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Former Blink-182 Bassist Alleges Scam Over McDonald’s Pitch

A San Diego company that allegedly told investors it was developing self-service cashier terminals for McDonald’s restaurants is being sued by the former front man of pop punk band Blink-182, who, along with his wife, invested $600,000 in the company.

Mark Hoppus, the former bassist for Blink-182, is seeking unspecified damages in a lawsuit filed in San Diego Superior Court Aug. 11. Hoppus went on to form Plus-44 with band mate Travis Parker after Blink-182 disbanded.

In the complaint, Hoppus alleges that Missicom LLC, run by father-and-son team Ed Mitchell and Jeff Mitchell, solicited more than $1.5 million from prominent public figures such as Blink-182 band members Tom Delonge and Barker and golfer Phil Mickelson. It alleges the pair used the business for personal gain, diverting investor funds into their pocketbooks.

The lawsuit also charges that the Mitchells raised almost $3.4 million from investors but failed to secure any legitimate contracts to install the terminals in almost five years of conducting business.

The lawsuit alleges that Missicom told investors it had contracted with 33 area McDonalds locations, but that the supposed McDonalds owner who spoke to investors was actually the son of the legitimate owner. According to the lawsuit, the real owner was in the process of selling his franchises.

McDonalds did not respond to calls inquiring whether the chain would ever consider self-service cashier terminals.

“It’s a business, we think, that was a complete scam,” said Howard King, an attorney representing Hoppus in the case. “Yes, the company filed the papers to become a LLC, but the money went in the front door to investors and out the backdoor to the principals.”

The lawsuit amends a complaint filed by Hoppus in 2006 alleging that San Diego accountant Louis Tommasino, who acted as a business manager for the Hoppuses, defrauded the pair out of their investment by failing to disclose that he was a principal of Missicom. The lawsuit, which alleges fraud, gross negligence and breach of fiduciary duty, was originally scheduled for trial Aug. 25, but was delayed last week to Sept. 8.

Attorneys for the Mitchells could not be reached for comment.

San Diego attorney Matt Smith, who represents Tommasino, said Missicom disclosed to investors that Tommasino had been involved in the company.

“There was a written record book that was presented to everyone at Missicom that disclosed that Louis Tommasino was working as a CPA and business manager and it was also disclosed that he was going to be an investor in the company,” he said.

Missicom gave Tommasino a small number of shares in exchange for two years of accounting work, according to Smith.

Additionally, he said, the Hoppuses knew of Tommasino’s involvement because they had introduced Tommasino to Missicom and the Mitchells.

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