Man Gets 3-Month Term in Fraud Case

One of two La Canada Flintridge brothers accused of operating a fraudulent rental listing service was sentenced Wednesday to three months in County Jail and two months on a Caltrans work crew after pleading no contest to charges of theft.

Gregory Schwartz, 21, was sentenced in Los Angeles Municipal Court on four counts each of petty theft and making false and misleading statements and one count each of failing to register as a business in Los Angeles and pay city business taxes and operating an unlicensed prepaid rental listing service, authorities said. He was ordered to close West Coast Credit of Van Nuys and banned for three years from working in the rental listing and credit report business without court approval. He was ordered to pay restitution to 11 former customers and any others who come forward by Feb. 28, said Deputy City Atty. Mark Lambert.

Trial for Gregory Schwartz’s brother, Jeff Schwartz, 26--charged with similar counts also stemming from the operation of West Coast--is pending, according to authorities.

The customers complained that they found many of the properties they were given as possible rentals were already rented or in poor condition, Lambert said. They also said West Coast failed to refund their fees as the agency had promised if it failed to find customers a place to live.