A Newport Beach man was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison for writing multiple bad checks totaling more than $200,000, the Orange County District Attorney’s office reported.
Richard Scott Bloustine, 50, pleaded guilty to five felony counts of grand theft, 10 felony counts of writing a non-sufficient funds check, one felony count of unlawful taking of a vehicle, with sentencing enhancement allegations for aggravated white collar crime over $100,000 and property loss over $200,000.
According to the OCDA, the sentencing enhancements for prior prison convictions for the fraudulent use of a credit card in 1996, conducting a fraudulent scheme and artifice in 1999, grand theft in 2004, and grand theft and credit card fraud in 2008 were found true. He was also ordered to pay restitution and pay a $444,000 fine.
Between Nov. 10 and Dec. 13, 2014, Bloustine received more than $80,000 in dental services from the Center of Reconstructive Dentistry in Newport Beach.
He wrote a $72,000 check to cover the costs, but did not have enough money in his bank account to cover it. When the check was returned for insufficient funds, he wrote another bad check to the dentist’s office for $82,000. Bloustine also wrote a bad check for $6,350 for anesthesiology procedures.
He then attempted to lease a house in Newport Beach, reported Senior Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche of the Major Fraud Unit.
On Nov. 13, 2014, Bloustine wrote a $32,000 check to the victim, John Doe, to secure the property. He also hired a staging company to provide furnishing for the inside of the residence and wrote a $13,000 check. He again did not have enough money in his bank account to cover either check.
Early the next month, Bloustine wrote a $15,000 check as a down payment for a Mercedes Benz sedan at a dealership in Laguna Beach.
After failing to receive valid payments for services, each of the businesses reported the crimes to the Newport Beach Police Department, who conducted a joint investigation with the Laguna Beach Police Department. After NBPD arrested Bloustine and a statement was released explaining the case, another victim came forward in July 2015 with evidence that Bloustine had written another bad check for $80,000 for dental services.
