Not Guilty Plea Entered: The founder of...

Not Guilty Plea Entered: The founder of Consolidated Savings Bank and seven fellow defendants pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court to charges they looted the now-defunct Irvine thrift of about $13.5 million. Robert A. Ferrante, a Newport Beach developer who started Consolidated in 1984, refuted the indictment filed last week, which includes wire and mail fraud charges. Ottavio A. Angotti, Consolidated’s former chairman and president, also pleaded not guilty. Others pleading not guilty are Ronald L. Bartholomew of Corona del Mar; Raymond L. Arthun of Tustin; Eric Bronk of Corona del Mar; Peter A. Sardagna of Laguna Hills; William E. Crowder of Covina, and Sigmund Kohnen of Las Vegas.