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00:00Doctors can't borrow money from patients.
00:02I made some mistakes.
00:04He had gotten involved with gambling.
00:07Did you ask all of your patients for money?
00:0925.
00:10Were you in a 12-step program by any chance?
00:12Yes.
00:13Well, what did you miss, step six and seven?
00:15Just as good as you were at your chiropractic practice,
00:18I'm just as good at finding liars and scammers and cheaters.
00:22Now on Tribunal Justice.
00:47Today's case was filed in Long Beach, California.
00:50Judge, this is case number 3012A in the matter of Vancouverine v. Turner.
00:57And for you, this is case number 3012B in the matter of Bidjarchi v. Turner.
01:03Thank you, Bert.
01:04You're welcome, Judge.
01:05Paisa, I've been sworn in.
01:06You may be seated.
01:07Thank you, Bert.
01:08As has been indicated, there are two cases,
01:11and I will be hearing the case involving this plaintiff, Ms. Vancouvering,
01:15and Judge Domingo will be hearing the case involving our second plaintiff.
01:19Ms. Vancouvering, you've known Dr. Turner for about 30 years.
01:23Your kids went to school together.
01:25In your words, you described him as a kind family man,
01:30so that when he approached you asking you for a $10,000 loan
01:35to make some improvements to his business,
01:37you thought it wouldn't be a problem.
01:39Correct.
01:39He paid you back some of the money, borrowed some more money,
01:43and then you didn't get paid back.
01:45You then received a letter from his wife indicating that the money was being used
01:50to fuel an addiction and that if you wanted to get it back,
01:53you needed to bring him to court.
01:55So here you are in court.
01:56Exactly.
01:57Suing the chiropractor who you knew for almost three decades for $7,785.
02:02Dr. Turner, it is your defense that this was an investment
02:05and that the business in which the plaintiff invested is now defunct.
02:10And just like there is risk with any investment, there was a risk with this one.
02:14You maintain that while you did pay her back some money because the business has failed
02:19and is defunct that you don't know her anything else.
02:22Ms. Vancouvering, why in the heck do you give money to your chiropractor?
02:26Did you know anything about his finances?
02:28No, but he'd been in the same office working with his wife who was still there for almost 40 years,
02:36manipulating my neck and everything, I trusted him with the finances.
02:40That was a big leap of faith.
02:41Dr. Turner, now I actually have reviewed the ethical rules regarding chiropractic.
02:47I know that it is not improper to have a layperson invest in your business
02:51as long as they're not making treating decisions,
02:54but that's a far cry from asking money from your patients with whom you have a fiduciary relationship.
03:01So explain to me why you thought it was appropriate.
03:04I did have a good relationship.
03:05I knew her for a long time.
03:07In chiropractic, you see people multiple times.
03:10I saw Linda a long time, 100 times probably.
03:14So I...
03:15Let's just cut to the chase.
03:17I want you to tell me what you would define as a conflict of interest.
03:22That wasn't.
03:23I mean, just right out the bat, before we get to anything else,
03:27there are ethical rules that govern professionals who are in professional relationships with clients.
03:33So, word to the wise, lawyers can't borrow money from clients.
03:38Doctors can't borrow money from patients.
03:40I mean, just right off the bat, it seems like a very odd thing to do.
03:44Now, according to you and according to the plaintiff, the money was for improvements because you wanted to sell the
03:52business.
03:53Yes.
03:53Show me some evidence of the improvements that you used the plaintiff's money for.
03:59I don't have any.
04:00Because you didn't use it for that, did you?
04:02No, I did.
04:02Did it ever occur to you to maybe go to a bank, try to take out a small business loan?
04:07Yes, it did.
04:08But you were like, it's easier to go to my patients who trust me?
04:11Yes.
04:11Who gave you that idea?
04:14I had a realtor help me sell the practice.
04:17He was suggesting I improve the practice, carpeting, lighting.
04:22Right, but you have no evidence, not one receipt, not one estimate, nothing from a contractor, nothing showing any improvements.
04:28Correct.
04:29But it is your testimony that that's how you used her money.
04:31Yes.
04:32Allegedly.
04:32I find that quite hard to believe.
04:34And you don't believe that either because you received a letter from the defendant's wife telling you what, ma'am?
04:40That he had an addiction issue and not to loan him any more money.
04:44Can we please put up exhibit three?
04:46And just so our timing is clear, you loaned him this money in May, correct?
04:51Correct.
04:52What were the terms under which you loaned him the money?
04:56That he would pay me $700 for the loan for four weeks.
05:03He made one payment, half the amount.
05:07And then he asked you for more money?
05:09He did, $2,000 more.
05:09When did he ask you for that second loan?
05:11When?
05:12In August.
05:13How much did he ask you for the second loan?
05:15$2,000.
05:16When did you become concerned about being repaid?
05:19When did you start to feel like something was amiss?
05:22I texted him and asked him what was going on shortly after that because he had promised at a certain
05:28time that I would be getting the money.
05:30And in September, it was his birthday week.
05:33You sent him a very nice text.
05:35Mm-hmm.
05:36And you're like, just a reminder, you're supposed to pay me back tomorrow.
05:39But he did not.
05:40No.
05:41And so when you received this letter, it was after you texted the defendant.
05:45Yes.
05:46The letter is from the defendant's wife and former business partner.
05:51It's with great sadness that I write this letter to inform you that Dr. Chris Turner, that is the defendant
05:57in this case, has mismanaged the funds from the business.
06:01And then she goes on, please do not lend or give money to Chris Turner under any circumstances.
06:08Yeah.
06:09I have to ask you, what's going through your head when you receive this?
06:13Oh, so many things, just such disappointment in the defendant, just so much disappointment.
06:20I trusted him.
06:21Did you try to reach out to him after you received the letter?
06:24We did talk one more time.
06:27And what did he say?
06:28He kind of fessed up at that point that he had gotten involved with gambling and there was a problem
06:36there.
06:37Was it a gambling addiction, sir?
06:39Coming up on Tribunal Justice.
06:42Did you ask all of your patients for money?
06:45No.
06:46How did you select the suckers that you thought would give you the money?
06:54Clients Linda Vancouvering and Bijan Bijarshi are both claiming that chiropractor Chris Turner scammed them out of money.
07:01But Chris claims they both invested in his business and that Linda and Bijan knew the risks.
07:06He owes them nothing.
07:08Was it a gambling addiction, sir?
07:10Yes.
07:11And I did some improvements on the practice.
07:14By the way, before I get to how you misused her money, tell me what you do for a living.
07:20I'm retired, but I was a registered nurse.
07:23$10,000 is not chump change, really, to anybody.
07:27And then you found out that actually your money was, what, maybe being used for, what, three square feet of
07:34carpet and the rest at the blackjack table?
07:36Lighting.
07:38Lighting.
07:39How are you feeling about yourself?
07:41Not very good.
07:44I made some mistakes.
07:45How many more of your patients did you borrow money from?
07:4825.
07:4925 people who trusted you.
07:52Like, you borrowed money under improper purposes and you think you're going to make it back at the tables so
07:59you can give her her money back.
08:00Was that kind of what was going on in your head?
08:02Yes, yes, kind of.
08:02I thought I could make money on other people's money and pay them back, but I would have to make
08:08money to do that.
08:09The dice were just going to land exactly the right way and she was going to get her money back.
08:14I assumed.
08:15You want to apologize to her?
08:17I have.
08:18Do it again.
08:19I'm very, very sorry, and you know it from my heart.
08:22I know.
08:22I love you and I care about your harm.
08:25I'm sorry that you're here.
08:26You know I care.
08:28I accept it.
08:30I apologize.
08:31Judge Domingo.
08:32Thank you, Judge Acker.
08:33Ma'am, you may have a seat.
08:34I'm going to bring up Mr. Bajarki, who is also a plaintiff in this matter.
08:40And once again, 30 year or so relationship with the defendant as your chiropractor.
08:45Came to you one day, said he was looking to make some cosmetic improvements to the business so that he
08:49could sell the business.
08:52And so you gave him the $5,000 with the promise of interest.
08:56You are here today suing him for that $5,000 plus $150 in interest.
09:02Your answer to him was, you invested in my business.
09:06It failed and closed.
09:07You are now out of luck.
09:09So let me get some information from you.
09:11Did you ever go to dinner with him?
09:13No.
09:13Did you ever socialize with him?
09:15Go for drinks?
09:16No, nothing like that.
09:16So you didn't have any personal relationship with him at all, other than this business professional relationship, correct?
09:23No, he's got a really charismatic personality, very easy to talk to.
09:27And we would talk about my work, his work, you know, what's going on with his kids.
09:32Am I misstating this because you're not answering me, sort of?
09:35Was this a business or a personal relationship with him?
09:37It's a business relationship, for sure.
09:40So you have this relationship.
09:42And when he comes to you for the money, he says what to you?
09:45I hadn't seen him for several months.
09:47And I came in for some adjustments because my neck was bothering me.
09:52And he was very animated that day.
09:54And he's like, hey, Bijan, I'm, you know, getting close to the end here.
09:57I want to start thinking about semi-retirement.
09:59And I want to, you know, spruce up the office.
10:02I've got a broker that I'm working with to sell the practice.
10:06And I related to that because I'm, you know, around the same age.
10:10I was in a good mood.
10:11I was going on vacation the following week, right before I saw him.
10:15I was feeling, you know, generous.
10:17Did you have any question as to why he would need to come to you instead of going to a
10:22financial institution?
10:23I did ask him that.
10:24And what did he say?
10:25He said all of his money was in the business.
10:27And he wanted to make the books look as good as they could for the broker.
10:30And you gave him the money, the original money, at what point, July?
10:34Yes.
10:35In fact, he sent you a signed promissory note, which we have.
10:39Correct.
10:40And we could put that up on the screen.
10:41And it reads...
10:43This letter is to confirm the agreement with Bijan Bijarchi for a personal loan of $5,000 to Chris Turner.
10:49And you signed that and you gave him that, correct?
10:52Correct.
10:52I was going to pay him back.
10:55That's what addicts think.
10:56They think they're going to get out of it, especially gambling addicts.
10:59They think this is the big one.
11:01You know, there's a drug addiction, there's sex addiction, there's alcohol addiction.
11:05But of all of those addictions, for the most part, the only person that can clean out an entire household
11:11is the gambler.
11:12Take every penny they have and put it on number seven and they're done.
11:17It's extreme.
11:18Of course it's extreme, but the thrill is what keeps you going.
11:21So back to you, because now you've gotten no money back at this point, and in September you get a
11:27voicemail.
11:27Do we have that voicemail?
11:30I have it on my phone.
11:31Let's hear it.
11:33Jan, this is Chris Turner, Dr. Turner.
11:36I'm calling on Sunday night.
11:38My apologies for calling.
11:40With great guilt and stupidity, I'm calling to let you know I mismanaged the finances and the money in my
11:48practice.
11:4938 years, we're going to be closing the practice.
11:51I think you're getting a letter.
11:52You might have already got the letter.
11:55Give me a call and I'll tell you, explain to you what's going on.
11:57I know I owe you money.
11:58Okay, so we can stop that.
12:00So basically you're telling him you mismanaged your money and you can't pay.
12:03So now I have a couple of questions of you because I'm always interested in some of this.
12:07Did you ask all of your patients for money?
12:10No.
12:11Okay.
12:11How did you select the suckers that you thought would give you the money?
12:16The sucker is a poor term.
12:18No, it's not a poor term because you knew you had an addiction.
12:20There's no way you did not know you had an addiction.
12:24Were you in a 12-step program by any chance?
12:26Yes.
12:26Well, what did you miss?
12:27Steps six and seven?
12:28Because the bottom line is you should be saying, yes, I knew I had an addiction at some point.
12:33I knew it.
12:33I knew it.
12:34And that's why I say to you, how did you pick these suckers?
12:37How did you pick them?
12:38They were the most kind-hearted of my patients.
12:40And by the time I understood my mismanagement with BJ.
12:43It wasn't a mismanagement for goodness sakes.
12:46That's what you stand up in front of your meetings that you go to and you say, I mismanaged my
12:49money.
12:49You say, my name is X and I am a gambler.
12:53Which one is it?
12:54I'm a gambler.
12:55Okay.
12:58Coming up on Tribunal Justice.
13:00Did you wire it to his business or did you wire it to his personal account?
13:04I think it was his personal account.
13:06This is where the scamming part comes in.
13:13Linda Vancouvering and Bijan Bijarshi are both suing chiropractor Chris Turner after they claim he scammed them out of money.
13:21But Chris claims their money was spent upgrading his business.
13:24They knew the risks and it's their loss.
13:26How many patients would you say you have in total?
13:29400.
13:30But you only went to 25?
13:32No, I went to more than that.
13:34Some turned me down.
13:35Some turned you down.
13:37Some turned you down.
13:37Do you pay back anybody?
13:39Yes.
13:40Part of payback was to Linda, who's here now.
13:43And ma'am, when he came to you for an additional amount, you did give him an additional amount.
13:47Is that true?
13:47Two more thousand.
13:48You did.
13:49You have to know that borrowing money from patients, as in any professional field, is really a very severe ethical
13:56violation.
13:56I do now.
13:57What are you doing in an attempt to repay people, if at all?
14:01Yeah, I'm bankrupting with reorganization.
14:05Well, I want to know what person of these kind, intelligent people says, I think I'm going to invest in
14:12a business that's going to close.
14:13Because that's what you told them.
14:15Correct?
14:16It couldn't have been a business loan.
14:17Because you gave him a personal note saying, I'll pay you back.
14:21So your defense, to me, defies logic and accountability.
14:27Judge Levy?
14:27I'm going to make this real clear.
14:29You think you're a good chiropractor?
14:31Yes.
14:3138 years you did that work?
14:33Yes.
14:34And you were good at it?
14:35Yes.
14:35I want to make it clear to you, just as good as you were at your chiropractic practice, I'm just
14:41as good at finding liars and scammers and cheaters.
14:44Do we understand each other?
14:45Yes, thank you.
14:46Good.
14:46So we're going to start off with the fact that a moment ago you said that your wife was your
14:50partner.
14:50She's no longer your wife though, right?
14:52No, she's still my partner and my wife.
14:54She is.
14:54So you're telling me that she didn't file a notice of entry on October 28th, 2024 for a divorce?
15:02No, I'm unaware of that.
15:04What?
15:04I'm unaware of that.
15:06Legal separation on October 18th, 2022?
15:10You don't know that?
15:11I do not know that.
15:12You don't know that there was a notice of entry filed granting her that separation on October 28th, 2024?
15:19You don't know that either?
15:20I haven't been served any notices of that.
15:23All right.
15:24I want to make it clear to myself what your position is with respect to this personal loan consistent with
15:31the promissory note or this nonsense that you keep spewing about a business loan.
15:36You've been in business 38 years and you understand that you can run through your business certain capital improvements, right?
15:43Correct.
15:43And those capital improvements include lighting, flooring, carpeting, things that increase the value, run through the business as an expense.
15:53It washes all out in the taxes, right?
15:56More or less.
15:56Yep.
15:57That's how it works.
15:58Can I please speak to you for a quick moment, Ms. Vancouvering?
16:01Do I need you?
16:01Yeah, please.
16:02Step right up for a moment.
16:03Thank you, sir.
16:03Mm-hmm.
16:03You wired him money?
16:05I did.
16:06Did you wire it to his business or did you wire it to his personal account?
16:11I think it was his personal account.
16:13Yeah.
16:13So let's go through this.
16:14I want to get the timeline right because it's super important.
16:17Okay.
16:18This is where the scamming part comes in.
16:19On May 10th, 2024, you agreed to the $10,000 loan and agreed for the repayment in a month with
16:27a $750 interest, right?
16:29Correct.
16:30And on May 13th is when you actually wired him personally that money, correct?
16:36Yes.
16:37And on July 30th, 2024, he repaid you, the defendant repaid you $5,000.
16:43Correct.
16:43Where'd you get that money?
16:45From my practice.
16:46Your practice?
16:47Step up.
16:49Okay.
16:50Why don't you tell us where he got that $5,000 from?
16:52From my check.
16:54Wait a minute.
16:55So he gave Ms. Vancouvering $5,000 on July 30th.
16:59Ma'am?
17:00Yes.
17:01Give it back to the defendant.
17:03When did you receive $5,000 from Mr. Bajurian?
17:07July 24th.
17:09July 24th takes your $5,000 and he gives you that same $5,000 six days later.
17:16You get it?
17:17Right.
17:18That's the pyramid.
17:19That's the made-off.
17:20You're not that smart when it comes to finances.
17:22You were so stupid that you figured no one was going to pick up on that.
17:27You're welcome.
17:27We're not even close to being done yet.
17:30You can have a seat.
17:32August 26th, 2024, he asked for and you agreed to another loan of $2,000.
17:39Yeah.
17:39On September 18th, 2024, you provided us with text messages that you sent to him and his
17:48wife in which you said, happy birthday week, Dr. Turner.
17:51Just a reminder that you have agreed to pay me the remaining $7,750 by Wednesday.
17:57And when you received that text from her, you didn't say, what are you talking about?
18:02This was a business loan.
18:03This was a business investment.
18:04You never said that in a reply text, did you?
18:07Because it was never a business investment.
18:09It was going right in his pocket.
18:11And after you sent that September 18th, 2024, text to him and his wife, that next day, September
18:2019th, is when his legally separated wife sent you that letter in which she said, hey, he's
18:25got a problem.
18:26Yeah.
18:27And you know she did that, don't you?
18:29Yes.
18:29And it's your position that your only addiction was gambling, right?
18:33Correct.
18:34I got nothing further.
18:35How many children do you have?
18:37Three.
18:37How are they reacting to this?
18:41Coming up on Tribunal Justice.
18:44I hope that you are sincere in getting the help that you clearly need.
18:48You hurt a lot of people.
18:50It got me open.
18:51I'm as sincere as you can be, but where does my sincerity go?
19:00Clients Linda Vancouvering and Bijan Bijarshi are both claiming that chiropractor Chris Turner
19:05scammed them out of money.
19:07But Chris claims they both invested in his business and that Linda and Bijan knew the
19:11risks.
19:12He owes them nothing.
19:14How many children do you have?
19:15Three.
19:16How are they reacting to this?
19:19You know, it's hard enough for a marriage to fall apart, but to fall apart in such a public
19:24and brutal way because of a problem you have, a sickness, doesn't let you off the hook.
19:30How are your kids doing?
19:31They haven't disowned me, but they are neutral in their response to me now.
19:36I hope that you are sincere in getting the help that you clearly need.
19:41You hurt a lot of people.
19:42Got me open.
19:43I'm as sincere as you can be, but people call me a liar.
19:47So where does my sincerity go?
19:50Is that entirely unwarranted?
19:53No.
19:54I mean, you can imagine.
19:55Of course.
19:56You did do some lying.
19:57Yes.
19:57You don't come here with clean hands.
19:59Right.
20:00I feel sorry for you, but I feel sorrier for Miss Vancouvering and Mr. Bijan.
20:06I have nothing further.
20:07Just to close this out, how much are you currently in debt to others at this point?
20:11Probably $120,000.
20:13$120,000.
20:14Okay.
20:15We're going to retire to deliberate at this time.
20:17Thank you both.
20:18Court now stands in recess.
20:19This case will be recalled.
20:21Parties are excused.
20:25There's not much to deliberate.
20:28He admits he did wrong.
20:30He admits he owes her the money.
20:32It was shameful.
20:34I don't think that his shame is a defense, but it is somewhat refreshing to see an addict
20:40take such responsibility for behavior that hurt and compromised people as it did.
20:45But this is one of the easiest cases I've seen in quite some time.
20:49She's completely entitled to all of it.
20:51Clearly.
20:52There was no mixed message.
20:53They were not confused as to what they were giving him the money for.
20:56They clearly gave it to him personally.
20:58They knew he was closing the business, so nobody invests in a business that's going to close.
21:03Yeah, to some extent I give him credit for coming in and owning up to his problems,
21:07although he kind of danced around them for the most part.
21:10I'm not sure he's fully into the treatment program yet.
21:13I think he's skipping a few steps here and there.
21:15But, nevertheless, it was good that he at least took this step.
21:18So I'm willing to return, of course, all the money to both of them.
21:21I don't give him any credit.
21:22Zero.
21:23And I think he has a long way to go before he's truly helped and cured.
21:28Tough crowd.
21:29Yeah.
21:30Period.
21:30I think she gets everything that she requested, as does...
21:34Mr. Bjarci.
21:35Yeah.
21:36Okay.
21:36Unanimous on both cases.
21:38Indeed.
21:42Court is back in session.
21:43I remind parties you're still under oath.
21:45Thank you, Bert.
21:46Mm-hmm.
21:47We've deliberated and we've reached a unanimous verdict.
21:50Dr. Turner, I must believe that 30 years ago this is not where you thought you'd end up.
21:56At least two of us up here applaud your efforts to take accountability.
22:02Addiction is real.
22:03It's a real illness.
22:04It's a real sickness.
22:05And I hope you're getting the help.
22:07Because you've lost a lot.
22:09Not just potentially a family, but a practice.
22:13And the trust of people who cared about you.
22:16Yes.
22:17The road to recovery for those things can sometimes be a long one.
22:21Ms. Vancouvering and Mr. Bjarci, you two have big hearts.
22:24So guard them more carefully, especially when your dollars are involved.
22:29It's a lesson that people sometimes have to learn the hard way.
22:32But we are unanimous as to your matter, Ms. Vancouvering.
22:35The judgment is in your favor for $7,785.
22:39We are similarly unanimous in your matter, Mr. Bjarci.
22:43The judgment is in your favor for $5,150.
22:47Good luck to you both.
22:49And Dr. Turner, I hope you continue to get the help that you need.
22:54This case is now concluded.
22:55Parties are excused.
22:56You may step out.
23:00They got cheated by a guy they trusted.
23:04We really feel sorry for Dr. Turner.
23:06He's really a good man, and he's made mistakes at the end of his career.
23:10They understand my addiction.
23:13He's a very conflicted person, but I don't think he is evil.
23:18I just think he's troubled.
23:19I want to beat this addiction before God and my family by all the people that trust me.
23:25I hope he finds his way.
23:27I'm at the end of myself.
23:30We don't wish any ill will on him.
23:32None at all.
23:33I don't know.
23:33Got family drama?
23:36Let Tribunal Justice decide your case.
23:39Find us on social media at Tribunal Justice.
24:03Try tonight.
24:05Try today.
24:13Bad media immediately.
24:14Let's go.
24:18Yes, exactly.
24:21... accept, love.
24:22He's a good girl with the last man of hope.
24:22& Neex? He laura. Home.
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