LOS ANGELES - A father and son accused of stealing $450,000 from more than a dozen victims by offering unlicensed legal services pleaded no contest last Friday.Pejman Mehdizadeh, 35, told victims he was a licensed attorney or that he worked with one and that he could provide a variety of services - including obtaining green cards, loan modifications and divorces. His father, Parvis Mehdizadeh, 78, assisted. Between 2002 and 2009, they took payments from 15 victims ranging from $2,000 to $200,000, prosecutors said. The younger Mehdizadeh pleaded no contest to two counts of felony grand theft and admitted a special allegation of engaging in a pattern of related felony conduct involving takings in excess of $100,000. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry immediately rendered a suspended sentence of four years in prison and five years of formal probation. Under the terms of a plea deal, he was ordered to pay back $450,000 in restitution by Oct. 21 or face prison time. To date, he has paid $370,000, authorities said. The elder Mehdizadeh pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor violation of failure to obtain a bond required of those providing immigration assistance and was sentenced to three days in county jail and two years of summary probation.

********** Published: June 27, 2013 - Volume 12 - Issue 11