Dana Wilkey Arrested And Indicted For Wire Fraud

There was a reason why I never liked this chick:

Another housewife has allegedly headed down a similar fraudulent path as Teresa and Joe Giudice.

Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Dana Wilkey — known for her $25,000 sunglasses — and two other alleged associates were arrested on June 18 and indicted for “conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and aiding and abetting, and [making] false statements to government agents,” according to a FBI press release.

According to the press release, Skylar Ariel Phoenix, worked as the marketing manager in Blue Shield of California for more than eight years (2003-2011) and Lissa Michele Phoenix was her registered domestic partner.
Wilkey was the president of Adwil Agency, Inc., a Blue Shield vendor.

The release stated that Wilkey and Skylar Phoenix “entered into a fraudulent marketing contract” between Wilkey’s company and Blue Shield, and that Wilkey gave regular kickbacks to the couple.

“Between in or about February 2006 through at least February 2012, Dana Wilkey, through Adwil Agency accounts, paid directly to Lissa Phoenix, Skylar Phoenix, and Rodeo Pink, approximately 87 checks totaling approximately $360,000 in illegal and undisclosed kickbacks related to Adwil Agency’s business with Blue Shield,” the release charged.

Outside of that, Lissa allegedly defrauded Blue Shield by “creating false employee records and time cards” for work that she supposedly did, but in reality, “no such work was performed.”

Also, Skylar reportedly authorized payment to Lissa, who was using an alias, when no work was done for Blue Shield.

“Between September 2004 and March 2011, Skylar Phoenix approved payments to Lissa Phoenix under this scheme of nearly $500,000 for work which was never provided to Blue Shield,” the release stated.

While Wilkey was not charged with lying to the FBI, both Lissa and Skylar were charged with fibbing about the activities involving Wilkey.

All three appeared in court and were released on a $250,000 bond each.

For the wire and conspiracy counts, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for each count, a fine of $250,000 or “twice the gross gain or loss,” and must make restitution to the victim. For each count, they also face supervised release of up to five years.

Lissa and Skylar face additional fines and imprisonment terms if found guilty of lying to the FBI.

RELATED:  Taylor Armstrong: Dana Wilkey’s In A Bad Place, Battling Pain With The Bottle

Dana Wilkey Calls Brandi Glanville a “Slut”

Wetpaint.com:

Mind you. I never much liked Dana Wilkey and I'm sure she's doing everything she can these days to stay relevant. But since Brandi Glanville makes me more sick to my stomach every time she opens her mouth...let's just say I'm with Dana on this one:

Newsflash: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills tagalong Dana Wilkey is still not a member of the Brandi Glanville fan club.

Right on the tail of recent reports that Brandi got it on with a guy in the bathroom at Kyle Richards’s White Party, Dana is once again hating on Brandi.

“She’s a slut, obviously,” Dana tells RadarOnline.

But how does she really feel? "Slutty and stupid? Doesn't that sum it up? Kind of fits the profile, right?" she continues.

Brandi is sure to have some glowing words for Dana in response, especially since she says the sex rumors are inaccurate. 

RELATED: VIDEO PHOTOS Brandi Glanville launches clothing line “Brand B”

Taylor Armstrong Talks Domestic Abuse At Denver Convention

DenverPost.com:

“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” has something the rest of the catty, so-called reality shows about ostentatious wealth don’t have. Bravo’s RHOBH has Taylor Armstrong and her all-too-real revelations of domestic violence.

Now that she’s aired her story in primetime, withstood the pain of husband Russell’s suicide last summer and written a book, “Hiding From Reality,” she’s tackling her next chapter. As a newly minted celebrity spokeswoman for an advocacy group, Armstrong will deliver the keynote speech to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in Denver on Sunday.

She aims to “spread the word so people in dangerous relationships know there are resources,” Armstrong said by phone from Los Angeles, “so women don’t run past red flags like I did.”

“It doesn’t matter if I’m in the Bronx or Oklahoma (her home state), women have told me the same stories over and over. They keep holding out hope things will change. It never does. That’s something people need to really wrap their heads around. Understand the cycle and why a person stays. In season 2 (of “Housewives”), you saw some of the girls start to turn their backs on me, they couldn’t understand why I would keep going back.”

RELATED: 'RHOBH' Taylor Armstrong Stands by Dana Wilkey's Public Bashing of Ex and New Romance

Dana Wilkey Drops New Single About Expensive Sunglasses

I can't think of a dumber 'Housewife', thank goodness Bravo got rid of her:

Is being a wanna-be singer a new requirement for Bravo's “Housewives”?

“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” castmate Dana Wilkey became the latest in the reality series to debut a single this week.

The 37-year-old introduced “25,000,” a song about her expensive sunglasses, on Monday morning with Ryan Seacrest.

In the single, which has a club beat under it, Wilkey drops brand names and brags, “I’ve got more carats than Bugs Bunny,” among other things.

She told Seacrest she wanted to prove that she wasn’t bothered by criticism of her lavish lifestyle. Wilkey’s been mocked since her first appearances on the “Housewives” last year for dropping the cost of her accessories unnecessarily.

For example: “Look at those beautiful glasses,” Kyle Richards told her on an episode in December. She untactfully responded, “They were, like, $25,000.”

Now, she told Seacrest, she wants to laugh with everyone about her cash-flaunting ways.

“I feel like it’s now become a pop culture funny thing that happened on the show and I wanted people to know that I am laughing at myself as much as they’re laughing at me,” she said.

RELATED: Audio: Hear Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Star Dana Wilkey's Debut Single!

Dana Wilkey Calls Camille Grammer “Dramatic” for Quitting Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

WetPaint.com:

Friend of the Housewives Dana Wilkey can’t understand why former co-star Camille Grammer turned down Bravo’s rumored offer for her to remain a minor character on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.


Not one to mince words, the outspoken star spoke candidly to RumorFix about Camille’s RHoBH departure. “I think Camille overreacted!” Dana spilled. “Like Jesus, let’s not get get [sic] dramatic.”


Dana may think Cam Gram’s exit was dramatic, but the blonde bombshell still wasn’t over-the-top enough for Bravo: The network reportedly gave Camille the axe over her subdued performance on Season 2. The network also gave Dana the boot.


Okay, so Season 2 Camille may have admittedly been a little blase (after all, she did have crazy, catfighting Season 1 Camille to measure up to), but it looks like a Season 3 Camille would have had plenty of dramz. As previously reported, the 43-year-old is now embroiled in a bitter battle with boyfriend Dimitri Charalambopoulous’ ex-girlfriend and baby mama Lisa Chynaweth. During a recent deposition, Camille’s beau was forced to listen to a snippet of conversation between the two ladies, where it seemed as though Camille was lashing out at Lisa, although some sources say the baby mama fired first.


Sounds pretty dramalicious to us. We bet Bravo is kicking themselves right about... now.

RELATED: Is Dana Wilkey Returning to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?

Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills Stars Finally Sign Contracts, Dana Wilkey Not Coming Back

RadarOnline.com:

Get the champagne ready for another season of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills!


The ladies who lunch, fight and shop are coming back and RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned who will be on the third season and who won’t!


“Kim and Kyle Richards, Adrienne Maloof and Lisa Vanderpump have all signed their contracts,” a show insider confirms to RadarOnline.com.


“Brandi Glanville will be back for a third season as well,” the source says. “Her addition to the show was a lot of fun and really mixed things up.”


As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Camille Grammer will not be returning after being told her part would be relegated to a minor one next season.


But, Taylor Armstrong is in!


“Taylor is coming back for a third season,” the source confirms.


Following the tragic suicide of her estranged husband Russell Armstrong, things were up in the air for the widow, but she’s finally signed on the dotted line and will be back.


As for the cat claws that were out last season, expect them to be back and sharper than ever!


“The tensions are high among the women and they’re all ready to make this the most explosive season yet,” the source says.


As for new additions, RadarOnline.com has learned that the Bravo producers really want music mogul David Foster’s wife Yolanda Hadid on the show but her deal hasn’t been finalized yet.

RELATED: Why Dana Wilkey Was Dropped From The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills — Exclusive!

Dana Wilkey Calls Off Wedding To John Flynn, Talks Taylor's $60,000 Birthday Party For Daughter

Philly.com:

The latest addition to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast has called off her wedding to John Flynn, the businessman she’s been dating for six years. The couple have a two-year-old son, John Cayden Flynn.


“We realized that we’ve become more friends than romantic partners,” she says. “It’s better for us to break up and concentrate on our son right now.”


“My fiancé and I have decided to go our separate ways,” Dana, 38, tells Life & Style Weekly.


Not an actual housewife herself, Dana was added to the cast in the second season along with model Brandi Glanville as “Friends of the Housewives.”


Dana is a Lamborghini-owning business tycoon who is reportedly worth $12 million.


She began as an event planner for the stars (she masterminded the infamous $60,000 tea birthday party Taylor and Russell Armstrong threw for their 4-year-old daughter in season one.)


Dana also founded and owns the Adwil Agency,” a boutique web application development company and product placement firm,” as Bravo puts it.

RELATED: Dana Wilkey on Why She Thinks Taylor Armstrong Threw Her Daughter a $60,000 Birthday Party

Dana Wilkey: Too Boring For A Third Season Of Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills?

RadarOnline.com:

Has Dana Wilkey, she of the infamous $25,000 sunglasses, already worn out her welcome after just one season on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?


A show insider tells RadarOnline.com exclusively that they’d be “very surprised” if Dana gets invited back for the third season.


“Now that the reunion has aired, I think the writing is on the wall,” the insider tells RadarOnline.com. “Both Dana and Brandi Glanville, who were billed as ‘friends’ of the Housewives, spent nearly all day taping the reunion back in January.


"But while Brandi ended up being included in the majority of the show -- and causing a firestorm with her comments – only about five minutes of Dana made it on air. The husbands got more air time than she did! She just didn’t add anything.”


“None of the housewives really took to her this past season and, to be honest, she just wasn’t that interesting," the source says. "Yes, she’s wealthy but she doesn’t cause or get involved in any drama, which is really what producers are looking for.


“Lately, she’s been trying to pick online fights with Brandi in a bid to create some scandal, but I think it’s too little, too late. She’s a very nice woman but no one in the cast is expecting she’ll be asked back.”


As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Camille Grammer is likely to not be returning for the third season of the hit franchise either.


“Camille has some other projects in the works, but she needs to get released from her Bravo contract before she can pursue those,” an insider told RadarOnline.com.

If Dana Wilkey's really gone I highly doubt anyone would miss her. Yeah, RHOBH needed some other people besides "Friends of Kyle", but Dana was bland and just too full of herself to warrant having any fans esp. with the name-dropping and price-tag-flashing ("Did ya hear? Twenty-five thousand sunglasses!").

Million Dollar Mistake? Lisa Vanderpump Feels Like Kyle Richards Made a ‘Fool’ out of Her

HuffPo.com:

"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump feels betrayed by Kyle Richards, a castmate she once counted among her closest friends. However, nothing upsets her more than the fact that she gave Kyle's family $1 million in business just before the fellow housewife formed new alliances.


"When Lisa sold her house for $21 million, she was kind enough to let Kyle and her husband [real estate broker Mauricio Umansky] sell it," a friend of Lisa's tells me. "It was a magnificent 17,000 square foot home that, as you can tell from the show, is absolutely amazing. She could have listed the property with anyone but, as a friend, she wanted to help Kyle out. Lisa would rather give the money to a pal than a stranger. So you can only imagine how she felt when, just a few days later, Kyle turned on her."


During the show's reunion special, not only did Lisa have very unkind words to say about her former friend, she also sat in silence as Adrienne Maloof accused Lisa of selling defamatory stories to the press.


"I feel like I have been taken for a fool," Lisa told me. "Defending them and supporting them in life and in business. It's an ensemble cast and we should all stick together. You can't just apologize and move on after this."


Lisa has yet to be invited back for the show's third season, but told me that she would seriously consider her options first if the invitation does come rolling ins.

RELATED: 'Real Housewives' Dana Defends Taylor and Criticizes Reunion Attacks

Twitter Feud! Brandi Glanville and Dana Wilkey Fight on Twitter

Wetpaint.com:

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stars Brandi Glanville and Dana Wilkey have generated their fair share of controversy throughout Season 2, but they never seemed combative with each other — until now. On Sat., Jan. 21, the two ladies got into a tiff on Twitter over Dana's retweeting of a message from a fan that seemed to be taking Brandi to task for her goofy behavior on the Housewives' flight to Hawaii after taking anti-anxiety medication for her travel nerves.


The tweet in question, which Dana retweeted, referenced Brandi's comments earlier this season about Kim Richards' alleged intoxication and suggested that Brandi's ex, Eddie Cibrian, has cause for concern: "Brandi has some nerve dis Kim, while she mixes xanax.alcohol. Claims only to fly. Hope Ed knows this, if flies w/kids.” Yikes!


For her part, Brandi was none too pleased about the retweet, tweeting to Dana: "its so sad to see how desperately u want back on the show. U will throw anyone under the buss.#ursoobviousitssad," followed by "I’m blocking you, cuz ur so sweet via texts and horrid on twitter. Wen u figure out who u really are hit me up!" Brandi then noted that her "custody and family are just off limits" — and since Brandi has a track record for being (understandably) sensitive about attacks on her family, it's no surprise that she was upset.


Dana eventually tweeted to her followers: "Brandi blocked me so let her know I’m sorry I didnt mean anything by the RT…and good luck with everything. I’m jumping off. #rhobh,” after which Brandi accepted her apology.


Kudos to the ladies for resolving their conflict civilly — and we're guessing Dana will think twice before retweeting critical messages from her followers about the other Housewives.

Dana Wilkey Explains Her Million-Dollar Lollipop Necklace

Wetpaint.com:

It’s not too far fetched to think Dana Wilkey would buy a $1 million diamond-encrusted lollipop holder after The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star showed off her $25,000 sunglasses, right? But on her Facebook page, Dana assured readers that she was only borrowing the sweet stick: “As crazy as I am, I did NOT buy the $1 MILLION lollipop holder. I was leant [sic] it by Sugar Factory and was given the necklace to wear while we were out in Las Vegas that weekend. They thought I was the perfect fit since I love ‘functional jewelry.’” Kim Kardashian actually owns one of the insanely priced candy holders, and Dana said she was honored to be asked to wear it in Vegas, too.


Actually, Dana’s lucky Sugar Factory doesn’t have a “you break it, you bought it” policy. Dana explains, “As I was bowling with the girls, the lollipop detached from the chain and fell to the ground … and broke.” It’s since been repaired and you can drool over it the next time you’re at the Pairs Hotel’s Sugar Factory in Las Vegas.

RELATED: 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Recap: Vegas Madness & Kim's Extreme Sadness

Dana Wilkey and Fiance Sued for Fraud

TMZ.com:

You're not truly a member of "The Real Housewives" family until you've been sued over a business deal gone wrong -- so congratulations, Dana Wilkey ... you're officially one of the gals now!


Wilkey, who joined the Beverly Hills gals in season 2, is being sued along with her fiancé, John Flynn, for allegedly defrauding an investor out of $53,000.


According to the lawsuit, filed this week in L.A. Superior Court, Mary Painter claims she invested money in 2008 with Wilkey, Flynn and another man ... who claimed she would get at least a 10% return on her investment. It's unclear from the lawsuit what exactly Painter was investing in.


Painter says she tried several times to pull her money out over the past two years ... but so far, she has not received a dime back.


She's suing for breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation, among other things, and is asking for her money back ... plus damages.


Flynn tells TMZ, "There is no fraud. Dana Wilkey is not a properly named defendant, and we expect to continue to negotiate and gain dismissal of this lawsuit as quick as possible."

RHOA Newbies Brandi Glanville And Dana Wilkey Say Watching the Show Is Traumatizing

TVGuide.com:

If you thought that The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills game night was intense, just wait.


"There is so much drama to come," Brandi Glanville tells TVGuide.com. "I have a lot of girlfriends and we're all nuts, but these ladies take drama to a whole new level."


See photos from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills


Fellow new castmember Dana Wilkey adds that her biggest regret from this season stems from the famous fight. "I wasn't as good of a host as I should've been," she says.


In this video interview, the two women share why watching their season has been "re-traumatizing" and which of the other cities in the franchise they would love to be on.

Brandi Glanville And Dana Wilkey On "The Wendy Williams Show"

Introducing Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Star Dana Wilkey

EOnline.com:

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is adding even more sparkle in its second season, introducing new blinged-out castmembers Brandi Glanville and Dana Wilkey to the established cast.


We know plenty about Playboy Club star Eddie Cibrian's ex-wife, but Dana is relatively unknown—although this isn't her first time at the 90210 reality rodeo. Here's the scoop on the new RHOBH star, and where you may have seen her before...


She's Taylor Armstrong's BFF: Billed by Bravo as a "friend of the Housewives," Dana told E! News she landed the role because she's "really good friends with Taylor." She already saw some screentime alongside Russell's soon-to-be ex-wife in season one.


That $60K Kiddie Party? Thank You, Dana: Party planner Dana organized the outlandish Mad Hatter-themed birthday bash Taylor threw for herself her 4-year-old daughter, featured last season on RHOBH. While organizing events for film premieres and celebrities in the U.S. and Europe, the entrepreneurial USC graduate also founded the Adwil Agency, a boutique web application development company and product placement firm whose tagline is "We find the drama in you." Based on the season-two preview, she sure manages to find the drama in the Beverly Hills Housewives.


Girl Just Wants to Have Fun: When she's not throwing them, Dana seems to enjoy a good party herself, expressing a particular fondness for flavored tequila on her Twitter page. She collects both Barbies and original artwork, which she can obviously afford: She drives a Lamborghini, and her new house has a private theater and pool with a current machine.


Drama Mama: In addition to her 2-year-old son, Dana will become a stepmother to her fiancé's adult children, 18 and 22, when she marries the "serial entrepreneur" next year. Dana's own mother was tragically killed in a car accident when she was young.


Look Out, Allison DuBois? Dana says this season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills "makes last season look like a Cinderella story," telling E! News, "It's gonna be a doozy." Dana is proud that she "calls people on their B.S.," but also worries about their reaction to the show: "I hope they don't hate me!" We think Dana's safe—in the season-two preview, it's fellow newbie Brandi Glanville who incurs the wrath (and at least one "slut pig" slur) from the Richards sisters. Plus, as Dana pointed out to E! News, "I don't look crazy in the trailer, but my friends look nuts!"