Christian, who founded and owned the Oregon District restaurant throughout its 15-year tenure, was convicted May 22 of five felony counts — including a first-degree felony count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity — related to two incidents of insurance fraud. Montgomery County prosecutors say Christian faces deportation upon her scheduled release from prison in 2021.
Christian is appealing the conviction, although the attorney she retained to represent her in the appeal, Marshal Lachman of Springboro, requested to withdraw from the case last week. Lachman asked that a court-appointed attorney take over the case, noting that appeals court judges’ refusal to free Christian pending the outcome of her appeal “has made it impossible for (Christian) to meet her financial obligation agreed upon in this case and continue with retained counsel.”
The criminal case revolved around break-ins and a fire during 2009 that Christian reported and which prosecutors said were staged in order to collect insurance money: one break-in at her Washington Twp. home and a reported vandalism and fire at Cena.
In the foreclosure action, Sorg has asked the judge to expand the scope of his receivership beyond the real estate to include equipment and inventory left behind when the restaurant closed, according to court documents. The request was made so Sorg would have the authority to clean the building of spoiled food, dispose of opened liquor bottles according to state liquor control policies, and return soda equipment and empty kegs to vendors, the receiver’s motion said.
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