Victim

We all have fallen victim of others' actions or unfortunate situations. When we stand up to those who we consider have "harmed" us in any way and speak out, that is when we stop being "victims."

When I started writing this blog in 2013, my intention was to give my side of the story of what happened with a lawsuit in which I was involved. I will not be writing anything about it specifically, as that case is resolved and I have promised I would not discuss it publicly again. 

This post is dedicated to Andrea Dolbec, a "writer" mentioned in one of the posts of this blog. Please read Deceit.  I have been told by her and her "friend" who at first I thought was an attorney,  that if I do not remove her name from the post, Andrea will publicly give her side of the story.

On July 8, 2020, I received an email from Peter A. Smithson.

I did not respond. On July 10, 2020, I received a second email from the same person who I later learned is NOT an attorney.

 I replied to this second email offering to take her name off the post if she refunded the money she took, OR if she apologized for her deceitful behavior.

Andrea Dolbec could have simply apologized and her name could have been removed -- no monetary exchange.  However, apparently she feels she has been "victimized" and believes my post is "libelous."

Today, August 28, 2020, I received another email from her non-attorney friend.

Basically, they are threatening to make her side of the story public. She considers herself a VICTIM of my "libelous" post. It is not surprising that she chooses to "defend" herself by slandering me in the process.

Just a couple of hours ago, I received a long email from Andrea Dolbec.  The truth is that I did not read the whole thing.  It goes on and on and on.  The spacing and font size change arbitrarily throughout the email making it laborious to read.

What I understood is that she claims to be so generous for not disclosing all the "dirty" details about my "pitiful" life experiences and how I need to "buy" friendships, how I need serious therapy and how I treated her as a "slave."  She even hints at having more private information about me that she would be making public. She believes it would hurt me.  

She claims that she won the case and that the judge said she could get more money from me.  Her claims are actually laughable. She seems to forget that her case against me was DISMISSED. Proof of the dismissal can be easily obtained by requesting official court documents.  She is such a big liar or has some serious memory issues. Well, I will give her that -- memory issues. This happened a long time go.  I believe I have an advantage over her since my memory was fresh when I wrote the original post 7 years ago.

I honestly do not care what her opinion of me is.  She is entitled to believe whatever she wants. I will not even refute her outrageous allegations and opinions.  Not because they are true, but because they don't deserve any additional time or consideration.  What I will say is that she is NOT a legitimate writer.   I don't believe she has written anything that would justify financial compensation. It is just my opinion and belief.

I had shared the email she sent to me when I originally wrote this post.  However, per my arbitration settlement agreement, I am not to publish anything that mentions V.A. or the case in which we were involved. Therefore, I have removed the screenshots. 

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Update August 30, 2020 -  I received another email from Andrea Dolbec today thanking me for posting her generous and compassionate "peace offering" on line. She also informed me that Peter Smithson is NOT an attorney.  She accuses me of twisting facts for believing her friend is an attorney.  Why would I believe the contrary?  He clearly stated "MY CLIENT."  So what type of client is she to him? Who is twisting facts here? She claims Peter is a "manager." It is not the role of a manager to write demand letters or to threaten with any type of "action." I talked to a REAL attorney and he confirmed that this "manager" became a participant in the threats and harassment when he sent those emails to me. 

Below is the last email I sent to Andrea Dolbec and her friend Peter.  I cc'ed my friend Vivian so she can act as a witness.  Hopefully I will no longer be harassed, threatened and blackmailed by these two people.

I hope Andrea has a legitimate job now that pays enough to cover her rent.  I also hope she gets some psychological counseling, stops being a victim and finds peace in her life. 

The world is experiencing such challenging times with the extreme measures to contain COVID, the  collapse of global economies and increased violence.  Whatever happened seven years ago with Andrea Dolbec should be left where it belongs, in the past.  PEACE.

Bullies with a Law Degree

Update as of 10-15-2018 -- The case has been dismissed by both parties.  As we have agreed to move forward, the dismissed case will remain confidential.

What is a Bully?

A person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker.

What is Bullying?

To use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force him or her to do what one wants.

--- Both definitions from Oxford Dictionaries (oxforddicitonaries.com).

Nowadays, this type of abusive behavior has become a serious problem. This digital era has allowed bullies to cowardly hide behind fake cyber names while verbally attacking, intimidating and threatening others whom they perceive as "weaker" or "inferior."

My Experience with Bullies

Although I was very shy when I was a young child, I cannot really say that I ever got bullied by other kids at school. The truth is that I had never really experienced feeling "bullied" until I started dealing with opposing counsel in this case against Victor Alfieri. I have got to experience intimidation and manipulative tactics by Bullies with a Law Degree. 

It is true that I am representing myself. I have not hired an attorney because I cannot afford one. Victor Alfieri took everything I had. Now his attorneys are trying to get more from me -- or at least, they are trying to intimidate me and take advantage of my lack of legal representation.  

So what qualifies them as "bullies"?  They certainly have strength and power over me --- that power is their law degree and their knowledge of the California Judicial System. They shield themselves behind the "confidentiality of the case"  They use that as an excuse to bully me and to intimidate me.
I believe that it is my duty to speak out, to tell the truth about what these attorneys have done and continue doing. This specific post is my contribution to stopping this type of bullying. I know I am not the only one who has gone through an experience such as this.  I hope this post inspires those who have felt helpless in similar situations when dealing with the legal system on their own -- those who have opted to not fight or to give up due to their apparent disadvantageous position.  Please read on. 

I will only cover what attorney Jason L. Fisher has said during our conversations, what he has done or said in open court and the documents he filed. The current arbitration process is to be kept strictly confidential. I will NOT be revealing any details related to such process. I will not be disclosing any information about the attorney retained to handle this arbitration either. The only thing I will say, is that this attorney uses a friendlier and more respectful approach. It might be because this attorney is a female and can somehow relate to what I have been through.

As to what has happened in court and all the documents filed, everything is public. If you are interested in getting copies of the documents filed in court, please go to  LA COURT CASE SUMMARY and enter case BC542748. I will be sharing some specific details about what attorney Jason L. Fisher has done while handling this case. I swear that all the statements I am about to make are true to the best of my knowledge and recollection.

As I mentioned before, this case filed in Los Angeles Superior Court is public, so are the hearings and what was said during those court appearances.  I also have the right to voice my opinion --- I have Freedom of Speech.

Los Angeles Superior Court - Summary

I filed my lawsuit against Victor Alfieri on April 15, 2014. The first phone call I received from Jason L. Fisher informing me he had been retained by Alfieri was on May 16, 2014. We had an amicable conversation during which I agreed to give him more time to file a response.  That was the only friendly conversation we would ever have.

On May 30, 2014, Jason Fisher filed over 100 pages worth of documents -- Demurrer to Complaint, Motion to Strike, Proposed Order for the Demurrer and the Motion to Strike.  Yes, over 100 pages!!!  His Demurrer and Motion to Strike basically stated that the case should be dealt in arbitration.  Why wouldn't Mr. Fisher save all that time he spent drafting these documents and simply demand arbitration???

Mr. Fisher used derogatory language to describe me and labeled my allegations as "fictional."  This is an excerpt from the Motion to Strike he filed on May 30, 2014.

"However, ascertaining that basic information from the frivolous and long-winded Verified Complaint of plaintiff nearly amounts to act of futility.  The Plaintiff chose to use the California judicial system to publicize her scornful account of an alleged personal relationship.  Plaintiff's misplaced focus on irrelevant absurdities and overtly emotionally charged fictional allegations that are completely improper and immaterial has made a Motion to Strike by Defendants proper, if not necessary."

Apparently Mr. Fisher ignored the fact that my complaint was a VERIFIED complaint. I had sworn that everything contained there was true, under the penalty of perjury.  So, Mr. Fisher was calling me a liar and claiming my complaint had "irrelevant absurdities" when, in fact, such absurdities were quotes from Victor Alfieri himself, from his deposition -- which are part of an official transcript.  He also, just like Alfieri, claimed that I had made "fictional" allegations of having a relationship with Alfieri.

I have worked as an interpreter in the courts (both State and Federal) for about 20 years. I have translated hundreds, if not thousands, of orders, motions, petitions and other legal documents. And I had never seen a document drafted by an attorney that labeled the allegations as "fictional," "irrelevant" or "absurd."  I have certainly heard those words during opening and closing arguments/statements in a trial or during motions... but never as a response to a complaint.   I believe that Mr. Fisher's choice of words and length of his documents were intended to intimidate me --- which is something attorneys are supposed to do.  I am aware of it.

A colleague of mine has assured me that such language is common in court filings in California. However, I believe that those specific words that attorney Jason Fisher chose were charged with hostility -- such hostility was evident when he and I met in person for the first time.

On August 18, 2014 - We had an Ex-Parte Protective Order Hearing.  That order was granted because the judge did not take the bench. I was not even able to oppose to that order. I was expected to submit my response in writing. Please read  "The Soul of the Judicial System" .  I talked to Jason Fisher on the phone at 4:30 pm the day before this hearing. I asked him if he could give me a copy of what he was filing because all I got from him was a simple notice. He responded that I would get a copy the following day at 8:30 am, that we could discuss it then in front of the judge.  Mr. Fisher knew this judge did not take the bench for this type of motions. How do I know this? Because the clerk told me that Mr. Fisher had called the previous day. She also told me that I should have called too to ask if I needed to respond in writing.

On August 22, 2014 -- Attorney Jason Fisher sent me a threatening letter demanding I dismiss the lawsuit against Daniela Carloni, Victor Alfieri's mother.  

"Irrespective of meritless claim(s) advanced, we are bewildered by your apparent belief that you can sue Ms. Carloni here in California, and invite to contact our office to explain under what rule or legal theory you believe you can maintain a lawsuit against a foreign citizen that resides abroad with no connection to the forum state. We would request you immediately dismiss Ms. Carloni with prejudice, and if so, we believe our client will agree to a waiver of costs. Otherwise, we will pursue recovery of costs and attorney fees against you incurred in having Ms. Carloni dismissed from this matter."

Apparently Mr. Fisher's main strategy has been to threaten to recover attorney's fees from me.  He used this strategy in court and the judge clearly told him there were no credible reasons for which he could claim those fees. 

Do I believe Daniela Carloni played a role in this???? Absolutely. She was also the one who would beg me to call Victor back in June 2011, after we had broken up. She would call me via Skype, every single day. She would say to me, "Victor needs you. He loves you. He just doesn't know how to show it. Please don't abandon him."  I would then contact Victor. He would tell me (via text) to leave him alone.  I was clearly being set up for harassment. 

On November 9, 2014 -- I filed an amended complaint in which Daniela Carloni and Black Knight Entertainment were no longer defendants. I decided to drop Daniela Carloni from the complaint because I knew how complicated it would be to keep her as a defendant not because my allegations against her were meritless.  A couple of weeks later, Mr. Fisher emailed me a letter asking me to formally dismiss the claim against Daniela Carloni.  He attached the Request for Dismissal for me to sign and mail back to him. I noticed that it stated that I would be dismissing WITH prejudice -- which means I could never sue Daniela Carloni for these allegations ever again.  Why would I do that? And what type of manipulative attorney would do something like that???  When I had not returned those requests signed as he demanded, Mr. Fisher wrote to me and again threatened to seek recovery of costs and attorney's fees from me --- as if he had the right to do so.

"Thank you for your email.  The requests for dismissal were completed for you and required nothing more than your signature.  Kindly execute and return them to my office via email as you stated you would, so I can ensure they are filed promptly.  If I do not get the dismissals back from you very soon, I may have to take further action concerning those two parties, and then would have to pursue recovery of those costs/expenses incurred from you.  I would rather avoid unnecessary steps, and chasing you for money, so please sign and return both dismissal forms to me this week."

The only reason Jason Fisher offered to file the dismissals for me was to ensure that they were dismissed with prejudice. Mr. Fisher knows that if I had an attorney, I would never be advised to dismiss with prejudice.  I believe he was basically trying to trick me into doing what he wanted. I filled out my own request forms for the dismissal without prejudice and filed them in court.  Mr. Fisher was not very happy and demanded an explanation as to why my dismissal was without prejudice.

On December 10, 2014 -- Mr. Fisher filed another Demurrer and Motion to Strike my Amended Complaint. This time they were only 50 pages total.  However, Mr. Fisher got even more vicious with the adjectives and labels he used to describe me and my complaint.

"Plaintiff improperly used a 41 page Complaint, reading much like a bad romance novel, to publicize her scornful account of and bitterness over an alleged relationship."

It is interesting that Mr. Fisher kept calling my relationship with Alfieri an "alleged" relationship when Alfieri himself stated that we were VERY CLOSE friends during his deposition. Jason Fisher dared to also call my supporting facts "tales."   

On January 22, 2015 -  We had our Demurrer Hearing. In his motion, Mr. Fisher wrote:

"The issues raised in Plaintiff's FAC. unambiguously fall squarely and exclusively within the purview and language of the Production Financing Agreement arbitration clause that requires the parties to resolve all such disputes via binding arbitration."

The Demurrer was sustained mainly based on that arbitration clause.  But why would Jason Fisher refuse to stipulate to arbitration when that was what he was fighting for?  I remember the judge asking him, "Why wouldn't you stipulate to arbitration?  Isn't that what you wanted?" Please read the post "Turning a Loss Into a Win"  for the whole story.  Bottom line -  Attorney Jason L. Fisher did all this work to this point, expecting to win, to have the case dismissed and to recover attorney's fees from me.  If that was not the case and he was being paid by Alfieri, why would he refuse to accept service of the Demand for Arbitration and claim he is not Alfieri's attorney? 

On March 17, 2015

We appeared in court to give an update on the arbitration process. Please read the post Lies, Negligence, or Memory Loss? for complete story on what happened during this hearing.   I wrote it on March 19.  A day or two after I published this post, I received a call -- (the following exchange between Jason Fisher and I is NOT verbatim.  It is paraphrased but written as a conversation to make it easier to read).

A - Hello? This is Adriana.
J - This is attorney Jason Fisher.
A - Hi Jason, how are you?
J - I am calling because I heard about a blog.
A - My blog? You read it?
J - It is my understanding that my name and my law firm have been mentioned.
A - Yes, that is right. I wrote about what happened in court and how you lied to the judge. 
......
J - I am calling to ask you to take down that blog.
A- The blog?  I am not taking down my blog. And I will not take that specific post down either. You know I am telling the truth.
.....
J - This has nothing to do with me. The problem you have is with Victor Alfieri and not with me.
A - Actually, I DO have a problem with people who lie to a judge in open court.
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A -  I will not delete that post. But what I can do is omit your name and just leave it as "Alfieri's attorney."

And that is what I did. I removed his name and kept it off my blog until recently. Why did I change my mind?  Because I FEEL that Jason L. Fisher and his law firm, Fisher Law, have "bullied" me and continue to do so. I believe that this type of conduct should not be tolerated.  Mr. Fisher has a law degree and knowledge of the court system in California. I don't have such degree. But what I do have is my voice.  

After four years dealing with this "court drama," I feel that I have gotten into this legal battle for a bigger reason -- to bring awareness of how abusive and manipulative opposing counsel can be toward a party that proceeds "pro per" in civil court. 

Bullying and unfair abusive treatment must be reported.  Nothing will change if we pretend it is not happening and ignore this issue.   Let's stop BULLYING behavior. Let's stand up and speak out. We all have the right to feel safe, respected and honored.

Disclaimer – As of October 15, 2018, all legal issues have been resolved. This resolution was reached during arbitration. There are no pending issues related to fraud or theft. The resolution was mutually agreeable. There will be no more posts written about this story.

Lies, Negligence... or Memory Loss?

Update as of 10-15-2018 -- The case has been dismissed by both parties.  As we have agreed to move forward, the dismissed case will remain confidential.

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On March 17, 2015, just a couple of days ago, I had a hearing at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles. I thought that after what happened at the last hearing in January, Jason Fisher would ask to withdraw as the attorney of record. In addition, he had refused to accept service of the demand for arbitration on behalf of Victor.  He made it clear, through an email to the ICDR (International Centre for Dispute Resolution), that he had not been retained nor would he accept service of the demand for arbitration. He, of course, waited 12 days to inform us (ICDR and me) of this - just two days before our first scheduled administrative conference call.

Attorney Jason Fisher stated that I had to serve Victor Alfieri with the Demand for Arbitration separately. I had to start from square one again --  just as if I did not have the case pending in court?  I remember that during the hearing in January, the judge said that we would stipulate to arbitration.  Mr. Fisher refused to agree to that stipulation. However, the judge made it clear that we were going to arbitration.  Attorney Jason Fisher was present at the hearing. He was and is still representing Victor Alfieri. He has the DUTY to inform his client of anything that happens during any hearing and with his case -- that includes ARBITRATION. So why do I have to start this process again with Victor separately?

Because if I did not get this arbitration process started by March 17, my case would be immediately dismissed and Mr. Fisher could again try to "collect" attorney's fees from me.  The judge clearly said that she would deny that request. But Mr. Fisher probably thought that he would be entitled to make that demand if I were to fail to start the arbitration process.

Victor was served separately. ICDR, Victor and I started to communicate via email. We set up the administrative conference call two weeks later, as requested by Alfieri.  The evening prior to our call, scheduled for last Friday, March 13, at 8 am, Victor asked for more time as he had just retained a new attorney (whose name I will keep confidential). Alfieri waited 2 weeks to notify ICDR and me of this. We had no conference call but ICDR set up deadlines for documents and comments.

Now, let's go back to the hearing I had two days ago-- Jason Fisher, Alfieri's attorney of record, was present. He, again, was rude and avoided to look at me in the eye. His rudeness was not a surprise to me. What was a surprise to me was what he did during the hearing.

What you will read next is my personal account of what took place.  It is really too bad that Los Angeles Superior Court does not have court reporters for this type of hearings. This means that there is no official court record of what is being said. So we could say that this post will serve as a "record" of what happened on Tuesday.  I swear that all the statements I am writing in this post -- and all my posts, for that matter -- are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Jason Fisher told the judge that he had no idea if the arbitration process had started or if anything had been done about it.  "Your Honor, may I say something for the record?" I asked. She responded, "there is no record." That was correct. There was no court reporter taking down what was being said. "May I state something, then, your Honor?" She politely responded, "of course."

I stated that opposing attorney had been served with the Demand for Arbitration and refused to accept service. I added that he took about 12 days to notify ICDR and me that he was not the attorney representing Alfieri in the arbitration process. His refusal to accept service and failure to give timely notification had delayed the process two weeks. 

The judge then looked at him and asked, "counsel, you are not representing the respondent in this matter?" He responded, "I have not been retained yet."  Puzzled, the judge asked, "what are you doing here, then?" He then went to explain that he was indeed the attorney of record for the case in court (LASC) but not for arbitration.

Jason Fisher then said that he had not received anything related to arbitration and had not had any communication on this issue (process). He wanted to play dumb?  So this is the first time he hears anything about my demand for arbitration?  Really? "That is a  lie! And I have proof of it, right here in my hand," I said, clearly and loud enough for everyone to hear as I raised my right hand showing copies of emails and communication exchanged among ICDR, Mr. Fisher and me.

The judge said, "this is not starting well." I explained that opposing counsel would not return my phone calls or emails. This statement is totally true. The judge asked me if I had been represented by counsel before. I told her that I had always been pro se and that Mr. Fisher continued to refuse to communicate with me.  The judge said that this had to change, that there should be communication between us.... and if I had been the judge, I would have added, "and the parties shall treat each other with courtesy and respect."

Right before our short hearing ended, I asked the judge, "Your Honor, may I provide counsel copies of all communication we've had related to arbitration, including his own communications?" She smiled and said, "sure, go ahead."  I heard a couple of people laugh in the back of the courtroom. I handed him the demand for arbitration (this would be the 4th time he would get it) and a set of copies of different emails we exchanged among us and ICDR.   He accepted the papers I offered but did not dare to look at me directly.

Why did attorney Jason Fisher blatantly lie to the judge?  Did he think I would not notice that his statements did not match the facts? Did he think he could get away with lying because there was no record taken during the hearing?

Or there could be a different scenario. Scenario 2 -- negligence on Mr. Fisher's part. But this would not speak well of him or any attorney and his work ethics.  Even if the reason for giving false statements to the judge in this case were negligence, it would be undeniable that lies were used to cover his careless and irresponsible actions. So that takes us back to Scenario 1, "Jason Fisher  purposely lied to the judge during the hearing."

Well, what if he did not purposely lie?  This puts us in Scenario 3 -- Maybe he gave false statements unintentionally and without true awareness. He could have forgotten he received the demand for arbitration three times -- first, from me, then, from a process server and from ICDR. Maybe he also forgot he wrote to ICDR and to me (12 days after service) claiming he had not been retained by Alfieri and could not accept service.  Maybe Alfieri's chronic amnesia is contagious. I can only speculate to the extent of his memory loss. What I can say is that if this attorney is truly suffering from amnesia (just as Alfieri), I surely hope that the copies of those emails and letters I provided to him in court yesterday will help refresh his recollection.

Which scenario do you think explains what happened in court on Tuesday? Intentional Lies, Negligence.... or Amnesia?  Do you believe there could be a good reason for an attorney to intentionally lie in court? Are there good reasons to lie in any other situations? Feel free to share your thoughts.

ARE ALL LIES THE SAME?

There is no such thing as a little lie or a big lie. A lie is a lie.  Even "white lies" are lies. Lies can turn us into slaves -- prisoners of our own distorted reality. The good news is that every time we lie, we are  aware we are doing so -- we feel we are going against ourselves. Because we all seek the truth and strive to live by it, why not make it a practice to tell the truth at all times?  All we have to do is first go deep into our heart, as that is where the TRUTH resides. Then whatever we have to express will certainly be the truth -- a truth that will not create conflicts or hurt others.... because it is coming from a place of love. And love is the ultimate TRUTH.

Disclaimer – As of October 15, 2018, all legal issues have been resolved. This resolution was reached during arbitration. There are no pending issues related to fraud or theft. The resolution was mutually agreeable. There will be no more posts written about this story.

IMDb

Update as of 10-15-2018 -- The case has been dismissed by both parties.  As we have agreed to move forward, the dismissed case will remain confidential.

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IMDb - "the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content."

I remember what a big deal Victor would make about being listed and having credits on IMDb. He would quickly check anybody's name there. He would say that if it was not listed on IMDb, then it was not legitimate film or tv work. When I would come to his apartment to visit him, I would often see him checking his profile on IMDb. I also remember that he would regularly post his personal IMDb link on his facebook wall to have people click on it and increase his popularity rank.

The movie "Looking for Clarissa" is finally listed on IMDb. Here's the link imdb - looking for clarissa. And here's my own IMDb page IMDb - Adriana Trevino.  It is strange that I was not notified of this. Alfieri's personal assistant must be too busy to keep me informed of such developments.

At least I now know that Alfieri has the intention to distribute the movie. He is probably very proud of himself and believes he is finally a filmmaker. I have my own opinion. I will reserve it for now... What I can say is that my opinion of Alfieri as a filmmaker is directly related to his behavior and actions. An egocentric person who believes he does not need anybody's input, will act in a similar way when working as a filmmaker. A person who deceives, lies, manipulates on a personal level will do the same in any business endeavor of which he becomes part.

Making a film requires the work, input and collaboration of many. It is truly a group effort. Everyone's role is essential, as every organ and cell in our body is necessary to keep us healthy, complete... and alive.

I have learned that we are not meant to travel in this life on our own. We are meant to share our journey with others. Our actions, even if apparently insignificant, affect the whole universe, as we are all connected.  It is a fact that if we want to create something, we need to reach out. An experience, a goal, a dream can only become real if it is shared with others.

Disclaimer – As of October 15, 2018, all legal issues have been resolved. This resolution was reached during arbitration. There are no pending issues related to fraud or theft. The resolution was mutually agreeable. There will be no more posts written about this story.

Financing a Dream

Update as of 10-15-2018 -- The case has been dismissed by both parties.  As we have agreed to move forward, the dismissed case will remain confidential.

Independent Filmmaking

I still remember the day I read the financing agreement. The contract was clearly one sided and favored Victor in every single way. He would get my money to pay for the production of the movie. He would also be paid about 25% of the total budget for his "services." I would be risking my life savings and would not get anything in return if the film failed or did not reach completion. I am not stupid and knew that the contract was not fair at all. Why wouldn't I take over the rights to the film if Victor breached the contract? I am the one financing it, right?  I remember jokingly telling him. "Wow, this is such a one-sided contract. You are not going to stab me in the back, are you?"  He quickly responded without looking at me, "of course not. I would never do that to you. I love you, baby."

After he responded to me, something felt really wrong. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I ignored it while I talked myself into this "generous act" I was doing for the man I loved....  and failed to hear my own inner truth.

Alfieri took advantage of my lack of experience in filmmaking. He led me to believe that I would virtually have no rights even though I was the sole financier of the film. The person with the money should have control and ownership, right? But that is not what Alfieri believes. He claimed to be entitled to my money, to all production decisions and to the rights over the film.

Almost three years after I signed that financing agreement with Alfieri and Bondolini Productions, I have acquired much more experience in independent filmmaking. I have learned that the toughest obstacle to overcome is the financing of the film. I have worked with production teams in raising funds and attracting investors.

These great teams with which I have worked, have been really appreciative and grateful for my contribution to the film. These films have great scripts and wonderful actors already attached to the projects. But why aren't some of these films in production already? Because the complete budget has not been raised.

This was not the case for Victor Alfieri. I gave him the greatest gift any independent filmmaker could ever wish for - I financed his dream!

How Did Alfieri Pay Me Back?

He took my money and did not thank me once. In fact, he acted as if he were doing me a favor by "allowing" me to invest in his great masterpiece. He eventually took what was left of my money and used it to hire and attorney to sue me.

The "traumatic" experience financing and producing "Looking for Clarissa" (formerly "Looking for Clara") turned my whole existence upside down. There were so many false statements about me made by Alfieri all over the internet. The assumptions people were making about me were harming my personal and professional life while tarnishing my reputation. I felt I had no other choice but to give my side of the story.  I became brave to speak my truth.

Just right before the Trevino-Alfieri story started, I used to be so afraid to speak up if it involved "telling on" somebody or  simply disagreeing with someone else's opinion. I wanted to be liked and accepted by everyone.

I have finally learned that my former people-pleasing attitude does not serve me any longer. It does not serve me, or anybody else, for that matter.  Who wants to hear lies or "sugar coated" truths? Some might say that they prefer to hear "white" lies instead of something hurtful. Is this actually true? If we search deep inside of us, we will find the answer... We are always looking for the truth. Being ready and able to face other people's and our own truth... That is a different story.

So do we bluntly state our likes and dislikes? There are always multiple ways to say the same thing without lying. There is nothing wrong with being polite and considerate towards others when communicating. In fact, that is the way I choose to live my life. But, there is a line that, when crossed, blurs our sense of self-respect and integrity.

How do we know we are crossing that line?  We ALWAYS know. It is that feeling in your gut - a sudden blow to the stomach, alerting you that you are stepping into a situation that goes against yourself, a situation that will throw you off balance. This experience certainly knocked me to the ground. Two years have passed... I have gotten up. I am standing strong in my truth, facing the present with honesty and looking forward to the future.

Disclaimer – As of October 15, 2018, all legal issues have been resolved. This resolution was reached during arbitration. There are no pending issues related to fraud or theft. The resolution was mutually agreeable. There will be no more posts written about this story.

Return On Investment

Graphic by Resource Management Systems Inc.

Update as of 10-15-2018 -- The case has been dismissed by both parties.  As we have agreed to move forward, the dismissed case will remain confidential.

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Definition of 'Return On Investment - ROI'

A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or to compare the efficiency of a number of different investments. To calculate ROI, the benefit (return) of an investment is divided by the cost of the investment; the result is expressed as a percentage or a ratio.

The return on investment formula:




In the above formula "gains from investment", refers to the proceeds obtained from selling the investment of interest. Return on investment is a very popular metric because of its versatility and simplicity. That is, if an investment does not have a positive ROI, or if there are other opportunities with a higher ROI, then the investment should be not be undertaken.


Keep in mind that the calculation for return on investment and, therefore the definition, can be modified to suit the situation -it all depends on what you include as returns and costs. The definition of the term in the broadest sense just attempts to measure the profitability of an investment and, as such, there is no one "right" calculation.

--- From Investopedia.com

It is clear that if we were to calculate the ROI of the Trevino-Alfieri Story, the return on my investment would be negative. And I say the Trevino-Alfieri Story because there was more than one investment in this "story." I invested in the project, the litigation, the personal relationship with him and  relationships with other people.

Film Project Investment

There is an actual movie that is "finished and ready for distribution" according to Alfieri. As I mentioned in my previous post "Final Cut," I am reserving my personal comments about what was given to me as the Final Cut. I will disclose my opinion when the time is right.

Although there is a movie that has apparently been completed, the money I invested in this film project has not been recovered yet. In fact, there is no guarantee that I will ever see any of that money. 

It is hard not to feel upset when I think of all the other things I could have done with my money. It is really difficult not to judge myself for making such a bad investment decision... for trusting someone I should have avoided from the beginning. 

Litigation

In any civil litigation the only parties that truly receive any financial gains are the attorneys. There are instances, of course, when the plaintiff gets a good settlement. This is clearly not the case in the Trevino-Alfieri Story. The attorneys involved are the only ones who received a financial benefit from this lawsuit.

Although I did not receive any financial benefit, I do feel that I got a lot of value when I hired my two wonderful attorneys, David Hakimfar and Hass Sadeghi. They listened to my story and were willing to fight for me. They believed in me and knew how to represent my interests. Their commitment to me and my case went beyond any fee agreement I reached with them. 

I did not receive any monetary "settlement" mainly due to the fact that I dismissed my lawsuit against Bondolini Productions and Victor Alfieri. However, I did get something of unquantifiable value - Alfieri's testimony under oath on video. He gave the most outrageous justifications to "evidence" of very personal communication between us. Go to The Facebook Hacker and Premeditation if you have not read those posts yet. 

Here are the videos "The Facebook Hacker" and "Premeditation." They show Victor's great imagination and "fast" thinking.

Alfieri is certainly very creative and witty. He, himself found his own answers humorous. He believes that sexual harassment is funny and nobody should feel offended by it. After all he is Italian. "That is the way they joke," and he likes to "joke like that," Read Sexual Harassment. It is quite entertaining. 

And here's the video.

Although his creative tales were very imaginative and amusing, they were lies. He lied under oath... again and again. He committed perjury. And  perjury, as we all know, is a CRIME.  Go to "Perjury" to read about the false statements given under oath by Alfieri. The post also contains a video.

Alfieri said many things during his deposition. Because he lied so much, he constantly contradicted himself. Even though his multiple versions of "what happened" did not make much sense, he seemed really proud of his statements and imaginative tales. Watch the following video. It is MEMORABLE.

Relationships

I believe that the #1 Post "To Cast and Crew"summarizes the relationship I had with everyone involved. 

Personal Relationship with Victor Alfieri

I can say that my personal relationship with Victor has definitely been a very poor investment, costing me my life savings and three valuable years... that is, if I only consider time and money. 

On the other hand, if I consider the experience, awareness, strength and courage I have gained, then it has certainly been one of the BEST investments of my life.

Disclaimer – As of October 15, 2018, all legal issues have been resolved. This resolution was reached during arbitration. There are no pending issues related to fraud or theft. The resolution was mutually agreeable. There will be no more posts written about this story.

Final Cut

Update as of 10-15-2018 -- The case has been dismissed by both parties.  As we have agreed to move forward, the dismissed case will remain confidential.

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About three weeks ago I received a DVD with the final cut of the movie I financed. I watched it right away with a good friend of mine who happened to be visiting me.  I was so happy to finally have the chance to enjoy the long awaited completed product.  Later that day, I brought the movie over to another friend's home. I watched it again with 3 more people.

Just a couple of days later I traveled to Mexico and brought the movie with me. The reason I brought it with me was that I needed re-watch it and write down comments and suggestions for the "talented" director, Alfieri.

My sister Karla expressed her excitement to see it. She could not believe that the movie - the subject of so much scandal and drama - was in fact completed. We both sat down and watched it.

I am reserving my comments and opinion for now. I will not share what others thought of the movie either.  I do promise that I will be updating this specific post when the time is right. I will share my opinion and feelings about the "final cut" I received.

What I can share right now is this:

• This movie is 100% Alfieri. It is clear that Alfieri did not listen or consider anybody else's input when having the movie edited and completed.  
• This movie shows Alfieri's talent at its best - as a writer, director and producer.
• This movie is proof of how much Alfieri has to offer to the filmmaking industry.

Due to the great shock of my watching this masterpiece three times, I got physically ill and was in bed for several days. I was not able to write detailed comments and suggestions until just a couple of days ago. As soon as I emailed my comments to Alfieri's personal assistant, I received a response informing me that they had gone ahead with the final sound mixing and completion of the movie without considering any of my comments. They claimed that I was 4 days too late. I was supposed to submit my feedback within 2 weeks after receiving the final cut.

Why wouldn't they wait for my feedback? I am the financier of this independent film! Now they claim they want to "follow the guidelines" of the agreement I signed with Alfieri and Bondolini Productions. How convenient, right?  Bottom line is, Alfieri wouldn't have considered any of my feedback anyway. So, this independent film is 100% Alfieri made. It is the product of Alfieri's limitless creativity and directorial talent.

Update as of 10-15-2018 -- The case has been dismissed by both parties.  As we have agreed to move forward, the dismissed case will remain confidential.

Deceit

** The name of the writer has been disclosed again.  Please see 8-22-13 update.

Update August 28, 2020 -- Please read Victim

About four months ago I was planning on hiring Andrea Dolbec to write a script based on the Trevino-Alfieri Story. Although she had no experience writing scripts, I believed she was creative and could come up with an interesting script. She shared with me an "e-book" she wrote. I was not impressed at all, especially with the horrible grammar and style. After I read the very short book, I told her that I was shocked to see so many typos and grammatical mistakes. She assured me that she had not given me the edited version. Why would she give me the rough draft?

I decided to go with another writer with experience and far more talented. I told her that I had chosen a different person. She told me that she still wanted to meet with me and tell me her idea. I reluctantly accepted to meet with her at Cafe Primo on Sunset Blvd.

I listened to her idea for the plot and style of the movie. I actually liked it and thought that maybe I could get two scripts written simultaneously. They were very different. Andrea also told me that she was in a tight financial situation and really needed the money. We agreed to $2,000 plus a percentage of the sale of the script (if it was ever sold or made any money). We would have a written agreement. I would make an initial payment of $750 to get her started. She would also have money to pay her rent. We also agreed that in one month she would have 30 to 40 pages for me to review. At that point, upon delivery of the pages and if I liked what I received, she would get another $750; and the last payment of $500 would be paid when the script was finalized.

Three weeks after I made the initial payment, I asked to see what she had done. We were to meet in person and also sign an agreement. I was aware that I was the person who had more to lose because I had paid her in good faith and she had not delivered any work.

When we met, she did not show me ANY work or notes. She had also changed the plot and style of the movie to something simplistic and totally unacceptable to me. She pushed me to have the next $750 ready for her the following week as she had to pay her rent. I told her that she would not get more money unless I saw the 30-40 pages and they were acceptable to me. I also asked her to write what she was paid to do and not to change the story.

Because she refused to do any work, I asked her for my $750 back. In fact, I told her that she could keep $150 for her time but that I wanted to get at least $600 back, that I would give her time to pay me back. She refused and stated (through long harassing emails) that she was keeping all that money. Why would she keep it??? She did not deliver what she promised - not even one page!

I decided to take her to Conciliation/Small Claims Court. We have a court hearing on the 22nd of this month. Now that she knows that she will not be able to prove that she earned the money she took from me, she is trying to intimidate me. This is the email I received from her tonight.

Dear Adriana Trevino,

I am awaiting the payment of $1250 that is owed to me at this time, per our oral and written agreements. 

You have until August 6 to submit payment via paypal or else you will be served with court papers.

Sincerely, 

Andrea Dolbec

Andrea Dolbec has done exactly what Victor Alfieri did to me. She has taken my money without earning it and now plans to sue me?????  She wants to get an additional $1,250???? For what????   I would like to warn people about doing business with her. Although for many it would seem that her actions reflect her dishonest, deceitful and manipulative ways... what I believe is that deep inside she knows that what she did is not ethical or professional; however, she does not see a way to make it right. I actually believe that she is genuinely scared and does not see the situation clearly. I certainly hope she finds some peace in her heart.

What I have learned with the experience with Alfieri and now with Dolbec is that some people who either intentionally con others or who "accidentally" or unintentionally do someone wrong refuse to be held accountable for their actions and will fight to defend their position, will lie to others, will especially lie to themselves... until they believe in their minds that they are right and entitled to what they are unjustly taking from others.

Update as of 8/17/13 - 

Andrea Dolbec did file a cross-complaint for $1,250, apparently due to my publishing of this specific post.  She was hired to write a script. She was given a portion of the total payment. She did not write one single page... not even an outline. She refused to do any work or to return the money. This coming Thursday, she will stand in court and demand another $1,250!!!  This case should go in front of Judge Judy!  

Update as of 8/22/13 - 

We had a court hearing today. Andrea Dolbec lied under oath. She claimed that she had handed a treatment to me in person upon the first payment back in April. She had the audacity to submit the "treatment" to the court as evidence. I asked to see it, as it had never been given to me in person, via email or regular mail. How can someone lie like this without any shame or remorse?

It was clear that the attorney acting as "judge" in court did not want to deal with the case. I sued her for $750 and she sued me for $1,250. I claimed I paid her $750 and got no work from her. She claimed she was given the first payment upon delivery of the "so-called" treatment. Because she showed those 2 pages, the "judge" believed her. I did state that she was lying. He said, "it is her word against your word." I did not get my $750 back. She lost her lawsuit as well. She was denied the $1,250 she was demanding from me.

I do admit that it makes sense that the only way Dolbec would be given any money would be either upon signing an agreement or delivering some work. We had no written agreement. I gave her the money because she had to pay her rent.  That was my mistake. I am aware of it. At least I did not lie under oath. I told the truth.

It is too bad that we did not have a proper trial. We only had about 10 minutes to be heard. The questions that remain are:

If Dolbec claims that she gave me the treatment in person, why wouldn't she email it to me when I claimed she had not done any work???? If you were accused of taking money for work you did not do, wouldn't you make sure you forwarded that "work" or proof of that work? 

The reason why she did not email it to me or confirmed that she had given it to me in person is because she NEVER gave it to me. Why? Because she had done NO work up the point of my lawsuit. She had ideas... but that was all. I believe that she recently wrote the "treatment" ... either last week, or this week.

I was given a copy of this treatment. The judge/attorney said, "Give the copy to her. She paid for it. It's hers." I will include some excerpts of this treatment in my next update. It is so amateurish... and humorous. 

Bottom line - Andrea Dolbec committed perjury. She lied under oath. It is a complete lie that she ever gave me a written treatment. If she had done so, I would have not sued her. 

It is my opinion that what Andrea Dolbec has done is unethical and dishonest. I hope she understands that lying under oath is, in fact, a crime. 

I am actually happy and relieved that this chapter is closed. I do not have to waste any more of my valuable time. I can continue with my book and actual script.

In spite of all the events that have happened, I hold no resentment toward her. I wish her success and personal growth through increased accountability and awareness.