Martin Scorsese sued by Kenneth Starr receiver

The receiver for firms once controlled by jailed money manager Kenneth I. Starr sued filmmaker Martin Scorsese and his production company for about $600,000. The complaint, filed today by receiver Aurora Cassirer in New York state court in Manhattan, said Scorsese's Sikelia Productions Inc. owes the Starr companies payment for bookkeeping, accounting and other services. Michelle Benson, a spokeswoman for the Oscar-winning director of “The Departed” and “Goodfellas,” didn't immediately return an e-mail seeking comment. A phone number listed for Sikelia was busy. (See some of the other celebs, politicians and socialites Mr. Starr advised.) Starr, 66, is charged with 20 counts of wire fraud and one each of securities fraud, money laundering and fraud by an investment adviser. He's being held without bail and denies the charges. If convicted of wire fraud, Starr faces as much as 20 years in prison. He was arrested May 27 and accused of defrauding clients, including heiress Rachel “Bunny” Mellon, in a scheme to buy a $7.5 million Manhattan apartment. Prosecutors expanded the allegations in a subsequent indictment. The suit is Cassirer v. Sikelia Productions, New York state Supreme Court (Manhattan). The criminal case is U.S. v. Starr, 1:10-cr-520, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).