Fundraiser Aaron Tonken pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal felony charges that he defrauded donors and underwriters of Hollywood charity galas he organized.
With his guilty plea to one mail fraud count and one wire fraud count in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Tonken, 38, admitted that he diverted money that donors and underwriters believed was going to charities into shell bank accounts. Tonken is cooperating with authorities in a wide-ranging probe of the Los Angeles charity circuit.
Separately, "Friends" star David Schwimmer, who earlier declined to address questions from The Times about his dealings with Tonken, took issue with an invoice showing he received a pair of Rolex watches worth $26,413 from Tonken in advance of a 1997 fundraiser. The invoice was cited in a Times story Monday on gifts and money lavished on celebrities who participated in Tonken-organized charity events.
"I never received anything from Aaron Tonken, anyone associated with Aaron Tonken or as a result of any charity event related to Aaron Tonken," Schwimmer said in an interview.
Schwimmer said he once even considered taking legal action against Tonken, alleging that the event promoter shortchanged the actor's charity, the Chicago-based Lookingglass Theatre Co., after a gala involving the cast of "Friends."
Tonken later released a statement through lawyer George Bird, disputing Schwimmer's comments about the fundraising for Lookingglass. Tonken also said in his statement that he gave Schwimmer two gold Presidential Rolex watches and offered the detail that the gifts were purchased from XIV Karats Ltd. in Beverly Hills.
In response, Schwimmer spokeswoman Ina Treciokas repeated the actor's denial, saying he "categorically denies having received anything from Tonken, including watches. One needs to consider the source of the allegations."
After Tonken's plea Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Atty. Joseph Zwicker hinted that additional prosecutions could follow.
Zwicker said the government would continue looking at people who helped Tonken carry out his frauds, including those who helped him solicit funds and set up bank accounts and who were aware money earmarked for charity was being misspent.
"For want of better words, they were partners in crime," Zwicker said. "They are certainly being investigated."
The prosecutor declined to say whether any of those being investigated included celebrities who received gifts and cash in exchange for their appearance at charity events.
