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Publishing Giant Win McCormack Allegedly Swindled Out of $34M by Chauffeurs

Sergey and Galina Lebedenko, who worked for McCormack, are accused of making fraudulent charges on his credit card over seven years, leading to their arrest on charges of wire fraud and money laundering.

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Overview

  • Sergey V. Lebedenko and his wife, Galina A. Lebedenko, who worked as chauffeurs for publishing giant Win McCormack, are accused of swindling their boss out of $34 million over the last seven years.
  • The couple allegedly made thousands of fraudulent charges on McCormack's American Express credit card, purchasing multiple properties, including a $2.3 million residence in Sunriver, Oregon, and a $2 million home in Bermuda Dunes, California.
  • McCormack, a 79-year-old political activist who founded Tin House Books, was reportedly unaware of the money being stolen from him for years.
  • McCormack had confronted the couple previously about large charges on his card he never authorized, but the charges continued to come in.
  • McCormack's legal team alerted the FBI of possible fraud in December, leading to the couple's arrest on charges of wire fraud and money laundering.