Abraham on arrest: timing orchestrated to gain an advantage in civil proceeding
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office deputies assigned to the Criminal Warrants and Fugitive Apprehension Section arrested El Paso businessman William “Billy” Abraham in West El Paso.
The arrest was made Tuesday, August 28, 2018, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies conducted an investigation that led to the location of the 62-year-old Abraham, taken into custody at a business located on the 4600 block of North Mesa Street.
In a statement emailed to ABC-7, Abraham said, “It appears the timing of this arrest was orchestrated to gain an advantage in a civil proceeding that is currently pending. This matter arises out of an incident that happened over a year and a half ago. When the facts are exposed in proper context, I will be exonerated of all allegations.”
Abraham was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility for two outstanding criminal warrants on charges of Tampering With A Witness, and Tampering Fabricate Physical Evidence With Intent to Impair. His bonds totaled $100,000.
Abraham filed for bankruptcy in February 2018 after he was ordered to pay more than $1 million to Ivan Aguilera, the son of the late singer, Juan Gabriel. In the summer of 2017, a judge ordered Abraham to pay Aguilera’s company for a Juan Gabriel performance at the Don Haskins Center in 2015. Abraham was the promoter.
A judge decided to keep Abraham’s case in Chapter 11 reorganization. Abraham’s creditors were asking the judge to move the case to Chapter 7 liquidation, which would have forced the sale of Abraham’s assets so that he could pay his creditors.
Abraham owns several properties in the heart of downtown, including the Kress and Caples buildings. He also owns several properties in central and east El Paso, as well as Hudspeth County. On top of that, Abraham has several LLCs, or limited liability companies, a way of structuring a business to protect personal assets in case the business is sued.
