For the Homestead article 6/26/17

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POST EXCLUSIVE Retired California dentist Michael Motamed bought a $1.5 million condo in this building at 3120 S. Ocean Blvd. in Palm Beach in January 2015. BRUCE R. BENNETT / THE PALM BEACH POSTJUNE 26, 2017 POST EXCLUSIVE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION Dentist's condo buy ruled dodge of lawsuit judgment By Jane Musgrave 2012 when Motamed's Mercedes Palm Beach Post Staff Writer plowed into her said there was nothing mysterious about the WEST PALM BEACH - Facing a retired Beverly Hills dentist's sud- $2.1 million court judgment in den interest in Florida real estate. California, longtime Los Angeles Knowing the Florida Constitu- resident Michael Motamed sud- tion protects homesteads from denly got a yen to move to Flor- being seized to pay off court judge ida, plunking down $1.5 million ments, Motamed bought the Palm for an oceanfront condominium Beach condo to ensure Regina in Palm Beach. Ramos would never collect the But attorneys representing a money a California jury in 2015 former UCLA pre-med student who suffered horrific injuries in Homestead continued on A13Homestead an exemption and we would deposition, Pike asked him have removed it." if he spent "almost 99.9 per- continued from Al In the last 10 years, the cent" of his time in Califor office has recovered roughly nia. "That is my understand- found she needed to rebuild $10 million from people who ing," Motamed said. her body and her life, said falsely claim their residences California, like most other attorney Michael Pike, who as their homesteads to get states, doesn't have laws that represents Ramos. $50,000 shaved off their protect homesteads, Bidwell "I believe he bought the property values, which in said. So, to protect his Los property because he felt the turn reduces their taxes. In Angeles home, Motamed judgment was unfair and he some cases, it's an honest took out a mortgage on it, wanted to shelter his money mistake-people get divorced destroying any value it had, from Regina Ramos," Pike said. or move here from another records show. He also sold a This week, Palm Beach state and don't understand rental property he owned, County Judge Edward Gar- they aren't entitled to it. and used the $1.6 million he rison agreed with Pike. In But some are trying to made from it to purchase a brief order, he yanked game the system, Poston the Palm Beach condo, Bid- Motamed's ability to shield said. He said he regularly well said. his property, agreeing to answers questions from peo- "Florida is known as a "eviscerate" the dentist's ple who want to know if a debtor's haven," she said. all-important homestead homestead exemption would "A lot of judgment debtors exemption. protect their homes from come here and sink all their "Michael Motamed never being seized. assets into a mansion. The had a bona fide intent to In Motamed's case, the problem here was he never permanently reside in Palm evidence was clear that he moved here." Beach County, and, in fact, didn't live - or intend to live Unless Amir Motamed never used or occupied the - in the Palm Beach condo appeals Garrison's ruling, Palm Beach condo as his on South Ocean Boulevard, Bidwell and Pike said they primary residence," Garri- said attorney Talina Bidwell, will file papers to force the son wrote. who also represents Ramos. condo to be sold. Ramos, Motamed died last year at The same furniture, drap- now 30, and still struggling age 84, but his son, who took eries, lamps, rugs and throw with her injuries, will be over his dental practice, con- pillows that were in the condo able to seize the cash from tinued the fight. Jupiter attor- when Motamed bought it in that sale, Pike said. ney Michael Knecht, who January 2015 are there today, Poston said his office represented Amir Motamed Pike said. Even the photos is deciding whether to go and his father's estate during on the walls are unchanged. after Motamed's estate for a daylong trial, didn't return Motamed did the mini- the $800 to $900 in taxes a phone call for comment. mum required to establish he should have paid if he Neither did Motamed's Cal- a homestead in Florida, he had not received the home- ifornia attorney, Eric Dubin, said. He got a Florida driver stead exemption on the Palm who made national news in license and a voter registra Beach condo for a year. 2008 when he won a $15 mil- tion card a month after he Had Motamed not died, lion judgment against televi- purchased the condo. For Poston said he could have sion star Robert Blake in con- good measure, he also got a asked State Attorney Dave nection with the 2001 shoot- Palm Beach County library Aronberg to prosecute him ing death of the actor's wife. card, Pike said. on a misdemeanor charge It's not unusual for people, But 11 days after he gota Flor- of filing a false application particularly the rich, to buy ida driver license, he renewed for a homestead exemption. property here and declare it his California license. He also However, such cases are dif- as their primary residence never registered his Bentley ficult because prosecutors as a ruse to keep creditors at in Florida: The $80,000 car have to prove that a person bay, said Pat Poston, direc- remained registered in Cali- had no intention of living in tor of exemption services fornia, Pike said. the home. for the Palm Beach County Further, records show, he Nevertheless, Pike said, Property Appraiser's Office. continued working out at this case sends a crucial"eviscerate" the dentist's ple who want to know if a debtor's haven," she said. all-important homestead homestead exemption would "A lot of judgment debtors exemption. protect their homes from come here and sink all their "Michael Motamed never being seized. assets into a mansion. The had a bona fide intent to In Motamed's case, the problem here was he never permanently reside in Palm evidence was clear that he moved here." Beach County, and, in fact, didn't live - or intend to live Unless Amir Motamed never used or occupied the - in the Palm Beach condo appeals Garrison's ruling, Palm Beach condo as his on South Ocean Boulevard, Bidwell and Pike said they primary residence," Garri- said attorney Talina Bidwell, will file papers to force the son wrote. who also represents Ramos. condo to be sold. Ramos, Motamed died last year at The same furniture, drap- now 30, and still struggling age 84, but his son, who took eries, lamps, rugs and throw with her injuries, will be over his dental practice, con- pillows that were in the condo able to seize the cash from tinued the fight. Jupiter attor- when Motamed bought it in that sale, Pike said. ney Michael Knecht, who January 2015 are there today, Poston said his office represented Amir Motamed Pike said. Even the photos is deciding whether to go and his father's estate during on the walls are unchanged. after Motamed's estate for a daylong trial, didn't return Motamed did the mini- the $800 to $900 in taxes a phone call for comment. mum required to establish he should have paid if he Neither did Motamed's Cal- a homestead in Florida, he had not received the home- ifornia attorney, Eric Dubin, said. He got a Florida driver stead exemption on the Palm who made national news in license and a voter registrationdo for a year. 2008 when he won a $15 mil- tion card a month after he Had Motamed not died, lion judgment against televi- purchased the condo. For Poston said he could have sion star Robert Blake in con- good measure, he also got a asked State Attorney Dave nection with the 2001 shoot- Palm Beach County library Aronberg to prosecute him ing death of the actor's wife. card, Pike said. on a misdemeanor charge It's not unusual for people, But 11 days after he gota Flor- of filing a false application particularly the rich, to buy ida driver license, he renewed for a homestead exemption. property here and declare it his California license. He also However, such cases are dif- as their primary residence never registered his Bentley ficult because prosecutors as a ruse to keep creditors at in Florida: The $80,000 car have to prove that a person bay, said Pat Poston, direc- remained registered in Cali- had no intention of living in tor of exemption services fornia, Pike said. the home. for the Palm Beach County Further, records show, he Nevertheless, Pike said, Property Appraiser's Office. continued working out at this case sends a crucial But, he said, it is unusual for a Los Angeles gym, some- message. it to spawn a lawsuit. times two times a day. He "It's very important for the "I've never been involved missed only 57 days in 2015 public to know that courts in one," said Poston, who and only 25 days in the first will not tolerate it and for has worked for either the half of 2016, the lawyer said. the injured to know there is appraiser's office or the Even Motamed was hard- a way to get your damages tax collector for more than pressed to explain why he even when someone tries to 25 years. "I agree with the spent so much time in Cal- hide them from you." judge's ruling. I didn't think ifornia when he claimed to Mr. Motamed was entitled to live in Palm Beach. During a jmusgrave@pbpost.com