News, Santa Monica, Courts

Four Years Prison For Man Behind Jeffrey Gundlach Santa Monica Burglary Case

Posted Jan. 23, 2014, 12:39 pm

Brenton Garen / Editor-in-Chief

Darren Agee Merager, the mastermind who stole millions of dollars worth of paintings, wine, jewelry, and a 2010 red Porsche Carrera from DoubleLine Capital founder Jeffrey Gundlach’s Santa Monica home in September 2012, was sentenced to four years prison on Tuesday.

In the weeks that followed the incident, Los Angeles County prosecutors charged Merager for allegedly breaking into Gundlach’s home between Sept. 12 and Sept. 13, 2012, and stealing items worth at least $3.2 million.

Arrests took place on Sept. 26, 2012 in connection to the robbery after Santa Monica police investigators, with the assistance of the Pasadena Police Department, responded to a tip that led them to Al & Ed’s in Pasadena where Jay Jeffrey Nieto, of Canyon Country, was manager. Most of the paintings were recovered at this location and Nieto was subsequently arrested.

As the investigation unfolded at this location, investigators were led to the Rosemead home of Wilmer Bolosan Cadiz in the City of San Gabriel who was found in possession of four of the stolen paintings.

The LA Times reports Nieto and Cadiz each pleaded no contest to one count of receiving stolen property and were sentenced to three years' probation.

Merager’s 69-year-old mother, Brenda Joyce Merager, and two brothers, 30-year-old Wanis George Wahba and his 27-year-old brother, Ely George Wahba were initially arrested and charged with allegedly concealing and trying to sell the stolen items.

The Times reports that charges were dropped against Brenda Joyce Merager, but the Wahba brothers are scheduled to be sentenced March 20 for being an accessories to the robbery.