Will the curtain fall on the Monroe Theater?

Owner charged with fraud in connection with plan for Pennsylvania movie house MONROE - Norman Adie, who took six years to open the 1,100 seat multiplex theater in Monroe, has been charged with fraud involving a Pennsylvania movie house and bilking investors out of more than $530,000. According to the United States Attorney’s office, Adie told a group of investors in 2007 that he was converting one of his theatres in Brooklyn into a condominium project. The project would bring a return up to 13.5 percent, he claimed. But federal prosecutors say Adie took the investors’ money - more than $530,000 - and used it for his own personal use and to pay off the operating expenses of his other business. The businesses involved included the Brooklyn Heights Cinema, Brooklyn Arts Cinemas and the Pennsylvania Westfall Cinema. Adie faces jail time of 20 years on each of two counts of securities fraud and two counts of wire fraud, according to the Magistrates Court in New York City. He was arraigned Nov. 23 and released on $350,000 bail. A call to Adie’s New York City number got the following response: “There is no one here by that name,” and hung up. Adie’s lawyer Martin Cohen did not returned calls regarding his client. Busy movie weekend Monroe Mayor James Purcell said it appeared that business was very brisk at the Bowler Hat cinema last weekend. Purcell added that he had not been contacted by any federal or local authorities regarding the situation. “As of now,” he said, “(the movie theater) is still open for business.” Likewise, Westfall Township Vice Chairman Lester Buchanan said the municipality had no knowledge of Adie’s arrest. “The township’s involvement with him ended when he walked away from the project,” Buchanan said. That project would have converted a vacated Grand Union building into a seven-screen metroplex. Buchanan said Adie had township approval and the necessary permits. The building was 38 percent completed when work stopped.