The tone was contentious at a felony conference for Gold Country Lenders CEO Philip Lester and CFO Susan Laferte Thursday afternoon, although neither defendant was present in Nevada County Superior Court. Approximately 20 of the duo’s alleged victims were present, however. Laferte and Lester were indicted in mid-January by a criminal grand jury for allegedly defrauding investors of millions of dollars over a period of eight years. They already had been facing more than 60 felony counts of elder abuse, securities fraud and conspiracy, but the grand jury indictment superseded the original complaint. The charges allege that Lester issued fractional …