JUDGE FINDS KALASHOS MADE UNPERMITTED CONSTRUCTION, SETS JUNE 18 HEARING TO RESOLVE CLAIMS

By Miriam Raftery

Image: Exhibit from defendants' closing brief in which the Kalashos claimed substantial unpermitted changes to first, third and fourth floors of their Fletcher Hills rental property are each a "nothng burger."

June 1, 2025 (El Cajon) – Former El Cajon Councilmember Bessmon “Ben” Kalasho and his wife, Jessica Deddeh, made major unpermitted construction changes using unlicensed contractors at the Fletcher Hills home that they are currently renting to a family with children,  That’s the finding of San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil.

However, the judge this week also ruled against the City of El Cajon’s request to impose over $2.5 million in fines and denied without prejudice the city’s request to put the home into receivership to be sold to pay the fines, meaning fines or receivership could be allowed in the future if the Kalashos fail to comply with the court orders.

Instead, the judge ordered Kalasho to allow a city inspector access to determine whether health or safety hazards exist and prohibited occupancy including rental of the property  until any code violations found are corrected, and until the Kalashos comply with building, housing and zoning codes.

The court set a status conference for Wednesday, June 18 at 3 p.m. to hear any objections from either side to the court’s statement of decision, as well as to set an inspection of the home and a briefing schedule to resolve the undetermined issues, and to develop a management order to resolve the balance of claims and defenses.

The city contends that Kalasho and Deddeh, among other things, illegally built unpermitted exterior stairs, a deck, and a second kitchen, also operating an illegal bed and breakfast and using an accessory structure as a dwelling unit. Concerns include potential hazard involving gas and electric work done without a licensed contractor or city inspectors, as well as added weight on an upper story from the unpermitted additions.

The couple claimed they never received notice of the violations and contended that the enforcement efforts were politically motivated.  In closing arguments, the Kalashos provided a photo with several major construction changes on the first, third and fourth floors each labeled as a "Nothing Burger."

Though Judge Wohlfield found Bessmon Kalasho to be "bright, verbal and sophisticated," his ruling in the case, City of El Cajon and People of of the State of California v. Jessica Deddeh and Bessmon Kalasho, states, “Defendants, using primarily (if not entirely) unlicensed contractors, renovated the entire residence top to bottom. The depiction of the residence before and after the construction is startling.”  

However, he noted that the city has not proven harm to the public, albeit because the judge indicated the couple had failed to allow city inspectors onto the property.

Kalasho and Deddeh, who now live out of state, claimed that the property at 1620 Clifffdale Road, El Cajon, was in a trust owned by Maximilian Von Ayers.  But the Judge ruled that Von Ayers is an alias of Ben Kalasho, who represented himself in court and claimed his fifth amendment rights against self incrimination when questioned about this on the stand.  A former tenant, Daniel Ayala, testified that when he spoke with Kalasho, his voice sounded the same as Von Ayers’ voice.

The city code compliance case isn’t the couple's only legal problem.

Photo:  Bessmon "Ben" Kalasho and Jessica Deddeh at a prior court arraignment

In a separate case, the couple has been ordered to appear in San Diego Superior Court  on June 9 to begin serving eight days in jail for criminal contempt of court. If they comply, their jail sentence would end just days before their ordered appearance in the code compliance hearing. The judge in the contempt case, however, could potentially extend their jail sentence if Kalasho and Deddeh still fail to cooperate in providing financial details sought in attorney Lina Chary's civil case against them.

The contempt of court charges came after Charry sued Kalasho and Deddeh, claiming they defamed her in retaliation after she sued damages suffered when a car in a carwash owned by Kalasho crashed into Charry’s business next door. Kalasho and his wife failed to comply with court orders to produce financial documents, lied under oath, and failed to show up at numerous court-mandated appearances, the judge found, leading to finding the couple guilty of criminal contempt.

Bessmon Kalasho has previously pleaded guilty to a workman’s compensation fraud charge, and settled another defamation case filed by beauty queen pageants and a taco shop owner; one pageant contestant also claimed sexual harassment, accusing Kalasho of offering to trade sex for the crown. A Chamber of Commerce and beauty pageant run by Kalasho were shut down amid evidence of fraudulent claims regarding nonprofit status.

Kalasho resigned from the El Cajon City Council in March 2019 amid multiple controversies and after citizens at a prior Council meeting showed up with signs urging him to step down.

Kalasho has been working recently as a chef at Smithmore Castle, a bed and breakfast in North Carolina reportedly owned by a reclusive Scottish lord, according to the castle's social media posts and media interviews with Kalasho, who used the alias Chef Benjamin Epicure. In recent court documents, he has indicated he has also lived in Tennessee and works part of the year overseas in Dubai.