Evan Montvel Cohen

Infobox Person


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name = Evan Montvel Cohen
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birth_date = 1966
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education = Beloit College
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occupation = Business executive
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Evan Montvel Cohen (born 1966) is an American businessman from the island of Guam. He was a founder and the first chairman of the liberal Air America Radio. Cohen has worked primarily in the broadcasting industry and in politics.

Early life

His father was professor of history and art at the University of Guam.cite news |url=http://jewishworldreview.com/michelle/malkin081705.php3 |title=Helping Al Franken find a swindler |authorlink=Michelle Malkin |last=Malkin |first=Michelle |date=August 17 2005 |publisher=JewishWorldReview.com] Cohen attended Beloit College in Wisconsin, during the 1980s. Prior to Air America, Cohen was a shareholder of "Latte Publishing", a Guam-based publishing company, was a vice president at Sorensen Pacific Broadcasting, and a market research specialist in Guam. He also owned The Communications Corp. [Pieper, Mark-Alexander. New management replaces Sorensen. "Pacific Daily News", May 12 2004] [Jojola, Lloyd. Captive insurance begins. "Pacific Daily News", March 3 1999.] Cohen also participated in political campaigns as a consultant and chairman of a political action committee. [Limtiaco, Steve. Anti-Pangelinan ads cost $14K. "Pacific Daily News", November 11 2000.] [Tatko, Amy. Researcher questioned in election trial. "Pacific Daily News", February 6 1999.] Foerstel, Karen. De la Garza Names 25-Year Aide As Staff Director on Ag. "Roll Call", March 12 1990]

Air America

In 2003, Cohen was working as Director of Development for the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Clubs when he and business partner Rex Sorensen, CEO of Sorensen Media Group, created Progress Media Inc. On March 31 2004, Air America was launched with much fanfare on flagship WLIB in New York City. Soon afterward it was discovered that Cohen had secured part of the money used to found the network by a loan from his employer, the non-profit Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Clubs.cite news |url=http://www.nysun.com/article/19205 |title=Network's Former Chairman Is Missing |publisher="The New York Sun" |first=David |last=Lombino |date=August 26 2005 |accessdate=2007-12-19] cite news|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0805maceachern05.html |title=A scandal below the radar |publisher="The Arizona Republic" |date=August 5 2005 |first=Doug |last=MacEachern] Approved by the board of directors and in the amount of $480,000, it went to Cohen's company Progress Media, then owner of Air America Radio. The Gloria Wise group was a non-profit organization, partially funded by the city of New York, which provided services for children and seniors in the Bronx. The city suspended further funding of the agency, and Boys and Girls Clubs of America revoked the group's right to use their name, likeness or logo. When the funds were transferred, Evan Montvel Cohen, was still Director of Development for Gloria Wise. This was part of a larger misappropriation of funds by the organization's executives, which saw several of them receiving money from the organization that was in turned used for personal expenditures.cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/nyregion/06bust.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/B/Bonuses |title=City Finds Widespread Fraud at a Bronx Charity |first=Sewell |last=Chan |date=October 6 2006 |publisher="The New York Times"] By the time this was revealed, Progress Media Inc. had sold its Air America rights to Piquant LLC (in November 2004), who subsequently agreed to repay Gloria Wise $875,000 worth of the debt, as a condition of the sale.cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/nyregion/06bust.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/B/Bonuses |title=City Finds Widespread Fraud at a Bronx Charity |first=Sewell |last=Chan |date=October 6 2006 |publisher="The New York Times"]

Lotus Media Services

Cohen is the managing director for Sorensen Media Group and Lotus Media Services. [http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=97&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=15002&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1718&hn=pacificnewscenter&he=.com www.pacificnewscenter.com] Youth Rock - Battle Of The Bands Hits Guam This Week] Lotus Media Services is a creative content development and production house providing radio and television content for the Pacific Rim and the U.S. In 2007, Cohen developed the TV programs “GU MD”, “The Buzz”, and “TimeOut”.

Cohen and Sorensen have partnered with MTV Philippines to create television programming for Filipino Americans.cite article
title = Sorensen and Cohen launch Lotus Media Services
publisher = Pacific News Center
date = July 29, 2007
url = http://www.pacificnewscenter.com ]

2008 arrest

Montvel-Cohen was arrested in Guam on May 262008 after being indicted by a grand jury in Hawaii for theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, forgery, and money laundering.cite news |url=http://www.mvariety.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=12041&format=html |title= Prominent media executive arrested |last= Tabonares |first= Gina |publisher= "Marianas Variety" |location= Saipan |date= May 272008 |accessdate= 2008-05-27] He was extradited from Guam to Hawaii and subsequently released on bail.

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