Business partner accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and equipment

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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.

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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.)

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Jan 4, 2008 · posted by david · Link · 12 Responses