OPINION
– Updated – Jan 31, 2021
Oakland California Asbestos Lawyer Steven Kazan Implicated in Justice Department’s Unprecedented Filing in Bestwall Asbestos Trust
For the past 20 years, Steven Kazan has been a Fiduciary of Asbestos Trusts and acted with impunity. Always valuing money, bad faith, and insider dealing above Asbestos victims, Kazan has misappropriated hundreds of millions of dollars – if not a billion dollars from meritorious asbestos disease victims. Finally, it appears the Justice Department is coming for Steven Kazan (www.kazanlaw.com). Finally!
If fact, on January 22, 2021 – United States Bankruptcy Judge Sheri Bluebond Published a letter implicating Steven Kazan – Bluebond Letter – Thorpe Trust Record – Jan 2021
On December 28, the Justice Department (DOJ) filed a Statement of Interest in the In Re Bestwall LLC Bankruptcy Case “Urging Transparency in Asbestos Claims”….(everything Steven Kazan has tried to avoid for decades).
Here is the filing by the Justice Department in the Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of North Carolina.
Justice Department – Statement of Interest – Bestwall Bankruptcy – December 2020
Justice Department Bankruptcy Court Filing – Bestwall – December 28, 2020
Critical in these filings in the fact that every dishonest and corrupt act cited by Justice Department has been accomplished with regards to Asbestos Trusts by Steven Kazan. And although the Justice Department does not refer to him by name – they are clearly referring to Steven Kazan and other Asbestos Trust Fiduciaries Kazan has colluded with in regards to Asbestos Trusts.
In fact, the Justice Department’s In Re Bestwall LLC Bankruptcy Case filing “Urging Transparency in Asbestos Claims” specifically refers to the following dishonest, corrupt, and unethical conduct Kazan has committed for the past 20 years (and currently):
- Collusion among Plaintiff lawyers/Trust Advisory Committee Members and other Trustees – Steven Kazan, as a Trust Advisory Committee – TAC – Member has done this on dozens of Asbestos Trusts, including Owens Corning Asbestos Trust, NARCO Asbestos Trust, Western Asbestos Settlement Trusts and many, many more).
- Excessive (grossly) payments on (fraudulent) claims – Again, Kazan has received grossly excessive payments on THOUSANDS of claims, thus ‘stealing’ hundreds of millions from asbestos victims (Note – that Kazan not only ‘runs’ the Trusts – he also files claims with them all!).
- Excessive duplicative recoveries (“Double Dipping) from the every Asbestos Trust. This is why Kazan has avoided “transparency” for decades – he receives excessive, duplicative recoveries is EVERY asbestos trust claims (thousands per year!).
- Diminishing and depleting of Asbestos Trust funds through illegal and excessive improper payments to Asbestos Trust Fiduciaries so that ALL future Asbestos victims get a small fraction of what they should have received from the Thorpe Trust funds – The Justice Department is clearly referring to Steven Kazan here! And his corrupt ‘band’ of Asbestos Trust Fiduciaries.
- Insider dealing and favoritism among Asbestos Trust Fiduciaries – Again, The Justice Department is clearly referring to Steven Kazan here! And his corrupt ‘band’ of Asbestos Trust Fiduciaries.
- Completely“Sham” Audits (by hiring interested parties) to ban esteemed Lawyers and Doctors and misappropriate Trust funds – Steven Kazan is absolutely behind ‘sham audits’ taking place at Trusts. These (fake) audits have banned nearly half a dozen doctors (none used by Kazan) and Lawyers from submitting to Asbestos Trusts. This is criminal conduct by Kazan. His Firm (www.kazanlaw.com) never gets audited on exposure evidence. Kazan’s Doctors never get audited. This fraud by Kazan is solely to suppress legitimate claims and ‘steal’ Asbestos victims monies.
- Gross mismanagement of Asbestos Trusts – Kazan has grossly mismanaged at least 25 Asbestos Trusts (as the controlling TAC member). Kazan is a fraud…
Why has Kazan committed this disgracefully unethical conduct, and theft over the past 20 years? No values. Greed. No ethics. Bad faith. No moral compass.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Mandelbrot, Attorney for Asbestos Victims
Copies: DOJ, J.T. Thorpe, Inc. and Thorpe Insulation Settlement Trusts