PLAYMATE': REWALD AIDED ME THROUGH DIVORCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000605490046-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 30, 2011
• Sequence Number: 46
• Publication Date: September 19, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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Approved For Release 2011/06/30: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605490046-9
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
19 September 1985
`Playmate': Rewald aided
me. through divorce
By Walter Wright
Uc UNv SUN WOW
When Cynthia Michelle
Brooks appeared as Playboy
Magazine's centerfold in April.
the important numbers were
34.23.34.
But when the former Hono-
lulu model testified in federal
court here yesterday, the ques-
tions were about other numbers
big numbers with dollar
stigns in front of them.
Brooks, 33, took the stand be-
fore a standing-room-only audi-
ence in the trial of Ronald Re-
wald on 98 counts of fraud, tax
evasion and perjury. U.S. Dis.
trict Judge Harold Fong, noting
the crowd. told her that her
testimony "outdrew Jack
Lord," another celebrity wit-
ness in the case.
Brooks testified she invested
518.000 in Rewald's firm and
that Rewald once gave her
$3,000 to help her through her
divorce.
Brooks said Rewald told her
"he had more money than he
could ever spend in a Lifetime."
She said she met Rewald at
,h.a Hawaii Polo Club, where
She went to get a chanLe to
ride horses by exercising them
for polo team members. "I was
holding a horse he was getting
on, and we just met." she said.
Brooks said Rewald offered
to give her money "all the
time" after they met. But she
said the $3.000 gift and Re-
wald's offer to pay the legal
fees for her divorce were the
Cynthia (rooks
Standing-room-only auafencs
Theresa dlaek
Devastated" by lost money
only times she accepted. And
the ;aid she later learned that
the $530 in legal fees was de-
ducted from her account at Re-
wald's firm, Bishop Baldwin
Rewald Dillingham & Wang,
Asked why Rewald pressed
money on her. Brooks said, "in
my opinion, Mr. Rewald always
seemed like he had great
wealth, and was always con.
cerned about my welfare." He
often said things like, "Let me
lust write you a check" or "Do
you reed anything'" she said.
Did she accept the money?
"No. no. no because it
scared me," Brooks said.
But then in August 1982, she
said, "I came to him at that
time" and told Rewald about
her desire to move out of her
husband's house and into an
apartment of her own, and he
wrote the $3,000 check.
Company records show
Brooks also received checks for
$2,000 and 55,000 from Re-
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 Approved For Release 2011/06/30: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605490046-9
wald's firm and that the She was skeptical. and even people's money she obtained
amounts were not deducted declined when Rewald once for an investment with Rewald.
from her ace" t. t. offered to open an account for The bankruptcy trustee hat
She tes%dled she didn't her with his own funds. taken action to recover all the
remember Meivitig or cashing Then. In February 1962. she money Rewald gave tiziuma
the $,2,000 check. although she and her husband gave Rewald andvtd d wino omen
i cokes to o says
aeknowl d that the signs- a check for $8000 to open an
tuts ammroing the check look- account company.
ed like hers. Her father urged her instead linuma said that as a result
She was not asked about the to open an IRA account. she she owes the trustee $55.000
$5000 check said, but Rewald discouraged and will lose her home.
Brooks' account was debited her from withdrawing her Another investor in Bishop
for other withdrawals she money for that purpose. saying Baldwin. widow Theresa Black
made, but showed an $18.000 she was getting a much bigger testified yesterday she gave
balance - including Rewald': return at Bishop Baldwin. Rewald more than MO,060 in
promised 20-percent-plus inter- She said she thought Rewald insurance proceeds the receiv-
!tt .. when the company col- was "very keen. He seemed to ed when her husband and twc
tossed in August 198& have the right answer for any of her sons were killed in the
'I'mo trUet e in the company's question. Every turn I made, he crash of their skydiving plane
bankruptcy Is insisting that was sundinj there with a rea- in 1181.
Brooks may $3,000 she with- son why 11 should keep my The loss of the money, she
drew in May 1983 because all money there ... He was really said. "devastated" her and forc-
u within 90 days before convincing." ed her to leave Hawaii and
a nkruptey must be returned In other testimony yesterday, move in with relatives in Texas
to be shared equally with all former insurance saleswoman because she can no longer af.
creditors. Jane Iinuma said Rewald paid ford to live here.
Brooks is fighting the trustee. her more than $100,000 from Attorney Dana Smith, who
and a bankruptcy judge took December 1980 to July 1983 to incorporated Bishop Baldwin
the dispute under submission be his traveling companion and and several sporting goods
Tuesday. mistress, firms for Rewald. said yester-
If she rettvns the $3,000. she linurna said Rewald at first day he knew nothing of finan.
will have a net loss of $2.456 in paid her $1,000 a month, but cial statements claiming the
her dealings with Rewald and increased the payments to sporting goods operations were
said2 million.
the firm, company records indi- weeks. Sa month he said he also paid worth
cat someone had at-
e.
After their meeting at the many of her expenses, includ- tached letters from him to the
Polo Club. Brooks testified. she ing doctor bills, school tuition financial statements. and had
got to know Rewald better. and car payments. and gave changed the date on one of the
seeing him occasionally at the her $20,000 for a European trip letters.
club. in the spring of 1983. Smith said the sporting goods
Rewald told her of his Invest- linuma said she had put $65.- companies never made money
ment program, with guaranteed 500 of her own money into Re- and seemed to survive only be-
20 percent interest, tax defer- wald's firm. and then was cause Rewald kept loaning
red income and insured ac- promised on aboa ut $perce ~ commis-
other them money drawn from h-
counts. she said. op Baldwin's checking
Approved For Release 2011/06/30: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605490046-9