Federal magistrate orders medical help for HOA defendant
U.S. Magistrate Judge George Foley Jr. on Tuesday ordered federal authorities to get outside medical treatment for a jailed key defendant in the homeowners association corruption case.
Prosecutors regard Ricky Anderson, 50, an “enforcer” in the massive Las Vegas Valley HOA takeover scheme, as one of their big cooperating witnesses in an upcoming trial.
His guilty plea was put off briefly in May after he showed signs of a heart attack.
Last week, his lawyer, Travis Shetler, said in court papers that Anderson was diagnosed with a serious kidney condition and stress-related mental health problems.
Anderson’s claims of being a ranking kung fu grandmaster led the FBI to name the long-running investigation into the HOA scheme Operation GrandMaster.
Prosecutors have alleged that 11 HOAs were defrauded of millions of dollars in the scheme, which occurred between 2003 and 2009.
The defendants are accused of conspiring to pack HOA boards to gain legal and construction defect contracts. Straw buyers were recruited to purchase condominiums at developments and then get elected to the HOA boards through bribery and rigged elections.
Former construction company boss Leon Benzer, the accused mastermind of the scheme, and five other co-defendants, are to stand trial Oct. 14 on conspiracy and fraud charges.
But defense lawyers are pushing for another delay in the case because of newly discovered evidence they’ll have to review.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135. Find him on Twitter @JGermanRJ.
