Havoc is wreaking at Jill Ishkanian's celebrity empire. The former Us Weekly editor – who's currently suing her old bosses in an unrelated matter – is now battling just-fired staffers who are accused of looting the company of cash, cameras, and cars.
Ishkanian operates the celebrity-focused website CelebrityBabylon.com as well as paparazzi agency Sunset Photo & News, which she co-founded with Kitson store owner Fraser Ross. But now one of her other business partners, Stephen Lenehan, along with former staffer Kelly Stagg, stand accused of stealing more than $90,000 in camera equipment, $83,000 in unauthorized credit line cheques, holding on to the keys of three company vehicles, and a grand total of $170,000 in allegedly stolen equipment.
Stagg (pictured here with Lenehan), it's alleged, began directing clients to submit payment cheques to addresses and bank accounts not belonging to Sunset Photo, then depositing them into her or Lenehan's accounts.
(It should be noted that these two are, in fact, married; Lenehan is a gay Brit who wanted to stay in the country. You do the math.)
Why the sudden break with Jill's operations? Because Lenehan is said to be starting his own competing paparazzi agency, and is said to have fed her lies about being near-homelessness — except he's said to live in a 3,000 square foot home in the Hollywood Hills. One source claims Lenehan and Ishkanian agreed on Dec. 17 to downsize the business to increase the take-home cash flow, but "when it came to actually doing it, he began stealing cameras and other equipment from the office."
A separate source claims Ishkanian notified four CelebrityBabylon.com staffers they were being let go on Dec. 21; on Dec. 26, she notified Sunset photographers, at least one by text message, they were being let go. (The website appears to have last been updated on Dec. 19 with this Jessica Alba item.)
As it stands now, Lenehan and Stagg are said to have control over the company's bank accounts, though one source counters this claim. That same source, meanwhile, says it is Ishkanian who has "illegally secured control of bank accounts and all activity of what remains of Sunset Photo & News." In the meantime, there appears to be a restraining order underway from Ishkanian to keep Lenehan and Stagg at a distance.
And in further bad news, we hear one former staffer is working on a tell-all book about working with Ishkanian.
Pirates Come Back for Second Round of Whoop-Ass (21)
· weezy says: “Gays and blacks like Obama, that’s pretty much it. Military LOVES Rush, and... »
· Rhonda says: They don’t always respect command, ever heard of the F U salute, soldiers hated... »
· bam-a-lam says: @Rhonda: The military always respects the President, no matter who he/she is. The... »
Bald A-Hole Joe the “Plumber” Now Stealing from Ignorant Poor People (39)
· weezy says: “Obama said, well I’m going to tax your earnings and give it to losers who... »
· Rhonda says: Bam, No one picked “Joe the Plumber” he asked Obama a guestion, Obama blew... »
· bam-a-lam says: “Joe the Plumber” really is a pretty bad spokesman. He’s not a... »
Obama Puppy Now Fielding Your Questions (67)
· whitney says: I didn’t have enough patience to read all of the pages of comments. PETA is... »
The Bigoted, Illiterate Tea Party Goons Gallery (106)
· weezy says: i hope all of those people protesting make 250K and above and will not take any stimulus... »
Despite Glenn Beck’s Support, Texas Will Never Secede (38)
· weezy says: @bam-a-lam: #18 brilliant post!!! #26 getreal: i agree. i think we should all get... »
GretaWire Wire (14)
· Rhonda says: Obama continues on his America Sucks 09 apology tour. Chavez and Obama looked pretty... »
The Grifters!
Carnie Wilson should play her when the book gets turned into a movie, and Tim Burton should play him!!
Couldn't happen to nicer people.
Yeah, In fact, I'm surprise it hasn't happened sooner and I won't be surprised it doesn't happen more often as these stupid celebrity stuff explodes and implodes.
good article, but too bad how havoc can not wreak itself; havoc is wreaked by something. transitive verb, yo.
These two have been caught stealing from their former employers as well, big money
Update: On April 28, 2008, Judge Gerald Rosenberg in LA Superior Court granted Jill Ishkanian a 3-year restraining order against Stephen Lenehan after a hearing that included photographs and video of Lenehan threatening Ishkanian after getting caught stealing/embezzling from the company coffers.
On June 17, 2008, the same Judge granted a 3-year restraining order against Kelly Stagg-Lenehan, keeping Stephen's [cough] "wife" from coming with in 100 yards of Ishkanian. Stagg-Lenehan also committed perjury, lying under oath, the transcript of which was forwarded to one state and Federal agency.
On July 10, 2008, Stephen Lenehan conducted a wire transfer from the Sunset Bank Account via his personal Ford Motor Credit to pay for TWO cars in his name that had been re-possessed, one on June 25, and one on June 30.
Bank of America denied the wire transfer and advised Jill Ishkanian to file criminal charges against Lenehan.
On July 10, she was given a case number for detectives to investigate. Stay tuned
i always wondered what the scumbags look like who chase the stars around detailing their every move no matter how intrusive. and lo and behold …. they're even uglier people than i could have imagined. i should start a magazine about these people. i'd buy it.
Jill Ishkanian wrote this article and she left all these comments.
Look what she did to Heather Locklear, did you see her on EXTRA!!!
Hahahahahaha
No one ever did or will believe a word she says.
The truth is:
Jill Ishkanian Kumar Mann and Vicent Riello stole everything from sunset photo and news to set up there agency KM Press group.
Then she tried to peg it on these innocent people.
Set up ? I think she knows how to do that look what she did to Heather Locklear.
Jill is a f***** b****!
check out jill's brother going to Chateau
Club in No. Hollywood.
David… you missed some facts:
NYPost
January 13, 2009 –
FORMER Us Weekly editor Jill Ishkanian is running out of moneymaking schemes. Ishkanian was shadowing Heather Locklear last September, called police when she saw Locklear getting into her car, and then sleazily sold photos of the DUI bust to TMZ for $27,500. Then, Ishkanian filed a $55 million lawsuit against Us Weekly, accusing then-West Coast editor Ken Baker of trying to ruin her reputation after she left the magazine and of sending dirty texts to his nanny. But a California judge has thrown out her case and awarded Jann Wenner's mag $1 million in legal fees.
WHERE THE F@CK IS SHE GOING TO GET THE $1 MILLION DOLLARS FROM?