10.06.05 -
Lohan's Uncle Nabbed
Again
An uncle of actress Lindsay Lohan is in trouble with the law again, this time
for attempting to cover up a previous charge of fraud by getting a witness in
that case to lie, officials said yesterday.
Paul Sullivan, 47, of 3 Pickwick Dr., Old Bethpage, was arrested by inspectors
from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service yesterday morning on obstruction of
justice charges, growing out of an arrest in June.
In the first case, Sullivan was charged with falsely obtaining a $646,000 loan
from the federal government by claiming his Hauppauge business, Ropa Group
Corp., needed the money to recover from a loss of business caused by the 9/11
terrorist attacks.
Sullivan sent $86,000 of the loan to a South American company that then kicked
back $74,000 to him, prosecutors said. Officials of the company could not be
reached. On a government wiretap, Sullivan told a company official to say the
money was used to purchase a large truck, according to court documents.
"I mean, yeah, I know, look, we're twisting the story a little but we can
only twist it, right? What can we do?" Sullivan is quoted as saying.
Sullivan's attorney, Joseph Conway, of Mineola, said his client would fight the
charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney James McGovern declined to comment.
Lindsay Lohan's father, Michael, was sentenced last year to 1 1/ 3 to 4 years
in prison for unrelated charges, including harassing Sullivan.
Lindsay Lohan's publicist, Leslie Sloane, declined to comment.
Sullivan was arraigned on his latest charge yesterday before Magistrate E.
Thomas Boyle at the U.S. District Court in Central Islip, then released on
$500,000 bail he secured from property. Sullivan did not have to plead to the
new charge. Previously, he had been released on $250,000 unsecured bail.
- Robert E. Kessler: Newsday Staff
Writer
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