California animal sanctuary founder accused of attempted kidnapping scheme – NBC Los Angeles

Federal authorities have arrested an animal sanctuary founder accused of plotting to have a former employee kidnapped and flown to Mexico in an effort to force her to settle a multimillion-dollar court judgment.

Investigators say the meetings that led to the arrest took place among the stables of the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, where Leo Grillo held four meetings over the past four months with a man he believed would carry out the kidnapping.

Authorities say Grillo did not know the man was working with the FBI.

Agents arrested Grillo moments after he signed a $10,000 check to the would-be kidnappers, according to the criminal complaint.

Grillo, who appeared in a 2006 film with Katherine Heigl that grossed about $30 at the box office due in part to a deliberate, limited one-time theater release, now faces a far more serious role.

The case stems from a long-running dispute with a former employee at Delta Rescue, a 115-acre ranch in Acton, California, that calls itself the largest “no kill” animal sanctuary in the world.

For about 2½ years, a woman identified as Adriana worked caring for animals at the sanctuary before being fired in February 2020 after asking for time off to give birth to a baby girl, according to her attorneys.

“In deposition, in a videotaped deposition, no less, he had referred to her as the lettuce picker and other ugly comments tied to her Mexican-American background,” attorney Jacob Nalbandyan said.

Adriana sued for wrongful termination and won in November 2024.

Nalbandyan said the verdict awarded her $6.7 million in damages.

In July 2025, Grillo filed for bankruptcy, even though attorneys for Adriana said their investigation found his assets were worth more than double the amount he owed.

“He could have just let it go,” attorney Armen Manasserian said. “It was only to utilize or abuse the court system to prevent this woman from being able to collect after years of abuse.”

According to court documents, investigators say Grillo later began communicating with a man who had business dealings in Mexico. The complaint says the two spoke in coded language about producing a “documentary” about the woman who sued him.

Prosecutors say the plan actually involved kidnapping Adriana and her child, flying them to Mexico and holding them against their will.

“So as to extort a settlement that is lesser than the judgment that the company is on the hook for,” Nalbandyan said.

In February, Grillo mailed the businessman — who was cooperating with the FBI — a $20,000 check with “production” written in the memo line, according to the complaint.

On Tuesday, authorities say the informant showed Grillo a staged photo depicting Adriana and her husband tied up and told him the kidnappers needed another $10,000 to transport her to Mexico.

Investigators say Grillo wrote and signed the check, and agents immediately arrested him.

“This is an obsessive and despicable person that would stoop to unspeakable conduct,” Manasserian said.

Prosecutors say Grillo told the informant he was willing to pay $100,000 to carry out the plan.

He has been charged with attempted kidnapping.

Attorneys for Adriana say she is distraught and traumatized by the situation but relieved the alleged plan was stopped before it could go further.