Fuel costs have continued to rise because the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.
For many years, he was the one gumshoe going, aware of marital squabbles and plenty of different delicate points in Santa Barbara.
And once you see images of personal investigator Craig A. Case, 75, he seems to be residing the great life.
However a historical past of courtroom actions has raised the query of whether or not he’s been doing that on another person’s tab. And for a really very long time.
One such somebody is Constance Fearing, 94, allegedly conned out of $687,500 over a two-and–a half-year interval (2018-21) to gasoline Craig’s connoisseur meals and high quality wine behavior.
When Ms. Fearing filed a lawsuit towards Mr. Case for “willful and deliberate misconduct,” the gumshoe didn’t reply with any form of protection. Thus, the courtroom took an entry of default towards Mr. Case.
However Mr. Case now contests that ruling as “excusable neglect.”
Excusable neglect?
A lawyer aware of the detective identified to The Investigator: “Mr. Case has a well-chronicled historical past of failing to answer complaints.”
That is truly an enormous understatement. Mr. Case isn’t any stranger to lawsuits. He has ratcheted up quite a few default judgments over the previous 4 many years.
We’ve got counted an astounding 26 courtroom actions taken towards Mr. Case going again over 40 years, since 1978, the 12 months earlier than he first acquired a license to function as a non-public investigator.
One current sufferer allegedly screwed financially by Mr. Case instructed The Investigator: “I bought a $5,000 award towards him for failure to provide a business after he cashed the verify. Peanuts in comparison with what else he has executed however nonetheless maddening. The arduous half was attempting to find him. Unsure how he has averted extra publicity or prison fees.” (Joyful to oblige with the previous; we’ll get to the latter.)
Peanuts in comparison with what else he has executed?
Nicely, let’s take a stroll down reminiscence lane and see who else Mr. Case has defaulted on:
In 1985, Santa Barbara Financial institution & Belief obtained a default judgment towards Mr. Case for $72,195.
In June 2017, Everest Nationwide Insurance coverage Firm v. Craig Case. Default judgment: $49,935.51.
In October 2018, Roger Ok. Bower Trustee v. Craig Case. Default Judgment: $54,720.27.
In December 2020, Capital One Financial institution (USA) v. Craig Case. Default judgment: $8,435.27.
And whereas willfully avoiding service and courtroom directives, this very lien-ed on detective was cajoling potential clients to entrust him with their confidential investigations.
In 1990, seven traders misplaced a complete of $610,000 to Mr. Case after investing in The Islanders, Santa Barbara’s semi-professional basketball workforce. Considered one of Mr. Case’s traders, Howard Schneider, instructed the Los Angeles Instances, “Case lied to us and robbed all of the traders. That is probably the most mismanaged, fraudulent, mismanaged factor I’ve ever seen in 28 years of enterprise.”
In 2016, Mr. Case borrowed $10,000 from Dario Pini, a Santa Barbara landlord who took him to courtroom when the detective allegedly didn’t repay. He additionally allegedly didn’t repay a $40,000 mortgage to the late Archie McLaren, an area philanthropist and wine lover.
Considered one of Mr. Case’s dissatisfied purchasers posted this criticism on the Higher Enterprise Bureau web site: “Craig took $1,500 from us up entrance to search out an individual we have been in search of in the identical metropolis. He has not executed any work, has produced no outcomes, and has not responded to emails, cellphone calls and texts for over two months.”
We’re instructed there are different default judgments towards Mr. Case from the Nineties and early 2000s in Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties, whose courtroom dockets aren’t obtainable on-line.
The web site for casedetectiveagency.com is now not operational although it seems that the Case Company’s P.I. license (#7491) doesn’t expire till the top of March 2023.
In the meantime, we requested the Santa Barbara County District Lawyer’s Workplace whether or not it’s investigating the Constance Fearing criticism for any potential fraud violations.
“We’re conscious of the Constance Fearing case and associated media consideration,” Deputy District Lawyer Brian Cota instructed The Investigator, unwilling to verify or deny his workplace has Mr. Case in its sights as a result of “we can not touch upon whether or not or not we’re investigating any specific particular person.”
We reached out to Mr. Case each by cellphone and electronic mail for remark. He didn’t reply.
STATE OF THE DIS-UNION (TRUE MEANING OF KEY EXCERPTS)
“Final 12 months COVID-19 stored us aside.”
That means: I used to be too scared to take off my masks within the open air and too frightened to face the media besides on uncommon events, after which I shortly departed, my tail between my legs.
“The pandemic has been punishing.”
That means: We wanted to punish everybody with lockdowns, mask-wearing and mandated vaccinations with the intention to punish everybody who voted for Donald Trump.
“So many households live paycheck to paycheck, struggling to maintain up with the rising price of meals, fuel, housing, and a lot extra. I perceive.”
That means: My previous bank card buddies in Delaware, whose bidding I did for many years in D.C., are doing higher than ever earlier than as everybody goes deeper and deeper into bank card debt at exorbitantly excessive rates of interest.
“One of many first issues I did as president was combat to go the American Rescue Plan. Few items of laws have executed extra in a important second in our historical past to carry us out of disaster. It delivered fast financial aid for tens of thousands and thousands of Individuals.”
That means: I brought on rampant inflation.
“Vice President Harris and I ran for workplace with a brand new financial imaginative and prescient for America.”
That means: I haven’t had a brand new imaginative and prescient in 40 years, and I chosen the clearly incompetent VP Harris so nobody would insist I resign for not solely having no imaginative and prescient but in addition attributable to my incessant screw-ups, resembling lack of border enforcement, an vitality coverage that left our nation depending on Russia for oil and a humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan that left behind Individuals along with a whole lot of billions in armaments.
“As a result of we all know that when the center class grows, the poor have a ladder up and the rich do very nicely.”
That means: As at all times, the wealthy are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer.
“As I’ve instructed Xi Jinping, it’s by no means a very good wager to wager towards the American individuals.”
That means: Go away betting towards the American individuals to grasping American company executives who offered out this nation for over three many years (with authorities consent — I ought to know, I used to be there) by shifting home manufacturing to China, the place the communist regime may exploit slave labor and use earnings to construct a powerful army.
“Firms are selecting to construct new factories right here, when only a few years in the past, they might have constructed them abroad. That’s what is occurring. Ford is investing $11 billion to construct electrical automobiles, creating 11,000 jobs throughout the nation. GM is making the most important funding in its historical past — $7 billion to construct electrical automobiles, creating 4,000 jobs in Michigan. All instructed, we created 369,000 new manufacturing jobs in America simply final 12 months.”
That means: Thanks, my predecessor, for beginning this development.
“Inflation is robbing them of the beneficial properties they could in any other case really feel. That’s why my prime precedence is getting costs beneath management.”
That means: Your beneficial properties are already robbed. I’m powerless to do something about inflation, which can proceed to raise beneath my watch as we proceed to print more cash out of skinny air to squander on infrastructure applications we really need, however many of the cash finally ends up elsewhere, dramatically rising our already out-of-control deficit.
“Seventeen Nobel laureates in economics say my plan will ease long-term inflationary pressures.”
That means: I’m listening to the identical stooges who bought us into this mess.
“Let’s be certain that firms and the wealthiest Individuals begin paying their justifiable share.”
That means: I’m echoing the identical mantra each president earlier than me whereas remembering, to myself, the phrases of Kenneth Keating, former U.S. senator from New York: “Politics is the artwork of buying votes from the poor and cash from the wealthy whereas convincing each you’re defending every from the opposite.”
“We’re going after the criminals who stole billions in aid cash meant for small companies and thousands and thousands of Individuals. And tonight, I’m asserting that the Justice Division will title a chief prosecutor for pandemic fraud.”
That means: Fact is, the auditors have given up and gone dwelling, however this makes me sound powerful as we spend more cash to fake we’re doing one thing.
“By the top of this 12 months, the deficit might be all the way down to lower than half what it was earlier than I took workplace.”
That means: Could I promote you a bridge?
“I do know some are speaking about residing with COVID-19. We are going to proceed to fight the virus as we do different illnesses. Keep protected with vaccines and coverings. We all know how extremely efficient vaccines are. When you’re vaccinated and boosted, you’ve got the very best diploma of safety.”
That means: I’ve a second bridge to promote you.
“We are going to by no means surrender on vaccinating extra Individuals. Now, I do know dad and mom with children beneath 5 are desperate to see a vaccine approved for his or her kids.”
That means: In my goals.
“Our colleges are open. Let’s preserve it that approach. Our youngsters have to be at school.”
That means: I’ve a grasp’s in The Apparent although it took me a complete 12 months of being president to recollect this, together with different cognitive failures.
“We achieved this as a result of we offered free vaccines, remedies, assessments, and masks. In fact, persevering with this prices cash. I’ll quickly ship Congress a request.”
That means: We need to print more cash out of skinny air to spend on issues we now not want.
“The reply is to not defund the police. The reply is to FUND the police with the assets and coaching they should shield our communities.”
That means: We solely wished to defund the police when my predecessor was within the White Home in order that we may take further enjoyment of seeing rioters, looters and arsonists run rampage in U.S. cities.
“I need you to know we’re going to be OK.”
That means: We’re NOT going to be OK.
“We’re stronger at present than we have been a 12 months in the past. And we might be stronger a 12 months from now than we’re at present.”
That means: My fingers are crossed behind my again. See you subsequent 12 months, suckers!
“Go get ‘em!”
That means: I’m immediately very confused. But once more.
This 12 months’s presidential State of the Union will be summarized in a single phrase: Lame-o.
Or if we stretch it into three phrases: Weak point on steroids.
As for the true state of our union: Piss-poor, mirrored by Joe Biden’s disapproval score, runaway inflation, vitality dependence, rising crime, no border enforcement — and now a feeble response to apparent struggle crimes as struggle prison Vladimir Putin slaughters girls and kids in Ukraine.
Robert Eringer is a longtime Montecito writer with huge expertise in investigative journalism. He welcomes questions or feedback at reringer@gmail.com.