Craig Berkman

Craig Berkman
Born Craig Lamont Willoughby
Sioux City, Iowa, United States
Alma mater Madison High School
Wheaton College
University of California, Berkeley
Lewis & Clark Law School
Criminal status Incarcerated
Spouse(s) Susan
Karen Hinsdale (until 2002)
Mary Ann Farrell Karlsson
Children two daughters with Susan

Craig Berkman (born c. 1943) is an American venture capitalist and a Republican politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. He was known as a major donor in national Republican circles. He chaired the Oregon Republican Party in the early 1990s, opposing the far right Oregon Citizens Alliance. He ran for chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1993 and for Governor of Oregon in 1996, losing the former race to Haley Barbour and the latter to Denny Smith in the primary election.[1]

Berkman served as Oregon’s state Republican Party chairman from 1989 to 1993 and ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Governor of Oregon in 1994.[2]

He was arrested in March 2013 in the Tampa, Florida suburb of Odessa, where he has a $3.94 million home,[3][4][5] on charges of selling pre-IPO shares of Facebook.[6]

In June 2013, Berkman pleaded guilty to securities and wire fraud at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan.[4][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] On December 16, 2013, he was sentenced to 6 years in prison, and will be required to repay $8.4 million to investors.[14]

Early life and education

Craig Berkman was born Craig Lamont Willoughby in Sioux City, Iowa.[3] His biological father is Roford "Pinky" Berkman.[15] Craig Berkman was raised poor in the Roseway neighborhood of Portland, Oregon.[3] As Craig Berkman, he graduated from Madison High School, went to Wheaton College in Illinois on a scholarship and later earned graduate degrees from University of California, Berkeley and Lewis & Clark Law School.[3][4][15] Berkman is a trustee of Lewis & Clark College.[16]

Work history

Berkman was chairman of the Oregon Republican Party from 1989-1993. He was chairman of high-technology and medical equipment companies. He worked as an administrative aide at his alma mater Lewis & Clark College.[15]

Criminal history

Berkman has been accused of fraud for decades. Sentenced to six years in prison for a scheme that cost investors $16 million in investments.[5][17][18][19][20]

Personal life

Berkman was married to a woman named Susan Woodward. They had two daughters.[15]

Berkman was married to Karen Hinsdale-Berkman, who is the owner of wine shop The Cellar Door, on the board of directors of Self Enhancement Inc., and secretary of the Oregon Republican Foundation.[21][22][23][24] Their divorce was settled in 2002.[23]

Berkman is now married to Mary Ann Farrell Karlsson (also known as Mary Ann Karlsson-Berkman), a former New York Miss America contestant and Jacksonville, Florida native.[25][26][27][28][29]

Honors and awards

Berkman and his wife Karen Hinsdale-Berkman were awarded the University Advancement Award for the 2000-2001 year by the Portland State University Alumni Association.[30]

References

  1. ↑ Mapes, Jeff (May 30, 2008). "The ever-charming Craig Berkman". The Oregonian.
  2. ↑ "United States of America before the Securities and Exchange Commission" (PDF). Sec.gov. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "The Talented Mr. Berkman". Wweek.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  4. 1 2 3 "Craig Berkman's guilty plea could cost his prior victims in Oregon". OregonLive.com. 2013-06-26. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  5. 1 2 "An alleged scheme to pay off the last scheme - Al Lewis". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  6. ↑ Kish, Matthew (March 19, 2013). "Craig Berkman arrested over sales of pre-IPO Facebook shares". Portland Business Journal.
  7. ↑ "Former Oregon candidate pleads guilty to fraud involving Facebook shares". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  8. ↑ Vaughan, Bernard. "Former Oregon politician pleads guilty to Facebook IPO fraud". Reuters. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  9. ↑ Van, Bob. "Ex-Candidate Pleads Guilty in Phony Facebook Share Scam". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  10. ↑ "Former Portland man bilked Facebook investors". Wweek.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  11. ↑ "Florida Investment Fund Manager Pleads Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court In Connection With $13 Million Securities Fraud Scheme". Justice.gov. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  12. ↑ "Fla. man pleads guilty in $13M Facebook share case - Business". The Boston Globe. 2013-06-26. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  13. ↑ Van, Bob. "Former Candidate Pleads Guilty in Phony Facebook Share Scam (1)". Businessweek. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  14. ↑ Manning, Jeff (December 17, 2013). "Craig Berkman, financier and former Oregon governor candidate, gets 6 years in prison for fraud". The Oregonian. p. A5. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  15. 1 2 3 4
  16. ↑ Craig L. Berkman. "Craig Berkman: Executive Profile & Biography - Businessweek". Investing.businessweek.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  17. ↑ "Newcomer with a past". Sptimes.com. 2006-02-23. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  18. ↑ Rood, Justin (2008-07-09). "For McCain, Another Problem Fundraiser - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  19. ↑ "Berkman investors bruised years later - Portland Business Journal". Bizjournals.com. 2013-03-22. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  20. ↑ Kerr, Dara (2013-03-19). "SEC probe on Facebook pre-IPO sales ends in financier's arrest | Internet & Media - CNET News". News.cnet.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  21. ↑ "The Sultan of Splitsville - Portland Business Journal". Bizjournals.com. 1999-06-06. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  22. ↑ "The Oregon Republican Foundation". Bizapedia.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  23. 1 2 "We feel "relevant."". Wweek.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  24. ↑ "Welcome to the Oregon State Bar Online". Osbar.org. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  25. ↑ "Shaky past didn't keep investors from Odessa's Craig Berkman | Tampa Bay Times". Tampabay.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  26. ↑ "Donor's dollars passed to charity | Tampa Bay Times". Tampabay.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  27. ↑ "Business: Newcomer with a past". Sptimes.com. 2006-02-23. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  28. ↑ Mosk, Matthew (2008-07-23). "Big GOP Donor Faced Trouble Back Home - Page 2 - Washington Post". Articles.washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  29. ↑ "Facebook Shares Fraud Helped Investment Manager Pay Off Previous Fines: SEC". Huffingtonpost.com. 2013-03-19. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  30. ↑ "University Advancement Award Reipients" (PDF). Pdx.edu. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
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