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Kendra Bernal Sentencing Postponed March 9th This is the fifth postponement of the sentencing of Kendra Bernal, now scheduled for March 9th in Superior Court, Riverside, California. Steven Counelis, prosecuting attorney for the Riverside County District Attorneys office said Kendra Bernal had plead guilty to the charges, “...but there are details we are still working out” and thus the reason for the postponement. Counelis added, “ Please tell your readers that they should be doing business with well established companies, with well established reputations, rather than with people who make promises and advertise these misleading promises...” Many leasing brokers lost their commissions, their clients, their vendors, and one popular attorney never got paid for representing the woman with a conviction record as long as his arm. Leasing News sent out many alerts and posted complaints until she was arrested, and then later was closed by the Nevada attorney general's office. After working with Growth 1, Bernal set up two companies in Southern California, then when the State of California Department of Corporations closed her down (she had a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, was on parole, and no Finance Lender's License.) The company acquired a new “president,” apparently in name only, then moved the operation to Nevada. The Nevada Attorney General caught on pretty quickly, reportedly catching the company engaging in the same practices here in California: collecting advance rentals, but not funding leases. He told us off the record, “ I don't want any of these California leasing companies operating in my state. Tell your readers these type of people may operate in your state, but not ours. Stay in California.” Bernal's own attorney, active is several equipment leasing associations, was stiffed by her for $15,000 in non-payment for defending her. He never asked her for a retainer, as he “trusted” his client. When the well-known leasing industry attorney complained to the judge about the money owed, he instructed him to continue in her defense on this case without pay. It should be noted that those who do not believe a California Finance Lender's license is necessary to do business in this state, here is an example of a company working without a California Finance Lender's license. All the transactions that were put lost their recourse to lessee's on transactions as they now would be considered usurious because the originator was no licensed. The California Department of Corporation also had the legal power to shut down the company with a legal “cease and desist” order. Here are some of the charges Bernal has plead guilty to: http://www.leasingnews.org/PDF/Bernal.pdf Here is her public criminal history: Here are a four year collection of news stories about Kendra Bernal and the Funding Tree: |
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