Denver judge orders CBZ Management to turn over records from its rental properties to Colorado attorney general

A judge has ordered CBZ Management to turn over to state investigators records about how the company has run its various Colorado rental properties including several notoriously dilapidated apartment buildings in Denver and Aurora Denver District Judge Jill Deborah Dorancy gave CBZ and its constellation of associated companies until July to comply with several investigative subpoenas from the Colorado Attorney General s Office that were issued nearly a year ago Dorancy wrote that CBZ and its other companies had sought to prevent the state s lawful research into whether the landlord violated safe-housing and consumer-protection laws Attorney General Phil Weiser s office sent CBZ and its constituent companies several subpoenas in September as investigators probed the chronically unsafe conditions of the companies properties as well as charges from tenants that CBZ had engaged in insurance fraud and deceptive practices The subpoenas seek information about the properties ownership how CBZ advertises its rentals and how it tracks and responds to maintenance requests among several other demands for records After receiving the subpoenas in September CBZ s lawyers first sought several exemptions to delay producing the records which were granted by the AG according to court filings The delays continued into December when CBZ sued and solicited a judge to block the subpoenas the companies argued the requests were too burdensome and broad Weiser s office then filed its own lawsuit asking a judge to order CBZ to turn over the records Dorancy s rulings ended both cases A year ago CBZ operated apartment buildings in Denver Aurora Colorado Springs Pueblo and Edgewater The company became nationally infamous in August when a video showing armed men in one of its Aurora apartment buildings went viral and became a part of the presidential voting As Aurora executives moved to shut down one of CBZ s properties because of its unsafe conditions CBZ and its owner the New York-based Shmaryahu Baumgarten claimed that an influx of Venezuelan gang members had seized CBZ properties and caused their collapse The Denver Post disclosed last year that gangs had infiltrated CBZ s Aurora properties and that the company had previously and consistently refused to fix a laundry list of unsafe conditions at those buildings dating back years Similar conditions including roach infestations collapsing infrastructure and absent heat and hot water have also been published at CBZ s three Denver properties though the company has claimed no gang infiltration there An email sent to CBZ s lawyers was not returned Tuesday In a comment Weiser reported the subpoenas are not a suggestion and that his office will follow the research where the evidence leads Related Articles Amid criticism of planned pedestrian bridge Gov Jared Polis asks Coloradans Do you want this State Sen Jessie Danielson announces run for Colorado secretary of state Colorado Medicaid movement company reaches settlement with state Former Army officer to challenge for Colorado Springs congressional district Pagosa Springs man arrested for June firebombing of elections office CBZ s refusal to comply with duly issued subpoenas despite repeated extensions and accommodations is unjustified and obstructs a lawful review into feasible violations of state law Weiser wrote Companies that stonewall the AG s office will be held accountable The ruling is the latest legal setback for CBZ and its collapsing rental footprint in Colorado The company is facing legal action in both Aurora and Denver for failing to maintain its properties and judges in both cities have issued arrest warrants for Zev Baumgarten one of CBZ s managers and Shmaryahu Baumgarten s brother for failing to turn up for his court dates Unpaid creditors and Aurora leaders have closed CBZ s three Aurora properties while Denver leaders shuttered another building there because it was unsafe The company s attempt to claim that it s been unfairly targeted because its owners are Jewish was dismissed by an Aurora judge earlier this month because the company presented no evidence to aid the allegation according to Westword One of CBZ s constituent companies is also awaiting a trial in Aurora related to the closure of the Edge of Lowry property where the video of the armed gang members was taken That trial was supposed to start this month but has now been delayed until November Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter The Spot