Tech entrepreneur remanded into custody for probation violation
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - A former tech CEO was remanded into custody today in San Francisco in connection with a probation violation stemming from a 2014 domestic violence case, prosecutors said.
Gurbaksh Chahal, 36, appeared for a hearing today in San Francisco Superior Court after losing an appeal with the California Supreme Court in the domestic violence case and Judge Tracie Brown remanded him into custody to serve a one-year jail sentence.
Brown originally sentenced him in 2014 but granted a stay of proceedings, meaning Chahal would not begin to serve his sentence, pending an appeal, which his defense attorney at the time eventually filed on his behalf.
He's been out of custody on $250,000 bail.
Earlier this month, the state Supreme Court declined to review his case and upheld his sentence.
In 2014, Chahal was charged with 45 felony counts and two misdemeanors for an alleged domestic violence incident that took place at his South Beach apartment in 2013. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor domestic violence charges and avoided jail time after a video used as evidence during the trial was deemed inadmissible because it was seized without a warrant.
While he was on probation, however, a different victim came forward, alleging Chahal assaulted her at the same South Beach apartment in September 2014. In light of those allegations, prosecutors then moved to revoke Chahal's probation.
In that case, prosecutors said Chahal kicked the female victim 10 to 12 times, angry that she had gotten into an argument with his security guard. Prosecutors also said Chahal took away her cellphone as she tried to call 911 to report the alleged violence before ordering her to leave his apartment.
Chahal, an entrepreneur, founded tech-advertising company RadiumOne and was once interviewed by Oprah on her television show.
Chahal's attorney, Robert Shapiro, was not immediately available for comment.
In a statement, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon said, "Mr. Chahal sought to escape responsibility for assaulting two women, but today he learned that wealth and privilege will not shield him from consequences. Domestic violence is very serious, and we will always be here to make sure that batterers are held accountable."
Beverly Upton, with the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium, said in a statement, "Seeing someone go to jail doesn't give me satisfaction, but Mr. Chahal had been given every opportunity to change his behavior. Perhaps this timeout will provide an opportunity for him to reflect on the impact he had on these women and the broader community."