Ex-Businessman Convicted Of Lying

TACOMA - A former Tacoma real-estate mogul has become the first person in more than a decade convicted of lying in Pierce County Superior Court.

Marlyn Bateman, 36, pleaded guilty to first-degree perjury and admitted to lying in divorce court about the sale price of his Lookout Mountain Ranch near Cle Elum.

Bateman, a former co-owner of one of the Northwest's largest apartment development and management companies, Investco Financial Corp., allegedly told the judge hearing the 1992 divorce proceedings that he realized about $1.2 million after expenses in the sale of the ranch owned by him and his then-estranged wife, Jan.

Prosecutors and Jan Bateman say Bateman sold the ranch for more than $2 million to a group of Bellevue investors and lied about it to reduce the divorce settlement.

Jan Bateman says her ex-husband received $839,000 in addition to the $1.2 million he acknowledged. Prosecutors say the additional money was paid to an Idaho company Bateman set up two days before the ranch sale.

Bateman's attorney, Wayne Fricke, said Bateman disputes the amounts involved in the perjury.

Deputy Prosecutor Carl Hultman has agreed to recommend a sentence of 280 hours of community service in exchange for Bateman's guilty plea.

Hultman said the court also could order Bateman to pay restitution to his ex-wife.

Sentencing was set for Sept. 21.

Since the Batemans separated nearly four years ago, Bateman's former partner, Mike Corliss, sued to break up their partnership, alleging Bateman had failed to show up for work and had spent corporate money without consent.

Bateman's ex-wife said she had to sell their large Lake Tapps home at below market value because of pressing obligations and tax liens Bateman had failed to pay.

Bateman's legal and financial situation is further complicated by other pending suits and a bankruptcy he filed in federal court.