According to the lawsuit, Soderstrom also twice delivered cocaine and cash to Carona, who resigned in January to face federal corruption charges. The suit said that on one occasion Carona tested the cocaine by taking a pinch with his fingers and inhaling it.
The suit alleges that in mid-2001 Soderstrom delivered cocaine to an unidentified Laguna Beach location where Samueli, Corona and others were present. "Nicholas and Carona snorted cocaine together and Nicholas provided Carona with a large manila envelope that contained cash," the suit contends.
Soderstrom, who has testified to having developed a drug problem in the 1990s, described himself as an intermediary between major drug suppliers and Nicholas' circle of associates. He alleged that Nicholas forced him to quit his travel company job and join a drug-trafficking operation that escalated to purchases of cocaine by the kilogram.
Soderstrom said he told Nicholas in September 2001 that he wanted out because he was afraid he would be arrested. Nicholas told him there was no way out "except in a body bag," the suit maintains.
Nicholas is awaiting trial on federal drug and stock-manipulation charges. Samueli pleaded guilty to lying to regulators about his role in the stock case, but a judge has rejected the plea bargain he struck with federal prosecutors, saying the mandatory sentence of probation and a $12-million fine appears to be too lenient.
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scott.reckard@latimes.com
christine.hanley@latimes.com
