We have known Jim & Donna Klinge for over a dozen years, having met them in Carlsbad where our children went to the same school. As long time North County residents, it was a no- brainer for us to have the Klinges be our eyes and ears for San Diego real estate in general and North County in particular. As my military career caused our family to move all over the country and overseas to Asia, Europe and the Pacific, we trusted Jim and Donna to help keep our house in Carlsbad rented with reliable and respectful tenants for over 10 years.
Naturally, when the time came to sell our beloved Carlsbad home to pursue a rural lifestyle in retirement out of California, we could think of no better team to represent us than Jim and Donna. They immediately went to work to update our house built in 2004 to current-day standards and trends — in 2 short months they transformed it into a literal modern-day masterpiece. We trusted their judgement implicitly and followed 100% of their recommended changes. When our house finally came on the market, there was a blizzard of serious interest, we had multiple offers by the third day and it sold in just 5 days after a frenzied bidding war for 20% above our asking price! The investment we made in upgrades recommended by Jim and Donna yielded a 4-fold return, in the process setting a new high water mark for a house sold in our community.
In our view, there are no better real estate professionals in all of San Diego than Jim and Donna Klinge. Buying or selling, you must run and beg Jim and Donna Klinge to represent you! Our family will never forget Jim, Donna, and their whole team at Compass — we are forever grateful to them.
SAN DIEGO — A Jamul man who ran an investment business that federal prosecutors said was a Ponzi scheme that defrauded some 300 investors was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday.
Matthew “Beau” La Madrid was also ordered to pay $23.4 million in restitution, a sum his lawyer said in court papers filed for the sentencing he had no chance of repaying in full.
La Madrid pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit mail, wire and bank fraud, and money laundering.
The charges stemmed from the Plus Money investment business he ran, as well as a real estate business that obtained millions in fraudulent loans. Some of the proceeds from those loans were used to fund the investment scheme that federal prosecutors said was itself bogus.
In all, La Madrid and several co-defendants solicited $39 million in funds from investors from 2004 to 2008. He said the money would be invested in a stock option trading program, and he promised returns of 2.5 percent to 6 percent per month.
While some investors got returns, the scheme eventually collapsed as the stock market crashed in 2007. During that time, La Madrid produced bogus account statements for investors showing the funds were profitable and trades were going well.
The net loss to all investors was about $12 million, according to a sentencing memorandum prosecutors prepared.
Many investors were encouraged by La Madrid and others indicted in the case to refinance their homes using a real estate business he also controlled. Some 94 fraudulent loan applications were submitted to private lenders and banks, securing $34 million in loans.
Investors were often steered toward loans that paid big commissions to La Madrid but were otherwise risky for borrowers. About $5 million of the loan proceeds to investors were put into the Ponzi scheme.
La Madrid lived lavishly, buying fancy cars, jewelry and other items. He lived in a 7,000-square-foot home in Jamul.
His lawyer, John Lemon, wrote in court papers that his client never intended to defraud investors. Instead, what started as a small investment club ballooned out of control and La Madrid got in over his head.
His brother, Lance La Madrid, also pleaded guilty to wire fraud and is to be sentenced next week.
Isn’t amazing how many of these stories try to show that the criminals had “no intent to defruad” but “things just got out of control” so, apparently, they simply “had to.” The state of moralality in these cases is sad, very sad.
But thank heavens we are finally bringing these crimials to trial!
Speaking of shady business, what ever happened to our buddy, Janae?
I think that (hole in kitchen) was once a wine fridge, not a trash compactor. Does anyone even buy those things anymore?
Seems like a nice deal. Good size, should be a good price per sf comp for others.