Los Angeles Dodgers: Bankrupt

[Gothamite]

The Rangers were encouraged by MLB to go into bankruptcy but only to facilitate the sale to the current ownership gropu.

As were the Cubs. In both situations, it was a legal and financial move to faciliate a sale. Done with the full knowledge and consent of the Commissioner's office, as required by MLB rules.

The difference here is that McCourt tried to put the team into bankruptcy to prevent an MLB takeover.

[tp49]

If they can rule the team is as a cooperate operation and that McCourt took nearly $200 mil from said operation that sounds like embezzlement to me.

Embezzlement itslef is not very well defined legally and your find many cases of people being found guilty of embezzlement in cases like this. You would basically have to prove that all the differed salaries were never intended to be payed by Frank McCourt, but if people are getting paid, then who is he really embezzling money from and the only answer to that would be himself.

What I could see Frank McCourt going to jail for potentially would be tax fraud. You just can't take several million dollars out of your business and not pay any taxes on it as he may or may not have done. You also can't pay your son to do a job that he doesen't actually do, which also appears to have been the case. You also can't defraud a charity which he may or may not have done as well. I think you can make a much stronger case for that then you could embezzlement.

I think there's an argument for an embezzlement charge as part of a multi-count indictment including fraud and tax crimes. Depends upon whether the prosecuting authority would want to go that route if it came to that.

[pmoehrin]

If they can rule the team is as a cooperate operation and that McCourt took nearly $200 mil from said operation that sounds like embezzlement to me.

Embezzlement itslef is not very well defined legally and your find many cases of people being found guilty of embezzlement in cases like this. You would basically have to prove that all the differed salaries were never intended to be payed by Frank McCourt, but if people are getting paid, then who is he really embezzling money from and the only answer to that would be himself.

What I could see Frank McCourt going to jail for potentially would be tax fraud. You just can't take several million dollars out of your business and not pay any taxes on it as he may or may not have done. You also can't pay your son to do a job that he doesen't actually do, which also appears to have been the case. You also can't defraud a charity which he may or may not have done as well. I think you can make a much stronger case for that then you could embezzlement.

I think there's an argument for an embezzlement charge as part of a multi-count indictment including fraud and tax crimes. Depends upon whether the prosecuting authority would want to go that route if it came to that.

It would be very tough to get a conviction on that charge. Generally embezzlement deals with the witholding of funds from the rightful party. It would be easier to make the connection if the Dodgers had shareholds, but Frank McCourt owns the team outright, so who's the defrauded party in this? The only argument I could see to be made is that McCourt taking money from the team directly effected their on field performance, something that will be very difficult to prove.

[Gothamite]

As I said earlier in this thread, I think there may be grounds for a civil suit from his 29 partners, but I'm not seeing grounds for criminal charges.

[NJTank]

And now it is apparent the Dodgers are also bankrupt morally

Dodgers: Bryan Stow shares blame

[BBTV]

And now it is apparent the Dodgers are also bankrupt morally

Dodgers: Bryan Stow shares blame

I don't find anything objectionable about anything in that article. Why should the organization accept 100% of the blame for a fight between un-affiliated parties? I don't know all of the specifics, but assuming that it's found that the Dodgers didn't have adequate security in the area that it happened (and if it was even in an area where it would be reasonable to expect there to be security) they should certainly share in the blame, but it's absurd to say that (unless it was a random jumping - and correct me if that's what this was) each participant in a fight isn't at least in some way at fault.

[Gothamite]

My recollection is that this was a random jumping. So in this case, Stow might not bear any responsibility.

But yes, in most fights both participants share some blame, and it's up to a court to determine how much. Even if that's only 10 or 15%. While the Dodgers' statement might be tone-deaf, I'm not sure that it's wrong.

[BBTV]

My recollection is that this was a random jumping. So in this case, Stow might not bear any responsibility.

But yes, in most fights both participants share some blame, and it's up to a court to determine how much. Even if that's only 10 or 15%. While the Dodgers' statement might be tone-deaf, I'm not sure that it's wrong.

Right - but Tank "reads" "Dodgers say it's all Stowe's fault, hope he dies!" when he "reads" it.

[LMU]

The long nightmare has met its maker.

Frank McCourt Agrees to Sell Dodgers - LA Times

[MadmanLA]

CNBC sports media reporter Darren Rovell has a new article up, suggesting that Fox may have to buy back the Dodgers, mostly to protect the team's television rights, which expire after the 2013 season.

In relation to that, there's a L.A. Times article from a few days ago that says if the Dodgers do leave Fox Sports Prime Ticket, either to form their own network or join the Lakers with their new networks via Time Warner Cable (maybe more likely due to the partnership that the Dodgers already have with TWC), Fox may shut down Prime Ticket, and move everybody else (Clippers, Ducks, and selected Kings and Angels games) over to Fox Sports West. I think the latter scenario is highly unlikely, and it might come down splitting the remaining teams' games evenly across the two channels; home games on one, road games on the other.

[Gary]

Dodgers won't be allowed to bid on Free Agents

So because a sale of a team can take 4-6 months, the Dodgers won't be able to bid on Free Agents this year. Surely this has to be a punishment to the team for what McCourt has done.