Pacific Palisades Man Bilked Women by Convincing Them He Fought Terrorists: Lawsuit

By BILL HETHERMAN

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A woman who says she had a lengthy relationship with a man who lived a mysterious life and acquired large amounts of weapons and ammunition -- while also claiming to have ties to well-known politicians -- is the second woman within a week to sue his estate to recover money she alleges he conned her into spending on his behalf before his 2015 death.

Catherine Nebron's Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit, filed Tuesday, names as defendants the estate of Jeffrey Lash and its two representatives, Sanford Sheklow and Leslie Parness.

She's seeking unspecified damages as well as title to cars, weapons and ammunition that may have been acquired with the more than $1.6 million she alleges he obtained from her through "fraud and undue influence."

The suit states that Nebron's father was a judge and that her godfather was the late Sen. Alan Cranston.

"Lash, knowing her family background in politics, fraudulently claimed to have had telephone calls and other communications with retired Gen. David Petraeus, former President George W. Bush, ex-Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, former first lady Laura Bush and other prominent political and national security figures," the suit states.

Michelle Lyons, who says she was induced to lend Lash nearly $2 million during a long-term relationship with him, sued his estate on Friday.

Attorney Sonja Panajotovic, for the Lash estate, declined to comment on the lawsuits.

Lash died on July 4, 2015, at the age of 60. His decomposing body was found in an SUV parked near in Pacific Palisades.

Lash was reportedly fiercely private, rarely used his real name and never explained to those around him exactly what he did for a living. Los Angeles police said Lash was in possession of more than 1,200 firearms, tons of ammunition and $230,000 in cash at the time of his death.

When Nebron met Lash in 1985, he said he taught counter-offensive technique courses, according to the latest suit. She says she began a romantic relationship with him in 1998 and he moved into her condominium after claiming he needed a temporary place to stay during a work-related emergency.

Nebron was emotionally vulnerable because her husband had recently left her, and Lash used his leverage to "manipulate and control" the plaintiff, the suit alleges.

Lash "extracted large sums of money" from Nebron, who earned income from Ventura County commercial properties she inherited, according to her lawsuit, which says he used the money to buy weapons, ammunition and other items and also kept some of the cash.

"Ms. Nebron also paid for all of (Lash's) food, housing costs and other expenses," the suit says.

Lash ordered Nebron to keep all the shades and curtains drawn and demanded she stay in her home to ensure the security of his weapons and other property, according to her lawsuit.

She claims Lash also imposed a system of fines that punished her for brushing against his work-related property and even for her crying and depression.

After the 9/11 attacks, Lash said his company was responsible for stopping about two-thirds of the terrorist threats in the U.S., the suit states. Lash's claims caused Nebron to worry about his declining health because she believed the country's security could suffer if he died, according to her court papers.

Lash left Nebron's condominium in 2008, and she believes he was staying with other women who he also was possibly victimizing. But he continued to visit Nebron daily and to fill her residence with "massive amounts of firearms" and other items, her suit says.

Lash kept so many firearms and ammunition in her home that Nebron had to sleep on a yoga mat in a guest bathroom, according to the suit. She claims she was banned from running any heating or cooling systems and had to use a toilet lid as a writing surface.

After Lash's death, Nebron went through boxes that he had claimed contained documents of the "highest national security," the suit states.

"To her astonishment, Ms. Nebron discovered nothing of interest in any of the boxes and she realized then for the first time that Lash was a con man," according to her lawsuit.

Lash's computer also contained no sensitive information, but instead "dozens of lewd pictures and letters to various women," the suit states.

According to the Lyons lawsuit, she had a longtime romantic relationship with Lash that began in 1984. He moved into Lyons' one-bedroom apartment in 1986 after claiming he lost his own home due to a "terrorist act" and had spent his entire fortune "trying to end the terrorist group," according to a creditor's claim Lyons previously filed against -- and which was rejected by -- the Lash estate.

Lyons and Lash lived together for 12 years, Lyons' suit states. She says that during their relationship, they had numerous verbal agreements in which she agreed to buy numerous items for Lash, ranging from firearms and ammunitions to food and clothing.

City News Service