Starz gets into original drama with “Crash”
Douglas County-based Starz Entertainment is getting into the original-drama business, launching the series “Crash,” based on the Oscar-winning film of the same title, in late 2008.
The 13 one-hour episodes, co-produced with Lions gate, boast key members of the movie’s production team, including director-writer-producer Paul Haggis, writer-producer Bobby Moresco, producers Bob Yari and Mark R. Harris, producer Don Cheadle and executive producer Tom Nunan.
Former lawyer sentenced in lawsuit scheme
LOS ANGELES — Retired lawyer Seymour Lazar, who pleaded guilty in a lucrative kickback scheme involving class-action lawsuits against some of America’s largest corporations, was sentenced Monday to six months’ home detention and two years’ probation.
Federal prosecutors have said Lazar, 80, was paid about $2.6 million to be a professional plaintiff and help the law firm now known as Milberg Weiss in its pursuit of lawsuits.
Early charges filed against French trader
PARIS — Investigating judges filed preliminary charges of “breach of trust” and unauthorized computer activity Monday against a trader accused of causing billions of dollars in losses for France’s second-largest bank, Societe Generale. He was released from custody while the investigation continues.
The judges did not pursue a fraud charge sought by the prosecutor’s office.
Trio to create bank
Three Colorado banking veterans have applied to create a new bank in Longmont that will target small-business customers.
Kip Richards, Patricia Wilcox and Tom Magnuson have raised $2.2 million in capital and filed an application for a national charter. The proposed name is North American Bank. Besides the Longmont location, the bank plans to have a loan office in the south-metro area.
Lockheed gets nod from defense agency.
Lockheed Martin said it received approval from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for Phase II of its Generalized Integrated Learning Architecture, a program to better control airspace over battlefields. Phase II will last 12 months and is worth $5.2 million.
Andavo Travel joins with Utah company
Denver- based Andavo Travel is merging with Salt Lake City-based Christopherson Business Travel to create a $250 million company. The combined company will keep both headquarters and employ more than 250.
Colorado fifth in 2007 foreclosures
After leading the nation in 2006, Colorado dropped to fifth place among states last year for its rate of foreclosure filings per household, according to RealtyTrac, a California provider of foreclosure data.
Foreclosure filings, which cover all the stages of foreclosure, rose 30 percent in Colorado versus a 75 percent gain nationally. The states that passed Colorado last year in foreclosure rate were Nevada, Florida, Michigan and California, according to RealtyTrac.
Mexican workers file lawsuit over jobs
Sixty-five contract workers from Mexico are seeking more than $177,000 in damages after they came to Colorado on the promise of jobs that never materialized, according to a lawsuit filed in state court.
The men paid $650 each for the appropriate paperwork and transportation, said their attorney, Don Kaufman of Glenwood Springs. The lawsuit named JNS Construction Services LLC of Austin, Texas; Midwest Drywall Co. of Wichita, Kan.; and Leno and Co. in Denton, Texas.
Post staff and news services
