Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 8, 2019

8

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 8, 2019 

Local Lawyer Pleads Guilty 
to Millions in Wire Fraud

Pops Kick-off the Summer 
June 22 with the Best of 
American Popular Song 

South Pasdena Fourth of 
July Festival of Balloons

 A former Pasadena attorney 
has pleaded guilty to one felony 
count of wire fraud for falsely 
representing to his clients that 
he obtained favorable legal 
resolutions for them, and then 
perpetuating the scheme by 
delivering clients fraudulent 
documents, some with the 
forged signatures of judges, and 
by making disguised telephone 
calls to them.

 Shant Ohanian, 36, of 
Pasadena, entered his plea 
on Thursday before United 
States District Judge John A. 
Kronstadt, who scheduled 
a September 12 sentencing 
hearing. Ohanian faces a 
statutory maximum sentence 
of 20 years in federal prison.

 According to his plea 
agreement, Ohanian was a 
licensed California lawyer 
from January 2012 until he 
was disbarred in December 
2017. Beginning in May 2012, 
Ohanian and his co-conspirator 
engaged in a scheme to defraud 
Ohanian’s clients by claiming 
he obtained favorable legal 
resolutions for them, when in 
fact the favorable resolutions 
had never been obtained, and, 
in many cases, Ohanian had 
never initiated a legal action, 
court papers state. In some 
cases, Ohanian’s deception 
caused his victim clients to 
entirely lose their opportunity 
to obtain significant financial 
or legal remedies as a result 
of wrongs suffered by them, 
according to court documents.

 Ohanian admitted in his 
plea agreement to defrauding 
multiple victims, including 
one victim who hired Ohanian 
in July 2013 to assist in the 
recovery of a $500,000 deposit 
related to a failed commercial 
real estate transaction for 
an Ontario shopping center. 
During the course of that 
litigation, Ohanian falsely 
informed the victim that the 
victim had prevailed in the case 
and would receive $1.2 million 
in damages plus penalties, the 
plea agreement states.

 In February 2016, Ohanian 
presented the victim with 
a counterfeit check for 
$1,925,477, which a bank later 
rejected, court papers state. 
Ohanian denied the check was 
counterfeit and in March 2016 
he presented the victim with 
a check for $7,244,211, which 
also was rejected as counterfeit. 
Ohanian also falsely informed 
the victim that he was 
representing the victim in a 
parallel bankruptcy proceeding 
involving the Ontario shopping 
center, and he provided the 
victim phony bankruptcy court 
pleadings, including orders that 
contained the forged signature 
of a United States bankruptcy 
judge, according to court 
documents.

 Ohanian also admitted to 
making multiple spoofed 
telephone calls to the victim 
in which he claimed to 
be either bank officials or 
government officials. Ohanian 
also falsely informed the 
victim that he would acquire 
the Ontario shopping center 
at a discounted price in lieu 
of a cash settlement, and that 
the victim needed to make 
payments for back taxes and 
overdue mortgage payments in 
order to acquire the property, 
and to make “unpaid court 
fees” to Ohanian even though 
no such fees were owed, court 
documents state. Between 
March 2016 and September 
2017, the victim paid Ohanian 
$2,839,875 based on Ohanian’s 
false representations that 
the money would be used to 
acquire the shopping center, 
according to court documents.

 Ohanian admitted to 
victimizing other clients, 
including a woman who 
suffered serious injuries in a 
fall at South Coast Plaza mall 
in Orange County, and for 
whom the statute of limitations 
had expired in the case before 
she realized Ohanian had 
defrauded her. Ohanian 
admitted to sending the victim 
a phony settlement agreement 
from the mall and, after she 
threatened to report him to the 
State Bar of California, a check 
for $25,000 that turned out to 
have been cancelled. He also 
falsely represented to clients 
seeking immigration relief that 
he had obtained important 
legal resolutions related to their 
ability to live and work in the 
U.S.

 Ohanian’s victims suffered 
actual losses of more than $4 
million. 

 Ohanian’s wife, Silva Sevlian 
Ohanian, has been charged 
with one count of wire fraud in 
a related case. She has pleaded 
not guilty to the charge and is 
currently scheduled to go to 
trial on July 16. 

 

 “To the Moon and Beyond - 50 
Years of Exploring America’s 
Freedom”

The City of South Pasadena 
is celebrating its 38th annual 
Festival of Balloons.

Events

Kiwanis Club Pancake 
Breakfast

Location: South Pasadena Fire 
Station, 817 Mound Avenue 
(enter on Hope Street, between 
Fremont Avenue and Mound 
Avenue)

Time: 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Pancake Breakfast Tickets, Day 
of: $8.00 per person, kids under 
6 years old eat for free.

Pancake Breakfast Tickets, 
Presale (Beginning 6/20): $8.00 
per person, kids under 6 years 
old eat for free.

- South Pasadena Fire Station, 
817 Mound Avenue

- South Pasadena Senior 
Center, 1102 Oxley Street

- Bristol Farms, 606 Fair Oaks 
Avenue

- Charlie’s Coffee House, 266 
Monterey Road

- Dinosaur Farm, 1510 Mission 
Street

- Jones Coffee Roasters, 1006 
Mission Street

- Mission Framing, 1501 
Mission Street

- Re-Imagine Your Home, 1518 
Mission Street

- UPS Store, 1107 Fair Oaks 
Avenue

- South Pasadena-San Marino 
YMCA, 1605 Garfield Avenue 

Event Picture 1

Opening Ceremony

Location: South Pasadena 
Library Community Room – 
lawn, 1115 El Centro Street

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Parade

Location: Mission Street, from 
Diamond Avenue to Garfield 
Park

Time: 11:00 a.m.

PARADE ENTRY: Download 
the Parade Registration Packet 
(please follow the submission 
instructions in the packet).

Celebration at Garfield Park

Location: Garfield Park, 1750 
Mission Street

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Details: Games, food, and 
activities Event Picture 
3 

Fireworks Show

Location: South Pasadena High 
School, 1401 Fremont Avenue.

Time: 9:00 p.m. (Gates open at 
5:30 p.m.)

Details: Food vendors will be 
on site at the show. Pets are not 
allowed

- Stadium - Alcohol and glass 
bottles are not allowed in the 
stadium.

- Field - Only water is permitted 
on the field, no food. Rounded 
bottom chairs only on the field 
(narrow legs/feet of camping 
chairs will damage the turf).

Fireworks Tickets, Presale 
(Beginning 6/20): $10.00 per 
person. Kids under 3 years old 
are free:

 - South Pasadena Fire Station, 
817 Mound Avenue

 - South Pasadena Senior 
Center, 1102 Oxley Street

 - Bristol Farms, 606 Fair Oaks 
Avenue

 - Charlie’s Coffee House, 266 
Monterey Road

 - Dinosaur Farm, 1510 
Mission Street

 - Jones Coffee Roasters, 1006 
Mission Street

 - Mission Framing, 1501 
Mission Street

 - Re-Imagine Your Home, 
1518 Mission Street

 - UPS Store, 1107 Fair Oaks 
Avenue

 - South Pasadena-San Marino 
YMCA, 1605 Garfield Avenue

Fireworks Tickets, Day of 
(July 4, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.): 
$10.00 per person. Kids under 
3 years old are free:

 - At the Pancake Breakfast 
(7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.)

 - At Diamond & Mission / 
City Hall / Fair Oaks & Mission 
(11:00 a.m. to finish of Parade)

 - At Garfield Park (12:00 p.m. 
to 3:00 p.m.)

Fireworks Tickets, At the Gate 
(July 4, 5:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.): 
$13.00 per person. Kids under 
3 years old are free:

 
Principal Pops Conductor 
Michael Feinstein opens the 
2019 Pasadena POPS Sierra 
Summer Concert Series on 
Saturday, June 22 with The 
Great American Songbook: 
Icons from Broadway, Tin 
Pan Alley and Hollywood. 
The POPS season opener 
will encapsulate 200 years 
of American popular music, 
from Stephen Foster’s 
“Beautiful Dreamer” to 
the songbook of the ‘20s 
and ‘30s, the Big Band era, 
Broadway, Hollywood, and 
vintage charts that can’t be 
heard anywhere else. Hear 
Broadway favorites with 
“Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” 
and “Maria,” to timeless 
hits like Sinatra’s “Where 
Or When” and “The Way 
We Were,” plus in typical 
Feinstein fashion, a few 
vintage archival surprises.

 To start off the season 
with a bang, Feinstein will 
welcome two heavy-hitters 
to the stage, with Kevin 
McKidd and Melissa Errico 
taking the mic. Although 
many may know him for 
his leading roles on Grey’s 
Anatomy or HBO’s Rome, 
McKidd started out as a 
musician, with the Scottish 
band Plan 9. In 2012, he 
released The Speyside 
Sessions, a collection of 
traditional Scottish folk 
tunes, which reached #1 
on iTunes world music 
downloads. It is a rare treat 
to hear him perform live, and 
seeing him alongside one of 
the great voices of Broadway, 
Melissa Errico, will be a truly 
one-of-a-kind experience. A 
Tony Award-nominee, who 
has starred in My Fair Lady 
and High Society among 
others, Errico sparkles on 
stage. “Any chance to hear 
Melissa Errico sing is a 
chance worth taking.” (The 
New York Times)

 All concerts are held at 
the Los Angeles County 
Arboretum and Botanic 
Garden. Grounds open for 
picnicking and dining at 
5:30pm and performances 
begin at 7:30pm. Don’t miss 
the best outdoor dinner 
party in town with spacious 
circular table seating with 
fine linens, or lawn seating 
for those who want to bring 
a blanket – each option 
carries on the tradition of 
picnic-dining with your 
family and friends with 
Michael Feinstein and the 
San Gabriel Valley’s premier 
orchestra! Among many 
venue amenities, concert 
goers can enjoy pre-ordered 
gourmet dining packages 
for on-site pickup just 
steps from their table from 
Julienne, Marston’s and 
Claud & Co. The venue also 
hosts mouth-watering food 
trucks and the convenience 
of two full beverage centers 
serving fine wines, beer, 
coffee and soft drinks.

 Audiences get the ultimate 
outdoor concert experience 
with large LED video 
screens to see the artists and 
orchestra up close, superior 
sound and the high-quality 
production value that is a 
signature of the Pasadena 
POPS. For those who 
want to make a night of it, 
exclusive hotel packages are 
available for POPS patrons 
at Pasadena’s landmark 
Hotel Constance.

 The Arboretum is 
located at 301 North 
Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA. 
Subscribers may purchase 
pre-paid onsite parking 
at the Arboretum, and all 
concertgoers can purchase 
guaranteed and convenient 
parking at Santa Anita Park, 
located just across Baldwin 
Ave., with complimentary 
non-stop shuttle service 
to the Arboretum’s main 
entrance.

 Single tickets start at $25. 
Season subscriptions and 
single tickets are now on 
sale, and are available by 
calling the box office at 
(626)-793-7172, online at 
PasadenaSymphony-Pops.
org or at the Arboretum on 
the day of the concerts.

 Soloists include Grey’s 
Anatomy’s Kevin McKidd 
and Broadway’s Melissa 
Errico 

South Pasadena Starts 
Summer Reading Program

 Get ready to be entertained 
at this year’s themed Summer 
Reading Program, “Show 
Time at the Library,” which 
runs through August 3, at the 
South Pasadena Public Library! 
This year, children, teens, 
and adults are welcome to 
join in the show at the annual 
Summer Reading Program. 
Participation in the program 
is free thanks to a generous 
grant from the Friends of the 
South Pasadena Public Library, 
and contributions from other 
community-spirited businesses 
and individuals.

 The entertaining Wonderful 
Wednesday programs 
include such acts as the 
New Hollywood String 
Quartet presenting a Brahms 
concert for kids, a SPACE art 
workshop, STEMup4Kids 
hands-on science program, 
jugglers, magicians, and more. 
The Wonderful Wednesday 
presentations will be at 3 p.m. 
in the Library Community 
Room starting June 19th.

 Other fun events include 
Storytimes for preschoolers, 
toddlers, and families; Barks 
and Books; Craft Tuesdays; 
Family Game Days; and the 
Tween Writing Camp.

 Visit: southpasadenaca.gov for 
a list of all programs.

 The Summer Reading 
Program is a nine-week, 
parent-supervised event 
designed to make reading fun 
and to encourage participants 
to further explore the world 
of reading. Readers may read 
as many or as few minutes as 
they want and they can earn 
prize incentives or opportunity 
drawing tickets for achieving 
goals each week. Beginning 
June 3, participants in the 
Summer Reading Program 
are encouraged to sign up 
in person in the Library’s 
Children’s Room or online 
at www.southpasadenaca.
gov/beanstack. Those signing 
up online should visit the 
Children’s Room afterward to 
pick up their Summer Reading 
Program packet and to choose 
the free book they get just for 
registering!

 The library is located at 1100 
Oxley Street, and the Library 
Community Room is at 1115 
El Centro Street. Library hours 
are Sunday 1 p.m.-5 p.m.; 
Monday and Friday, 10 a.m.-
6 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, 
Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and 
Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Find 
us on Facebook at facebook.
com/southpasadenalibrary.

172 Citations Issued During 
Bicycle Safety Program

 

 On Friday, May 31, officers 
assigned to Pasadena Police 
Department’s Traffic Section 
conducted a bicycle and 
pedestrian safety traffic 
enforcement program 
throughout the city. Officers 
were on the lookout for 
dangerous driving behaviors 
hazardous to bicyclists, 
including speeding, red 
light violations, right-of-
way violations, and other 
violations that lead to traffic 
collisions.

 Officers were also on the 
lookout for bicyclists and 
pedestrians failing to follow 
the rules of the road. These 
behaviors can be very 
dangerous and contribute to 
injury collisions every year. 
The goal of these programs 
is to enhance public safety 
through enforcement and 
education.

 Officers conducted 
enforcement at various 
locations during the 
program, which ran from 
6 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Many 
people in Pasadena walk or 
use a bicycle as a primary 
means of transportation. 
As always, a majority of our 
enforcement efforts focused 
on locations suggested to us 
by community members,” 
said Traffic Section 
Lieutenant Mark Goodman. 
“Input from community 
members helps us focus on 
locations where traffic safety 
is a concern.”

 Friday’s program netted a 
total of 172 citations, 99 of 
which were for dangerous 
driving. 54 pedestrians were 
issued citations along with 
19 bicyclists.

 Funding for bicycle safety 
enforcement is provided by 
a grant from the California 
Office of Traffic Safety, 
through the National 
Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration.

Wicked Lit Summer Show

 The creators of the award-winning immersive theatre events 
Wicked Lit (Mountain View Mausoleum and Cemetery), 
History Lit (Pasadena Museum of History) and Mystery Lit 
(Los Angeles County Arboretum), are bringing their new 
play development program back to the Central Library! 
Enjoy a wicked afternoon of new short plays adapted from 
classic horror literature, presented as script-in-hand staged 
readings. Each afternoon includes two short plays and an 
interactive talk-back with the playwrights. Ideal for short 
story lovers and intrepid theatre-goers. For ages 13+. For 
titles and further details visit unboundproductions.org.

Saturday, July 20 & Sunday, July 21 • 3-4:30 p.m. • Central 
Library/Donald Wright Auditorium 285 E Walnut St.

 For more information call (626) 744-4066 or visit: 
unboundproductions.org.

SPARC Art Gallery Exhibits 

at South Pasadena City Hall

Mosquito Control Workshop

 


 The South Pasadena Arts 
Council presents Tinkering- 
Three dimensional constructs 
by Valerie Wilcox and 
Childhood 101 - Photographs 
by Kathleen Laraia McLaughlin 
at the SPARC Gallery at South 
Pasadena City Hall.

 Valerie Wilcox, a contemporary 
and mixed media artist, 
describes Tinkering as three-
dimensional constructs. 
They are “a reimagined, 
abstracted understanding of 
our built environment” and 
incorporating “the ideals 
of Wabi Sabi, a traditional 
Japanese aesthetic centered on 
the acceptance and beauty of 
transience and imperfection.” 
Wilcox’s Art pieces often 
feature wood with visible 
paint remnants, sourced from 
torn-down or remodeled 
houses. Based in Los Angeles, 
Wilcox is part of the artist 
collective Durden and Ray. 
Exhibitions of her work have 
been featured at the Torrance 
Art Museum, the San Jose 
Institute of Contemporary Art, 
Irvine Fine Arts Center, Mount 
Saint Mary’s University, Palo 
Alto Art Center, QiPO Art 
Fair in Mexico City, Kölner 
Liste Art Fair in Cologne; 
and in numerous other local 
and international galleries. 
Tinkering will run through 
June 30, in South Pasadena City 
Hall. 

 In Childhood 101, South 
Pasadena-based photographer 
and educator Kathleen Laraia 
McLaughlin who is known 
for her “compassionate and 
curious lens,” documents the 
playful activities of her two 
sons and their friends at their 
South Pasadena home, in their 
backyard, on the road, and 
around town, remembering 
her own treasured outdoor 
playtime as a child. A Fulbright 
Senior Scholars, and recipient 
of the, IREX IARO Grant from 
the National Endowment for 
the Humanities, and a Houston 
Center for Photography 
Fellowship McLaughlin has 
exhibited nationally and 
internationally. Her images are 
in permanent collections at 
the Museum of Photographic 
Art in San Diego, Western 
Virginia Museum of Art, and 
the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest. 
Childhood 101 runs through 
June 30, in the 2nd floor SPARC 
Gallery at South Pasadena City 
Hall. 


South Pasadena is a member of the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito 
and Vector Control District. We invite these experts to present 
an hour-long interactive workshop on the public health issues 
related to mosquitoes and how to address them as a community. 
Get up close to the most dangerous creature on the planet and 
learn how to effectively protect yourself and your family from 
mosquitoes. The responsibility for controlling mosquitoes in our 
beautiful city is shared by everyone. Let’s work together to make 
South Pasadena as bite-free as possible! 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com