That’s Not Entertainment

From the September 2016 California Bar Journal

A Los Angeles entertainment attorney took client money that was earmarked for the purchase of Jackson 5 recordings and used it to cover business and personal expenses, including payments on a Mercedes-Benz and purchases at Tiffany’s and Bloomingdale’s, the State Bar Court found.

JEFFREY PAUL KRANZDORF, [#90207], 61, of Los Angeles, eventually made restitution, but was disbarred May 29, 2016 and ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. 

Kranzdorf had agreed to hold $53,000 of his client’s money toward his client’s purchase of a collection of original master sound recordings by the Jackson 5, also known as the “Steel Town Masters.”

But within three months, Kranzdorf had spent the money on car and mortgage payments. as well as shopping trips to Tiffany’s, Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus. Some of the funds went towards tuition payments for his daughter.

When it came time for Kranzdorf to deliver the $25,000 purchase price for the recordings, Kranzdorf falsely claimed he needed the money for cancer treatments. He repaid the money after the State Bar initiated disciplinary proceedings.

Judge Donald F. Miles said it was disconcerting that Kranzdorf’s misconduct was directed at people he regarded as colleagues in the entertainment business and who viewed him as a friend.

“The fact that he solicited and submitted to this court character declarations from two of these colleagues … at a time when those individuals were still under the impression he had been fighting cancer during the time when he was misusing their funds is especially alarming to this court,” Miles wrote.

(Mike Frisch)