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In the criminal
justice system,
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00:00:02,785 --> 00:00:05,309
detectives and prosecutors
face daunting challenges
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00:00:05,309 --> 00:00:07,790
when money
is the motive for murder.
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00:00:07,790 --> 00:00:09,966
[dramatic sting]
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00:00:09,966 --> 00:00:13,622
A suspicious disappearance
captures media attention.
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There are still
two missing people,
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and we have not heard
anything from them.
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Detectives uncover ties
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00:00:20,368 --> 00:00:23,197
to a multimillion-dollar
criminal network.
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It seemed like
he took glee in taking
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the life of these people.
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Prosecutors are thwarted
by an arrogant,
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well-resourced adversary.
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He was flamboyant.
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He spent money like it was
going out of style.
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But they craft
their own sting
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to take down the kingpin.
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I'm hearing it, and I can't
believe what I'm hearing.
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These men and women dedicate
their lives to law and order.
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I worked homicide
for 17 years.
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But this case--
once in a lifetime.
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These are
their true stories.
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[dramatic sting]
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[subway rattling]
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[train whistles]
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[dramatic music]
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We were out
in Woodside, Queens,
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for the purposes of doing
a pretty low-level
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confidential informant
street buy
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from a known drug dealer.
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The guy who was doing
the video in the van
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called on the radio and said,
"Hey, grab the informant.
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Something's going on
on this block."
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In a bizarre coincidence,
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agents then intercepted
a kidnapping.
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Later, while interviewing
the victim,
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they learned he was entangled
in a vast web
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of violent financial schemes.
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The victim in the case
was very afraid.
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It wasn't long before
we realized that, you know,
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we had kind of stumbled
our way
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to a much bigger
and complex case.
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In order to gain protection,
the victim confessed
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involvement in a fatal conspiracy
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in Southern California.
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He said,
"You guys need to find
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"this guy, Peter Kovach.
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I think he might be dead."
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OK. Wait a minute.
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Let's go back a little bit.
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[dramatic sting]
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[phone ringing]
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Peter Kovach
and his coworker Ted Gould
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had first been reported
as missing
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when police got a 911 call
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from their place
of employment,
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Galleria Telecom
in Torrance, California.
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The business was
left unlocked,
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just simply open
and unattended.
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I arrived,
contacted the two individuals
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who were at the location.
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Paul Poduska seemed
very concerned.
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He was there to visit
his friend, Ted Gould.
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I was supposed to meet
my best friend Ted at 8:00.
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He told me that he had
got a new job
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working at
the Galleria Telecom
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beeper and cell phone
sales company.
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Got off work and drove
directly to the store.
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The lights were on
in the shop.
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I looked around.
There was nobody there.
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The next person that showed up
told me that he was
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one of the owners
of the company.
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I happened to drive by
at about 11:00 p.m. at night,
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and I saw all the doors
and the lights were on.
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And when I drove in,
I noticed Ted's friend
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was still waiting for him.
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It was then
when I called the police,
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because it was pretty unusual,
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since both their cars
were here.
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He indicated that
two employees were missing.
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They were Peter Kovach
and Ted Gould.
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The business,
it was undisturbed,
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and none of the phones
were missing.
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No indications of any
violent crime, robbery.
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RJ Panah indicated
that when he went inside,
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he noticed
that the camera was turned
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and projected upward
to the ceiling,
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which was unusual.
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Security camera
for the business
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was nonfunctioning,
according to RJ Panah.
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And so you start
analyzing all that,
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and you become very suspicious.
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♪
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RJ Panah was interviewed
while at the scene.
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Ted, I just hired
about four weeks ago.
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Known Peter for about a year.
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You know, I love him
like a brother.
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Peter Kovach was
like a half-owner
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of the business.
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Ted Gould was just an employee
for the location.
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Peter was from the East Coast
and had quite a bit of cash.
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RJ Panah and Peter
hit it off as friends.
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As time went on,
Peter provided cash
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and became part owner.
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He was a guy in his 20s,
very friendly, very charming.
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But other than that,
this guy doesn't have
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much background information.
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Investigators learned
that Peter had come
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from a modest upbringing
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by loving parents
in New Jersey,
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gone to college in Miami,
and had almost
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no record of prior employment.
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Peter was making
a lot of money.
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I mean, he's pulling
a lot of cash,
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and it didn't come
from the business.
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I was suspicious of what
Peter might have been up to.
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Paul Poduska had been
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the first person
onto the scene
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and was still there
when police arrived.
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He was able to give them
background on his friend Ted,
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the other missing man.
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Ted was funny.
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He just had a great sense
of humor, genuinely.
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Just the--the smile
in all of these pictures.
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He was one of my best friends
from college.
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We met at Cal State Northridge
University marching band.
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Ted grew up
in Southern California.
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After college, he was living
in Redondo Beach, California.
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He was 29 years old.
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Ted was excited
about his new job.
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He wanted to move forward
with newer technology.
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It was definitely
out of character for him
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to not be there.
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I felt that something
was extremely wrong.
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As the hunt for Ted Gould
and Peter Kovach
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went into high gear,
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news broke
across Southern California.
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This case was fascinating,
all the twists and turns.
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It's as if the two men
had literally vanished
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into the night.
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The following morning,
I was contacted
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by Detective James Cook.
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I've known him
for quite a while.
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Me and Jeff worked together
in the patrol division.
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We actually lived together
for a while
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when we were
younger police officers.
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Detective Cook related
that individuals were arrested
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near the Galleria Telecom
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a couple weeks before
these people were missing.
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It could have been coincidence,
but I don't think so.
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[dramatic sting]
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On October 10, 1994,
at approximately 9:00
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in the evening
in the city of Torrance,
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some patrol officers observed
a gray and blue Buick
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00:07:01,725 --> 00:07:03,858
exiting between
some businesses--
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I think it was
Galleria cell phone business.
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When the occupants observed
the police car,
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they immediately fled the area.
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Alerted
by the suspicious Buick
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attempting to flee
the quiet commercial district,
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officers pulled
the vehicle over.
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When the cops stop
this suspicious vehicle,
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they find three men inside.
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The driver, Ruben Hernandez,
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could not produce
a driver's license.
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The front passenger,
Kenneth Friedman,
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had surgical gloves in both
his front pants pockets.
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The rear passenger,
Juan Galindo,
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his address was from New York.
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When police are questioning
these three men,
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what they discover is duct tape
and two loaded handguns.
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They were placed
under arrest
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for probable cause robbery
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and the gun violations
that were in the vehicle.
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We had the area canvassed
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to see if any crimes were
committed that night.
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Nothing.
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00:08:00,654 --> 00:08:02,525
I thought that they had
prevented a robbery
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00:08:02,525 --> 00:08:03,787
from occurring that night.
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So I left that afternoon
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00:08:07,922 --> 00:08:10,141
thinking that these guys
are from New York,
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they have no money,
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they're still gonna be
in custody.
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To my surprise, when I came in
the next morning,
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I found out
that they had bonded out.
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00:08:20,412 --> 00:08:23,590
And I was curious
why somebody would post bail
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for these three people
from New York.
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The three men
were able to walk
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because they had a fast-talking
attorney from New York.
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We had some taped
phone calls from the jail.
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The night
that they got arrested,
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Kenneth Friedman was talking
to his attorney,
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00:08:39,649 --> 00:08:41,738
Gary Friedman, about bail.
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Very incriminating
type of conversations.
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00:09:01,149 --> 00:09:02,585
But there was nothing
I could do
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00:09:02,585 --> 00:09:05,588
because there was no robbery
committed that night.
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00:09:05,588 --> 00:09:08,591
When I learned what happened
at the cell phone business,
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00:09:08,591 --> 00:09:11,333
we immediately put
two and two together and said,
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00:09:11,333 --> 00:09:12,943
"I think our suspects are
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00:09:12,943 --> 00:09:16,556
Kenneth Friedman
and Gary Friedman."
201
00:09:18,949 --> 00:09:20,864
I ran a record check
with New York
202
00:09:20,864 --> 00:09:23,432
and found out that
Kenneth Friedman had done time
203
00:09:23,432 --> 00:09:26,435
for a robbery conviction
in 1985.
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00:09:26,435 --> 00:09:29,046
Then we found out
that Gary Friedman,
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00:09:29,046 --> 00:09:31,832
the attorney representing
Kenneth Friedman,
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00:09:31,832 --> 00:09:33,703
was Kenneth Friedman's brother.
207
00:09:42,756 --> 00:09:43,887
Two brothers, you know.
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00:09:43,887 --> 00:09:46,020
One was a defense attorney,
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00:09:46,020 --> 00:09:49,589
and the other one
was a criminal.
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00:09:49,589 --> 00:09:52,374
Gary Friedman was
a criminal defense attorney
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00:09:52,374 --> 00:09:54,855
who lived a lavish lifestyle--
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00:09:54,855 --> 00:09:57,205
big homes, boats.
213
00:09:57,205 --> 00:10:00,469
But his work as an attorney
was dwindling.
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00:10:00,469 --> 00:10:04,038
So he needed to find
another source of income.
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00:10:04,038 --> 00:10:06,562
Based on information
developed from phone calls
216
00:10:06,562 --> 00:10:08,172
and background investigations,
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00:10:08,172 --> 00:10:10,697
I was able to determine
that the IRS was
218
00:10:10,697 --> 00:10:12,263
in the middle
of an investigation
219
00:10:12,263 --> 00:10:15,005
that was going to file charges
against Gary Friedman
220
00:10:15,005 --> 00:10:17,791
for money laundering
with some other activities.
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00:10:21,142 --> 00:10:23,666
The detectives began
to formulate a theory
222
00:10:23,666 --> 00:10:25,407
on the Friedmans
and their crew.
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00:10:25,407 --> 00:10:29,106
This was the street they came
out onto from the business.
224
00:10:29,106 --> 00:10:33,676
We're west
of the Galleria Telecom.
225
00:10:33,676 --> 00:10:35,939
During the traffic stop
on that vehicle,
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00:10:35,939 --> 00:10:38,942
the items found appeared to be,
or could have been,
227
00:10:38,942 --> 00:10:42,424
a toolkit for a kidnapping.
228
00:10:42,424 --> 00:10:44,644
You can't be that dumb
to come back,
229
00:10:44,644 --> 00:10:46,297
commit the kidnapping
of the two
230
00:10:46,297 --> 00:10:48,212
from the same business
that you were arrested for
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00:10:48,212 --> 00:10:49,518
two weeks prior.
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00:10:49,518 --> 00:10:50,911
You guys are really stupid.
233
00:10:50,911 --> 00:10:53,696
[chuckles]
And arrogant too.
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00:10:53,696 --> 00:10:56,830
Investigators wondered if
the desperate need for money
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00:10:56,830 --> 00:10:58,832
led the Friedmans
to kidnapping,
236
00:10:58,832 --> 00:11:00,921
extortion, or worse.
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00:11:00,921 --> 00:11:02,879
We both decided
that these were
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00:11:02,879 --> 00:11:05,665
our possible suspects
in this disappearance.
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00:11:07,275 --> 00:11:08,885
We didn't know
how they related
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00:11:08,885 --> 00:11:11,322
to Peter Kovach and Ted Gould.
241
00:11:12,628 --> 00:11:16,719
I was able to review
Ted and Peter Kovach,
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00:11:16,719 --> 00:11:18,112
if they were connected
in any way,
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00:11:18,112 --> 00:11:20,418
and found no connection
other than just
244
00:11:20,418 --> 00:11:23,421
the simple employment
at the Galleria Telecom.
245
00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,209
There are still
two missing people,
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00:11:28,209 --> 00:11:30,864
and we have not heard
anything from them
247
00:11:30,864 --> 00:11:34,258
or from anyone that knows them.
248
00:11:34,258 --> 00:11:35,782
[dramatic sting]
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00:11:35,782 --> 00:11:38,654
♪
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00:11:38,654 --> 00:11:41,048
I get the phone call--
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00:11:41,048 --> 00:11:43,006
two bodies have been found.
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00:11:44,442 --> 00:11:46,575
We immediately drove
down to San Diego,
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00:11:46,575 --> 00:11:49,099
to the location where
the bodies have been recovered.
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00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,364
I mean, it was not
a pretty sight.
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00:11:54,844 --> 00:11:56,759
There's this guy
a lot of people were
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00:11:56,759 --> 00:11:59,327
attracted to,
including Peter Kovach.
257
00:11:59,327 --> 00:12:03,070
He wanted to be Tony Montana,
the drug lord.
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00:12:03,070 --> 00:12:05,333
And when you're making
millions of dollars,
259
00:12:05,333 --> 00:12:07,378
you need to find a way
to hide it.
260
00:12:11,469 --> 00:12:14,168
Torrance investigators
rush to San Diego
261
00:12:14,168 --> 00:12:16,779
after receiving notice
that two bodies were
262
00:12:16,779 --> 00:12:18,476
discovered in an alleyway.
263
00:12:18,476 --> 00:12:21,610
[dramatic music]
264
00:12:21,610 --> 00:12:23,438
♪
265
00:12:23,438 --> 00:12:25,440
The identification
had been made,
266
00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,051
and they were Peter Kovach
and Ted Gould.
267
00:12:28,573 --> 00:12:30,271
The bodies were dumped
and left there
268
00:12:30,271 --> 00:12:33,927
for a couple days
before they were found.
269
00:12:33,927 --> 00:12:37,844
They were
badly decomposed, bloated.
270
00:12:37,844 --> 00:12:39,933
Cause of death
for Peter Kovach
271
00:12:39,933 --> 00:12:42,283
and Ted Gould
was strangulation.
272
00:12:43,980 --> 00:12:46,069
Just an unfortunate situation.
273
00:12:46,069 --> 00:12:49,725
[somber music]
274
00:12:49,725 --> 00:12:53,120
Detective Lancaster
called me and let me know.
275
00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,645
I remember feeling
shocked and horrified
276
00:12:56,645 --> 00:12:59,039
and sorrow.
277
00:13:01,955 --> 00:13:05,132
It was definitely
a tragic situation,
278
00:13:05,132 --> 00:13:08,352
and I don't--
I don't like to revisit.
279
00:13:12,139 --> 00:13:13,923
I need to take a break.
280
00:13:16,926 --> 00:13:20,625
Peter Kovach's mother
and sister
281
00:13:20,625 --> 00:13:22,671
came by the station,
282
00:13:22,671 --> 00:13:23,933
and they were very upset.
283
00:13:23,933 --> 00:13:26,022
It was a really tough time.
284
00:13:28,111 --> 00:13:30,331
There was a warrant out
for Kenneth Friedman,
285
00:13:30,331 --> 00:13:33,987
Juan Galindo,
and Ruben Hernandez.
286
00:13:33,987 --> 00:13:36,032
We had no information
as to where they were.
287
00:13:38,078 --> 00:13:40,384
Investigators
continued pursuit.
288
00:13:40,384 --> 00:13:43,518
But the lead suspect,
Kenny, was off the grid,
289
00:13:43,518 --> 00:13:47,391
and his brother and attorney
Gary was uncooperative.
290
00:13:47,391 --> 00:13:50,003
Although Peter could have been
a financial target,
291
00:13:50,003 --> 00:13:52,396
there was no clear connection.
292
00:13:52,396 --> 00:13:54,094
Months passed.
293
00:13:54,094 --> 00:13:57,010
But then an ATF operation on
the other side of the country
294
00:13:57,010 --> 00:14:00,013
and a second kidnapping
expanded the case
295
00:14:00,013 --> 00:14:03,190
to an interstate conspiracy.
296
00:14:03,190 --> 00:14:05,888
It was probably about 10:00
in the morning.
297
00:14:05,888 --> 00:14:09,674
I get a phone call,
long distance, from the ATF
298
00:14:09,674 --> 00:14:11,981
that he was investigating
a kidnapping
299
00:14:11,981 --> 00:14:13,896
and had some information
that might relate
300
00:14:13,896 --> 00:14:15,158
to a Torrance homicide.
301
00:14:17,682 --> 00:14:19,597
It was a large break.
302
00:14:19,597 --> 00:14:23,645
Within a day or two, we were
in New York, meeting with ATF.
303
00:14:23,645 --> 00:14:26,604
[dramatic sting]
304
00:14:26,604 --> 00:14:29,607
[dramatic music]
305
00:14:29,607 --> 00:14:31,566
♪
306
00:14:31,566 --> 00:14:33,481
I was a special agent
with the Bureau of Alcohol,
307
00:14:33,481 --> 00:14:36,571
Tobacco, and Firearms,
primarily responsible
308
00:14:36,571 --> 00:14:40,053
for organized crime cases,
narcotics trafficking,
309
00:14:40,053 --> 00:14:42,577
enforcing federal
firearms laws.
310
00:14:42,577 --> 00:14:44,231
In 1995,
311
00:14:44,231 --> 00:14:46,668
a small-time drug case
that we were trying to do
312
00:14:46,668 --> 00:14:48,670
became a much bigger case.
313
00:14:48,670 --> 00:14:51,151
We were there, actually,
to look at that guy,
314
00:14:51,151 --> 00:14:52,369
the guy
with the little white hat.
315
00:14:52,369 --> 00:14:54,241
- Yeah.
- We were gonna make a drug buy
316
00:14:54,241 --> 00:14:56,591
from him with an informant.
317
00:14:56,591 --> 00:14:58,419
We had a van
318
00:14:58,419 --> 00:15:00,987
set up on the block
to do a videotape.
319
00:15:04,991 --> 00:15:08,777
And right about now, I think,
the guy inside the van
320
00:15:08,777 --> 00:15:10,518
with the camera is telling us
on the radio,
321
00:15:10,518 --> 00:15:12,041
like, "Hey,
something's going on.
322
00:15:12,041 --> 00:15:14,130
There's a weird--like, this guy
doesn't belong here."
323
00:15:14,130 --> 00:15:15,697
- Oh--
- There's Gary Friedman.
324
00:15:15,697 --> 00:15:18,134
There's Gary Friedman.
325
00:15:18,134 --> 00:15:19,875
Gary's brother is
Kenneth Friedman,
326
00:15:19,875 --> 00:15:22,356
and he was a suspect
in the disappearance
327
00:15:22,356 --> 00:15:25,402
of Peter Kovach and Ted Gould.
328
00:15:25,402 --> 00:15:29,450
Ultimately, these guys
walked away to Gary's car,
329
00:15:29,450 --> 00:15:31,365
and they take
an individual out.
330
00:15:31,365 --> 00:15:32,975
Gary Friedman's car leaves.
331
00:15:32,975 --> 00:15:36,500
They seized the individual
who was in Gary's car,
332
00:15:36,500 --> 00:15:39,460
walked him back, and is
putting him in the back seat.
333
00:15:39,460 --> 00:15:41,157
And for a brief moment,
just as he's
334
00:15:41,157 --> 00:15:42,593
putting him in the back seat,
335
00:15:42,593 --> 00:15:44,944
you can see a gun
in his left hand.
336
00:15:45,857 --> 00:15:49,296
We then filmed what turned out
to be the kidnapping
337
00:15:49,296 --> 00:15:52,560
of Bruce Wolofsky,
who ultimately would become
338
00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,302
a confidential
informant for us.
339
00:15:55,302 --> 00:15:57,260
NYPD rolled in
one of their units
340
00:15:57,260 --> 00:15:59,697
and stopped the car
from leaving the area.
341
00:15:59,697 --> 00:16:02,439
What a lucky coincidence.
I mean, it was just luck.
342
00:16:03,963 --> 00:16:07,227
Detectives noted that
Gary Friedman and his crew,
343
00:16:07,227 --> 00:16:10,012
suspected for the deadly
kidnapping in Torrance,
344
00:16:10,012 --> 00:16:13,711
had attempted to kidnap
another victim in New York.
345
00:16:13,711 --> 00:16:15,496
We were going to conduct
an interview
346
00:16:15,496 --> 00:16:19,674
with Bruce Wolofsky,
the kidnapping victim.
347
00:16:19,674 --> 00:16:22,416
He was kidnapped that day
by Gary Friedman
348
00:16:22,416 --> 00:16:24,853
because he had
borrowed $10,000
349
00:16:24,853 --> 00:16:27,812
and was not paying him back
the money.
350
00:16:27,812 --> 00:16:31,599
Previously, he had tried
to get himself out of debt.
351
00:16:31,599 --> 00:16:33,427
Bruce, being in
the car business,
352
00:16:33,427 --> 00:16:35,646
had access to credit bureau
checks on people
353
00:16:35,646 --> 00:16:38,258
to try to ascertain
their whereabouts.
354
00:16:38,258 --> 00:16:40,651
Gary had asked him to run
355
00:16:40,651 --> 00:16:45,569
some credit bureau checks
on Peter Kovach.
356
00:16:45,569 --> 00:16:50,357
Bruce did provide
his place of employment, also.
357
00:16:50,357 --> 00:16:52,663
Galleria Telecom.
358
00:16:52,663 --> 00:16:54,361
He said,
"You guys need to find
359
00:16:54,361 --> 00:16:55,927
"this guy, Peter Kovach.
360
00:16:55,927 --> 00:16:58,191
I think he might be dead."
361
00:16:58,191 --> 00:17:00,758
That was the connection
that they had.
362
00:17:00,758 --> 00:17:02,456
We were trying
to piece together
363
00:17:02,456 --> 00:17:04,588
what would have caused anybody
to send people
364
00:17:04,588 --> 00:17:08,201
out to California to kidnap
and ultimately murder
365
00:17:08,201 --> 00:17:11,378
Peter Kovach and Ted Gould.
366
00:17:11,378 --> 00:17:13,858
As investigators pressed
Bruce for the connection
367
00:17:13,858 --> 00:17:17,079
between Gary Friedman
and Peter Kovach,
368
00:17:17,079 --> 00:17:20,387
Bruce revealed the involvement
of a new player--
369
00:17:20,387 --> 00:17:23,042
Gary Friedman's partner
in a number of nightclubs
370
00:17:23,042 --> 00:17:25,218
in New York and Miami.
371
00:17:25,218 --> 00:17:28,395
Gary Friedman starts opening
these clubs
372
00:17:28,395 --> 00:17:31,267
with a guy back east
named Howard Bloomgarden.
373
00:17:32,747 --> 00:17:34,879
I'd never heard
of Howard Bloomgarden.
374
00:17:34,879 --> 00:17:38,144
But Howard became
a major person of interest
375
00:17:38,144 --> 00:17:39,971
in this case.
376
00:17:39,971 --> 00:17:44,106
Bruce was able to relate
that Howard Bloomgarden was
377
00:17:44,106 --> 00:17:45,803
a businessman in Florida,
378
00:17:45,803 --> 00:17:49,503
was simply 24 or 25 years old
at that time.
379
00:17:49,503 --> 00:17:52,767
Owned the Coco Bongo Lounge
and had owned
380
00:17:52,767 --> 00:17:56,336
some previous locations
in the state of New York.
381
00:17:56,336 --> 00:17:59,904
And maybe his business wasn't
exactly on the up and up.
382
00:18:02,603 --> 00:18:04,561
Howard Bloomgarden
was sent down
383
00:18:04,561 --> 00:18:07,434
to Florida for an education.
384
00:18:07,434 --> 00:18:10,915
He showed up down there
in a red Corvette convertible.
385
00:18:10,915 --> 00:18:12,395
He was flamboyant.
386
00:18:12,395 --> 00:18:15,442
He spent money like it was
going out of style.
387
00:18:15,442 --> 00:18:17,792
He went
to the University of Miami.
388
00:18:17,792 --> 00:18:19,098
Hold on a second.
389
00:18:19,098 --> 00:18:22,188
Peter actually went to college
down in Miami.
390
00:18:24,407 --> 00:18:26,366
Howard was given
everything he needed.
391
00:18:26,366 --> 00:18:28,977
And he just didn't
subscribe to that.
392
00:18:28,977 --> 00:18:32,981
He wanted to be Tony Montana,
the drug lord.
393
00:18:32,981 --> 00:18:35,288
If Howard could make
the same amount of money
394
00:18:35,288 --> 00:18:36,724
legitimately,
395
00:18:36,724 --> 00:18:38,943
he would still choose
to make it illegitimately
396
00:18:38,943 --> 00:18:41,642
'cause it was more exciting.
397
00:18:41,642 --> 00:18:44,427
In fact, Bruce told us
that Howard Bloomgarden
398
00:18:44,427 --> 00:18:47,169
and Peter Kovach had
a long criminal history
399
00:18:47,169 --> 00:18:49,258
dealing drugs together.
400
00:18:49,258 --> 00:18:51,304
I call it a break.
[laughs]
401
00:18:51,304 --> 00:18:56,526
♪
402
00:19:00,095 --> 00:19:02,358
The confidential informant provided
403
00:19:02,358 --> 00:19:03,577
a lot
of background information
404
00:19:03,577 --> 00:19:05,405
and then
some specific information
405
00:19:05,405 --> 00:19:07,755
about criminal activity that
406
00:19:07,755 --> 00:19:11,106
Pete and Howard Bloomgarden
had participated in.
407
00:19:11,106 --> 00:19:13,064
[dramatic music]
408
00:19:13,064 --> 00:19:15,197
Howard Bloomgarden
and Peter Kovach met
409
00:19:15,197 --> 00:19:18,635
when they were both in college
down in Miami.
410
00:19:20,333 --> 00:19:22,596
Howard Bloomgarden,
Peter Kovach,
411
00:19:22,596 --> 00:19:25,164
and some other individuals
became organized,
412
00:19:25,164 --> 00:19:26,513
and they started doing
413
00:19:26,513 --> 00:19:29,080
hundreds of pounds
of marijuana.
414
00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,605
The Mexican connection
would get the drugs
415
00:19:31,605 --> 00:19:34,303
to somewhere in California,
416
00:19:34,303 --> 00:19:37,001
and then back east to Florida,
417
00:19:37,001 --> 00:19:38,568
to New York.
418
00:19:41,223 --> 00:19:44,095
Howard was quite successful.
419
00:19:44,095 --> 00:19:46,446
And when you're making
millions of dollars,
420
00:19:46,446 --> 00:19:48,926
you need to find a way
to hide it.
421
00:19:48,926 --> 00:19:51,407
Gary Friedman
was actually investing
422
00:19:51,407 --> 00:19:53,844
in Howard Bloomgarden's
empire.
423
00:19:53,844 --> 00:19:56,804
His nightclubs and strip clubs
were the front
424
00:19:56,804 --> 00:20:00,155
for the money laundering operation.
425
00:20:00,155 --> 00:20:03,027
Kenneth Friedman was
kind of the strong-arm muscle
426
00:20:03,027 --> 00:20:06,596
for his brother,
who was Gary Friedman.
427
00:20:06,596 --> 00:20:08,946
Kenneth Friedman had
a long criminal history.
428
00:20:08,946 --> 00:20:12,515
He was a lot older than these
college guys Peter's age.
429
00:20:12,515 --> 00:20:14,648
And, you know,
he had a reputation
430
00:20:14,648 --> 00:20:18,042
of being a bad guy,
somebody to be avoided.
431
00:20:19,783 --> 00:20:22,612
Howard Bloomgarden's
drug trafficking was netting
432
00:20:22,612 --> 00:20:26,094
millions in cash
and moving tons of marijuana,
433
00:20:26,094 --> 00:20:29,184
pushing Bloomgarden
to relocate Peter Kovach
434
00:20:29,184 --> 00:20:31,142
to California to oversee it,
435
00:20:31,142 --> 00:20:34,755
until one operation
spelled disaster.
436
00:20:36,365 --> 00:20:38,585
This crew of guys that were
working with Howard
437
00:20:38,585 --> 00:20:41,370
bought an RV,
made spaces in it
438
00:20:41,370 --> 00:20:43,894
for 800 pounds of marijuana
439
00:20:43,894 --> 00:20:47,942
to be transported
from California.
440
00:20:47,942 --> 00:20:51,772
When they are in Illinois,
though, they get stopped.
441
00:20:51,772 --> 00:20:54,644
And the Illinois State Police
find the drugs,
442
00:20:54,644 --> 00:20:58,518
and, you know,
they seize the whole thing.
443
00:20:58,518 --> 00:21:01,521
The Mexican connection,
he didn't get paid.
444
00:21:01,521 --> 00:21:03,044
The street value of that was
445
00:21:03,044 --> 00:21:05,612
up to several
hundred thousand dollars.
446
00:21:05,612 --> 00:21:10,138
That's what led to the rift
between Peter and Howard.
447
00:21:10,138 --> 00:21:12,662
You know,
we come to learn later,
448
00:21:12,662 --> 00:21:15,361
Howard believed
that Pete had something to do
449
00:21:15,361 --> 00:21:17,058
with setting him up.
450
00:21:19,278 --> 00:21:21,802
At some point after
he came out to California,
451
00:21:21,802 --> 00:21:23,673
Peter was trying to go straight
and trying to get
452
00:21:23,673 --> 00:21:26,067
out of that type of work.
453
00:21:26,067 --> 00:21:29,505
Peter was actually really
trying to redeem himself.
454
00:21:29,505 --> 00:21:31,507
He knew that he was
in too far,
455
00:21:31,507 --> 00:21:33,814
and he really started
a new life.
456
00:21:33,814 --> 00:21:35,990
But Howie blamed Peter
457
00:21:35,990 --> 00:21:38,514
for the loss
of millions of dollars.
458
00:21:40,081 --> 00:21:42,388
Bloomgarden had become
increasingly paranoid
459
00:21:42,388 --> 00:21:43,954
about Peter Kovach,
460
00:21:43,954 --> 00:21:46,305
believing that he'd engineered
the police sting
461
00:21:46,305 --> 00:21:48,568
to take over his operation.
462
00:21:48,568 --> 00:21:51,484
The Friedmans were enlisted
to make Peter pay his debt,
463
00:21:51,484 --> 00:21:53,660
no matter what
the consequences,
464
00:21:53,660 --> 00:21:57,446
with Ted Gould caught
in the crossfire.
465
00:21:57,446 --> 00:22:00,449
For Ted Gould,
it could have been,
466
00:22:00,449 --> 00:22:03,147
"You can't leave a witness.
467
00:22:03,147 --> 00:22:06,107
"You know, you got a guy here,
he knows what we've done,
468
00:22:06,107 --> 00:22:08,414
where we've done it."
469
00:22:08,414 --> 00:22:11,112
Wrong place, wrong time.
470
00:22:11,112 --> 00:22:13,636
[dramatic sting]
471
00:22:16,335 --> 00:22:20,817
In March of 1995,
we decided we would coordinate
472
00:22:20,817 --> 00:22:24,952
the arrests of those guys
for the kidnapping-based
473
00:22:24,952 --> 00:22:27,215
crimes that occurred
in New York.
474
00:22:29,173 --> 00:22:32,699
We were slowly scooping
or contacting everyone.
475
00:22:32,699 --> 00:22:34,396
And they were all surrendering
476
00:22:34,396 --> 00:22:36,485
or being arrested at that time.
477
00:22:40,010 --> 00:22:43,840
We were starting to focus
on Howard Bloomgarden.
478
00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:45,320
But we didn't want
to arrest him
479
00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:47,017
and then just have him
get cut loose,
480
00:22:47,017 --> 00:22:48,976
'cause we knew he'd come
with expensive attorneys
481
00:22:48,976 --> 00:22:50,891
who would get him out
if the case wasn't good,
482
00:22:50,891 --> 00:22:53,415
or maybe even if
the case was good.
483
00:22:53,415 --> 00:22:55,635
So the two agencies
are working together
484
00:22:55,635 --> 00:22:57,288
to build a case,
but their goals
485
00:22:57,288 --> 00:22:58,942
are actually quite different.
486
00:22:58,942 --> 00:23:02,990
The state is looking for
charges for a double homicide,
487
00:23:02,990 --> 00:23:05,253
and the feds are looking
for charges
488
00:23:05,253 --> 00:23:08,735
of extortion, racketeering,
and trafficking.
489
00:23:08,735 --> 00:23:10,693
I was trying to build
a homicide case
490
00:23:10,693 --> 00:23:14,436
involving Ruben Hernandez,
Juan Galindo,
491
00:23:14,436 --> 00:23:17,221
Kenneth Friedman,
also Gary Friedman,
492
00:23:17,221 --> 00:23:19,049
and Howie Bloomgarden.
493
00:23:19,049 --> 00:23:21,400
I felt that they were
all involved
494
00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,577
in the California homicide.
495
00:23:24,577 --> 00:23:27,362
♪
496
00:23:27,362 --> 00:23:30,757
I was slowly developing
an idea as to their technique
497
00:23:30,757 --> 00:23:33,150
of getting cash
out to the West Coast.
498
00:23:33,150 --> 00:23:35,675
It was just
a simple, easy code.
499
00:23:35,675 --> 00:23:38,286
They would use Western Union.
500
00:23:38,286 --> 00:23:40,070
They would take names.
501
00:23:40,070 --> 00:23:41,768
They would switch them around
a little bit,
502
00:23:41,768 --> 00:23:43,509
but it was all
familiar to them
503
00:23:43,509 --> 00:23:45,467
because they were friends.
504
00:23:45,467 --> 00:23:49,210
A gentleman named Gus Malave
down in San Diego,
505
00:23:49,210 --> 00:23:51,517
he was receiving cash
from them.
506
00:23:51,517 --> 00:23:53,475
And Western Union would
forward me
507
00:23:53,475 --> 00:23:55,085
all of that paperwork.
508
00:23:58,001 --> 00:23:59,829
The Torrance Police
Department made arrangements
509
00:23:59,829 --> 00:24:01,657
to bring Gus Malave in
510
00:24:01,657 --> 00:24:03,920
and have him take a polygraph.
511
00:24:05,269 --> 00:24:07,881
He was deceptive,
512
00:24:07,881 --> 00:24:10,492
but he did tell us
a lot of things.
513
00:24:10,492 --> 00:24:12,494
Gus Malave was
receiving cash
514
00:24:12,494 --> 00:24:15,715
from them from the East Coast,
from Gary Friedman,
515
00:24:15,715 --> 00:24:19,240
for car purchases,
for gun purchases.
516
00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,372
Gus started describing
what happened
517
00:24:21,372 --> 00:24:24,506
the night
of the disappearance.
518
00:24:24,506 --> 00:24:29,685
Kenneth, Juan, and Ruben
take Peter and Ted,
519
00:24:29,685 --> 00:24:30,860
drive up to the motel,
520
00:24:30,860 --> 00:24:32,688
which is right up
Hawthorne Boulevard.
521
00:24:34,473 --> 00:24:38,868
This is where the three guys
from New York stayed.
522
00:24:38,868 --> 00:24:41,131
Right there, room 116.
523
00:24:42,872 --> 00:24:44,961
And that's where
everything starts.
524
00:24:49,836 --> 00:24:52,142
[dramatic music]
525
00:24:52,142 --> 00:24:54,014
According to Gus Malave,
526
00:24:54,014 --> 00:24:55,711
they take the two guys,
527
00:24:55,711 --> 00:24:58,758
Peter and Ted,
into the motel room.
528
00:24:58,758 --> 00:25:01,761
Kenneth is just a wild card,
and he ended up
529
00:25:01,761 --> 00:25:04,938
strangling both those guys.
530
00:25:04,938 --> 00:25:08,245
The Friedman brothers want Gus
to take care of the car,
531
00:25:08,245 --> 00:25:09,943
take care of the bodies.
532
00:25:09,943 --> 00:25:12,336
And so he's--
for a certain amount of cash,
533
00:25:12,336 --> 00:25:14,774
takes the car,
drives it back to San Diego,
534
00:25:14,774 --> 00:25:17,037
and dumped them
behind some businesses.
535
00:25:18,386 --> 00:25:20,823
With the statement
from Malave in hand,
536
00:25:20,823 --> 00:25:22,738
investigators could take their case
537
00:25:22,738 --> 00:25:24,218
that implicated the Friedmans
538
00:25:24,218 --> 00:25:26,481
to Los Angeles
district attorneys.
539
00:25:26,481 --> 00:25:29,005
And if Malave
cooperated further,
540
00:25:29,005 --> 00:25:32,269
charges would fly
against Howard Bloomgarden.
541
00:25:34,402 --> 00:25:36,796
As a DA, you know,
I'll read everything.
542
00:25:36,796 --> 00:25:38,580
But I also--I'd rather
talk to the people
543
00:25:38,580 --> 00:25:40,321
that did the investigation.
544
00:25:40,321 --> 00:25:43,542
Geoff Lewin was
very, very exceptional.
545
00:25:43,542 --> 00:25:46,022
I had long conversations
with Bob Schmitt,
546
00:25:46,022 --> 00:25:48,764
long conversations
with Jeff Lancaster.
547
00:25:48,764 --> 00:25:52,028
In this case, we know
Howard's pulling the strings.
548
00:25:52,028 --> 00:25:54,553
First, I have to prove
his connections.
549
00:25:54,553 --> 00:25:55,684
How are we gonna prove
550
00:25:55,684 --> 00:25:57,381
that Howard was
on the East Coast,
551
00:25:57,381 --> 00:26:02,256
ordering Kenny Friedman to kill
these guys on the West Coast?
552
00:26:04,519 --> 00:26:07,130
We've never seen
this picture before.
553
00:26:07,130 --> 00:26:10,264
Among incompetent, uh--
incompetent crooks--
554
00:26:10,264 --> 00:26:13,920
This is Gus Malave,
who was instrumental to helping
555
00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:15,878
the kidnapping
and murder happen, but--
556
00:26:15,878 --> 00:26:17,053
Flipped on his--
557
00:26:17,053 --> 00:26:20,448
I believe
on his first interrogation.
558
00:26:20,448 --> 00:26:22,537
According to Gus Malave,
559
00:26:22,537 --> 00:26:24,583
Howard Bloomgarden
had gotten on the phone
560
00:26:24,583 --> 00:26:27,455
and said, "Kill them."
561
00:26:27,455 --> 00:26:31,459
At this point, Howard will
face his own charges.
562
00:26:31,459 --> 00:26:35,289
♪
563
00:26:35,289 --> 00:26:38,597
When Howard Bloomgarden
first approached
564
00:26:38,597 --> 00:26:40,642
the United States
Attorney's Office
565
00:26:40,642 --> 00:26:42,426
through his attorneys,
566
00:26:42,426 --> 00:26:44,559
he, you know, seemingly wanted
to cooperate.
567
00:26:44,559 --> 00:26:47,344
And he came in and gave us
a lot of information.
568
00:26:48,781 --> 00:26:50,304
Howard had a lot of money.
569
00:26:50,304 --> 00:26:52,872
That meant a lot of people
were attracted to Howard,
570
00:26:52,872 --> 00:26:56,049
including Peter Kovach.
571
00:26:56,049 --> 00:26:58,181
Peter did not grow up
with a lot of money.
572
00:26:58,181 --> 00:27:02,664
Peter grew up in New Jersey
with a very close family,
573
00:27:02,664 --> 00:27:05,101
but Howard was just
this bigger-than-life guy
574
00:27:05,101 --> 00:27:06,973
who had, you know, everything.
575
00:27:06,973 --> 00:27:09,192
And that helped
with getting other people
576
00:27:09,192 --> 00:27:10,933
to, you know, party with him.
577
00:27:10,933 --> 00:27:13,240
And a lot of those guys
ended up being
578
00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:16,460
his coconspirators
in the drug trade.
579
00:27:16,460 --> 00:27:18,506
Howard admitted
that at the height
580
00:27:18,506 --> 00:27:21,770
of this organization's
moneymaking,
581
00:27:21,770 --> 00:27:24,120
they were probably making
582
00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:27,167
several million dollars
a month.
583
00:27:27,167 --> 00:27:30,083
When the marijuana
got confiscated
584
00:27:30,083 --> 00:27:33,782
from the motor home,
Howard was on the line for it.
585
00:27:33,782 --> 00:27:35,305
He was losing money
586
00:27:35,305 --> 00:27:38,221
at a faster rate
than he was making it.
587
00:27:42,399 --> 00:27:45,315
He confessed
he'd had people kidnapped.
588
00:27:45,315 --> 00:27:48,014
But Howard has said
that he told these people,
589
00:27:48,014 --> 00:27:50,843
"Hey, get Peter Kovach
on the phone with me,"
590
00:27:50,843 --> 00:27:53,019
never said to kill,
and then Kenny Friedman,
591
00:27:53,019 --> 00:27:55,151
this horrible guy,
took it on his own
592
00:27:55,151 --> 00:27:58,938
to kill Peter Kovach
and Ted Gould.
593
00:27:58,938 --> 00:28:00,983
It was clear to us
that he was
594
00:28:00,983 --> 00:28:02,811
holding back
and certainly minimizing
595
00:28:02,811 --> 00:28:05,074
his own involvement.
596
00:28:05,074 --> 00:28:06,728
Federal prosecutors
in New York
597
00:28:06,728 --> 00:28:09,470
brought interstate charges
for racketeering,
598
00:28:09,470 --> 00:28:13,430
kidnapping, and extortion
against Howard and his crew.
599
00:28:13,430 --> 00:28:18,479
Now LADA had to wait
in line for the feds
600
00:28:18,479 --> 00:28:21,351
to finish their prosecution
before we could
601
00:28:21,351 --> 00:28:23,353
prosecute Howard
602
00:28:23,353 --> 00:28:26,226
for the murders
of Peter and Ted.
603
00:28:29,011 --> 00:28:31,274
[dramatic sting]
604
00:28:34,016 --> 00:28:36,192
So the first time
they asked me to come testify,
605
00:28:36,192 --> 00:28:37,846
it was for a federal case.
606
00:28:37,846 --> 00:28:42,633
It's been a long time
since I have been in that seat.
607
00:28:42,633 --> 00:28:46,855
It was obviously
a traumatic experience.
608
00:28:46,855 --> 00:28:50,380
I learned that they had taken
609
00:28:50,380 --> 00:28:54,080
my friend and Pete
to a hotel room
610
00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:57,213
somewhere close by
611
00:28:57,213 --> 00:29:01,043
and had tortured
and killed both of them.
612
00:29:01,043 --> 00:29:04,220
[somber music]
613
00:29:04,220 --> 00:29:06,048
My friend Ted Gould
was strangled
614
00:29:06,048 --> 00:29:07,876
with a telephone cord.
615
00:29:07,876 --> 00:29:10,749
♪
616
00:29:10,749 --> 00:29:13,926
Having Ted be
an innocent bystander in the--
617
00:29:13,926 --> 00:29:16,798
the whole situation is--
618
00:29:16,798 --> 00:29:18,757
just makes it more terrible.
619
00:29:18,757 --> 00:29:23,283
♪
620
00:29:24,675 --> 00:29:27,591
Howard had enlisted
Gerald Shargel,
621
00:29:27,591 --> 00:29:29,855
who is a really big-time
622
00:29:29,855 --> 00:29:31,465
defense attorney
out of New York.
623
00:29:31,465 --> 00:29:33,989
So I was very surprised
when they came in
624
00:29:33,989 --> 00:29:36,600
and offered to plead out.
625
00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:38,994
Bloomgarden would plead
to six counts,
626
00:29:38,994 --> 00:29:42,824
which included responsibility
for Ted and Peter's deaths
627
00:29:42,824 --> 00:29:45,218
while in the commission
of other federal crimes
628
00:29:45,218 --> 00:29:47,829
of racketeering and extortion.
629
00:29:47,829 --> 00:29:51,659
Howard Bloomgarden admitted
in open court,
630
00:29:51,659 --> 00:29:53,748
standing right next
to his lawyer,
631
00:29:53,748 --> 00:29:57,839
that he approved of
632
00:29:57,839 --> 00:30:00,102
and financed
633
00:30:00,102 --> 00:30:03,062
the murders of Peter Kovach
and Ted Gould.
634
00:30:04,498 --> 00:30:06,413
The attorney's gotten
this great deal,
635
00:30:06,413 --> 00:30:08,632
got 34 years in New York.
636
00:30:08,632 --> 00:30:12,158
Kenny ultimately was tried
and convicted in New York,
637
00:30:12,158 --> 00:30:17,206
got life upon life in New York
along with his brother, Gary.
638
00:30:17,206 --> 00:30:18,991
Juan Galindo,
639
00:30:18,991 --> 00:30:21,820
Ruben Hernandez,
and Gus Malave
640
00:30:21,820 --> 00:30:23,647
pled guilty, and they received
641
00:30:23,647 --> 00:30:26,085
lesser sentences than all
of the others involved.
642
00:30:28,652 --> 00:30:32,656
So Howard Bloomgarden pled
in '96 in New York.
643
00:30:32,656 --> 00:30:36,660
He was finally brought
out to California in 2005.
644
00:30:36,660 --> 00:30:39,663
LA prosecutors feel
that Howie got off easy,
645
00:30:39,663 --> 00:30:43,537
so now they can't wait to build
their own case against him.
646
00:30:43,537 --> 00:30:45,321
Howard Bloomgarden
had a lot of money.
647
00:30:45,321 --> 00:30:49,151
He had John Gotti's
ex-attorney, Gerald Shargel,
648
00:30:49,151 --> 00:30:51,762
with a whole team
of attorneys.
649
00:30:51,762 --> 00:30:55,505
But we have him on the record
saying he financed
650
00:30:55,505 --> 00:30:57,203
and he approved of the murders.
651
00:30:57,203 --> 00:31:00,684
"Judge, we want to use
that statement."
652
00:31:00,684 --> 00:31:02,643
Uh, judge said no.
653
00:31:02,643 --> 00:31:05,167
[dramatic music]
654
00:31:05,167 --> 00:31:07,082
Essentially,
the judge in LA ruled
655
00:31:07,082 --> 00:31:08,997
that no attorney
in their right mind
656
00:31:08,997 --> 00:31:11,173
would allow him to plead
in New York,
657
00:31:11,173 --> 00:31:12,522
say the things he said,
658
00:31:12,522 --> 00:31:14,785
when there was a current
pending death penalty
659
00:31:14,785 --> 00:31:15,961
in California.
660
00:31:15,961 --> 00:31:17,527
I strongly disagreed with that.
661
00:31:17,527 --> 00:31:20,530
I thought they--
he had incredible attorneys
662
00:31:20,530 --> 00:31:22,663
in New York.
663
00:31:22,663 --> 00:31:24,926
It was rumored he spent
probably $400,000
664
00:31:24,926 --> 00:31:26,623
on his defense in New York,
665
00:31:26,623 --> 00:31:30,105
which was a fortune
in '94, '95.
666
00:31:30,105 --> 00:31:32,412
It was devastating
to the case.
667
00:31:32,412 --> 00:31:34,153
I may not get a conviction.
668
00:31:39,723 --> 00:31:41,856
Howard Bloomgarden's
legal team
669
00:31:41,856 --> 00:31:44,467
successfully excluded
his confession,
670
00:31:44,467 --> 00:31:46,992
taken during the federal trial
in New York City,
671
00:31:46,992 --> 00:31:48,776
from prosecutorial evidence
672
00:31:48,776 --> 00:31:52,301
in his pending murder trial
in Los Angeles.
673
00:31:52,301 --> 00:31:55,783
That was very scary
in a case like this,
674
00:31:55,783 --> 00:31:58,351
where the puppet master
putting it all together
675
00:31:58,351 --> 00:31:59,787
could walk on the case.
676
00:31:59,787 --> 00:32:03,356
I have a confession
that is golden,
677
00:32:03,356 --> 00:32:05,575
but because of Howard's
big money,
678
00:32:05,575 --> 00:32:09,405
we had our backs
up against the wall.
679
00:32:09,405 --> 00:32:11,277
And John Kovach
tells this story also.
680
00:32:11,277 --> 00:32:15,455
He's like, "Howard Bloomgarden
sat at our table.
681
00:32:15,455 --> 00:32:18,110
He sat at our table,
and he ate with us."
682
00:32:18,110 --> 00:32:19,546
Yeah.
683
00:32:19,546 --> 00:32:23,593
And to know that he was
involved in killing Peter,
684
00:32:23,593 --> 00:32:25,421
he--he just couldn't
deal with that.
685
00:32:25,421 --> 00:32:27,119
I couldn't get through this.
686
00:32:27,119 --> 00:32:29,556
I think my kids were
687
00:32:29,556 --> 00:32:33,777
9 and 12 or so
when this happened.
688
00:32:33,777 --> 00:32:35,040
[somber music]
689
00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:37,129
Peter Kovach's mom, Mary Anne,
690
00:32:37,129 --> 00:32:40,393
had written a letter.
691
00:32:40,393 --> 00:32:44,136
I remember reading her letter.
692
00:32:44,136 --> 00:32:45,833
"My son is in his grave.
693
00:32:45,833 --> 00:32:50,403
"All I have is this picture
of the tombstone.
694
00:32:50,403 --> 00:32:55,234
"I remember my son on
his graduation day.
695
00:32:55,234 --> 00:32:57,323
"I told him I loved him
more than God.
696
00:32:57,323 --> 00:32:59,542
"I watched him sleep,
and I was so proud
697
00:32:59,542 --> 00:33:01,370
"that I gave birth
to such a huge boy.
698
00:33:01,370 --> 00:33:03,851
I was amazed even then."
699
00:33:03,851 --> 00:33:06,158
♪
700
00:33:06,158 --> 00:33:08,247
It's hard to read now. Um...
701
00:33:11,641 --> 00:33:12,947
I can't read the rest of it.
702
00:33:12,947 --> 00:33:15,732
Hard--very hard to read.
Can't--I can't read it.
703
00:33:15,732 --> 00:33:19,954
♪
704
00:33:19,954 --> 00:33:22,087
There are certain cases
that stand out
705
00:33:22,087 --> 00:33:24,698
for different reasons.
706
00:33:24,698 --> 00:33:27,657
In this case, I am helping
families, helping people
707
00:33:27,657 --> 00:33:29,094
that have gone through
horrible things,
708
00:33:29,094 --> 00:33:33,011
and helping them to get
some peace and justice.
709
00:33:33,011 --> 00:33:35,926
While Los Angeles
prosecutors strategized
710
00:33:35,926 --> 00:33:39,147
how to overcome the exclusion
of Howard's testimony,
711
00:33:39,147 --> 00:33:41,802
they also prepared
for the state murder trials
712
00:33:41,802 --> 00:33:44,239
of Kenneth and Gary Friedman.
713
00:33:44,239 --> 00:33:47,329
The two Friedman brothers
came out to California
714
00:33:47,329 --> 00:33:49,636
and pled guilty.
715
00:33:49,636 --> 00:33:52,378
Gary Friedman, he was
a defense attorney,
716
00:33:52,378 --> 00:33:54,989
but he was as dirty
as they get.
717
00:33:56,947 --> 00:33:59,037
Where Gary was
kind of the brains,
718
00:33:59,037 --> 00:34:00,734
Kenny was
definitely the muscle.
719
00:34:00,734 --> 00:34:04,216
And Kenny had a long history
of violent conduct.
720
00:34:04,216 --> 00:34:06,218
Kenny had no problem
721
00:34:06,218 --> 00:34:09,264
beating people up,
extorting people.
722
00:34:09,264 --> 00:34:12,093
Kenny Friedman is crazy.
723
00:34:12,093 --> 00:34:13,660
He is violent.
724
00:34:13,660 --> 00:34:16,924
He is one of the scariest guys
you've ever seen.
725
00:34:16,924 --> 00:34:18,708
Kenny Friedman
was sentenced to death,
726
00:34:18,708 --> 00:34:20,406
and Gary Friedman
was sentenced to life
727
00:34:20,406 --> 00:34:22,930
without the possibility
of parole.
728
00:34:22,930 --> 00:34:27,456
When I found out I was happy,
because I think it's justice.
729
00:34:29,502 --> 00:34:31,025
Kenny the Animal.
730
00:34:31,025 --> 00:34:33,201
Kenny, also known as
the Animal, he's the killer.
731
00:34:33,201 --> 00:34:36,857
It seemed like he took glee
in taking the life of--
732
00:34:36,857 --> 00:34:38,119
of these people.
733
00:34:38,119 --> 00:34:39,425
Killed himself ultimately.
734
00:34:39,425 --> 00:34:41,079
- Ended up killing himself.
- On death row.
735
00:34:41,079 --> 00:34:43,951
- Yeah.
- Hung himself.
736
00:34:43,951 --> 00:34:46,084
Years passed
as Gary Friedman weathered
737
00:34:46,084 --> 00:34:48,912
his brother's suicide
behind bars
738
00:34:48,912 --> 00:34:50,784
and Howard's
prestigious lawyers
739
00:34:50,784 --> 00:34:53,743
mounted attacks
to delay his trial.
740
00:34:53,743 --> 00:34:55,745
His confession
in federal court was
741
00:34:55,745 --> 00:34:58,008
at the heart of the battle.
742
00:34:58,008 --> 00:34:59,575
Ruling had
already been made.
743
00:34:59,575 --> 00:35:02,796
I was not allowed
to use that confession.
744
00:35:02,796 --> 00:35:05,973
I have probably never
briefed or argued
745
00:35:05,973 --> 00:35:07,496
a single issue harder.
746
00:35:07,496 --> 00:35:10,195
I spent over a year
trying to get the court
747
00:35:10,195 --> 00:35:12,632
to reconsider that ruling.
748
00:35:12,632 --> 00:35:14,938
That did not prove
to be successful.
749
00:35:14,938 --> 00:35:17,898
[tense music]
750
00:35:17,898 --> 00:35:19,639
♪
751
00:35:19,639 --> 00:35:22,555
So I have a room
full of federal boxes
752
00:35:22,555 --> 00:35:23,904
for Howard Bloomgarden.
753
00:35:23,904 --> 00:35:25,688
I start going through
these 46 boxes.
754
00:35:25,688 --> 00:35:29,388
And one of the things I find
is letters of mitigation
755
00:35:29,388 --> 00:35:32,260
to the federal judge
saying, you know,
756
00:35:32,260 --> 00:35:34,088
"Please spare Howard,
757
00:35:34,088 --> 00:35:36,003
give him a better deal,
and here is why."
758
00:35:36,003 --> 00:35:37,874
And I started reading
through these letters,
759
00:35:37,874 --> 00:35:40,442
and they're letters
from his mom, his dad,
760
00:35:40,442 --> 00:35:43,184
his sisters, from 1996.
761
00:35:43,184 --> 00:35:45,447
They're a gold mine.
762
00:35:45,447 --> 00:35:49,321
I found five different
relatives all over the place.
763
00:35:49,321 --> 00:35:52,759
I want to send out
five teams of investigators
764
00:35:52,759 --> 00:35:56,545
to have a simultaneous
door knock,
765
00:35:56,545 --> 00:35:58,765
where we get these people
before they can communicate
766
00:35:58,765 --> 00:36:02,377
with each other, to say,
"Hey, Mrs. Bloomgarden,
767
00:36:02,377 --> 00:36:04,118
"you wrote back in 1996,
768
00:36:04,118 --> 00:36:06,773
"'Howard feels horrible
about what he did.'
769
00:36:06,773 --> 00:36:08,514
What did you mean by that?"
770
00:36:08,514 --> 00:36:10,211
And see if hopefully
someone says,
771
00:36:10,211 --> 00:36:11,865
"Oh, Howard felt horrible.
772
00:36:11,865 --> 00:36:15,521
He ordered the murders
of these two guys."
773
00:36:15,521 --> 00:36:17,523
[dramatic sting]
774
00:36:17,523 --> 00:36:22,397
♪
775
00:36:22,397 --> 00:36:26,053
So on January 13, 2014,
776
00:36:26,053 --> 00:36:28,708
a task force coordinates
all of these interviews
777
00:36:28,708 --> 00:36:33,103
happening across the country
at the exact same time.
778
00:36:33,103 --> 00:36:35,193
I remember driving up
the 110 freeway
779
00:36:35,193 --> 00:36:38,021
at, like, 5:30 in the morning,
heading to work,
780
00:36:38,021 --> 00:36:40,372
waiting to hear
from the different people
781
00:36:40,372 --> 00:36:41,721
in the different areas.
782
00:36:41,721 --> 00:36:43,636
And one by one,
they're all falling.
783
00:36:43,636 --> 00:36:45,725
Chicago, I think
someone had dementia.
784
00:36:45,725 --> 00:36:47,596
Someone wouldn't
open the door.
785
00:36:47,596 --> 00:36:49,555
These people, you know,
didn't want to talk.
786
00:36:49,555 --> 00:36:51,165
And everything's
kind of falling apart.
787
00:36:51,165 --> 00:36:53,472
And I hear from all of them,
and I get to work.
788
00:36:53,472 --> 00:36:56,779
And, you know,
nothing worked out.
789
00:37:00,305 --> 00:37:03,264
Afterwards, we're debriefing
with the investigators.
790
00:37:03,264 --> 00:37:06,093
And one of the investigators,
Shawn Robinson,
791
00:37:06,093 --> 00:37:07,747
tells me,
"Hey, this is interesting.
792
00:37:07,747 --> 00:37:11,098
"When I'm talking to
Susan Bloomgarden, the sister,
793
00:37:11,098 --> 00:37:14,754
"there's this guy George,
her boyfriend,
794
00:37:14,754 --> 00:37:18,105
"that won't stop talking
in the background.
795
00:37:18,105 --> 00:37:20,412
"He won't shut up.
He keeps wanting to talk.
796
00:37:20,412 --> 00:37:22,370
"And so finally,
I talked to him.
797
00:37:22,370 --> 00:37:23,415
You want to hear the tape?"
798
00:37:23,415 --> 00:37:24,677
I'm like, yeah.
799
00:37:24,677 --> 00:37:25,939
And at this point,
I'm defeated.
800
00:37:25,939 --> 00:37:29,595
I'm figuring this is all
not gonna work.
801
00:37:29,595 --> 00:37:32,598
I remember being at Ralph's
by my house,
802
00:37:32,598 --> 00:37:34,643
a grocery store,
buying something.
803
00:37:34,643 --> 00:37:38,299
And I had a--I remember a very
cheap pair of headphones,
804
00:37:38,299 --> 00:37:41,041
and I have
the George Kuney tape on.
805
00:37:53,836 --> 00:37:56,099
And I'm hearing it,
806
00:37:56,099 --> 00:37:58,188
and I can't believe
what I'm hearing.
807
00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:13,595
I was sort of in shock,
because all of a sudden,
808
00:38:13,595 --> 00:38:17,512
I had everything
I had hoped to get.
809
00:38:22,343 --> 00:38:24,476
After collecting a recording
that incriminated
810
00:38:24,476 --> 00:38:26,521
Howard Bloomgarden for murder,
811
00:38:26,521 --> 00:38:29,872
Los Angeles prosecutors were
ready to take him to trial.
812
00:38:29,872 --> 00:38:33,136
[dramatic sting]
813
00:38:33,136 --> 00:38:35,487
[dramatic music]
814
00:38:35,487 --> 00:38:36,749
Defendant is not here
815
00:38:36,749 --> 00:38:40,405
because his life
cast him here.
816
00:38:40,405 --> 00:38:44,365
He had everything as a child.
817
00:38:44,365 --> 00:38:49,762
Nobody stands in the way
of what the defendant wants.
818
00:38:49,762 --> 00:38:51,677
He wants his money,
and he doesn't care
819
00:38:51,677 --> 00:38:53,418
what he has to do.
820
00:38:53,418 --> 00:38:56,812
If he can get Peter Kovach
alone, that's great.
821
00:38:56,812 --> 00:39:00,250
If someone else has to go,
can't help it.
822
00:39:00,250 --> 00:39:01,687
Collateral damage.
823
00:39:01,687 --> 00:39:05,560
Even a completely
innocent person--
824
00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:08,433
Ted Gould, in this case.
825
00:39:08,433 --> 00:39:11,305
The star witness in
the trial is Ruben Hernandez.
826
00:39:11,305 --> 00:39:15,178
He walks into the courtroom
surrounded by U.S. Marshals,
827
00:39:15,178 --> 00:39:19,139
and he gives the most details
of this crime.
828
00:39:19,139 --> 00:39:21,968
According to Ruben,
the night of the murders,
829
00:39:21,968 --> 00:39:25,232
you had Ted Gould
and Peter Kovach
830
00:39:25,232 --> 00:39:28,322
working at the cell phone
store in Torrance.
831
00:39:28,322 --> 00:39:31,107
As Ted is waiting
for Paul Poduska to get there,
832
00:39:31,107 --> 00:39:33,632
the lights from a car
come off Hawthorne Boulevard
833
00:39:33,632 --> 00:39:36,330
into the parking lot, and they
shine right into the store.
834
00:39:36,330 --> 00:39:38,941
Three guys rushed in.
They've got guns.
835
00:39:38,941 --> 00:39:41,509
One guy tilts the camera down,
836
00:39:41,509 --> 00:39:44,338
and they pull Ted and Peter
837
00:39:44,338 --> 00:39:48,386
into a 1974 two-door LTD
838
00:39:48,386 --> 00:39:49,735
in the parking lot.
839
00:39:49,735 --> 00:39:51,563
And they drove about two miles
through Hawthorne
840
00:39:51,563 --> 00:39:53,391
to the Travelers Inn.
841
00:39:55,218 --> 00:39:58,570
Kenny Friedman starts beating
Peter up pretty badly,
842
00:39:58,570 --> 00:40:00,485
demanding Howard's money.
843
00:40:00,485 --> 00:40:02,530
According
to Ruben's testimony,
844
00:40:02,530 --> 00:40:06,186
there's a final phone call
between Kenny and Howard.
845
00:40:06,186 --> 00:40:09,407
And in the end,
according to Ruben,
846
00:40:09,407 --> 00:40:11,844
it's Howard that says,
"Kill them."
847
00:40:13,498 --> 00:40:16,631
Ruben Hernandez
gets on Peter's back,
848
00:40:16,631 --> 00:40:22,028
and Kenny Friedman pulls out
the corded telephone cord
849
00:40:22,028 --> 00:40:24,117
and begins to strangle
Peter Kovach.
850
00:40:24,117 --> 00:40:26,859
And if you are familiar
with strangulation,
851
00:40:26,859 --> 00:40:32,038
it's a very long
and difficult process.
852
00:40:32,038 --> 00:40:35,041
Ted Gould, who had nothing
to do with any of this,
853
00:40:35,041 --> 00:40:37,217
is actually sitting
on the floor
854
00:40:37,217 --> 00:40:39,524
with a pillow case
covering his head,
855
00:40:39,524 --> 00:40:44,224
listening to his friend
being killed and tortured.
856
00:40:44,224 --> 00:40:47,880
Once Peter is dead,
Kenny looks over to Ted Gould.
857
00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:50,317
And Kenny says,
"Bring him over."
858
00:40:53,451 --> 00:40:55,496
So when I called
George Kuney to the stand,
859
00:40:55,496 --> 00:40:57,498
the joke always was,
"Boy, it's gonna be
860
00:40:57,498 --> 00:41:00,327
a hostile Thanksgiving
at the Bloomgarden house."
861
00:41:00,327 --> 00:41:03,635
Because George basically
laid out Howard
862
00:41:03,635 --> 00:41:05,941
unknowingly at the time.
863
00:41:05,941 --> 00:41:08,074
When George Kuney testifies,
864
00:41:08,074 --> 00:41:10,511
he denies he ever made
these comments.
865
00:41:10,511 --> 00:41:12,905
That's when Geoff Lewin
pushes a button
866
00:41:12,905 --> 00:41:15,821
and Kuney's voice
fills the courtroom.
867
00:41:22,262 --> 00:41:24,177
The jury could hear it
coming straight
868
00:41:24,177 --> 00:41:26,179
from the horse's mouth.
869
00:41:26,179 --> 00:41:29,399
Kuney's testimony is crucial
because it corroborates
870
00:41:29,399 --> 00:41:33,926
what Ruben Hernandez said about
Howard ordering the killings.
871
00:41:33,926 --> 00:41:36,189
This was a plan.
872
00:41:36,189 --> 00:41:38,408
This was not something
the defendant was thrown into.
873
00:41:38,408 --> 00:41:41,455
This is something
the defendant organized.
874
00:41:41,455 --> 00:41:45,067
After several weeks,
the jury returns a verdict
875
00:41:45,067 --> 00:41:47,243
in a matter of hours.
876
00:41:47,243 --> 00:41:51,552
Howard Bloomgarden is found
guilty on all counts in murder
877
00:41:51,552 --> 00:41:53,206
in the course of kidnapping.
878
00:41:58,037 --> 00:42:01,519
In our law, we have
a separate proceeding
879
00:42:01,519 --> 00:42:04,783
where the jury gets
to actually hear victim impact.
880
00:42:04,783 --> 00:42:08,221
[somber music]
881
00:42:08,221 --> 00:42:10,658
The impact statement
testimony was--
882
00:42:10,658 --> 00:42:12,530
was really hard.
883
00:42:12,530 --> 00:42:15,489
I pretty much broke down
in tears on the stand
884
00:42:15,489 --> 00:42:18,405
about how much
I missed my friend.
885
00:42:18,405 --> 00:42:21,016
There wasn't a dry eye
in the room,
886
00:42:21,016 --> 00:42:22,975
including the prosecutor.
887
00:42:22,975 --> 00:42:25,804
It was just quiet
for a long time.
888
00:42:25,804 --> 00:42:30,939
It's difficult to think of
somebody that was so vibrant,
889
00:42:30,939 --> 00:42:34,377
so happy-go-lucky,
being murdered.
890
00:42:34,377 --> 00:42:38,338
He deserves to be
remembered fondly.
891
00:42:38,338 --> 00:42:40,949
I would like to think
that Ted would still be
892
00:42:40,949 --> 00:42:45,388
bopping around, listening
to his favorite music,
893
00:42:45,388 --> 00:42:47,216
just being Ted.
894
00:42:49,567 --> 00:42:53,875
The 1993 drug bust had cost
Howard Bloomgarden millions
895
00:42:53,875 --> 00:42:57,009
and driven him to end
the lives of Peter and Ted.
896
00:42:57,009 --> 00:42:59,098
22 years later,
897
00:42:59,098 --> 00:43:01,579
the California courts
finally sentenced him
898
00:43:01,579 --> 00:43:03,537
to life without parole.
899
00:43:03,537 --> 00:43:05,278
Howard, you know,
he's still alive.
900
00:43:05,278 --> 00:43:08,020
And although he's incarcerated,
he's enjoying life
901
00:43:08,020 --> 00:43:11,197
that Peter and Ted are not.
902
00:43:11,197 --> 00:43:13,242
And the appeals are
exhausted at this point.
903
00:43:13,242 --> 00:43:15,244
But there are always
other challenges,
904
00:43:15,244 --> 00:43:17,464
habeas corpus,
other things you can do.
905
00:43:17,464 --> 00:43:19,727
Howard continues
to spend his money
906
00:43:19,727 --> 00:43:21,511
to try and escape responsibility
907
00:43:21,511 --> 00:43:22,556
for what he did.
908
00:43:22,556 --> 00:43:24,906
And Howard will continue
to do that
909
00:43:24,906 --> 00:43:27,692
until he's either released
or he dies
910
00:43:27,692 --> 00:43:29,389
or the money runs out.