BAD-CHECKS CASE HAS TWIST.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - A businessman who has accused city officials of extortion and racketeering has been arrested on suspicion of passing $22,500 worth of bad checks - one of them to a city councilman.

James Erhardt, 32, of Canoga Park was arrested Wednesday by Simi Valley police on three felony complaints, officials said Thursday. He was released after posting $10,000 bail.

Erhardt is accused of writing two insufficient-funds rent checks totaling $20,000 to Stan Weiss of Chatsworth, who owns the property at Madera Road and Los Angeles Avenue where Erhardt operated a Halloween haunted house and, later, a Christmas tree lot.

He also wrote a bad check for $2,500 to Councilman Steve Sojka, owner of Money Mailer, for business mailings, officials said.

After trying unsuccessfully to reach Erhardt to ask him to make good on the checks, Weiss contacted authorities in January, police Sgt. Bob Gardner said. The police learned of the bad check given to Sojka through Weiss.

``There are some other people who are possibly victims, but they are out of this county and have nothing to do with us,'' Gardner said. ``They are not part of our investigation because of jurisdiction.''

Los Angeles attorney Fred Rucker, who represents Erhardt in separate civil lawsuits he filed against Weiss and the city, questioned the current police involvement.

``It's my experience that it is very unusual for the police to intervene in a matter that is the subject of an ongoing civil dispute,'' Rucker said.

Rucker said, however, that he knew nothing about the check to Sojka and does not represent his client in the criminal matter.

In January, Erhardt sued Weiss, claiming he had conspired with others to take over his business.

In one lawsuit, Erhardt claims he had an agreement to lease Weiss' land from March 11 to Dec. 31, 1999, but that Weiss allowed others to come onto the lot and operate a Christmas tree lot using Erhardt's equipment and fixtures. The suit said Erhardt was prevented from using the property during that time.

And in a $5 million racketeering suit against the city, Erhardt claims that officials imposed harsh and unfair conditions on his fruit stand and haunted house, then extorted $7,000 and drove him to the brink of bankruptcy. Officials have denied wrongdoing.