© 2005-2011 Mockingbird Films International LLC

Updated April 10, 2010

Updated April 10, 2011

News

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

Issued: Friday, April 8, 2011  3:51 PM CST

 

$220+ MILLION  SUIT NAMES INTERNET “SYNDICATE”

HOLLYWOOD ACTOR/PRODUCER NAMED

IN SECOND SECURITIES FRAUD SUIT IN SIX WEEKS

 

DALLAS (April 8, 2011)   A federal lawsuit was filed in Dallas today by a film producer and his partner against twenty-two defendants and eight John/Jane Doe defendants. The civil action seeks $220 Million in compensatory damages and treble punitive damages. The lawsuit was filed by Lance Flores of Dallas and his partner Vicki Clarkson, a business woman from Calgary against Scott A. Koster, Mark Gelazela, Steven Woods, Kerim S. Emre and others, for theft of money and various frauds involving conversion, embezzlement, extortion, forgery, obstruction of justice, violation of Securities Laws and wire fraud in the 198 page suit.  The complaint also pleads delayed discovery to amend and seek RICO civil racketeering claims.

 

Much of the suit centers around Mark Gelazela of Marina Del Rey who goes by his Hollywood alias, Mark Zella, Steven Woods of Branson, Missouri, and Scott Koster the principal of a Minnesota Alicorn Capital Management whom, among others, are alleged to operate an Internet fraud syndicate. The federal action also names Koster in a separate financial investment transaction with principals in Berea Inc., a commodities gold trading company, and Cook Business Services.

 

Gelazela, Woods and their related companies were also named in an unrelated case of similar nature by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Los Angeles this past February 24th.  Six of the defendants in the SEC’s Los Angeles securities fraud suit are also named in the Dallas securities fraud lawsuit, which is expected to evolve into a racketeering action following discovery.

 

The allegations against Koster and Gelazela ensue out of a Twenty-five Billion-Dollar international transactional-funding program with about twenty principals involved.  Plaintiffs Clarkson and Flores last traced their funds to a 100 million dollar financial instrument issued by Deutsche Bank to HSBC Hong Kong.  In addition to a number of extortion threats from Koster and others, Plaintiffs have some concern about Zella’s emotional stability after noting his public threat of violence on his Mark on Myspace page, “I come from a military background, so I know who to get in touch with to put a hit out on your life ;-) so please tread cautiously.”

 

Four feature films have been substantially harmed or delayed for over 14 months as a result, including New Castle Upon Tyne producer, 24:25 Films, Steve O’Brien’s Short Fellas staring Warwick Davis; Chicago producer Steve Wilburn’s film On the Ropes, staring Paul Wesley and rumored Bill Cosby, Ving Rhames, and 50cent; producer Katherine Wilson’s Native American original film Blanket of the Sun; Flores’ film The Black Messiah Murders and a documentary film by Nicki McQuiston.

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WWW:  United States District Court, Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division: Flores et al. v. Koster et al.   3:11-cv-00726-M -BH

Justia Federal District Court Filings & Dockets:  Flores et al v. Koster et al.

U.S. Dist. Ct.  ND Tex.  L ance Flores & Vicki Clarkson v.  Scott A. Koster et al.  

U.S. Dist. Ct.  CD  Cal.  SEC v. Francis E. Wilde, et al.