TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Michael Gartner Ordered to Repay $12.3 Million: A federal court ordered the Orange County businessman to repay the money he allegedly took from investors in his video telephone business. The court judgment also names three companies Gartner controlled--Interlink Data Network of Los Angeles Inc., Interlink Fiber Optics Partners L.P. and Interlink Video Phone Partners L.P.--as subject to the repayment and penalty orders. All three companies are based in Costa Mesa. In issuing the summary judgment order, U.S. District Judge Manuel Real also disclosed that Gartner--who has been living in a $3.8-million house in San Juan Capistrano--is subject to a Nov. 10 arrest warrant for contempt of court. The warrant was issued when Gartner missed a court deadline for either repaying $22,000 allegedly spent in violation of a freeze on his assets or showing the court he is impoverished and unable to repay the money. Gartner could not be reached for comment.