Two former police and two foreign ex-military officers were arraigned in federal court Monday after prosecutors said they helped a wealthy Chinese conspirator shake down her business partner for $37 million by posing as law enforcement officials.
Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles said the four men, who either previously worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department or were former soldiers in the Australian and British military, played a part in the June 2019 raid in which they assaulted the victim and threatened to deport him if he didn’t comply.
The four defendants are: Steven Arthur Lankford, 68, a former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy who retired in 2020; Glen Louis Cozart, 63, a former LASD deputy; Max Samuel Bennett Turbett, 39, a United Kingdom citizen and former member of the British military and Matthew Phillip Hart, 41, an Australian citizen and former member of the Australian military.
All four defendants are facing extortion, conspiracy and deprivation of rights charges. They could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of all offenses.
Court documents revealed that the Chinese national and the victim, who lived in Irvine, had an ongoing legal dispute since 2013 over their ownership interests in China-based Jiangsu Sinorgchem Technology Co. Ltd.
The female Chinese national said the Chinese government had issued a “red notice” — essentially a worldwide arrest warrant — on the victim over the dispute.
But by December 2018, prosecutors said, the Chinese conspirator got in touch with Mr. Turbett to talk about how she hadn’t been handling the issue “the smart way.” She urged Mr. Turbett to find a “solution to the finish the problem” so that they “can both retire.”
Prosecutors said Mr. Turbett and the Chinese national first drafted a settlement agreement in June 2019 that would have the victim transfer almost $37 million in cash and his shares in Jiangsu Sinorgchem to the Chinese conspirator.
Mr. Turbett then hired Mr. Cozart, a former LASD deputy, to put together a team that could get the victim’s signature.
Prosecutors said Mr. Cozart asked Mr. Lankford, who was an active LASD deputy at the time, to join in on the job. Mr. Lankford used a law enforcement database to look up the victim’s personal information — which is in violation of LASD policy.
On June 17, 2019, authorities said, the four suspects went through with the raid when they drove to the victim’s house in an unmarked LASD vehicle.
Mr. Lankford flashed his LASD badge and Mr. Cozart falsely identified himself as an immigration officer when, court documents said, the pair approached the victim outside of his home.
All four defendants used phony law enforcement reasons to enter the victim’s home and go through with the extortion, which included forcing the victim and his family into a room for hours.
At one point, prosecutors said, the victim was slammed against a wall and choked by one of the suspects. The assailants also threatened to deport the victim and his wife and permanently separate them from their toddler son.
Court documents said the victim eventually signed the settlement agreement and forfeited millions to the Chinese national.
The victim reported the shake down to the Irvine police afterward. Irvine police then called Mr. Lankford, then an active LASD deputy, who told authorities he went to see the victim on legitimate law enforcement business and he used no force during the interaction.
The Chinese national paid the defendants for their work later in 2019, which included almost $420,000 to Mr. Turbett.
The Chinese conspirator has not been charged in the scheme. She was not named by federal authorities.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.