PHILADELPHIA, PA — A veil of allegations darkens the executives of Complete Business Solutions Group, d/b/a Par Funding, as a second superseding indictment was filed on Monday. Joseph LaForte, 52, Joseph Cole Barleta, 39, and James LaForte, 46, purported key operatives, find themselves in an intricate web of alleged felonies.
The charges encompass tax crimes, securities fraud, retaliatory conduct towards witnesses, perjury, and obstruction of justice. The list also includes a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Any conviction could lead to extended imprisonment, fines, complete restitution, and a probation period.
The drama further unfolds with Joseph LaForte, and his spouse, Lisa McElhone, 43, facing separate indictments. Allegedly, by claiming their residence was in Florida, while in fact Pennsylvania-based, they evaded approximately $1.6 million in income taxes.
At the heart of the allegations, lies a RICO enterprise, supposedly led by Joe LaForte. Accusations claim the enterprise sought to amass wealth through multiple illegal activities and escape the grasp of law enforcement. The indictment maintains that Joseph LaForte operated under numerous aliases, to disguise his control over Par Funding and his significant criminal history.
Also under scrutiny is the alleged practice of using intimidation, even threats of violence, to collect debts. Infamously, Joseph LaForte is accused of threatening a customer’s home and insinuating bodily harm to another delinquent customer.
Additionally, tax crime allegations implicate Joseph LaForte for failing to report substantial cash kickbacks and for unreported cash wages paid to Par Funding’s employees.
Perjury charges accompany these serious allegations, stemming from apparent false testimonies given by Joseph LaForte and Joe Cole during federal lawsuits related to Par Funding.
The narrative takes a darker turn with obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and retaliation charges. Joseph and James LaForte are accused of physically assaulting counsel for Par Funding’s receiver, among other allegations of threatening individuals connected to the lawsuit.
In an independent indictment, more tax felonies surface against Joseph LaForte and Lisa McElhone. Accusations allege they defrauded the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania of an estimated $1.6 million in state taxes and further evaded over half a million dollars in employment taxes.
Complete Business Solutions Group, Inc., operating as Par Funding, has now been indicted with charges of wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General and Pennsylvania State Police have jointly unraveled these allegations. The unraveling case paints a picture of alleged greed, deception, and callous disregard for the rule of law.
However, it is critical to remember that an indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until, and if, proven guilty in a court of law.
As Pennsylvanians, we can only watch, as this high-stakes drama plays out in our courts, and hope for justice to prevail.
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