HOUSTON – The Laura and John Arnold Foundation is suing the men and groups who allegedly conspired with the former president of the foundation, Denis Calabrese, to steal millions of dollars “from LJAF to the detriment of the charitable organizations it serves.”
As previously reported, the foundation filed suit against Calabrese last October, accusing him of receiving millions in kickbacks from contractors LJAF hired while he was in a position of power.
Calabrese declined to defend the lawsuit and was found liable for $8.5 million in actual and exemplary damages, court records show.
On Dec. 30, LJAF filed suit against Pathfinder Communications, James Baker, Raconteur Media and Ryan Gravatt.
Both Pathfinder and Raconteur specialize in media planning for political, advocacy and nonprofit clients.
“From 2010 to 2017, Calabrese, now a convicted felon, conspired with his long-time associates Baker and Gravatt and their companies, Pathfinder and Raconteur, to steal millions from LJAF to the detriment of the charitable organizations it serves,” the suit states.
According to the lawsuit, in a post-judgment deposition Calabrese invoked his Fifth Amendment right against “self-incrimination rather than answer questions about the nature of his relationship with Pathfinder, Raconteur, and his cronies Baker and Gravatt.”
“On information and belief, Defendants and Calabrese conspired … to enrich themselves at LJAF’s expense by agreeing to direction a portion of each payment LJAF made to them to Calabrese’s personal accounts in exchange for his agreement to hire them,” the suit states.
LJAF is seeking to recover actual damages, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, exemplary damages, costs of court and attorney’s fees.
The foundation is represented by attorney Murray Fogler of Fogler, Brar, O’Neil & Gray in Houston.
Filed in Harris County District Court, case No. 2020-83424.