Calvin Darden Jr., the man who was charged with fraud in connection with his family’s failed bid to buy Maxim magazine and its parent, Alpha Media, has finally made bail after nearly a month in the pokey — aka Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correction Center.
The twisted tale of a failed bid to buy the once-red-hot magazine of fabulous babes also seems to involve a fractured family saga, with the wealthy Atlanta-based father initially unwilling or unable to come up with the $300,000 in cash, or property, to secure a $1 million bond for one of his own.
Five unidentified supporters on Monday posted a $1 million bond — secured by $300,000 cash or property — springing Darden Jr., pending trial.
An earlier bid on Feb. 28 to bail out the 39-year-old businessman failed almost comically when the five would-be benefactors could only scratch together $6,000.
If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
It all seemed to begin so well in March 2013, when Calvin Darden Sr. formed Darden Media to buy Maxim.
Darden Jr., after a previous conviction for a stock scam, seemed ready to make a fresh start in a new business with his father, a former top executive of UPS who has served on corporate boards from Coca-Cola Enterprises, the soft drink giant’s European bottler, to Target.
Both Dardens were present at the outset, according to a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by Alpha Media late last month against Darden Media over its failure to close the deal.
Darden Sr. appears to have had trouble raising the funds to close the deal.
The federal charges only involve the younger Darden, however. The feds say he began impersonating his father and tricked investors out of more than $8 million, and attempted to steal another $20 million — all to be used to purchase the popular lad mag, according to an indictment by US Attorney Preet Bharara.
Darden Jr.’s lawyer, Xavier Donaldson, did not return calls seeking comment. Darden Sr. didn’t return an e-mail seeking comment.
After the Darden fiasco, Alpha Media was sold to Biglari Holdings, headed by 36-year-old Sardar Biglari, who also owns Steak ’n Shake, Western Sizzlin’ and some real estate.