Gary Harmon—a former Sobrato High School teacher and producer now accused of embezzling money from four local victims—is scheduled to appear at the Morgan Hill Courthouse Dec. 21 for a plea hearing, according to authorities.
Harmon faces two counts of grand theft and three counts of communications containing untrue statements and omissions of fact, in relation to the embezzlement of more than $500,000 from the victims, according to court documents. The former Morgan Hill resident was arrested in Las Vegas March 23, on a warrant filed by MHPD officers who investigated the claims.
And last week, Santa Clara County Civil Court Judge Carrie Zepeda completed a civil defamation trial related to a complaint that Harmon filed against one of his victims and former business partner, Mike DiRubio, of Morgan Hill.
The judge in that case will issue a written ruling within 60 days, according to Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Erica Engin, who is prosecuting Harmon’s criminal case.
Harmon filed the civil complaint alleging defamation against DiRubio in July 2015. DiRubio said Harmon filed the lawsuit against him to “get back at me for calling the police” to accuse Harmon of embezzling his money. DiRubio denied defaming Harmon.
“All I ever did was tell the truth,” DiRubio said.
Harmon declined to comment on the facts of the case because “the court has asked us not to discuss the matter until it concludes,” he said in a text.
Morgan Hill Police reports contained in the criminal case’s court file list at least four victims who Harmon allegedly convinced to invest in his production companies or projects, with promises of repayment and profits that were never realized. The reports claim Harmon exaggerated or fabricated relationships with beloved celebrities—including country music legend Willie Nelson, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and former Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil—to fraudulently sell hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of investments to the marks, according to police.
Harmon was producing shows in Morgan Hill as the director of ARTTEC at the time some of the embezzlement allegedly happened. DiRubio was vice president of ARTTEC and a partner in the organization.
DiRubio claims that in 2013, Harmon embezzled more than $250,000 from him by reneging on a promise of a share in another production company Harmon was tied to—ISE Entertainment—plus recurring income, in return for the investment. Harmon only returned about $71,000 to DiRubio, according to the police investigation.
In 2014, ARTTEC brought big-name acts such as Kiefer Sutherland, Queensryche and Survivor to perform in Morgan Hill.
In the criminal case, Harmon also faces a white collar crime enhancement based on the allegation that he used “fraud and embezzlement” to steal more than $500,000 from the victims, according to the criminal complaint filed by DA’s Office.
In recent years, Harmon has filed a number of civil lawsuits against other parties who have accused him of fraud.
