(AXcess News) Los Angeles – Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Henry W. Shatford ordered Qualcomm (Nasdaq: QCOM) founder Neil Kadisha to pay over $100 million in damages for embezzling funds, calling Kadisha a "common thief" after being found guilty of stealing funds from a widow. The case arose from Kadisha’s actions while a trustee of funds earmarked for Dafna Uzyel, the widow of Kadisha’s friend, and her young children. The trusts, which gave Kadisha effective control over Uzyel’s assets, were established at the urging of Kadisha and his personal attorney who represented both Kadisha, as trustee, and Uzyel, as beneficiary – creating a conflict of interest. The case was conducted over more than seven years, including four in trial. "This well-supported and articulate decision by Judge Shatford marks the culmination of a highly complex four year trial and resulted from a Herculean effort to uncover Kadisha’s perjury, backdating of documents and embezzlements as a trustee for personal gain, without regard to the welfare of the beneficiaries," said Samuel Krane of Krane & Smith in Encino, the lead trial attorney, who, along with Linda Rottman of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps represented, Dafna Uzyel and her two children, Izzet and Joelle. Deceptions uncovered at Kadisha’s trial included back-dated trial documents and promissory notes, million dollar "loans" to nonexistent individuals, and intentionally misleading accountings of millions of dollars in embezzled funds, some of which was used to buy Qualcomm stock.
Neal Kadisha is one of the richest people in the Persian Jewish community and in LA Jewish life. He is married to Dora, a daughter of the wealthy Persian Nazarian family.
