-Hollister region.
Vincent Cardinalli Sr. declined to comment, deferring all questions to his Hollister attorney Arthur Cantu. The attorney, who also represents Greer, did not return a call for comment.
The family is accused of knowingly suing motorists who frequently had sold or donated cars years before they were towed, and in some cases had never owned the vehicle.
Many motorists who lost cases to Cardinalli and Greer have complained they never received notice of the tow or the fact that they were sued, according to the arrest warrant and a Dispatch investigation.
According to the warrant, process server Horan said he was told by Greer to “drop serve” court summons – when legal documents are left on doorsteps or in driveways, for instance – but mark sworn legal documents to suggest that defendants personally received the paperwork.
Such tactics helped “trick small claims judges” in San Benito and Santa Clara counties into awarding judgments collectively worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, the arrest warrant states.
“Because we believe there may have been times when people were not given notice of the lawsuits,” Lohman said. “There may be people out there that don’t know they’ve been sued and that there is a judgment against them.”
Cardinalli and Greer posted $150,000 and $250,000 bail, respectively. They are scheduled to appear July 24 in San Martin superior court.
Rosemary Ball and Horan are expected to have earlier court dates continued until the same day as Cardinalli and Greer.
Anyone who believes they may have been defrauded by Cardinalli or Greer should contact district attorney investigators Gil Vizzusi 792-2993 or Dave Keneller 792-2478.
