In light of IEAH returning to thoroughbred racing headlines, I decided that I would post information regarding another situation in which Michael Iavarone, head of IEAH, was involved on a personal basis - acting as agent for a long time IEAH shareholder, John Roberts. Both Ray Paulick and Joe Drape didn't feel as though this situation was important enough to be made public. I, on the other hand, couldn't disagree more.
Michael Iavarone, Sanford Robbins and Heather Larson conspired together to commit fraud against John Roberts by offering him a group of "high profile, New York bred, yearlings and two year olds", all approved as outstanding specimens by Michael Iavarone. The purchase price of these horses for John Roberts? $1.5 million. The amount that Sanford Robbins would spend to purchase and flip the horses to John Roberts? $10,700.
Here is a timeline of events from March to September of 2012:
Late March of 2012 - Michael Iavarone and Sanford Robbins contact
Heather Larson and request that she begin a search of "cheap" New York
bred yearling and two year olds - horses with stud fees due,
unregistered horses are all open for discussion.
April of 2012 - First group of horses located is forwarded to Robbins and Iavarone and consists of the following:
Yearling filly by Ommadon out of Frenetic - property of Gabe Goodwin - purchase price $800
Yearling filly by Ommadon out of McKenna Mae - property of Gabe Goodwin - purchase price $800
Yearling filly by Utopia out of Princess Corrigan - property of Gabe Goodwin - purchase price $800
Yearling filly by Stonesider out of Classic Expression - property
of Heather Larson - originally purchased for $1,000 from Sez Who
Dispersal at Highcliff Farm
Yearling filly by Stonesider out of Frau Louise - property of
Heather Larson - originally purchased for $1,000 from Sez Who Dispersal
at Highcliff Farm
Yearling filly by Western Expression out of Code Name - property of
Heather Larson - originally purchased for $1,000 from at Highcliff Farm
Yearling filly by Stonesider out of Fashion Fixture - property of
Heather Larson - originally purchased for $1,000 from at Highcliff Farm
Yearling colt by Stonesider out of Babyifurgoodtogo - property of
Heather Larson - originally purchased for $1,000 from at Highcliff Farm
Two Year Old filly by Ommadon out of McKenna Mae - property of Gabe Goodwin - purchase price $800
Two Year Old filly by Andromeda's Hero out of Carnie's Dancer - property of Jerry Herron - purchase price $500
Two Year Old filly by Griffinite out of Avie Buck Trout - property of Jerry Herron - purchase price $500
Two Year Old colt by Griffinite out of Reverse The Call - property of Jerry Herron - purchase price $500
Two Year Old colt by Griffinite out of Key Oui Two - property of Jerry Herron - purchase price $500
Two Year Old colt by Griffinite out of Desert Drive - property of Jerry Herron - purchase price $500
Middle of April 2012 - Transaction between Sanford Robbins and John
Roberts of Great Britain for first group of horses takes place with
Michael Iavarone acting as Mr. Roberts advisor
April 22nd, 2012 - Shipping invoice is sent to John Roberts for
first group of horses - note that horses purchased from Gabe Goodwin
will not be retrieved from his facility until the middle of May
April 30th, 2012 - First board bill is generated for first group of
horses - Goodwin horses not picked up yet although Roberts is being
billed
May 4th, 2012 - John Roberts wires Heather Larson $10,000 for upkeep of horses
Middle of May, 2012 - Search commences for additional cheap NY and PA breds
May 31st, 2012 - Second board bill is generated for first group of horses with fraudulent veterinarian charges
June of 2012 - Second group of horses located is forwarded to Robbins and Iavarone and consists of the following:
Yearling filly by Say Florida Sandy out of Citadelle - property of Amy Boll - purchase price is $1,000
Yearling colt by Say Florida Sandy out of Can Do It - property of Amy Boll - purhcase price is $1,000
Two Year Old filly by Sunriver out of Notorious Girl - property of Amy Boll - purchase price is $1,000
Two Year Old filly by Raffie's Majesty out of Open Your Eyes -
property of Al Geldmacher - purchase price is nullified in lieu of
training bill that he has with Heather Larson
Two Year Old filly by Fidrych out of Six Rings - property of Ray Moyer - purchase price is $500
Two Year Old colt by Fidrych out of Cardonia - property of Ray Moyer - purchase price is $500
Two Year Old colt by Jetstar out of Likely Lass - property of Ray Moyer - purchase price is $500
Two Year Old colt by Jetstar out of Heresthe money - property of Ray Moyer - purchase price is $500
Two Year Old colt by Golden Missile out of Callup Sara - property
of Al Geldmacher - purchase price is nullified in lieu of training bill
that he has with Heather Larson
Two Year Old colt by Take Me Out out of Maritime Brass - property
of Al Geldmacher - purchase price is nullified in lieu of training bill
that he has with Heather Larson
Two Year Old colt by Golden Missile out of Scorchin' Blues -
property of Al Geldmacher - purchase price is nullified in lieu of
training bill that he has with Heather Larson
Two Year Old colt by Read The Footnotes out of Pink Storm -
property of Curt Mitchell - negotiated price was $1,500 but horse was
never paid for and never picked up by Heather Larson
Three Year Old filly by Fidrych out of Six Rings - property of Ray Moyer - purchase price is $500
June 12th, 2012 - John Roberts wires Heather Larson $10,000 for upkeep of horses
Middle of June 2012 - Transaction between Sanford Robbins and John
Roberts of Great Britain for second group of horses takes place with
Michael Iavaron acting as Mr. Roberts advisor
June 27th, 2012 - Shipping invoice is sent to John
Roberts for second group of horses - note that horse that was property
of Curt Mitchell appears on all invoices from here on out although he
was never picked up from farm. Also note that horses
that were property of Al Geldmacher, although billed to Mr. Roberts for
training, never made it to Heather Larson's Ocala, Florida facility and
were boarded with turn out at farm in Hudson, NY
June 30th, 2012 - Third board bill for first group of horses and first board bill for second group of horses generated
July of 2012 - Michael Iavarone wires Heather Larson a total of $26,000 during the month for upkeep of horses for John Roberts
July 31st, 2012 - Fourth board bill for first group of horses and
second board bill for second group of horses is generated. John Roberts
begins to complain about the cost of upkeep of all the horses - states
that Michael Iavarone never told him of the costs.
August 15th, 2012 - Sanford Robbins and Michael Iavarone create a
fake sale of one of the horses - two year old colt by Griffinite out of
Desert Drive to make it look as though one of the horses has been sold
to generate income. Sale price is $80,000, which is deducted from John
Roberts bill with Heather Larson. Larson keeps possession of the colt.
August 31st, 2012 - Fifth board bill for first group of horses and third board bill for second group of horses is generated
September 1st, 2012 - John Roberts is billed for registration fees
for ALL of the horses from the first and second group even though half
were already registered by previous owners and fees paid. Robbins,
Iavarone and Larson create this bill in order to increase the amount
that Roberts must pay Heather Larson
Early September of 2012 - Robbins, Iavarone, and Larson create a
third package of horses to sell to John Roberts using horses owned by
other parties that are already in training at Larson's Ocala facility.
While Robbins is paid for the purchase of these horses by John Roberts,
no money is distributed to the rightful owners of these horses. The
third group of horses consists of the following:
Yearling filly by Borrego out of Dancing Lillian - property of Howard Schaeffer
Yearling filly by Thewayyouare out of Bandanna Lady - property of Howard Schaeffer
Yearling filly by Buzzard's Bay out of Eli Rose - property of Howard Schaeffer
Yearling filly by Siphon out of Forty Licks - property of Howard Schaeffer
Yearling colt by Buzzard's Bay out of Totally Grand - property of Howard Schaeffer
Yearling colt by Sir Shackleton out of Cocomama - property of Howard Schaeffer
Yearling colt by Sir Shackleton out of Chiquilina - property of Howard Schaeffer
Two Year Old filly by Successful Appeal out of Biogio's Love - property of Tom Kurguz
Three Year Old filly by Gold Fever out of Difficult Times - property of Al Geldmacher
Three Year Old colt by Suave out of Skein - property of Al Geldmacher
September 15th, 2012 - Howard Schaeffer is contacted and
informed about the scam involving his horses. He contacts the jockey
club to make sure that duplicate papers will not be issues for any of
his horses without his prior authorization.
More to follow
