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Jodie Foster's Crooked Old Dad Convicted of Swindling Investors in Valley Home-Building Scheme
Photo by bloomsberries via Flickr
Lucius Foster, the estranged 89-year-old father of Jodie Foster, was convicted of using his charm, war stories and the family name to swindle dozens of would-be homebuyers in the Valley out of thousands of dollars.Prosecutors called him the "Bernie Madoff of Sherman Oaks," and today a jury convicted him of 21 counts of grand theft and nine counts of contracting without a license, according to The Daily News. He is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow and could face up to 25 years in prison.
Foster said he wanted to get out of jail quickly so he could work on repaying his low-income and elderly customers. In his scheme, Foster promised affordable housing on plots of land in the San Fernando Valley — then took off with dozens of $5,000 down payments. The homes never materialized.
"We're going to get it (the money) back to them," Foster said. "... If it takes two or three years out of my life ... I'm an old man, I want to be alive when I get out."
It doesn't sound like the judge is falling for that line. The Van Nuys Superior Court judge said Foster needed to be jailed, because he was worried that — despite his age — Foster hadn't learned his lesson. During the trial, Foster said he had every intention of continuing to advertise and solicit new customers.
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