- NEW YORK: The fraud case against a jailed financial adviser to the stars expanded on Thursday, with prosecutors listing more elderly entertainment industry figures as victims and nearly doubling their loss to $59 million - a figure expected to climb.
An indictment in federal court in Manhattan alleged additional victims of Kenneth Starr’s Ponzi-like scheme include a film producer in his late 70s who lost $4.8 million, a screenwriter in his 80s who lost $8.7 million and an actress in her 80s who lost $100,000.
None were named. Starr, 66, has worked with Wesley Snipes, Sylvester Stallone and Martin Scorsese, though there’s no indication they were victims. Prosecutors had charged Starr last month in a criminal complaint with cheating seven clients out of about $30 million. The indictment raised the total to 11 victims. “In less than two weeks since Kenneth Starr’s arrest, this investigation has maintained its velocity,” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement.
“The scope of the alleged fraud has doubled and is now up to $59 million, and counting.” Starr’s original lawyer said Thursday he had withdrawn from the case. It was unclear if the former adviser had a new attorney.