NYC Council Member Kamillah Hanks, Justice Ronald Castorina, and Kevin Barry Love Face Bombshell Allegations
Richard Luthmann’s Lawsuit Unveils Lies, Threats, and Hypocrisy from Prominent Public Figures
By Rick LaRivière and Dick LaFontaine
In a legal battle shaking New York’s political scene, Richard Luthmann, a contributor to this outlet, filed opposition documents against New York Supreme Court Justice Ronald Castorina, NYC Council Member Kamillah Hanks, and her partner, Kevin Barry Love.
The filings reveal accusations of lies, misrepresentations, threats, and hypocrisy, targeting Luthmann and harming his career as a journalist and his collection activities for past debts owed.
Luthmann's Allegations
Richard Luthmann, a former attorney turned journalist, is pursuing legal action to collect fees for services rendered. He claims Hanks and Love owe him $86,175.38 plus costs, fees, and interest since 2017, now totaling over $130,000 on contractual claims alone.
Luthmann’s suit contends that he provided legal services to Hanks and Love, including ensuring Hanks' daughter graduated from LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts.
“These services were never paid for by Hanks, her campaign, or Love,” Luthmann states in his affidavit. “Luthmann paid for the filing fees and index number himself and was never reimbursed.”
Luthmann’s work for Kamillah Hanks’ political campaign is corroborated by veteran political consultant Michael Cox.
“I personally witnessed him spend at least 100 hours on the 2017 Kamillah Hanks campaign,” Cox states in his affidavit.
Cox details Luthmann’s extensive involvement, including drafting and reviewing designating petitions, coordinating campaign strategy, and working long hours to ensure Hanks’ ballot access. “Our efforts were so devastating to him, Phil Marius was unsuccessful in getting even one invalidated signature restored by the election commissioners,” Cox confirms.
Castorina's Role
Luthmann accuses Justice Ronald Castorina of using his position to thwart Luthmann’s efforts to collect the debts. Luthmann seeks over $63,000 from Castorina plus costs, fees, and interest from 2017, now totaling close to $100,000 on contractual claims alone.
“Castorina testified dishonestly,” Luthmann asserts, citing instances where Castorina allegedly lied under oath about his communications with Luthmann.
“He said, ‘I don’t want to deal with this person,’ yet he engaged in actions to frustrate my collections.”
Justice Castorina admitted in his affidavit submitted to the court that he called the FBI, stating, “I contacted the FBI regarding Mr. Luthmann’s activities.”
The FBI contact was precipitated by a legal Demand Letter in which Luthmann asked Castorina to “pay up,” showed why he owed the debts, and laid out evidence of the Judge’s perjury and malfeasance.
After the call to the Feds where Luthmann says Castorina improperly claimed “witness intimidation,” Luthmann says the Feds crossed the legal liability line, prompted by the lies told by the Judge and others, including Hanks and Love, who were never witnesses. U.S. Probation handed Luthmann this piece of paper, which turns out to be a “smoking gun”:
Luthmann says the Feds were duped by the “real criminals.” He says he could sue the federal government and its officers - but he won’t.
“Mr. Luthmann, left all alone and proceeding pro se, doesn’t go after good people who acted in good faith based on the word of known liars, perjurers, child abusers, and uncharged felons...This civil action goes against those who have lied and sworn to it on multiple occasions to hurt Mr. Luthmann,” the filed papers say.
Luthmann also claims Castorina’s new affidavit is riddled with fresh lies, asserting that Castorina's statements are fabricated to cover up his misuse of authority.
“Castorina's testimony is dishonest and designed to frustrate my legitimate collection efforts and the practice of journalism,” Luthmann contends, highlighting the inconsistencies and falsehoods in Castorina's account.
Threats and Intimidation
The documents highlight threats allegedly made by Kevin Barry Love. Love purportedly made menacing phone calls to Luthmann’s collections attorneys, causing them to drop the earlier case filed last March.
Luthmann includes a recording of a conversation where Love threatens, “I assure you the FBI is involved in this matter. So is the Department of Justice. I’ve spoken to both of them.”
Luthmann claims these threats were enough to scare off his attorneys, who feared for their reputations and licenses. One attorney reportedly said, “I don’t want them to do to me what they did to Trump’s lawyers.”
Misrepresentations and Lies
Hanks and Love are accused of lying to federal agents, violating 18 U.S.C. § 1001.
“Hanks lied to federal agents, making menacing phone calls to attorneys in a scheme to interfere with valid debt collection,” the documents state.
Luthmann alleges that Hanks falsely claimed to be married to Love when in fact, he is her paramour.
“After Henry Olisa, the two of them are the biggest scam going on the Staten Island North Shore,” Luthmann said, referring to the community figure and reputed FBI informant married to NYC Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Laurie Cumbo. Olisa goes by the name ‘Bobby Digi,’ reportedly modeled after '“Bobby Digital,” an album by American rapper and producer RZA, the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Luthmann asserts that Hanks and Love corruptly used their positions to intimidate his lawyers, mislead Federal authorities, and silence him.
“At the core are allegations that Hanks and Love advanced lies and misrepresentations and used the instrumentality of government to silence my speech and stifle my collection efforts,” he argues.
The documents paint a picture of hypocrisy, with public figures using their influence for personal gain. Hanks, a sitting NYC Council Member, and Love, her influential partner, are accused of manipulating legal and governmental processes.
“They made interstate menacing threats to my collections attorneys, smacking of extortion,” Luthmann states.
Impact on Journalism
Luthmann’s filings emphasize the damage done to his career as a journalist. He claims Hanks and Love’s actions not only hindered his debt collection efforts but also stifled his journalism activities.
“My journalism activities are protected by the First Amendment,” Luthmann states, adding that the threats from Hanks and Love led to direct interference with his reporting and news-gathering.
Luthmann seeks millions in compensatory and punitive damages from Hanks and Love for their outlandish, threatening, dishonest, and immoral activities in stifling the press and misusing government machinery.
Staten Island Judge Accused of Perjury: Cover-Up Allegations Surface
Similarly, he seeks millions in compensatory and punitive damages from Castorina for corrupt, immoral, and dishonest activities in stifling the press and misusing his position as a Supreme Court Justice, violating the Judicial Canons of Ethics.
Further Developments
This legal battle is far from over. Luthmann’s opposition filings are just the beginning of this legal joust.
Late Thursday, Castorina’s lawyers sent a Notice of Rejection of Luthmann’s papers. The basis for the rejection - Luthmann used too many words against Lawyers and Judges.
“[Castorina] is hereby returning and rejecting the attached "Affidavit in Opposition (CPLR § 2106) ," dated July 1, 2024, because it fails to contain a word count certification as required by 22 NYCRR 202.8- b(c). Upon information and belief, there are more than 7,000 words in the Affidavit and it is 46 pages long in violation of 22 NYCRR 202.8-b(e),” the pleading said.
We spoke to Luthmann who was amused.
“Maybe Ron can’t f—-ing read anymore. I heard stories about NYC Board of Elections personnel that were illiterate and still made supervisor because they had the right last name. Anything’s possible. All I know is that Ron’s lawyers know these facts cannot be laid bare in a Court of Law without his black robes and liberty being placed in grave jeopardy. A few years ago, Tish James did a judge up in Buffalo for accepting hockey tickets. Castorina, a former Republican Party Chair, is a nice trophy now that Trump has basically slipped away,” Luthmann said.
Luthmann responded officially by email as follows:
------- Forwarded Message -------
From: Richard Luthmann <richard.luthmann@protonmail.com>
Date: On Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024 at 6:50 PM
Subject: Re: FW: Luthmann v. Hanks et al. (NY Supreme)
To: Robert Brown <rbrown@robertbrownlaw.com>I reject Judge Castorina's Notice of Rejection as dilatory and sanctionable conduct.
The Rules cited do not apply to paper filed cases and do not strictly apply to pro se parties. Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519. Plaintiff labors under disabilities - physical, mental, emotional, and legal, many known to the Defendant, Castorina.
Not only does Judge Castorina has a history of being abusive against those with disabilities, his current dilatory tactics are part and parcel to his continued cover up of malfeasance.
Luthmann will lodge his formal complaints with the Court and consider Castorina's failure to timely file a Reply pursuant to the stipulation as a waiver of the opportunity to Reply
Mr. Brown, have a nice 4th.
Mr. Castorina should be governed accordingly and know that Lady Justice [may] be blind, but she sees all.
Regards,
Richard Luthmann
Next Steps
The Court will examine the validity of these claims, and further analysis and commentary will follow as the case progresses.
The allegations against Hanks, Love, and Castorina could have significant implications for their careers and reputations.
In the coming weeks, we will delve deeper into the details of this case, exploring the evidence presented and the potential fallout. This story of lies, threats, and hypocrisy at the highest levels of New York’s political landscape is one to watch closely.
Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth coverage of this explosive case.
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