Owner of Defunct Health Club Sentenced in Fraudulent Sales

MARINA DEL REY — The owner of a defunct health club has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and 1,000 hours of community service and ordered to pay $6,304 in restitution to 32 people he sold club memberships to while the club was being shut down.

Thomas M. Beaudette Jr., 40, of Marina del Rey, operated the Marina Athletic Club in the 12900 block of Culver Boulevard until being evicted in late 1998.

Club members complained to the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs that they were sold $198 memberships by club representatives who promised that their memberships would be valid until 2002, Los Angeles City Atty. Jim Hahn said.

Beaudette pleaded no contest April 24 to one count of grand theft.