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Rudi ready for trial Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/100203/tp5np3.htm?date=100203&story=tp5np3.htmhttp://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/100203/tp5np3.htm?date=100203&story=tp5np3.htm
10/02/03
Dekkers ready for trial
Rudi Dekkers, the former Huffman Aviation CEO, is scheduled for trial Oct. 13 on charges of fraud for allegedly securing a loan with property his company had no legal interest in.
Dekkers said he feels confident going into court.
"I feel very strong, very strong," Dekkers said late Monday. "I didn't get any of the money. I didn't do anything wrong. I have no question I will win the case."
Jack McGill, Dekkers's attorney, could not be reached for comment.
They said
According to a Venice police report, Dekkers, acting as president of Dekkers Aviation Group Inc., entered into a loan agreement with Kenneth Jossart on Oct. 17, 2001.
He obtained $200,000 from Jossart and signed a promissory note indicating the loan was due and payable on Jan. 15, 2002.
To secure the loan, Dekkers, as president of DAG, gave Jossart a mortgage on property at 220 E. Airport Ave., Venice.
"They needed security so they came to Rudi and asked him to do it," McGill said earlier, "so he put up security."
In August 2002, Dekkers sold the building at 220 E. Airport Ave. to Triple Diamond Enterprises.
Jossart did not receive any proceeds from the sale despite having a security interest in the property, the report stated. According to city records, DAG did not have an interest in the property that would support a mortgage.
No injured parties?
Court records show Jossart's notarized signature on a "Request For Withdrawal From Prosecution" document dated Feb. 17, 2003.
"We cannot believe the state attorney continued this," Dekkers said. "Is there any damage done to the state? No. To Kenny? No. The only damage is to the taxpayers (cost of prosecution). This should be dropped."
Assistant state attorney Jonathan Greene said earlier that a waiver of prosecution is not in and of itself enough to drop the case.
By way of example, Greene said if someone robs a bank then gives the money back the next day, a crime has still been committed.
Dekkers just wants the whole thing to be over.
"I want to go on with my life," he said.
The stress of it all
Even though he is confident of a win in court, Dekkers said he is under a lot of stress as as result of the upcoming trial.
"I became diabetic and stress is very bad for a diabetic," Dekkers said. "I still have stress out of this. I don't like to have any charges against me."
Dekkers, a Dutch national, debunked rumors that he is having problems with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
"I just had a new permit issued," Dekkers said. "We get it every five years."
Dekkers drew international attention shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, when it was learned that the two terrorist ringleaders who flew jetliners into the World Trade Center Twin Towers, Mohamed Atta and Marwan Al-Shehhi, took part of their flight training at Huffman.
Critics blasted Dekkers, claiming he had not followed procedures and regulations in allowing Atta and Al-Shehhi to train at Huffman.
However, Dekkers claimed vindication of any wrongdoing in March 2002, when it was shown by INS documents that he followed government rules in allowing the terrorists to enter his flight-training program in September 2000.
You can e-mail Tommy McIntyre at:tmcintyre@venicegondolier.com.
BY TOMMY MCINTYRE
Staff Writer
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