Trio Suspected of Threatening to Kill Man Over Bill

The owner of a pager company and his two associates have been arrested on suspicion of threatening to kill a former Simi Valley competitor over a $28,000 business debt, police said Wednesday.

Tareq Sharifi, owner of Chatsworth-based Capital Wireless, and Massis Simoni, were free Wednesday after posting $10,000 bonds. George Rueda, a parolee, remained jailed, authorities said.

All three are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on charges of conspiracy to commit extortion, according to County Jail officials.

Sharifi, 19, apparently sold beepers to Jack Sinanian, owner of the now-defunct Skyline Paging in Simi Valley, but never received the $28,000 payment, said Sgt. Bob Gardner of the Simi Valley Police Department.

Police think Sharifi then hired Simoni and Rueda, both 26, to help collect the debt, as well as an unknown amount of interest, Gardner said.

Sinanian, 27, told authorities that he had declared bankruptcy and closed his business, but that the suspects made death threats to him and his family in an effort to be paid, Gardner said.

Tuesday afternoon, Simoni and Rueda were arrested at the Tarzana house where Sinanian’s parents live. Gardner said the suspects had gone to collect money from Sinanian.

Sharifi was arrested later Tuesday at his business.