Mesothelioma Lawyer Blog
Opinion – 10/18/2019
California’s Most Corrupt Lawyer – Steven Kazan
Steven Kazan – California’s Most Corrupt Lawyer – Insider Dealing, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Fraud
Steven Kazan. Decades of fraud. At least. And still occurring to this very day. One cannot overstate the amount of fraud, racketeering and bad faith Kazan has been involved in. Likened to a Mafia Leader. Cartel Kingpin of Asbestos Litigation. There’s Steven Kazan.
Everyone knows too. But his overwhelming influence in asbestos litigation allows him to escape justice. Favoritism? Of course. Misappropriation of Trust Funds? Most estimate Kazan’s misappropriation at close to $1 Billion dollars. Pure greed? Of course. There’s Kazan. Paying off Doctors and other lawyers? For at least 25 years – there’s Kazan. Let’s crown the title now – California’s Most Corrupt Lawyer is Steven Kazan (#kazanlaw; @kazanlaw.com). An undeniable corrupt piece of ‘dreck’.
While it would be nearly impossible to state all of Kazan’s Fraud, Bad Faith and Misappropriation – Let me just provide some timeline examples…
1990-Present: Kazan Commits Asbestos Trust Fund Fraud – Breach of Fiduciary Duty
Steven Kazan infects nearly every Asbestos Trust (over $40,000,000 in victim’s funds) in the Country by hiring/appointing (in violation of D.O.J. Rules) “interested” parties, friends, and former colleagues. Kazan then has ‘subtle’ rules inserted allowing his “buddies” to value Kazan’s claims. As a result – at every Asbestos Trust – favoritism and misappropriation of Trusts funds takes place where Kazan’s buddies award Kazan outrageous Trust fund awards (often 5-10 times identical claim values from other Firms). In addition, all of Kazan’s claims receive favorable treatment (again, a violation of D.O.J. rules). From the early Asbestos Trusts (Johns Manville) to “New” Asbestos Trusts (Pittsburgh Corning) – Kazan receives favorable treatment at every one. (Accurate) Estimates indicate that Kazan has misappropriated at least $1 Billion Dollars from Asbestos Trusts from 1990 to the present. As a result of Kazan’s fraud and use of Asbestos Trust Funds as his personal piggy banks – every present and future asbestos disease victim in the entire Country receives less money than they should.
2005: Kazan files ‘sham’ California State Bar Complaints in Attempting to “Wipe Out” Competition
When I opened up my mail in approximately March 2005 and found Steven Kazan had filed a (sham) California State Bar Complaint against me – I knew Kazan was a loser. The basis of his “complaint”? My website was www.asbestoslegalcenter.org. Because I had a .org in the web address – Kazan lied to the California State Bar and told them I was fraudulently holding myself out as a non-profit. Could Kazan be more an idiot? My website discussed the ‘millions recovered for victims’. At that time – many for profit businesses had .org in their web address. But Kazan tried to wipe me out with a sham California State Bar Complaint. Of course – the California State Bar immediately dismissed Kazan’s complaints.
1999-Present: Kazan “Pays Off” Doctors and Unions to Refer Kazan Cases
Why do at least 50% of mesothelioma victim’s treated by Dr. David Jablons end up being retained by Steven Kazan? Payoffs. Pure and Simple. Everyone knows it. I personally called Dr. David Jablons office and they admitted they Steven Kazan (Kazan McClain’s) Intake Packet in their Office. And not surprisingly, they refused to take any others. Kazan is paying off Dr. Jablons to refer him cases. Maybe he ‘hides’ it as a research donation – but we all know the ‘Truth’. Kazan’s payoffs to Unions is even worse. I personally had a signed contract to sponsor an Asbestos Union luncheon. 2 days later – the Union called and said they “didn’t need any more sponsors”. Kazan paid them off to breach their contract with me? In his modus operandi to ‘wipe out’ Competition, Kazan convinced the Union to dump me so he could fund the luncheon. After I had a signed contract. Kazan paid them off. Could Kazan be any more of a corrupt piece of shit?
What’s amazing is the Kazan testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee and nearly 20 years and ‘complained’ of Institutionalized Fraud? Kazan is the King of Institutionalized Asbestos Trust Fraud, Corruption and Misappropriation – but he accuses others of the same. He’s a story of his (false) testimony…Kazan – Fraud before House Judiciary Committee (2002)
Unbelievable how Kazan accuses “others” of recruiting Plaintiff’s for profit.!. It’s Kazan’s method of operation.
2013-Present: Kazan Misappropriates Millions in Asbestos Trust Funds to Audit/Wipe Out His Asbestos Plaintiff Competition and Esteemed Doctors Used by Competition: Having a completely unblemished reputation around the Country, I was shocked to show up to my office on January day in 2013 to find 3 Lawsuits filed against me by Asbestos Trusts (and the expensive lawyers at Morgan Lewis they hired). Who was behind it? Steven Kazan (and his partner in crime Alan Brayton). The goal? Wipe out my office and the thousands of Asbestos Victims I represent so there is more money in Trust funds for him! He had already ‘stolen’ hundreds of millions from the Trusts suing me – but that wasn’t enough the ‘ganev’ Kazan. He needed more. Those lawsuits cost Asbestos Victims (in lawyer fees paid to Morgan Lewis and Gary Fergus) at least $5 million dollars. But Kazan doesn’t care. He’s a ‘traitor’ to asbestos victims. Holding himself out as a ‘hero’ while throughout stealing from asbestos victims. As stated, every present and future Asbestos Victim receives less money due to Steven Kazan.
In 2018 – Kazan was at it again. This time – his target was one of the most noted Asbestos Doctors in the Country. Dr. William Durham, M.D. Why would target Durham? Simple – Durham’s clients were Asbestos Plaintiff Law Firms – but not Kazan’s. By wiping out Durham, Kazan could wipe out thousands of claims from his Plaintiff lawyer Competitors. And wipe out Kazan did….Same methods as ridding the Trusts of Mandelbrot’s claim – “sham audits” – overseen by Kazan’s buddies with one goal in mind. (…analogy – Trump threatens to withhold funding unless Ukraine will investigate it’s rivals…here – Kazan threatens Trust Fiduciaries jobs and to stop approving their ridiculous bills unless the Trusts/Trustees investigate Dr. Durham.
2004-Present – Kazan “Steals” Millions from Trusts Funds by Listing them in Annual Reports as “Attorney Fees”
“If we are all stealing and no one complains to Bankruptcy Court – we can get away with it….” And boy did Steven Kazan get away with it. Here’s just one example – Brayton, Kazan, McClain and Snyder Stealing 47 Million from Victims – See Page 11, Line 4.
There it is – Kazan ‘breaking off’ $12.1 Million Dollars from Victim’s for himself. And over $30,000,000 to Brobeck as a payoff for allowing Kazan to get away with Fraud. Kazan, Brobeck, Brayton, Morgan Lewis had conspired to steal these funds. And they did! Would you be surprised to know that Kazan had already receive well over $250,000,000 from the same Asbestos Trusts for completely fraudulent defaults (prior to Trust confirmation). $250,000,000 wasn’t enough. The greedy Kazan needed more. (Note – being of Jewish descent – I know Kazan actions hurt ‘us all’…)….
2000-Present – Kazan Improperly Influences Judges to Rule for Him (secret deals/payoffs) –
Judge Ken Kawaichi – Guess who the Judge was on the case above where Kazan misappropriated at least $250,000,000? Judge Ken Kawaichi – Kazan’s ‘local’ Judge. Guess what Kawaichi did after that case? Kawaichi ‘retired’ from the Bench and began working (in essence for Kazan) at a number of Asbestos Trusts. Clearly – insider dealing took place. How did Kawaichi get those jobs? And what has Kawaichi done since that time? Followed Kazan’s ‘mantra’ – Wipe out Kazan’s competition and Doctor’s his Firm doesn’t use so more $$$$ can be misappropriated to Kazan. It’s sick.
Judge Sheri Bluebond – For my money – the most corrupt Judge in the Country. Unlike her counterpart in Northern California who dismissed the cases against my office, Bluebond was determined to follow Kazan’s lead. What did Bluebond do? Well – what didn’t she do. She allowed convicted felons to testify against my office (and found them credible). Excluded extensive properly submitted evidence to assist Kazan’s sham cases. Ruled for the Trusts (Kazan) on everything against my office. Bluebond is also well known to engage in ex parte communications with Kazan and other counsel. A real corrupt Judge and a perfect person for Kazan to ‘payoff’.
Steven Kazan – Personification of Fraud.
CALIFORNIA’S MOST CORRUPT LAWYER – STEVEN KAZAN – DO NOT HIRE HIM