USA: Major Obama Donor, Gurbaksh Chahal, The CEO Of San Francisco Tech Startup RadiumOne, AVOIDS Jail Time After Brutally Beating Girlfriend All Caught On CCTV Footage.

The Washington Free Beacon

Major Obama Donor Avoids Jail Time After Brutally Beating Girlfriend

written by Staff

Thursday April 24, 2014

A high-dollar Obama donor who was caught on video brutally beating his girlfriend got off with 25 hours of community service last week after he pled guilty to domestic battery charges.

CCTV footage caught Gurbaksh Chahal, the CEO of San Francisco tech startup RadiumOne, kicking his girlfriend 117 times, including blows to the head, and trying to smother her with a pillow during a vicious 30-minute assault.

He faced 45 felony charges until the footage was deemed inadmissible. As a result, Chahal has managed to avoid jail time, the Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

According to police reports, Chahal also threated to kill his girlfriend several times.

Silicon Valley executives have come under scrutiny for their political activities in recent weeks. The CEO of web browser company Mozilla was forced to step down after it was revealed that he donated $1,000 to an anti-gay marriage proposition in 2008.

Chahal’s political contributions indicate more liberal sensibilities. He has donated more than $100,000 since 2011, all of which went the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates.

Those contributions include $81,600 to the Democratic National Committee and $5,000 to President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign.

RadiumOne’s board of directors includes Steve Westly, a major Obama donor who came under scrutiny after four companies that he invested in received stimulus subsidies while Westly sat on an advisory board directing the disbursement of stimulus money.

Chahal has visited the White House twice, on Nov. 30, 2011 to see the president, and on Dec. 14, 2012, to see the president and the first lady, according to White House visitor logs.

Chahal also greeted Obama at a dinner in San Francisco in 2012.

It was not immediately clear whether activists who boycotted Mozilla for its former CEO’s opposition to gay marriage would also target RadiumOne and other Chahal startups.

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CBS Local San Francisco

San Francisco-Based RadiumOne CEO Avoids Prison After Girlfriend Beating Captured On Video

written by Carlos E. Castañeda

Thursday April 24, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The chief executive of a San Francisco-based Internet advertising firm will face no prison time after beating his girlfriend last August – in an attack captured on video – following a plea deal.

RadiumOne founder and CEO Gurbaksh Chahal faced 47 felony counts for repeatedly hitting and kicking Juliet Kakish on Aug. 5, 2013 at his home at the Infinity Towers in Rincon Hill in San Francisco.

Police testified that Chahal had video cameras placed throughout his penthouse apartment, including two in his bedroom where the attack happened.

According to the complaint against Chahal, the felony counts included hitting Kakish repeatedly in the head, covering her mouth during the assault, and threatening to kill her.

A video that police said showed Chahal hitting Kakish 117 times in a half-hour was ruled inadmissible after Chahal’s lawyers successfully argued it had been seized unlawfully by police.

Last week, Chahal pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor battery charges and was put on probation for three years. He will also perform community service and enroll in a domestic violence program.

Chahal’s spokesman, public relations consultant Sam Singer, told the San Francisco Business Times:

“This now allows Gurbaksh and RadiumOne to move forward with their IPO, which is further down the line. It was an important conclusion to what was a difficult situation, and all sides are to be commended in the reasonable conclusion of this case.”

Chahal told The San Francisco Chronicle his firm is looking to complete its initial public offering within the next 12 months. RadiumOne is Chahal’s third startup; his first two ventures sold for $40 million and $300 million, respectively.

His Twitter feed made no mention of his legal troubles during the days he was being investigated or in court. His most recent on April 22 appears to be more introspective than the others.

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UPDATE CBS, SF Local 4/25/2014: ‘Grow Up People’ Tweets RadiumOne CEO Who Avoided Prison After Plea Deal In Girlfriend Attack

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The San Francisco tech entrepreneur and CEO who avoided prison time after police said he brutally beat up his girlfriend in his penthouse apartment has defended himself in a series of tweets – which have since been deleted from his Twitter feed.

UPDATE Indian Express 4/28/2014: Indian-origin tech CEO Gurbaksh Chahal beats girlfriend, fired from company

Indian-origin internet advertising mogul Gurbaksh Chahal, who escaped jail despite beating his girlfriend 117 times, has been fired from his post of CEO and chairman by his company.

The board of directors at RadiumOne, a Silicon Valley company that focusses on real-time advertising across web, mobile and Facebook, met over the weekend and “voted to terminate the employment of Gurbaksh Chahal as CEO and Chairman of the company,” the company said in a statement.

IRONY UPDATE Entrepreneur.com 8/21/2012: Serial Entrepreneur Gurbaksh Chahal Commits $1 Million to Stop Hate Crimes

Solving big problems is what drives the most successful entrepreneurs. While other people sit on the sidelines, entrepreneurs are quick to tackle an issue they are passionate about -- whether it's business or personal. Gurbaksh Chahal is the latest to take on one of the biggest challenges with a bold move.

The multimillionaire is launching what he hopes will become a humanitarian movement that stretches far beyond business. Chahal has committed $1 million to launch the BeProud foundation as part of a broad effort to prevent hate crimes and empower people to embrace their differences.

"As Americans we're a melting pot," he says. "Everybody's different, and we should be proud of that."

"We started receiving hundreds of emails all over the world from people who wanted to volunteer right away," says Chahal, noting it has also attracted the support of Deepak Chopra, musician Jay Sean, actress Lisa Ray, and film director Gurinder Chadha, among others. He is hoping the entrepreneurial community will also come together to help build momentum.

He says he is determined to bring about change. To be sure, Chahal is known for his persistence and determination in business. At 18, he sold his first online advertising startup ClickAgents within two years for $40 million, cashed out his second company BlueLithium for $300 million, and currently runs his third venture, RadiumOne. His success has afforded him the opportunity to give back in a big way.

"It humbles you and keeps you grounded, reminding you of the opportunities you have that you are grateful for," Chahal says. "I'm also a big believer in karma, and you want to make sure you spread enough good in this world."