TAUNTING MISCREANTS SINCE 2012! AN INDEPENDENT, AD-FREE NEWS SITE--SHINING A LIGHT ON THE DARK UNDERBELLY OF FRAUD, CONS AND SCAMS FROM NORTHERN MICHIGAN TO LAS VEGAS, NEWPORT BEACH HAS ENDED ITS RUN. PUBLISHED CONTENT WILL REMAIN ONLINE, BUT MISS FORTUNE HAS SIGNED OFF! Due to lack of technical support by Google, I'm unable to respond to your comments.
“Please don't give this story anymore light. Who knows, for all we know, he might be going into witness protection. Very strong possibility.”
During
a June 29, 2018 court hearing, Las Vegas-based con man David Damante (left)
admitted violating multiple
conditions of his supervised release, including using his purported
ownership of two Jean-Michel Basquiat paintings to fraudulently obtain nearly $500,000 from three victims between March and June of this
year.
In advance of his scheduled probation revocation hearing this morning in U. S. District Court in Las Vegas, I'm breaking the news that Damante's scheme began at least one year ago. Aided by Las Vegas attorney, Scott Michael Cantor, Damante (using the fictitious last name Diamante), signed false affidavits, obtained an appraisal from a woman falsely portraying herself as an official member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), used forged letters reputed to have been issued by the Authentication Committee of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, and created forged insurance documents purportedly issued by a British firm specializing in cargo and freight liability.
Damante's first victims, Rick Belcastro and Brandon Holmes, signed a formal Transfer Agreement on August 15, 2017.
Belcastro, the former owner of the Badda Bing, a Las Vegas strip club, died on January 28, 2018.
But, unlike Belcastro, Damante's fugazi Basquiat scam didn't go tits-up.
It survived, and here is the first installment of the real story behind the scam—with the actual documents Damante used to pull it off.
CRACK APPLE NIGHT
Damante claimed to own several works of art by the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, including Crack Apple Night, Swampland Children, Nero and Legal.
However, in the August 15, 2017 “Transfer and Conveyance of Proceeds and Security Agreeement”, Damante sold an interest in another Basquiat artwork he claimed to own, known by the working title “Helicopter”. Belcastro and Holmes advanced Damante $25,000, and in exchange for a $335,000 note, Damante offered the pair a 2.5% interest in the artwork.
Here is the entire agreement:
And who is Aida L. Miranda, who notarized Damante's signature on this agreement?
She is a paralegal, who worked for Las Vegas attorney Scott Michael Cantor. More news in Part 2, including forged documents, and a stunning revelation about a late-night threat to your girl, Miss Fortune!
During
a June 29, 2018 court hearing, Las Vegas-based con man David Damante (left) admitted violating multiple
conditions of his supervised release, including using his purported ownership of two Jean-Michel Basquiat paintings to fraudulently obtain at least $500,000 from three victims between March and June of this year.
But if you thought this was a new scam, you'd be wrong.
Beginning tomorrow, July 6, hours before Damante steps into a Las Vegas federal court room for the hearing that may revoke his supervised release, Glistening, Quivering Underbelly breaks news about one of his earliest victims, the late, mob-connected owner of a Las Vegas strip club.
Dead men tell no tales...but I will.
And I have documents, including this one:
Damante uses the surname, “Diamante”, in a September 27, 2017 affidavit claiming the he is “the sole owner of a Jean Michel Basquiat painting entitled “Helicopter Cityscape”, left to Damante by his father.
This story's heating up, and someone will be sweating like a hooker in church.
During a June 29 court hearing, David Damante admitted violating multiple conditions of his supervised release, but denied any involvement with Pawfect Protein Bitez, LLC.
Damante remains in custody, and his revocation hearing continues on July 6, 2018 in Las Vegas.
During the June 29 hearing, Damante admitted the following:
—On his April 9, 2018, Declaration of Offender Net Worth and Cash Flow Statements form, Damante was specifically instructed to list all assets, including art, paintings, coin collections, etc.
However, Damante failed to disclose any assets, simply writing “N/A” in this section.
—On June 22, 2018, during a search of Damante’s vehicle conducted by officers with the United States Probation Office, documents were located in the vehicle bearing his signature purporting ownership of a work of art titled “Helicopter” and another work of art titled “Crack Apple Nights”.
Damante failed to disclose his ownership/interest in these assets to the probation office.
—Damante admitted to using “a work of art attributed to the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat known by the working title “Helicopter” or “Helicopter Cityscape” (shown at left) he purportedly owned to fraudulently obtain $375,000 from Heidi Hegg.
Using the same piece of “art”, Damante admitted incurring debt in an as yet unknown amount from Maria Alexandra Senecal.
Damante admitted cashing two checks totaling over $50,000 issued to him by Las Vegas attorney, Scott Michael Cantor, from a client trust account.
However, although Damante registered the entity's domain name (under his own name!), and his picture was featured on a development version of its current e-commerce site, Damante denied any involvement with an Arizona-based doggie treat business, Pawfect Protein Bitez.
Damante admitted to other allegations made in documents that are currently sealed.
Call me crazy, but I'm guessing new charges will be filed against Damante. More details as soon as they become available; a 2016 letter from Damante follows.
