2 Men Plead Guilty in Swindle
Two West Hollywood men accused of swindling renowned burn surgeon A. Richard Grossman out of more than $600,000 pleaded guilty Thursday to one count each of grand theft.
Interior decorators David Sweeney and Dennis Wilcut could be sentenced to more than three years in prison for failing to provide furnishings, decorations and other pricey items for Grossman’s Ventura County home between October 1994 and August 1996.
“This was more than a theft because there had been a close relationship between these individuals and the doctor and his wife,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Lea Purwin D’Agostino, the prosecutor. “This was a betrayal of trust.”
Grossman testified during a preliminary hearing in March that Sweeney and Wilcut were given money to purchase items to furnish his home, including furniture, paintings and chandeliers.
Instead, the designers, who charged a percentage of the total cost of the furnishings, provided less than $100,000 worth of goods, Grossman said.
A hearing will be held July 25 before Superior Court Judge Michael Hoff to determine how much the pair must repay the doctor. Sentencing is tentatively set for the same day.
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