Cadwalader etc. has filed a Complaint in Federal Court alleging a vast conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act.  Los Angeles based businessman, and disbarred attorney, Terry Selb, Ben Graupner, Geoff (pronounced “Joff“) Plourde, Ty Bennett, and Donny Barnes has been implicated in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy lawsuit.  The suit alleges that Mr. Selb, in concert with the other named parties to the suit, did knowingly send out fraudulent advertisements through the US Postal Service, which were specifically designed to resemble official government notices.  The suit further alleges that the purpose of sending these letters is to defraud taxpayers, most of them elderly, out of their hard-earned money and savings.  Evidence linking the letters to Selb also suggests that he and his company are currently under investigation by multiple attorneys general and other enforcement agencies.

This is not the first time Selb has found himself in trouble.  Selb was an attorney in Minnesota until 1986 when he was disbarred for misappropriating funds intended for three orphaned children by selling the family home and keeping the proceeds for himself.  Additionally, Selb admitted in his disbarment proceedings to forging a settlement check and stealing funds from a client and later lying about these actions to the Professional Responsibility Board of the State Bar of Minnesota.

Selb was also implicated in a scheme of unjust enrichment in the late 90s and early 00s.  The District Attorney for Minnesota alleged in that case that Selb was part of a network of senior care providers that engaged in a concerted effort to defraud Medicare and Medicaid in a complex scheme. According to the allegations in the suit, Selb began his company in 2018.  Almost immediately, he allegedly began designing and sending fraudulent letters that contained threatening language, including, for example, threats of arrest, imminent property seizure, and perhaps most egregiously of all, cancellation of Social Security Benefits.  The suit alleges that by engaging in this behavior, Selb is harming the recipients of these deceptive letters and putting a black mark on the industry as a whole.

If found liable, damages for Selb and others can easily exceed millions of dollars.

Doug Gansler,  Former Attorney General of Maryland, is taking the lead on the case.

Media Contact:
Michael Forstein
Phone: 256-242-6375
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