Oakland Menlo Hotel arson scam court appearance

Oakland Menlo Hotel arson scam court appearance

by Lynda Carson -- February 3, 2011

Oakland -- Wealthy Tiburon man, Richard Earl Singer, appeared in federal court in Oakland on Friday Jan. 28, for a preliminary hearing / arraignment, after federal officials charged him with hiring an arsonist to burn down the low-income residential Menlo Hotel. Singer's Jan. 28 court date has been continued, and Singer is scheduled next to appear in court on Feb. 24, at 9:30a.m., in court room #4, at 1301 Clay St.

Federal officials have charged Singer with the solicitation of arson of a commercial building used in interstate commerce, and he faces 10 years in prison, and a $165,000 fine.

Singer owns the Menlo Hotel, and in an affidavit federal officials have charged that Singer hired an arsonist and handed over a check for $1,500, so the arsonist could buy the materials needed to burn down the hotel.

Additionally, federal officials say that Singer wanted to collect a maximum insurance payment, and planned to have the occupied hotel burned down on Jan. 15. Allegedly Singer planned to pay the arsonist an additional $65,000 around 48 hours after the hotel burned down. Currently there are still around 4 to 5 households with legal representation, that still reside in the Menlo Hotel.

Currently out on bail, Singer was released from custody on Jan. 20 after surrendering his passport, and posting a $700,000 secured bond. Additionally, Singer's wife Patricia Singer, and his mother Gloria Singer posted a $500,000 unsecured bond as co-signers, to further assist in bailing him out of jail.

Singer was released in the custody of his wife Patricia where they both reside in the upscale hills of Tiburon, on Mark Terrace, in a 4 bedroom house valued at $2,100,000, and according to court documents he is restricted from having any contact with 2 witnesses that have informed on him, and alerted the ATF to his plan of burning down the Menlo Hotel.

According to court documents, one of the informants is an ex-employee of Ryan Nathan and RMD Services, a management company hired by Richard Singer to manage the Menlo Hotel, and Ridge Hotel in Oakland.

RMD Services served the residents fake "30 Day Notices" on Dec. 15, to vacate the Menlo Hotel by Jan.15, being the same day that Richard Singer allegedly planned to burn down the occupied low-income residential hotel.

Lynda Carson may be reached at, tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com