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Article April 26, 2001. |
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Backstage West
"Manager Valentino and Photographer Kraft Convicted"
By Laura Weinert |
Talent manager Christopher Valentino received a jail sentence on Apr. 20 after pleading no contest to one count of criminal conspiracy and two counts of grand theft for conspiring with photographer Svetlana Kraft to swindle clients by charging them for photographic sessions and promising them acting work that was never provided.
Valentino told clients that he represented former Miss America Ali Landry, that he had appeared in numerous soap operas--including a 16--year stint on All My Children--and that he was represented by the William Morris Agency, according to investigators. Unfortunately, none of this was true. Neither were his alleged promises to find these actors work.
What he did find them, however, were headshots from a "highly recommended" photographer, who, he said, was a "former European model" who had done a lot of work for Jennifer Aniston. In fact, Aniston had never heard of Kraft, investigators determined.
According to deputy city attorney Mark Lambert, a prosecutor with the Consumer Protection Unit who handled the case, Valentino told clients, "'Oh, you should definitely go to this photographer. She's great, she shoots for so-and-so. I can see if I can arrange it for you.' In fact, she was part of his business? Clients complained because once they got their photos, that was the end of it. They were expecting to get jobs."
Valentino was sentenced to 150 days in jail, ordered to close down his business and website, and banned from directly or indirectly owning, operating, or being employed as a talent agent or manager for three years. He was also banned from referring an artist or aspiring artist to any photographer, manager, agent, or acting class.
Kraft, of Beverly Hills' Lana Kraft Photography (270 N. Canon Dr.), pled no contest to one count of making false and misleading statements and was sentenced to 20 days of community service and forbidden to accept any clients referred to her directly or indirectly by Valentino. Both were put on three years summary probation and ordered to pay a total of $4952.23 in restitution to six victims in amounts ranging from $200-$1,850.
Valentino had run Beverly Hills Artists Management (9250 Wilshire Blvd.) for 13 months, along with a website on which he advertised entertainment industry-oriented business seminars. In a recent interview with Back Stage West, he denied promising people work and claimed he was advised to plead "no contest" to avoid a costly trial, which he feels he may have won. "Four people came forth supposedly and had some issues with us," Valentino said. "These people never came forward to me. They never bitched about the photography, and the sad part is, this is a lopsided deal that's made with the D.A.'s office. If you are not willing to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to go to trial, you are basically at their mercy."
Asked whether he felt there was a difference between recommending a photographer and getting kickbacks, Valentino replied, "Not at all. It goes on day in and day out in this business."
He did not deny making false claims to clients but felt it to be a common practice for which he was unfairly being singled out. "As far as misrepresentation goes, as far as kickbacks go, let's not be anal in this area," said Valentino. "I mean, this is Hollywood. I don't know a business in Hollywood that doesn't embellish at some point in time. Everyone would be arrested every day. We did over 1,000 customers. I want to know what reproductions house would do the volume that we did and only have four people complain." When asked why a new talent management company would have 1,000 "customers" in only 13 months of business, Valentino explained that the number was more of an estimate. He later said that the management company only represented fewer than 30 clients at any one time.
Valentino will begin his jail sentence on May 4. "Who knows where we're going to be tomorrow, or what we're going to be doing," said Valentino, "but I know it's going to be in the entertainment business. I'll do other things. The name of the company has to be shut down, the website has to be shut down, but they haven't precluded me from doing photography--which is what I know and love."
This Article is Courtesy of Backstage West.
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