David Phillips, the CEO of Los Angeles-based NKP Medical Marketing, was arrested in April and accused of asking an alleged drug dealer to kill one of Mr. Phillips' former business associates, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A federal criminal complaint filed in Louisiana alleges Mr. Phillips told an suspected drug dealer over the phone that he would forgive a $30,000 debt related to a failed "marijuana venture" if the drug dealer could carry out a "hit" on a former business associate. Homeland security investigators in New Orleans heard part of the conversation last year while listening to phone calls made by the drug dealer, who is suspected of trafficking methamphetamine in Los Angeles, according to the report.
Federal authorities have not released the name of the suspected meth trafficker, who is now cooperating with prosecutors, or the would-be victim of the murder-for-hire plot.
Court records show Mr. Phillips was arrested April 25 after the drug dealer gave him a staged photo portraying the victim with a gunshot wound to the head, according to the report.
Mr. Phillips pleaded not guilty on Thursday, and his next court appearance is slated for July. His attorney Glen Jonas told the Los Angeles Times Mr. Phillips has not broken the law.
"The purported victim is a disgruntled former employee," Mr. Jonas told the Los Angeles Times. "That's it, and frankly, his importance to my client, was minimal."
NKP Medical Marketing describes itself as "a leader in online marketing for cosmetic surgery practices and general surgery practices," according to the report.
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