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Judge orders man to face rape charges

By Nathan Mayberg MILFORD — A Dingman's Ferry man sentenced in 2012 to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to producing child pornography is facing new charges for raping two of the victims and abusing a third.

Michael Bonsignore, 47, is alleged to have committed the acts at a Dingman's Ferry residence. He is accused of sexually assaulting two girls under the age of 13 and sexually exploiting a male under the age of 18.

The acts are alleged to have occurred between 2006 and 2011, according to Pike County Assistant District Attorney Sarah Wilson.

Bonsignore had challenged Pike County District Attorney Raymond Tonkin's ability to try him on the new charges since he had already pleaded guilty to a related charge two years ago. Bonsignore claimed he was being put in double jeopardy.

That claim was rejected on Dec. 4 by Monroe County Judge Jonathan Mark, setting the stage for a potential trial. Bonsignore has 30 days to appeal the case to the state supreme court.

Bonsignore faces 69 charges of child abuse, including numerous acts of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, statutory sexual assault, incest, sexual abuse of children, sexual exploitation of children, indecent assault and corruption of minors.

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Honeywell deal, CEO gone

Hours after the European Commission rejected the $45-billion acquisition by General Electric of Honeywell International, Michael Bonsignore, the chairman and chief executive of Honeywell, tendered his resignation.

Bonsignore, 60, will be replaced by Lawrence Bossidy, who was chairman and chief executive of AlliedSignal when it bought Honeywell in 1999 and served for a brief period as chairman of Honeywell following the merger. The announcements came Tuesday evening, at the close of an extended meeting of Honeywell's board.

Tuesday's unanimous decision by the 20-member EU Executive Commission marks the first time a merger between two American companies has been killed solely by foreign regulators. President Bush and U.S. legislators had lobbied for the deal, but the campaign backfired when EU antitrust officials angrily objected to the political pressure.

The action also denied legendary GE chairman and chief executive Jack Welch the capstone to his 20-year career. Welch had postponed his retirement to see the deal through and was deeply disappointed in the outcome.

The EU veto came after the two companies failed to alleviate European fears that the merger would squelch competition and give GE a near-monopoly in jetliner engines and aircraft electronics.

"The merger between GE and Honeywell, as it was notified, would have severely reduced competition in the aerospace industry and resulted ultimately in higher prices for customers, particularly airlines," said Mario Monti, the EU's top antitrust official. While the companies offered various concessions over eight months of negotiations, the remedies were insufficient, he said.

GE sharply disputed the European conclusions. GE spokesman Gary Sheffer said, "We believe this acquisition would have clearly benefited consumers in terms of quality, service, and prices."

The Justice Department issued a statement Tuesday reaffirming its conclusion. "The merger, as modified by the remedies we insisted upon, would have been procompetitive and beneficial to consumers," said Charles James, assistant attorney general for antitrust.

Multinational companies are required to follow the laws in all countries where they operate. Both EU and U.S. antitrust authorities review the mergers of foreign companies with substantial activities within their jurisdiction.

EU officials say much of the misunderstanding can be attributed to the extraordinary power wielded by European regulators, who in effect act as judge, jury and prosecutor in antitrust cases. Instead of arguing their case in court, as U.S. regulators do, EU antitrust officials reach their own judgments after listening to the arguments of the companies involved and their competitors.

In the GE-Honeywell case, EU officials heeded the warnings of jet engine manufacturers, notably United Technologies and Rolls Royce, and avionics companies such as Rockwell International. They contended that their earnings would be devastated by General Electric's ability to slash prices by combining sales of jet engines, cockpit controls and financial credit from GE Capital.

In addition, GE Capital Aviation Services is the world's largest plane-leasing business and accounts for about 10 percent of global aircraft purchases. European regulators said it could give General Electric an unfair advantage in demanding use of Honeywell avionics on all plane purchases, just as it does with GE engines.

Monti's staff argued that such clout in "bundling" products across several markets might temporarily reduce prices but ultimately would cause GE's rivals to fail. That could give GE a near-monopoly in which it could dictate much higher prices. That argument, EU officials said, prompted more than a dozen airlines _ European and American _ to testify against the merger.

Honeywell now finds itself back at square one. The Morristown, N.J., company said it would take a pretax revamping charge of $575-million to $625-million in the second quarter and forecast full-year revenue and earnings that were lower than consensus Wall Street estimates.

In recent weeks, as the prospects that Honeywell and General Electric would merge faded, analysts said Bonsignore's future role at an independent Honeywell was increasingly suspect. They said the appointment of Bossidy was a positive move.

"Mr. Bossidy's return is a plus for the stock," said Harriet C. Baldwin, an analyst at Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown. "He is very focused on operating numbers. With him in charge the likelihood improves that Honeywell will improve profit margins over the next year. And he has very good credibility with investors. And it will be important for Honeywell to communicate with investors."

In a telephone conference call with reporters, Bossidy, who is 66, said he was first approached about returning to Honeywell three weeks ago, following a board meeting.

"There was a discussion about a change of command," he said. "I know the company better than anybody else, and I was an ideal candidate."

Bossidy, who has signed a one-year contract, said his tenure at Honeywell "might be less, it might be more. I am not here to start a new career, but to restore stability."

The intention, Bossidy insisted, is not to prepare Honeywell for an immediate sale. "We want to stay independent now, and get the company back on its feet," he said. But in the next breath, he described his mandate from Honeywell's board to be "fix the company or sell it."

Shares of Honeywell closed at $35.10, up 99 cents Tuesday. GE shares fell 69 cents on the New York Stock Exchange to close at $49.51

_ Information from the Washington Post and New York Times was used in this report.

(Text accompanying chart not provided for the electronic library. Please see microfilm.)

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Clifford chance adds partner michael bonsignore to its americas corporate group, january 13, 2020.

• David Brinton , Evan Cohen (He/Him)
• Washington D.C.
• Press Release

Clifford Chance today announced that Michael L. Bonsignore has joined the Firm's Americas Corporate Group as a partner in Washington, DC.

Bonsignore advises public and private companies and financial sponsors on transactional matters that include mergers and acquisitions, buyouts and dispositions, special situations, distressed M&A, restructurings and private equity investments, with significant experience in renewable and conventional energy transactions. He joins Clifford Chance from Akin Gump.

Earlier in his career, Bonsignore was a Director of Corporate Development and M&A for two public renewable energy companies, each sponsored by the world’s largest renewable energy development company, where he handled portfolio and asset acquisitions, strategic relationships and project finance constructions.

"With Michael's addition, we are strengthening more than one key practice," said David Brinton, who heads Clifford Chance's Corporate group in the Americas. "Our Corporate team has gained a seasoned transactional lawyer, and our Energy & Infrastructure group will leverage his relevant sector expertise in the United States and globally. I am delighted to welcome him to the Firm."

Americas Regional Managing Partner Evan Cohen said, "Michael's arrival demonstrates the continuing growth of our Corporate group in highly strategic areas. Of the nearly 20 US partners we have welcomed in recent years, Michael is among six to have joined our Corporate group, expanding our offerings in antitrust, funds, insurance and private equity, as well as US public and cross-border M&A."

"I was drawn to Clifford Chance because of its cross-practice strength, clear vision of the market and culture of collaboration," said Bonsignore. "I am thrilled to join the Corporate team and World Wide Projects Group here in the US and look forward to serving our clients across the Firm's global network."

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Former child care worker sentenced to 70 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of children

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – A former preschool worker who posted online babysitting ads on the Internet was sentenced Friday to 70 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release based on his convictions for sexual exploitation of a child.

Corey James Loftin, 24, pleaded guilty May 31 to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor; two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor; one count of enticement of a minor; one count of receipt of images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct; and one count of distribution of images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The charges stem from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The 70-year sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.

"The job of protecting our children from trusted individuals who sexually exploit them is one of federal law enforcement's highest priorities," said U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy. "This defendant will now pay the consequences for his crimes against children."

"While no prison sentence can ever compensate for the physical and emotional harm caused by online child predators, this lengthy jail term should serve as a sobering warning about the consequences for those who use the Internet to prey on the most vulnerable members of our society," said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton. "Online predators who believe cyberspace protects them from detection are mistaken. ICE Homeland Security Investigations will continue to use all of the resources at its disposal to protect our children from this despicable form of victimization."

According to the plea agreement, from 2008 to April 29, 2011, Loftin used a computer to communicate by video with two minor females (both born in 2001) in Pennsylvania to persuade them to engage in sexually explicit conduct. During this same time frame, Loftin sent text messages to Michael Bonsignore, an adult male in Pennsylvania, to request that he video record himself performing various sex acts with one or both of the female children and send the videos to Loftin. Bonsignore is being prosecuted in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and entered guilty pleas earlier this year. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the parties agreed that Bonsignore should be sentenced to 25 years in custody.

In his plea, Loftin also admitted that on or about March 15, 2010, and January 17, 2011, he used a cell phone camera to take photographs of two different minor females (under the age of 7) at a preschool in San Diego County where he worked. Finally, Loftin admitted to receiving and distributing child pornography depicting the two minor females from Pennsylvania and other unidentified children via the Internet.

Loftin was prosecuted by the San Diego County District Attorney's Office for various counts of child molestation for the contact offenses that occurred in San Diego. In September, Loftin was sentenced to 70 years to life for those offenses.

The federal case in San Diego was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra P. Serano.

Defendant Loftin has been in custody since his arrest by HSI special agents in El Cajon in April 2011.

This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood and HSI's Operation Predator. Both are nationwide initiatives to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or by completing its online tip form . Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

HSI is a founding member and the U.S. representative of the Virtual Global Taskforce , an international alliance of law enforcement agencies working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

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Princess Michael’s Russian tycoon friend shot dead in Moscow

A wealthy Russian businessman who became friends with Princess Michael of Kent has been murdered in an apparent contract killing.

Mikhail Kravchenko, who owned a large chain of furniture stores, was shot at least six times in the chest and head when his car was ambushed yards from his home in the village of Peredelkino, just outside Moscow. Police are investigating whether he could have been the victim of a business dispute with rivals.

Mr Kravchenko, 46, was returning to his house in the early hours of Sunday morning when his Mercedes was overtaken by another vehicle, which then blocked the road in front of him. Police said that two men with handguns opened fire on his car.

Mr Kravchenko was hit in the chest

Cops pick up real estate magnate Patrick Carroll for psych evaluation after gun incident

P age Six reported last week that police had descended on the Miami mansion of brash real estate mogul Patrick Carroll after reports of gunshots at his home. A photograph also emerged showing Carroll on his yacht holding what appeared to be an assault rifle.

Now police sources tell us that Carroll has been picked up by police under the Baker Act — a Florida law that allows authorities to take people in for psychiatric evaluation if family or friends are concerned about their welfare or the safety of others.

Cops told us that they took the Carroll Org founder — who has reportedly signed a deal to sell his company for some $80million — to a local hospital for evaluation.

They also told us that a judge has signed a “risk protection order,” which requires Carroll — a vocal gun enthusiast — to surrender any firearms that he owns within 72 hours.

Christopher Bess of Miami Beach Police told us that the investigation into Carroll’s alleged gun play is “ongoing.”

Carroll burst onto the scene a couple of years back, and has since been a regular in Page Six for his many appearances at celebrity studded events alongside the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and Mayor Eric Adams, as well as his philanthropic efforts. (He has for several years run sneaker giveaway events, often handing out a million dollars worth of kicks to kids across the country).

He has also been involved in a number of headline-grabbing scrapes .