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Author
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Topic: Smurfs guru Stuart Ross jailed in $11M plot
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Smurfy1For2
Blue Believer
Member # 1224
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posted 06-09-2010 08:41 AM
Smurfs guru Stuart Ross jailed in $11M plot to extort son-in-law David Blitzer
from nydailynews
Stuart Ross and the Smurfs
Papa Smurf is broke - and behind bars.
Lawyer Stuart Ross made millions introducing the little blue Smurf cartoon characters to the U.S. in the 1980s. Now he stands accused in a twisted plot to extort as much as $11 million from his rich son-in-law, Blackstone Group exec David Blitzer - and unable to make his $200,000 bail, due to "bad investments". Ross plans to represent himself at a trial hearing on June 28.
Ross, 73, concocted a scheme that would make the evil Smurf nemesis Gargamel blush.
He threatened to smear Blitzer's reputation - and drag his good name through the mud. Ross even started threatening his own daughter, Allison Blitzer.
The attempt to bilk Blitzer fell apart two years ago as the threats escalated, which is when law enforcement was called in.
Ross, and his co-defendant Stuart Jackson, his former lawyer, were indicted in 2008 for grand larceny and attempted grand larceny .
"These threats escalated to a point where Ross, through his attorney, defendant Jackson, told Blitzer's attorney, Roger Stavis, that for $5.5 million, Ross would not try to visit his daughter or grandchildren and would stop harassing Blitzer and contacting his business," State Supreme Court Judge Bonnie Wittner wrote in legal papers.
Other court documents mentioned figures as high as $11 million coming from Jackson.
At yesterday's bail proceeding, Ross - laid out a sob story about his failing health. "I have leukemia," he said. "Almost every month I was in the hospital."
Ross once owned the North American rights to the Smurfs, investing in the blue cartoon figures from Belgium in 1976, before they hit it big.
The Smurfs are bound for a new round of popularity: A live action movie starring Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry, Hank Azaria and Alan Cumming is due out next year.
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u wished u rocked as i
Posts: 1971 | From: Fairfield, VA | Registered: Nov 2005
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Squeaky Smurf
Hering Smurf
Member # 2416
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posted 06-10-2010 07:35 PM
My goodness, such a disagreeable situation, Smurfy... ![[Frown]](frown.gif) ![[Eek!]](eek.gif) So was he the responsible for presenting the Smurfs to American market, before Mr. Silverman releasing them in HB cartoons via NBC? I'm asking this question because I have an American edition of a Smurf comic, "The Astrosmurf" (Random House, New York, 1978). Could he have any relation with Smurf comics launch in the USA?
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Keep on always smurfin'!!
Posts: 7507 | From: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Registered: Jul 2008
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Peazjelly
Super Smurf
Member # 3101
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posted 02-29-2024 02:00 AM
Importer of 'Smurfs' takes plea in wacky $11.5 million Blackstone Group extortion case
By Laura Italiano
Aug. 12, 2010, 4:04 p.m. ET
Stuart Ross
Manhattan’s own "Papa Smurf" took a no-jail plea this morning to a bizarre $11 million extortion case.
Stuart Ross, the down-on-his heels septaugenarian who brought the Smurfs to the U.S. in the ’80s, admitted he and his lawyer attempted a scheme more in character with Smurf archnemisis Gargamel – to extort his son-in-law, London private equity giant David Blitzer, who is the senior managing director of Blackstone Group.
"My name isn’t Gargamel," Ross joked as he left court, smiling and plugging his latest TV cartoon project. "Remember, it’s Papa Smurf"
"This little - I would call it very sad affair - with my daughter and son-in-law is over," he added, saying he hoped that, eventually, there would be a "rapproachement."
In pleading guilty to attempted grand larceny, Ross avoids a possible maximum prison term of up to seven years.
He’ll serve two or three years of probation and avoid jail entirely providing he get psychiatric and alcohol treatment and has no contact with his daughter Allison, Blitzer, their children - who are Ross’s grandchildren - and the Blackstone Group, said Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Bonnie Wittner in accepting the deal.
Blitzer, in court papers, has said Ross waged a virulant campaign of menacing emails and threatening, all-hours phone calls to himself and his bosses - all to squeeze him for ever-more millions.
In court this morning, Ross admitted he demanded $5.5 million from Blitzer in return for having no more contact with Blitzer’s family, and another $5.5 million from Blitzer for having no more contact with Blitzer and Blackstone.
Eventually, Blitzer haggled Ross down to $250,000, ultimately forking over $50,000 before getting the authorities involved.
Now, Blitzer will get his wish without having to fork over anything more.
"You are to have no contact with David Blitzer, Allison Blitzer and family, and the Blackstone Group," the judge told Ross.
Until his indictment two years ago, Ross’s claim to fame was owning the North American rights to the bouncy blue Belgian cartoon creatures. The former investment made him millions - now lost, his lawyer says. He had been unable to post $200,000 bail before being sprung today.
Ross, originally of Aventura, FL, suffers lymphonic leukemia and heart problems and has lost 17 pounds in jail, said his lawyer, Matthew Meyers.
His co-defendant, lawyer Stuart Jackson, remains charged as Ross’s co-defendant.
Ross says his latest venture will be to bring another clan of oddball French cartoon characters, the "Cocci's," to the U.S. through his website, intoontv.com.
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__It's PeazJelly Time
Posts: 439 | From: SC | Registered: Feb 2010
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SweetheartSmurf
Baby Smurf
Member # 8921
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posted 02-29-2024 04:02 AM
Oh goodness that’s horrible X[ I hope everyone is okay that had to deal with that type of manipulation
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Smurf kisses ![[Enamored Smurf]](graemlins/Enamored_Smurf.gif)
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Smurfy kisses
Posts: 3 | From: Smurf village | Registered: Feb 2024
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Peazjelly
Super Smurf
Member # 3101
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posted 04-14-2024 06:08 AM
Stuart Ross, man who brought Smurfs to US, says he’s not guilty of $11 million blackmail plot
By Melissa Grace
PUBLISHED: October 5, 2010 at 3:06 p.m. / UPDATED: April 9, 2018 at 7:42 p.m.
Papa Smurf has had a big change of heart: Now he insists he’s not guilty of an $11 million blackmail plot against his son-in-law.
Stuart Ross, who introduced the blue cartoon Smurfs to America, appeared in a Manhattan court for sentencing Tuesday – only to announce through a lawyer that he wants to withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial.
“We just wanted him to get out of jail,” defense attorney Matthew Myers said of why Ross ‘fessed up in August to attempted grand larceny charges.
“Mr. Ross was under extreme duress when he took it,” Myers said of his alcohol-addicted client, who was in jail at the time of the plea and suffers from cancer, pneumonia and heart disease.
Supreme Court Justice Bonnie Wittner promised Ross a no-jail sentence if he pleaded guilty in the case and attended alcohol-abuse and psychiatric programs at Bellevue Hospital.
In court Tuesday, the judge said Ross has until Nov. 1 to decide if he wants to go to trial or take her previously-promised sentence.
Ross, who is broke, admitted that in 2008 he threatened to drag Blackstone Group exec David Blitzer‘s name through the mud unless Blitzer paid him $5.5 million. Ross also demanded another $5.5 million to give up his grandparental rights to the child Blitzer and Ross’ daughter, Allison, were having.
“My name isn’t Gargamel,” Ross told reporters after the admission, referring to the evil nemesis in the Smurf ‘toons. “Remeber, it’s Papa Smurf.”
If he’s convicted at trial, Ross faces seven years behind bars.
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__It's PeazJelly Time
Posts: 439 | From: SC | Registered: Feb 2010
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Peazjelly
Super Smurf
Member # 3101
Member Rated:
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posted 04-14-2024 06:12 AM
Man linked to Smurfs sentenced in NY extortion bid
Published December 21, 2010 6:01pm EST | Updated November 17, 2014 1:16pm EST
NEW YORK – A Florida businessman who once factored in the Smurfs cartoon empire lost a bid Tuesday to withdraw his guilty plea in an $11 million shakedown plot targeting his financier son-in-law.
With that, Stuart R. Ross was sentenced to the five years' probation he was promised when he pleaded guilty in August to attempted grand larceny. But his lawyer said he now plans to ask an appeals court to let Ross take back the plea, which he says Ross entered while pressured by medical problems.
In his plea, Ross admitted threatening to destroy son-in-law David S. Blitzer's professional reputation if not paid $5.5 million. Ross also acknowledged offering to give up any rights to see his grandchildren for another $5.5 million.
Ross, 74, agreed to plead guilty while jailed on $200,000 bond awaiting trial. He was contending with pneumonia, cancer and other health woes that weren't getting adequate care behind bars, and he took the plea deal to gain his freedom, lawyer Matthew Myers said outside court Tuesday.
"He was under tremendous duress," Myers said. "It's the only reason why he pled."
But state Supreme Court Justice Bonnie Wittner rebuffed Ross' request to withdraw his plea. Defendants pleading guilty are routinely warned they can't revisit the decision and are asked to acknowledge they are indeed guilty.
And Ross, the judge noted, has a law degree, though he doesn't practice.
"There's nothing in the (court) record to convince me it was anything but a voluntary plea," she said.
Ross has recently lived in Aventura, FL. He owned certain rights to the Smurfs years ago, according to civil court papers filed by Ross and Blitzer, who is a senior managing director at the financial services firm The Blackstone Group LP. Ross says he bought North American rights to the sky-blue, gnome-like characters after seeing them in their native Belgium in 1976.
The cartoon creatures rocketed to fame in a 1980s TV series made by the animation powerhouse Hanna-Barbera Productions.
Ross went on to pursue other entertainment ventures, including an unsuccessful lawsuit in which he claimed he had a contract to develop "Trump — the Game" and was due about $215,000 in royalties from the board game. A jury sided with Trump, who denied having a contract with Ross.
Over the years, Ross went through the money he had made and began asking Blitzer to stake him in new businesses, according to Blitzer's lawsuit. Blitzer said the threats began when he cut Ross off after giving him tens of thousands of dollars.
An attorney accused of aiding Ross in the scheme, Stuart A. Jackson, was acquitted last month of all criminal charges. Jackson, 82, said through his attorney he didn't know about any threats.
Ross' sentencing includes alcohol-abuse treatment, though his attorney said Ross had successfully completed inpatient alcohol treatment already.
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__It's PeazJelly Time
Posts: 439 | From: SC | Registered: Feb 2010
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