Jirina Ribbens

She was a former U.S. ice dancing champion who had begun a new career as a choreographer after becoming disillusioned with competition. He was a former world junior champion from Russia with an intense desire to resume competition after beginning a new life in the United States. But he had no partner and not much knowledge of English. A perfect match? Jirina Ribbens thought so.

She was a former U.S. ice dancing champion who had begun a new career as a choreographer after becoming disillusioned with competition. He was a former world junior champion from Russia with an intense desire to resume competition after beginning a new life in the United States. But he had no partner and not much knowledge of English. A perfect match? Jirina Ribbens thought so.

In an industry that uses cardboard scenery and camera angles to turn diminutive actors into legendary tough guys, Gil Cabot may be the ultimate illusionist. For two decades, the colorful promoter has used a variety of entertainment industry gimmicks to snare clients. But police and others say Cabot, once depicted in a flashy brochure as "Supermanager" in tights and a cape, is really a sophisticated con man. "All he has ever done is preyed upon people for his own good," said San Fernando Superior Court Judge Robert D. Fratianne, who sent Cabot to prison in 1982.

When Sarah Hughes placed third at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Staples Center last month, it wasn't the seven triples in her long program that people were buzzing about. It was that dress--the underwhelming number in flesh-tone chiffon. "Poor Sarah. Team Hughes should hire me as a consultant!" wrote a New York City woman on http://www.fsworld.com, a message board for figure skating devotees. "The long program dress was too frumpy and pale for her." It didn't end there.