Former Law Enforcement and Military Officers Charged in Violent Extortion Scheme in Los Angeles

Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have charged several former law enforcement and military officers with participating in a violent extortion scheme. The group allegedly impersonated law enforcement officers to raid an Irvine man’s home in 2019, where they detained the man, his wife, and their two children for several hours.

Under threat, the man was forced to sign away his multimillion-dollar stake in a Chinese rubber chemical company, Jiangsu Sinorgchem Technology Co. Ltd. This event is the centerpiece of the federal case.

The scheme was reportedly financed by a wealthy Chinese national who remains an unindicted co-conspirator. The victim and the financier were involved in a business dispute over ownership in the company, which ultimately led to the extortion plot. This underscores the international dimension of the case, which revolves around high-stakes business dealings.

The indictment names Steven Arthur Lankford and Glen Louis Cozart, both former deputies of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, as key conspirators. Lankford had a history with the department, including involvement in a shooting deemed justified, while Cozart had been arrested for misconduct in 1992 but later withdrew his guilty plea. Both now face charges of conspiracy to commit extortion, attempted extortion, and civil rights violations.

Additionally, two former military officers, Max Samuel Bennett Turbett from the UK and Matthew Phillip Hart from Australia, are also charged in the case. These individuals, along with Lankford and Cozart, were scheduled for arraignment and face the possibility of up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. Their involvement brings an international dimension to the federal case.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada condemned the actions of the defendants, stressing that law enforcement officers are not above the law and must adhere to the same standards as ordinary citizens. He highlighted the seriousness of civil rights violations when officers misuse their authority for personal gain, calling it unacceptable behavior from those sworn to uphold justice.