Page 15 - Flathead Beacon // 10.5.16

NEWS
COURT BEAT
Your C ommunity Bank!
Columbia Falls Woman Denies Running Ponzi Scheme Catherine Ann Finberg pleaded not guilty to ve felony charges
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
A Columbia Falls woman accused of operating a Ponzi scheme that took more than $1.5 million from 28 di erent investors pleaded not guilty to ve felony charges on Sept. 29 in Flathead County District Court.
The hearing came a month after Catherine Ann Finberg was charged with theft by embezzlement; failure to register as a securities broker, dealer or salesperson; failure to register securities; operating a pyramid promotional scheme, and two counts of fraudulent securities practices, all felonies.
If convicted, Finberg could face up to 70 years in prison and more than $185,000 in nes.
Earlier this year, Finberg’s investment accounts were frozen at the request of attorneys with the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance who were investigating the Columbia Falls woman. Although Finberg had not been charged yet, the attorneys believed they had enough evidence of illegal activity and wanted to stop the woman before she harmed anyone else.
“Given Finberg’s recent and continual activities involving these accounts, failure to freeze them could result in continuing, immediate, and irreparable injury to the investors by depriving them of sources from which to recover their investment funds,” attorneys wrote in an a davit supporting the restraining order.
A Ponzi scheme involves a person paying investors using money obtained from later investors, rather than from any pro ts earned.
According to court documents, between 2008 and 2016,
Catherine Ann Finberg denied allegations in Flathead County District Court on Sept. 29 that she ran a ponzi scheme defrauding $1.5 million from 28 di erent investors.
JUSTIN FRANZ | FLATHEAD BEACON
Finberg, who has served as an assistant coach for the Colum- bia Falls High School girls basketball team, took at least $1.5 million from 28 di erent people, who expected her to invest the funds on their behalf. According to charging documents, at least four of those investors were “vulnerable persons” because of their advanced age and one was mentally disabled.
Finberg is expected to stand trial in February 2017.
BRIEFS
Man Accused of Indecent Exposure Deemed Un t to Stand Trial
A 23-year-old Kalispell man accused of indecent exposure has been commit- ted after he was found to be mentally un t to stand trial.
Flathead County District Court Judge Amy Eddy signed an order on Sept. 21 committing Raymond Carl Tommy to the custody of a Department of Health and Human Services mental health facil- ity. The order came after a mental health evaluation found the “defendant su ers from a serious mental illness.”
According to court documents, Flathead County Sheri ’s deputies responded to the Old Steel Bridge along the Flathead River on the evening of Aug. 26 after receiving a report of an inde- cent exposure. Witnesses told the dep- uties that Tommy had jumped into the river and when he got out of the water he approached four young children. He then reached into his shorts, pulled out his genitalia and showed the children. When the kids looked away, he began “hooting and hollering” to get them to look at him again.
When o cers approached Tommy about the incident, he stated that he “wanted to apologize for the indecent exposure.”
Tommy was charged with two counts ofmisdemeanorindecentexposureand two counts of felony indecent exposure.
In March 2015, Tommy was charged with assault on a peace o cer, however the matter was dismissed with prejudice in January after he was deemed “not t to proceed.”
Mineral County Escapee Apprehended in Kalispell
A 27-year-old man who escaped from a Mineral County jail last week was appre- hended in Kalispell.
Zachary James Bergman of Kalispell was arrested without incident on Sept. 29 at a grocery store near downtown. Berg- man had previously been arrested in Mineral County after he allegedly stole a vehicle there. But on early on the morn- ing of Sept. 25 he escaped from the jail in Superior.
According to Sheri Chuck Curry, the Flathead County Sheri ’s O ce received information earlier this week that Berg- man was in the Kalispell area. On Thurs- day night, sheri ’s deputies arrested Bergman with the assistance of the Kalis- pell Police Department.
Bergman is currently being held in the Flathead County Detention Center.
Kalispell Teen Charged Following Neighborhood Vandalism
A Kalispell teen has been charged in Flathead County District Court four months after he and another teen- ager allegedly stole a car and went on
jfranz@ atheadbeacon.com
a vandalism spree through a west-side neighborhood.
The 15-year-old male has been charged with theft and criminal mischief, both felonies, and is expected to appear before Judge Robert Allison on Oct. 7.
The Beacon is withholding the defen- dant’s name because he is a minor. According to court records, two Kalis- pell teenagers allegedly got drunk on the night of May 31 and spray painted nearly two-dozen cars and numerous buildings around Flathead High School. Legends Stadium su ered signi cant “tagging,” including targeted language toward Flat- head High School Resource O cer Cory Clarke and one of the school’s adminis- trators. There was also explicit language targeting the Kalispell Police Depart- ment and Flathead and Glacier high schools.
The two teenagers then allegedly stole a vehicle and crashed it in a ditch near the Old Steel Bridge.
On June 1, another teenager went to police and told them that they had received a Snapchat video showing the defendant vandalizing Legends Stadium.
The two teenagers caused about $3,000 worth of damage.
The second teenager accused in the
vandalism spree is paying restitution
IDAHO STREET BANK
233 E Idaho St. Kalispell, MT 59901 755-4271
MERIDIAN ROAD BANK
552 N Meridian Rd. Kalispell, MT 59901 755-5432
A Locally Owned, Independent Community Bank Since 1974
Account approval, conditions, quali cations, limits, time frames, enrollments, log-ons and other requirements apply. Quali cations and rewards may vary by account. Monthly receipt of electronic statements is a condition of this accounts. Enrollment in electronic services (e.g. online banking, elec- tronic statements) and log-ons may be required to meet some of the account’s quali cations. Limit 1 account per social secu- rity number. Contact one of our bank service representatives foradditionalinformation,details,restrictions,processing limitations and enrollment instructions. Member FDIC.
www.ThreeRiversBankMontana.com
after reaching a probation deal with
www.ThreeRiversBankMontana.com
YouthCourtServices.
news@ atheadbeacon.com
OCTOBER 5, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
15
Do you Kasasa?