Kendra Bernal-Funding Tree-Mentor Arrested

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Dane Andre Moore, 44, of Seal Beach, California along with Mary Lew Chrislinger, 50, of Santa Ana, California, charging the two along with their company, Growth 1 Funding Corporation, with ten counts of wire fraud.  Moore, who was earlier mentioned in the

Funding Tree scandals

( http://two.leasingnews.org/archives/August2002/8-14-2002.htm)

was also charged with four counts of money laundering.

The FBI claims the two defrauded over ten or more borrowers of over

$7.2 million.

According to the indictment, Moore owned Growth 1, which offered business loans that required borrowers to make deposits up front, the

U.S. Attorney's Office said.  Instead of keeping the deposits as collateral for the loans, More and Chrislinger allegedly used the cash to pay personal and business expenses.  They are also accused of offering fraudulent

high-yield investments.

Both have pleaded not-guilty to the charges and are out on bail.

When complaints were brought before Growth 1in June, 2002,

along with the Funding Tree and Commercial Money Center, Growth 1

paid back the advance rentals.  There were some claims

that not all the money was returned, but no subsequent

action was taken at the time.  It was reported at the time

that Kendra Bernal started in the business first by working

at Growth 1 before starting the Funding Tree.  She is to be

sentenced October 13^th

(http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/

Funding_Tree-Kendra_Bernal-main.htm )