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Sorensen exec Evan Montvel-Cohen taken into custody for theft, forgery, fraud
Wanted in the state of Hawaii, the managing director of local media company the Sorensen Media Group was held in custody today after being picked up by authorities at the Guam International Airport Authority. According to chief prosecutor Phil Tydingco, Evan Montvel-Cohen was on a return flight from Manila in the Philippines when he was initially detained by agents from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority.
U.S. Customs discovered that Montvel-Cohen had a bench warrant for his arrest issued by Judge Derrick H.M. Chan of the 1st Circuit Court of Hawaii. Montvel-Cohen was then transferred to the custody of the Airport Police, which in turn released them to the custody of Superior Court of Guam Marshals. According to Tydingco, Judge Chan's warrant was issued on April 15, 2008. Montvel-Cohen is wanted after he was indicted by a Hawaii Grand jury on the following charges:
- Theft (1st Degree)
- Fraudulent use of credit card
- Forgery
- Theft (2nd Degree)
- Money Laundering
On the first charge of theft, Montvel-Cohen could face maximum jail time of up to 10 years. Montvel-Cohen is currently appearing before Superior Court Judge Pro-tem Robert Klitzkie to begin the extradition process.
Montvel-Cohen is no stranger to the limelight. In August 2005 the New York Sun reported the New York City's Department of Investigation was looking into a non-profit organization of which Montvel-Cohen was director of development. The non-profit Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club, a Bronx-based affiliate of the Boys and Girls Club or America, was under the microscope for transferring more than $875,000 to Progress Media, a company ran by Montvel-Cohen. That same firm served as parent company of the liberal network Air America Radio.
According to the 2005 article, Montvel-Cohen cited the reason for the personal loans from the organization was that he needed money for chemotherapy to treat his alleged brain cancer. Piquant, LLC, the new company that took over Air America, has agreed to pay the money back to Gloria Wise without interest.
Montvel-Cohen and Rex Sorensen, chairman of Sorenson Pacific Broadcasting, were the driving force behind the creation of Air America and both would eventually resign from their positions amidst allegations of a poor business plan and that Montvel-Cohen misled investors about the company's finances.
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