Current Status of Stuart Rawitt

STUART RAWITT is currently incarcerated at  BOP - Taft CI and is scheduled for release on August 10, 2019 and is not eligible for parole.

Rand Chortkoff's Sentencing Hearing Rescheduled

This is really UNBELIEVABLE! Justice delayed is justice denied!!!  No explanation given by court for rescheduling.  

The sentencing previously scheduled for defendant(s) RAND JAY CHORTKOFF on May 4, 2015, 10:00 AM has been rescheduled by the court. The sentencing hearing for defendant(s), RAND JAY CHORTKOFF, has been set for September 21, 2015, 10:00 AM at Hearing Location for Western Division Office 2, US Courthouse, 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 before Judge R. Klausner. Judge Klausner's courtroom is located on the 8th floor of the Edward Roybal Federal Building, 255 E. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. 

Samuel Braslau's Sentencing Hearing Rescheduled

The sentencing previously scheduled for defendant(s) SAMUEL BRASLAU on April 6, 2015, 01:30 AM at Hearing Location for Western Division Office 2, US Courthouse, 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 has been rescheduled by the court to April 27, 2015, 01:30 PM at Hearing Location for Western Division Office 2, US Courthouse, 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 before Judge R. Klausner.  Judge Klausner's courtroom is located on the 8th floor of the Edward Roybal Federal Building, 255 E. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA90012. 

Article From LA Weekly on Movie Scam Sentencing

STUART RAWITT, VETERAN TELEMARKETER, SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN NAZI MOVIE SCAM

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BY GENE MADDAUS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015 | 1 MONTH AGO

Website for The Smuggler via smugglerthemovie.com

Stuart Rawitt, a veteran telemarketer known for his ability to close investment deals, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for his role in a movie scam.

Rawitt, 47, of Marina del Rey, pleaded guilty to defrauding investors in The Smuggler. The film was supposed to depict a martial-arts master who cares for an orphan and fights Nazis in occupied Paris. According to a complaint, Rawitt told prospective investors that it would star Jean-Claude Van Damme, Tim Roth, Sean Bean and Donald Sutherland.

Rawitt and his co-defendants, Rand Chortkoff and Samuel Braslau, raised about $1.8 million from 60 investors. The film was never made, no script was completed, and none of the actors were ever approached to participate. 

In a declaration accompanying his plea agreement, Rawitt admitted making most of the false statements attributed to him.

"However, I did not 'know' that any of these statements were, in fact, false, because ... I chose not to know," Rawitt stated. "They sounded like good selling points to me and since I was hired solely to raise funds... I used them as selling points without questioning whether there was any basis in fact for them."

In pleading guilty, Rawitt admitted he knew that the statements were probably false.

Rawitt was paid a 27 percent commission on money he raised, earning about $227,000. Braslau was accused of pocketing $270,000 in legal fees and other expenses. After commissions and other fundraising expenses were paid, the company was left with a mere $2,241.

Shortly after pleading guilty, Rawitt tested positive for cocaine. His attorney, Bernard Rosen, argued for a lighter sentence based on his history of drug abuse. According to letters written by Rawitt's friends, he was active in Alcoholics Anonymous and had relapsed after a period of sobriety due to a bad break-up.

Chortkoff also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Braslau was convicted by a jury and is due to be sentenced in March. 

With reporting by City News Service.

UPDATE: Defendant Robert Matias

UPDATE:  Defendant Robert Matias


I inquired of the court today as to the fate of Robert Matias

concerning his involvement in this case. I was told that he

was found 'not guilty' by a jury in a trial which commenced

on 11/4/14, the same jury that found Samuel Braslau guilty.

There was a Judgment Discharge issued in favor of  Robert

Matias on 11/14/14.


I do note that Robert Matias, 50, of Los Angeles

was initially designated a fugitive according to prosecutors.

The court was unable to provide any further information as to

his status or why the jury believed him to be not guilty.

Sentencing and Hearing Information: Samuel Braslau and Stuart Eric Rawitt

Defendant STUART ERIC RAWITT was sentenced by the Court. The Court ordered the defendant to the following: 

     Incarceration of 5 year(s) 3 month(s) 
     Followed by Supervised Release of 3 year(s) 
     Special Assessment of $100.00. 

The Court has scheduled a hearing in order to determine the amount of restitution that defendant STUART RAWITT will pay for: April 20, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 850 of the United States District Court, Edward R. Roybal Courthouse located at 255 East Temple Street, Los Angeles, California 90012, before the Honorable Judge R. Gary Klausner. If you would like to attend, please call our office at least 24 hours prior to the hearing to determine whether it will proceed as scheduled. 

A post-trial hearing has been scheduled before Judge R. Klausner for March 9, 2015, 10:00 AM at Hearing Location for Western Division Office 2, US Courthouse, 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 for defendant(s) SAMUEL BRASLAU. The purpose of the hearing is to clarify any legal issues raised after the trial. 

The sentencing hearing for defendant(s), SAMUEL BRASLAU, has been set for April 6, 2015, 01:30 AM at Hearing Location for Western Division Office 2, US Courthouse, 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 before Judge R. Klausner. 



CORRECTION: Judge Klausner's courtroom is located on the 8th floor of the Edward Roybal Federal Building, 255 E. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. 

Rand Chortkoff's Accomplice, Robert Matias, Sentenced for Investor Fraud

WeHo Man Sentenced in Film Fundraising Fraud

Mon, Jan 26, 2015   By City News Service   

West Hollywood resident Stuart Rawitt, center left, and Rand Chotkoff, center right

A West Hollywood man was sentenced today to 63 months in federal prison for helping bilk investors out of nearly $2 million by offering shares in movies that were never made.

Stuart Rawitt, 47, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. The judge set an April 20 restitution hearing, and ordered Rawitt immediately taken into custody.

Rawitt, who was charged in the case along with two others last year, pleaded guilty in October to a federal mail fraud charge.

The defendants raised money for a film called “The Smuggler” through a boiler room telemarketing operation in Van Nuys after first representing themselves as researchers.

Victims were falsely told that 64 percent of investor money would be used to produce the film, and that investors would be first in line to receive any revenue.

Prosecutors said Rawitt and his co-defendants — who are awaiting sentencing — falsely claimed to have contracted such actors as John Cusack, Gerard Butler, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Sutherland and Jon Voight to appear in “The Smuggler.”

The co-defendents are:

• Samuel Braslau, 53, of Mar Vista, an attorney and co-founder of the companies;
• Rand Jay Chortkoff, 64, of Encino, a co-founder of the companies,
• And Robert Matias, 50, of Granada Hills, a salesperson.