Callahan & Blaine Wins Multi-Million Dollar Jury Verdict in
Orange County
In 2001, Callahan & Blaine’s clients, Ronald and Mona Krebs, decided to retire and sell their computer sales and service business. Through a business broker, they found a potential buyer – Mr. Michael Kalashian of Nevada. When the Krebs sold Mr. Kalashian their business, they did not sell him substantial business assets consisting of a bank account that contained in excess of 1.5 million dollars of the Krebs’ life savings.
After Kalashian bought the Krebs’ business, Kalashian convinced Wells Fargo Bank that he actually owned the Krebs’ bank account and then stole the Krebs’ life savings. Undaunted, Kalashian then sued Mr. and Mrs. Krebs for breach of contract and fraud claiming that the Krebs misled him as to the future viability of the business. The Krebs sought the assistance of Callahan & Blaine’s Mr. Mahacek who counterclaimed against Kalashians for fraud, breach of contract, and for stealing the Krebs’ life savings. After a hard-fought jury trial battle in the Orange County Superior Court, Mr. Mahacek successfully defeated everyone of Kalashian’s claims against Callahan & Blaine’s clients and then convinced the jury to return a multi-million dollar verdict against Kalashian that included a nominal punitive damage award that prevents Mr. Kalashian from attempting to avoid the judgment by bankruptcy. Mr. Mahacek also recovered the Krebs’ attorneys’ fees.
This case reflects yet another situation in which a client asked Callahan & Blaine for help because it was being sued yet Callahan & Blaine not only defeated the claims against its client, but obtained a positive recovery by an aggressive countersuit.
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