1190:
34:
864:
868:
389:
of his sentence, which would change it from life without possibility of parole to an indeterminate life term, which would give Hunt the opportunity to prove his rehabilitation before a parole board. The petition notes that in prison, Hunt "is a different person: a chapel assistant and law clerk", and
338:
After Hunt's conviction, eight witnesses came forward stating that they had seen Ron Levin alive in various locations in 1986 and 1987, including Greece and Los
Angeles. One witness, Nadia Ghaleb, who was acquainted with Levin, testified that she saw him getting into a car on San Vicente Boulevard in
284:
Hunt and Pitman's trials for murdering Levin had delayed their trials for murdering
Eslaminia, with other pre-trial motions pushing Hunt's Northern California trial to 1992. Hunt acted as his own attorney during this trial and contended that star witness Karny had killed Eslaminia. The result was a
456:
as Ron Levin was released in 2018. The film debuted to a dismal opening night, grossing a meager $ 126.00, mainly due to the involvement of Spacey, who months earlier had been accused of several instances of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Judd Nelson, who played Hunt in the 1987 miniseries,
280:
The trials for the murder of
Hedayat Eslaminia were held in Northern California. With the testimony of accomplice Karny, both Dosti and Reza Eslaminia were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Dosti and Reza Eslaminia both were released on appeal using evidence from Hunt's
334:
Hunt maintains that Levin's con artistry extends to having faked his own death, as no body was found in the case. At the time of his disappearance, Levin was free on bail and awaiting trial, and Hunt's defense team argued that Levin left the country to escape a pending FBI investigation into his
230:
BBC members Hunt, Pittman, Karny (before his immunity deal), Arben Dosti, and Reza
Eslaminia were charged with the murder of Hedayat Eslaminia, Reza's father. They allegedly killed him to acquire his fortune, which was reputed to be $ 35 million (the senior Eslaminia was, in fact, nearly
177:
area with get-rich-quick schemes. Due to the reputation of the organization for being composed of young, inexperienced men from moneyed families, it was jokingly referred to as the "Billionaire Boys' Club". Hunt himself came from a single-parent family in the lower-middle-class suburb of
366:
On the basis of multiple witness statements that Levin had been seen alive, and claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and judicial misconduct, Hunt sought to have his murder conviction overturned and get a new trial. Hunt's direct appeal was denied on July 12, 1996. In a federal
377:
In June 2016, the Ninth
Circuit affirmed the Central District of California's denial of Hunt's habeas corpus petition. In its affirmance, the court noted that "fairminded jurists could disagree" as to whether Hunt's trial lawyer was ineffective in his defense of Hunt, but cited the
347:, and a conversation with another witness requesting advice on how to dye his hair. Defense attorneys also pointed out that Levin had restructured his already-made bail arrangements to release his parents from liability, and asked one witness for information about Brazilian
342:
In his appeal, Hunt's defense counsel argued that key facts were withheld from jurors during his original trial for Levin's murder. These include Levin's "habit of writing large, worthless checks", his conversations with witnesses about plans to leave for New York or for
390:"a voice for nonviolence". The petition also describes Hunt's in-custody record of conduct as "exceptional" and details his founding and facilitation of a men's spiritual group at the California State Prison in Sacramento where Hunt was imprisoned until 2012.
215:
who had allegedly swindled the BBC out of over $ 4 million. Levin's body was never found, and Hunt maintains that Levin, who was under criminal investigation and out on bail at the time of his disappearance, instead fled the country to escape prosecution.
244:. Canchola and Lopez identified pictures of Levin from multiple photographic lineups as the same man they had seen at the gas station. In 1987 a Southern California Court found Hunt guilty of Levin's 1984 murder and sentenced him to
239:
During his trial for the murder of Levin, Hunt's defense attorney presented two witnesses, Carmen
Canchola and Jesus Lopez, who testified that they saw Levin after his alleged murder, in September 1986 at a gas station in
373:
hearing in 2004, Hunt's continuing effort to have his murder conviction overturned was revived, as the Ninth
Circuit reversed a dismissal of his petition. But this appeal, too, was ultimately unsuccessful.
393:
In
September 2018, Hunt's family and friends launched the website FreeJoeHunt.com in support of his release. In October 2018, the Los Angeles Superior Court denied an additional habeas corpus petition.
255:
Pittman was unable to make $ 500,000 bail ($ 1.5 million today), so he was kept incarcerated through two
Southern California trials for his active role in the murder of Levin. Both ended in
1047:
1073:
1224:
515:
185:
In 1984, Hunt was arrested for murdering Ron Levin, the group's main investor and himself a con artist, and
Hedayat Eslaminia, the father of one of the club's members.
339:
West Los Angeles; another, Ivan Werner, who worked as a funeral director at Pierce Brothers Funeral Home in Westwood, testified that he saw Levin attending a funeral.
311:
to have participated in the Levin murder, confessing that he was the one who shot Levin and bragging that he was now untouchable in court due to the restriction on
297:. When prosecutors realized they likely could convict neither Hunt nor Pittman, they dismissed all charges against Hunt and Pittman in the murder of Eslaminia.
1122:
379:
355:
card on the day after the murder was thought to have taken place, of underwear from the Brooks Brothers store in Los Angeles, where Levin was known to shop.
1219:
1214:
533:
305:
On May 20, 1993, a few months after all charges were dropped against him in the Eslaminia case, Jim Pittman admitted on the television program
1021:
726:
923:
973:
494:
489:
98:
993:
70:
608:
639:
147:
51:
20:
907:
77:
1229:
665:
358:
As of September 2018, Hunt's family has offered a $ 100,000 reward for evidence of Levin's whereabouts after June 6, 1984.
219:
When authorities began to investigate the murders, Dean Karny, the club's second-in-command and Hunt's best friend, turned
1096:
429:, which summarized the events surrounding the "club" and the kidnapping, murders, and trials. Investigation Discovery's
1074:"Kevin Spacey's new film 'Billionaire Boys Club' opens to incredibly low $ 126 following sexual misconduct allegations"
84:
440:
403:
306:
193:
189:
117:
66:
953:
55:
208:, and money contributed by investors was spent on supporting lavish lifestyles for young members of the club.
259:. In 1988, before a third trial, prosecutors offered Pittman a deal, whereby he pleaded guilty to being an
803:
743:
699:
770:
548:
844:
775:
224:
845:"Laurence J. Rittenband, 81, Shows an Unorthodox Style: Crusty Judge Rules His Court with Iron Hand"
260:
91:
613:
166:
44:
644:
19:
This article is about the investing and social club run as a Ponzi scheme. For other uses, see
936:
155:
484:
431:
577:
8:
882:
649:
382:'s "doubly deferential lens" in its refusal to overturn the Central District's decision.
220:
143:
1048:"'Abysmal': Kevin Spacey's 'Billionaire Boys Club' earned just $ 618 on opening weekend"
1189:
170:
549:"Fast Cars, Armani Suits, Pretty Women: How the 'Billionaire Boys Club' Led to Murder"
1184:
849:
808:
748:
704:
553:
386:
211:
Hunt and club security director Jim Pittman were charged with the murder of Levin, a
165:
The club enticed the sons of wealthy families from the Harvard School for Boys (now
974:"Ansel Elgort, Taron Egerton Starring in 'Billionaire Boys Club' Movie (EXCLUSIVE)"
582:
465:
352:
865:"Los Angeles Times, "Billionaire Boys Club Leader Denied New Trial" July 13, 1996"
263:
and possession of a concealed weapon, and was sentenced to time served, being the
312:
241:
609:"Charges In Famed Death Dropped / Victim's son accused in 'billionaire' slaying"
182:, and was able to attend the Harvard School only with the help of scholarships.
426:
411:
344:
320:
245:
666:"Madoff's gone but Ponzis go on; There's a schemer like him born every minute"
1208:
1195:
766:
449:
369:
294:
146:
between 1983 and 1989. It was originally simply named "BBC", the initials of
453:
445:
205:
159:
281:
second trial, and Hunt was also acquitted of the Eslaminia murder charge.
788:
407:
348:
316:
293:
legal history to represent himself in a capital case and not receive the
174:
139:
1178:
1123:"Timothy Olyphant Hosts a 'Billionaire Boys Club' Crime Podcast: Listen"
1166:
The Price of Experience: Money, Power, Image, and Murder in Los Angeles
415:
290:
212:
158:
the group offered to clients added up to what was essentially one big
670:
472:
326:
The convictions of Dosti and Reza Eslaminia were overturned in 2000.
286:
256:
1097:"Judd Nelson Returns for 'Billionaire Boys Club' Remake (EXCLUSIVE)"
1022:"Kevin Spacey film takes in just $ 126 as it flops at US box office"
33:
179:
994:"Kevin Spacey Joining 'Baby Driver' & 'Billionaire Boys Club'"
830:
151:
954:"Ansel Elgort, Taron Egerton to Star in 'Billionaire Boys Club'"
700:"Billionaire Boys Club Bodyguard Admits Slaying in TV Interview"
475:
are a verbatim to-do list entered as evidence in the BBC trial.
471:
The lyrics of the song "Things To Do Today" by the Chicago band
249:
578:"Billionaire Boys Club's Joe Hunt seeks cut in life sentence"
142:
organized by Joseph Henry Hunt (born Joseph Henry Gamsky) in
361:
908:"JOSEPH HUNT V. TIM VIRGA, No. 13-56207 (9th Cir. 2016)"
351:
treaties. There was also a purchase made using Levin's
1225:
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by California
435:
revisited the case in the 2011 episode "Fatal Greed".
727:"Ninth Circuit Appeal, Excerpts of the Record, Vol I"
380:
Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996
150:, a restaurant Hunt had frequented as a young man in
425:
titled "Billionaire Boys Club", presented by author
58:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
771:"Levin Sightings Cast Doubt on Boys' Club Murder"
277:years he was incarcerated since his 1984 arrest.
1206:
385:In January 2018, Hunt filed an application for
952:Ford, Rebecca; Kit, Borys (October 29, 2015).
926:, freejoehunt.com. Accessed February 23, 2024.
761:
759:
534:Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice
640:"James Cox to direct 'Billionaire Boys Club'"
468:, covered the subject in the summer of 2020.
423:Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege and Justice
602:
600:
421:On July 17, 2002, TruTV aired an episode of
924:Petition for Commutation of Hunt's sentence
919:
917:
883:"HUNT v. PLILER | 336 F.3d 839 (2003)"
756:
693:
691:
1188:
1154:. New York: St. Martin's Paperbacks, 1990.
1088:
801:
1168:. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1996.
1046:Wootson, Cleve R. Jr. (August 18, 2018).
607:Stannard, Matthew B. (November 7, 2000).
597:
495:Billionaire Boys Club (clothing retailer)
490:List of murder convictions without a body
234:
118:Learn how and when to remove this message
1220:People convicted of murder by California
1215:Clubs and societies in the United States
1071:
937:"Twitter Announcement from @FreeJoeHunt"
914:
688:
663:
606:
516:"SAGA OF FAST-TRACK GROUP TOLD AT TRIAL"
362:Hunt's attempts to appeal his conviction
329:
1045:
991:
951:
765:
546:
406:of the Billionaire Boys Club, starring
1207:
1094:
992:Fleming, Mike Jr. (November 3, 2015).
971:
697:
21:Billionaire Boys Club (disambiguation)
1120:
1019:
575:
569:
540:
397:
513:
300:
56:adding citations to reliable sources
27:
1072:McCarthy, Tyler (August 19, 2018).
637:
285:hung jury, 8–4, in favor of Hunt's
227:on three different felony charges.
13:
1144:
664:Waggoner, John (October 5, 2009).
638:Kit, Zorianna (October 14, 2010).
547:Helling, Steve (August 13, 2016).
261:accessory to murder after the fact
14:
1241:
1172:
1095:McNary, Dave (December 5, 2015).
972:McNary, Dave (October 29, 2015).
802:Abrahamson, Alan (May 20, 1996).
537:– Episode "Billionaire Boys Club"
514:Shaw, Daniel (February 7, 1987).
1157:Hunt, Joseph & Adams, Alan.
698:Boxall, Bettina (May 21, 1993).
576:Elias, Paul (October 22, 2018).
315:. Pittman, granted release with
32:
1114:
1065:
1039:
1020:McKee, Ruth (August 19, 2018).
1013:
943:
929:
900:
875:
857:
837:
823:
795:
43:needs additional citations for
1121:Lambe, Stacy (July 31, 2020).
736:
719:
629:
526:
507:
460:The true-crime podcast series
223:on both murders in return for
204:The organization was run as a
1:
779:. Spartanburg, South Carolina
500:
404:miniseries based on the story
289:. Hunt is the only person in
682:– via pressreader.com.
7:
1230:Wealth in the United States
648:. Los Angeles, California:
617:. San Francisco, California
478:
248:without the possibility of
188:The story was recounted in
10:
1246:
1161:. Blue Dharma Press, 2008.
776:Spartanburg Herald-Journal
18:
1198:The Billionaire Boys Club
1152:The Billionaire Boys Club
225:immunity from prosecution
319:in two murders, died of
199:
614:San Francisco Chronicle
167:Harvard-Westlake School
138:, was an investing and
67:"Billionaire Boys Club"
958:The Hollywood Reporter
645:The Hollywood Reporter
457:played Hunt's father.
438:A feature film titled
235:Trials and convictions
169:; not affiliated with
156:get-rich-quick schemes
1180:Billionaire Boys Club
1127:Entertainment Tonight
462:Hollywood & Crime
441:Billionaire Boys Club
402:In 1987, NBC aired a
330:Levin survival theory
132:Billionaire Boys Club
871:on October 24, 2012.
485:Crime in Los Angeles
464:, narrated by actor
432:Behind Mansion Walls
335:financial misdeeds.
52:improve this article
1196:Review of the book
1164:Sullivan, Randall.
1052:The Washington Post
650:Eldridge Industries
520:The Washington Post
452:as Dean Karny, and
414:as Dean Karny, and
148:Bombay Bicycle Club
144:Southern California
1076:. Fox News Channel
998:Deadline Hollywood
831:"$ 100,000 Reward"
674:. Mclean, Virginia
398:In popular culture
171:Harvard University
853:. April 13, 1987.
850:Los Angeles Times
809:Los Angeles Times
749:Los Angeles Times
705:Los Angeles Times
323:in 1997, age 44.
301:Subsequent events
190:a 1987 miniseries
128:
127:
120:
102:
1237:
1192:
1138:
1137:
1135:
1133:
1118:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1107:
1092:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1081:
1069:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1058:
1043:
1037:
1036:
1034:
1032:
1017:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1004:
988:
986:
984:
968:
966:
964:
947:
941:
940:
933:
927:
921:
912:
911:
904:
898:
897:
895:
893:
879:
873:
872:
867:. Archived from
861:
855:
854:
841:
835:
834:
827:
821:
820:
818:
816:
804:"Dead or Alive?"
799:
793:
792:
786:
784:
763:
754:
753:
752:. July 12, 1996.
744:"Dead or Alive?"
740:
734:
733:
731:
723:
717:
716:
714:
712:
695:
686:
683:
681:
679:
660:
658:
656:
633:
627:
626:
624:
622:
604:
595:
594:
592:
590:
583:Associated Press
573:
567:
566:
564:
562:
544:
538:
530:
524:
523:
511:
466:Timothy Olyphant
353:American Express
308:A Current Affair
276:
275:
271:
268:
221:state's evidence
123:
116:
112:
109:
103:
101:
60:
36:
28:
1245:
1244:
1240:
1239:
1238:
1236:
1235:
1234:
1205:
1204:
1175:
1147:
1145:Further reading
1142:
1141:
1131:
1129:
1119:
1115:
1105:
1103:
1093:
1089:
1079:
1077:
1070:
1066:
1056:
1054:
1044:
1040:
1030:
1028:
1018:
1014:
1002:
1000:
982:
980:
962:
960:
948:
944:
935:
934:
930:
922:
915:
906:
905:
901:
891:
889:
881:
880:
876:
863:
862:
858:
843:
842:
838:
829:
828:
824:
814:
812:
800:
796:
782:
780:
769:(May 2, 1996).
764:
757:
742:
741:
737:
729:
725:
724:
720:
710:
708:
696:
689:
677:
675:
654:
652:
634:
630:
620:
618:
605:
598:
588:
586:
574:
570:
560:
558:
557:. New York City
545:
541:
531:
527:
512:
508:
503:
481:
418:as Ron Levin.
400:
364:
332:
313:double jeopardy
303:
273:
269:
266:
264:
242:Tucson, Arizona
237:
202:
124:
113:
107:
104:
61:
59:
49:
37:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1243:
1233:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1203:
1202:
1193:
1174:
1173:External links
1171:
1170:
1169:
1162:
1155:
1146:
1143:
1140:
1139:
1113:
1087:
1064:
1038:
1012:
1010:
1009:
989:
969:
942:
928:
913:
899:
874:
856:
836:
822:
794:
767:Deutsch, Linda
755:
735:
718:
687:
685:
684:
661:
628:
596:
568:
539:
525:
505:
504:
502:
499:
498:
497:
492:
487:
480:
477:
427:Dominick Dunne
412:Brian McNamara
399:
396:
363:
360:
345:Granada, Spain
331:
328:
321:kidney failure
302:
299:
246:life in prison
236:
233:
201:
198:
126:
125:
40:
38:
31:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1242:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1212:
1210:
1201:
1200:by Sue Horton
1199:
1194:
1191:
1186:
1182:
1181:
1177:
1176:
1167:
1163:
1160:
1156:
1153:
1150:Horton, Sue.
1149:
1148:
1128:
1124:
1117:
1102:
1098:
1091:
1075:
1068:
1053:
1049:
1042:
1027:
1023:
1016:
999:
995:
990:
979:
975:
970:
959:
955:
950:
949:
946:
938:
932:
925:
920:
918:
909:
903:
888:
884:
878:
870:
866:
860:
852:
851:
846:
840:
832:
826:
811:
810:
805:
798:
790:
778:
777:
772:
768:
762:
760:
751:
750:
745:
739:
728:
722:
707:
706:
701:
694:
692:
673:
672:
667:
662:
651:
647:
646:
641:
636:
635:
632:
616:
615:
610:
603:
601:
585:
584:
579:
572:
556:
555:
550:
543:
536:
535:
529:
521:
517:
510:
506:
496:
493:
491:
488:
486:
483:
482:
476:
474:
469:
467:
463:
458:
455:
451:
450:Taron Egerton
448:as Joe Hunt,
447:
443:
442:
436:
434:
433:
428:
424:
419:
417:
413:
410:as Joe Hunt,
409:
405:
395:
391:
388:
383:
381:
375:
372:
371:
370:habeas corpus
359:
356:
354:
350:
346:
340:
336:
327:
324:
322:
318:
314:
310:
309:
298:
296:
295:death penalty
292:
288:
282:
278:
262:
258:
253:
251:
247:
243:
232:
228:
226:
222:
217:
214:
209:
207:
197:
195:
191:
186:
183:
181:
176:
172:
168:
163:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
122:
119:
111:
100:
97:
93:
90:
86:
83:
79:
76:
72:
69: –
68:
64:
63:Find sources:
57:
53:
47:
46:
41:This article
39:
35:
30:
29:
26:
22:
1197:
1179:
1165:
1158:
1151:
1130:. Retrieved
1126:
1116:
1106:December 11,
1104:. Retrieved
1100:
1090:
1078:. Retrieved
1067:
1055:. Retrieved
1051:
1041:
1029:. Retrieved
1026:The Guardian
1025:
1015:
1003:December 11,
1001:. Retrieved
997:
983:December 11,
981:. Retrieved
977:
963:December 11,
961:. Retrieved
957:
945:
931:
902:
890:. Retrieved
886:
877:
869:the original
859:
848:
839:
825:
815:December 15,
813:. Retrieved
807:
797:
787:– via
783:December 15,
781:. Retrieved
774:
747:
738:
721:
711:December 15,
709:. Retrieved
703:
678:December 15,
676:. Retrieved
669:
655:December 15,
653:. Retrieved
643:
631:
621:December 15,
619:. Retrieved
612:
589:December 15,
587:. Retrieved
581:
571:
561:December 15,
559:. Retrieved
552:
542:
532:
528:
519:
509:
470:
461:
459:
454:Kevin Spacey
446:Ansel Elgort
439:
437:
430:
422:
420:
401:
392:
384:
376:
368:
365:
357:
341:
337:
333:
325:
307:
304:
283:
279:
254:
238:
231:penniless).
229:
218:
210:
206:Ponzi scheme
203:
187:
184:
164:
160:Ponzi scheme
135:
131:
129:
114:
105:
95:
88:
81:
74:
62:
50:Please help
45:verification
42:
25:
16:Ponzi scheme
1159:Blue Dharma
789:Google News
408:Judd Nelson
387:commutation
349:extradition
317:time served
257:hung juries
194:a 2018 film
175:Los Angeles
140:social club
108:August 2018
1209:Categories
501:References
416:Ron Silver
291:California
213:con artist
78:newspapers
1080:March 23,
1057:March 23,
1031:March 23,
892:March 23,
671:USA Today
473:Big Black
444:starring
287:acquittal
173:) in the
1132:June 24,
479:See also
180:Van Nuys
1101:Variety
978:Variety
272:⁄
152:Chicago
92:scholar
1187:
887:Leagle
554:People
250:parole
154:. The
94:
87:
80:
73:
65:
730:(PDF)
200:Crime
134:, or
99:JSTOR
85:books
1185:IMDb
1134:2021
1108:2015
1082:2020
1059:2020
1033:2020
1005:2015
985:2015
965:2015
894:2020
817:2018
785:2018
713:2018
680:2018
657:2018
623:2018
591:2018
563:2018
192:and
130:The
71:news
1183:at
136:BBC
54:by
1211::
1125:.
1099:.
1050:.
1024:.
996:.
976:.
956:.
916:^
885:.
847:.
806:.
773:.
758:^
746:.
702:.
690:^
668:.
642:.
611:.
599:^
580:.
551:.
518:.
252:.
196:.
162:.
1136:.
1110:.
1084:.
1061:.
1035:.
1007:.
987:.
967:.
939:.
910:.
896:.
833:.
819:.
791:.
732:.
715:.
659:.
625:.
593:.
565:.
522:.
274:2
270:1
267:+
265:3
121:)
115:(
110:)
106:(
96:·
89:·
82:·
75:·
48:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
