Beverage News Network

Alcohol Industry Regulators will want to take note...

In an unceremonious fashion, on an unparticular and ordinary day, the Alcohol Regulatory Industry may experience an operational shift unlike that which has been seen in many years, and it all starts with a day in court.

This is the story of a man that was once ingratiated by the press for creating the fastest growing alcohol distribution company in the country; a man whom in less than a decade built his company from a few cases of liquor sold out of a home garage to an empire operating in 33 US States and 12 foreign countries, a man who created good paying jobs for hundreds of employees and who accomplished many tens of millions in revenues while creating a publicly traded company to grow into all 50 states, a man who was suddenly and almost instantly stopped in his tracks.

C. J. Eiras, the former CEO of the now defunct Liquor Group was unexpectedly arrested in 2012 for 70 Felony counts including criminal tax evasion and bootlegging, and was burdened with a bond to get out of jail set at $2.25 Million Dollars, a bond that is many times more than that set for accused rapists, child molesters or even murderers. To add insult to injury, the press gobbled up the story, as it was spoon fed to them by the powers that be. The national press wrote newspapers, magazine articles and even produced whimsical "American Greed" stylized stories about a modern day Gangster Bootlegger, one whom was nefariously operating a criminal enterprise network with evil lair facilities spread across the country that would make even Al Capone green with envy.


Elliot Ness turns into Hellova Mess.

Well after the dust settled, a completely different picture emerged.

The Special Prosecutor selected to handle the case spent 16 months deliberating over the "evidence" of wrongdoing by Eiras, and in the end publicly stated that there was no evidence to substantiate any of the claims made by the State of Florida Alcohol Beverage & Tobacco Division (ABT). Well that in itself is disastrous for the State, however when you dig deeper you find that the actual agent in charge of the investigation, one Eugene Baker, has his own history with multiple government agencies of wrongdoings and miss deeds. Baker was actually concurrently being investigated by the Inspector General for the State of Florida while Eiras' case was being deliberated.

It gets worse...

When you dig even deeper to find the agent whom initiated the investigation was actually a former ABT Agent, Leonard Lee, who during his stint at the ABT arrested a Liquor Group manager in Florida for Selling Alcohol without a License, when in fact not only did the manager have his own personal LQS license with Florida, but he was delivering alcohol under the Liquor Group license in Florida, and was actually dropping off a donation of rum and vodka to a charity. The record after this is unclear, but it looks like Lee lost his ABT job after that case was thrown out by the court at the initial hearing, but I digress.

So now Eiras holds another record to add to his illustrious resume of achievements; the record for being arrested with the highest count of Felony Charges under the highest bond request to ever be dropped without any plee bargaining, by any prosecutor, in any state, at any time in the history of the alcohol industry. All of this activity, accusations, arrest, press, presumptions and vindications without a single court hearing ever scheduled on the docket, so how then does Eiras get his day in court?

On February 4, 2016 Eiras filled suit against the State of Florida ABT and Eugene Baker individually, and the ripple effects of this litigation will have State Alcohol Agencies all over the country watching keenly to see just what happens next. Stay tuned.

To avoid stocks that can be SEC Suspended and subsequently revoked by the SEC for the single reason of delinquent Financials I suggest referencing the following post and using the EDGAR link to research SEC Filers.

http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=105890470

Best o' luck, Forty-8.

Thanks for the information Renee. I now understand that LIQRQ's background is completely different from that of another ticker I am watching, which is about to be revoked.

Kindest regards ... and take care.

I suppose anything is possible, Forty-8, but the company filed a Form 15 in 2010 to no longer report to the SEC so it is quite doubtful the SEC would ever consider a new registration....it just doesn't happen. Plus the company's bankruptcy and then FINRA deleting the symbol. Far too many strikes in essentially a one-strike-you're-out as far as the SEC is concerned.

Thank you for your supportive comments; I really appreciate them!!!

Would your conclusion also apply to a re-registration on a different exchange, such as the case where an OTC stock was revoked, and then the company filed an S-l registration to the Nasdaq?

Thanks in advance ... and I'm an admirer of your continued excellent work.

Thanks Renee.

Once a stock's registration is revoked a company can submit a Form 10 in the hope the SEC might re-register their stock, but my observations are that the SEC won't approve a Form 10 when a company was egregiously delinquent in filing Financials and could have prevented the revocation in the first place.

Ain't saying it can't happen, but I don't know of any revoked registrations obtaining re-registered stock.

Would a Form 10 salvage things?

Yes, it was FINRA that deleted the symbol, not the SEC. At the bottom of the linked daily list there is a number to call:

•Questions concerning Other-OTC changes should be directed to : FINRA Market Operations at (866)-776-0800.

http://www.otcbb.com/asp/dailylist_detail.asp?d=03/21/2014&mkt_ctg=NON-OTCBB

The co. Filed form 15 in 2010 so it's not the sec revoking them. Looks like FINRA with the Q on its symbol did it for lack of filing. Did they lose piggy pack? New 211 needed?

They had one champion on a few of the boards who invested heavily in the stock in the belief they had some magic distribution system. It always sounded like a scam to me as they basically acted as distributor for product that was produced by insiders. They would show a nice profit one quarter, then move the money back to the private producers.
It was a weird set up.

form 15 filed in 2010.

who?

I heard there is somebody new coming in to take this company over?

Who is that?

Only 1 person is going to be surprised (and crushed) by that news.

LIQRQ registration revoked:

http://www.otcbb.com/asp/dailylist_detail.asp?d=03/21/2014&mkt_ctg=NON-OTCBB

LOL, yeah, she can't be too happy.

You need to keep a close eye on this stock

BC...

LOL, after all the BS about how profitable they were and what a great business model, it all goes up in a puff of smoke.

They don't call 'em stinky pinkies for nothing!

Thanks for the heads up.

LIQR changed to LIQRQ: Bankruptcy:

http://www.otcbb.com/asp/dailylist_detail.asp?d=03/14/2014&mkt_ctg=NON-OTCBB

There are some rumors floating around that they are getting ready to purchase a couple of new companies. IMO, it's worth keeping an eye on this stock for the next month or two.

f.b. refrl

LOL, are there really any shareholders left?

April 1, 2013 – Jacksonville, Florida – Liquor Group Wholesale (Publicly Traded: LIQR) announces the Annual Shareholder Meeting on April 23, 2013, at 9AM EST to be held at their corporate offices located at 4600 Touchton Road, Building 100, Suite 150, Jacksonville, FL 32246.

All current shareholders are invited to attend, a vote of shares will be held during the meeting. Contact the company if you wish to file a proxy vote without attending the meeting.

About Liquor Group Wholesale
Liquor Group Wholesale, Inc. (Publicly Traded: LIQR) is an emerging alcohol distribution/brokerage organization representing thousands of brands with operations in many US States. Our Manufacturer to State level conveyance utilizes a business model focused on providing unique trade channels for many of the world’s leading & emerging alcohol beverage brands. Current/historical financial information at: www.LiquorGroup.com and www.SEC.gov


CONTACT:
Liquor Group Wholesale
904-285-5885

C.J. Eiras Keynote Speaker for World Trade Conference

Jacksonville, FL – Tuesday January 15, 2013 – C.J. Eiras, CEO of Liquor Group Wholesale, Inc. (LIQR) was “tapped” as keynote speaker for conference on the future of the Alcohol Beverage industry with dignitaries and observers of the World Trade Organization.

Eiras, an industry veteran whom has been a resource for such global endeavors as the industry gauge study conducted by Allianz Global Investors entitled “Hard Liquor and Spirits Sales in the U.S.” and selected by Eric Lansky, CEO of USA Mutuals to speak at the "Invest Your Knowledge" conference for shareholders of its Vice Fund (VICEX).

The crux of the speech was focused on globalized branding and shrinking distribution channels in world markets.

Key components of the speech included:

• Potential for Global Harmonization of Alcohol Laws
• Increasing Pressures of Brand Compliance
• Brand Marketing to Create a Global Presence
• Social Media’s Effect on the Alcohol Industry

C.J. Eiras, best known for creating the Happy Vodka brand and his Innovative Distribution System utilized by Liquor Group was honored to be a part of the conference and has had very positive follow up responses from the attendees.

More about Liquor Group Wholesale, Inc.:

Liquor Group Wholesale is an emerging distributor and marketer of premium and quality branded spirits, wines and alcohol beverage products with a portfolio that includes more than 3,000 products. The company is federally licensed and operates at varying degrees in the US.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release includes statements of our expectations, intentions, plans and beliefs that constitute "forward looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are intended to come within the safe harbor protection provided by those sections. These statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, related to the discussion of our business strategies and our expectations concerning future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity and capital resources and to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. We have used words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "thinks," "estimates," "seeks," "expects," "predicts," "could," "projects," "potential" and other similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions, in this press release to identify forward looking statements. These forward looking statements are made based on expectations and beliefs concerning future events affecting us and are subject to uncertainties, risks and factors relating to our operations and business environments, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those matters expressed or implied by these forward looking statements. More information about these and other factors are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in Liquor Group Wholesale's Annual Report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

When considering these forward looking statements, you should keep in mind the cautionary statements in this press release and the documents incorporated by reference. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and we cannot predict those events or how they may affect us. We assume no obligation to update any forward looking statements after the date of this press release as a result of new information, future events or developments, except as required by the federal securities laws.

LIQR

# # #

For more information on Liquor Group Wholesale, contact:

Liquor Group Wholesale, Inc.
4600 Touchton Road
Suite 1150
Jacksonville, FL 32246
Phone: 866-REACH-LG / 866-732-2454
E-mail: Press@LiquorGroup.com
www.LiquorGroup.com

A speech on how to screw your investors with a pinkie stock would be more valuable.

Liquor Group Wholesale (LIQR) CEO C.J. Eiras to address members of the World Trade Organization about the state of the world alcohol industry in January.

And they lost a lawsuit to Drinks Americas, but never paid because it was with one of their many related companies, which weren't part of the public company.

I pointed out years ago that LIQR's whole model of shifting all costs and revenues to the non-public entities that Eiras owned wasn't good for shareholders in the public company and I was right on the money. But the reverse split / takeover of the public company by insiders was the final nail in the coffin.

I guess this arrest just buries the body.

It probably didn't help either that one of the directors sued the company and the other board members in April '11 and that's still going on.

You can read the docket by going to the Duval County Clerk of Court website, clicking "Court Records" in the sidebar, "Public Access" on the login screen, then "Case Inquiry".

The case number is 2011 - CA - 002868. (The one for the bootlegging arrest is 2012 - CF - 008546.)

Or just put Eiras as the Last Name and see what Christopher's been up to over the years.

(His brother Jan, who owns a software company that does missile defense type stuff up in Alabama, also is caught up in that because he's on LIQR's board.)

Wow, amazing. I didn't see that. But the stock hasn't really traded since the company reverse split the common and left the preferred untouched. That essentially wiped out the common shareholders and probably convinced anyone who was trading it to stay away for good.

Good to see karma at work.

Given that the warehouse was raided and the CEO arrested for tax evasion, i.e. bootlegging, this stock will prooooobably be out on the floor for awhile.

There doesn't appear to be any trading of it since the day after the CEO was arrested.

Apparently not.

Anybody following this stock, anymore?

Current Price .15, ASK .12

It's probably just someone who bought a few shares trying to flip them, hoping for a hype run, giving up.
The company might as well be private at this point.

What a weird little stock. The price is at .15 and the ASK just dropped from 1.50 to .12. Very Strange.

The ask still shows as $.50 for me, but I don't see a lot of hope for trading it with fewer than 150k shares traded in the past year and 2/3 of the volume being below a dime, but that's your call.
http://www.google.com/finance/historical?q=PINK:LIQR

Yep. I see the ASK just went up to $1.50. Looks like a waste of time, then. Right?

Same reason the bid is at 6 cents, for a 850% spread.
No one is trading it.
They screwed over outside shareholders a long while back and since then it's been pretty much dead money. Something like 95%+is insider held

Any reason why the ASK for this stock is set for $.50? Seems kind of steep for a stock with no volume.

It's possible it will be a pump and dump, but the problem is, unless you're part of the group running the P&D, you're likely to lose out.

Good luck though. I hope you take some of the profits away from the P&Ders.

Thanks for the info. I just bought a small amount. I will watch and see what happens. Lots of these tiny floaters have been getting bought up by Momo groups lately. This one seems ripe.

Be careful, the last few times it had any volume, it quickly fell like a stone.
The management did a reverse split on the common and knocked out most of the outside shareholders by not R/S'ing the preferred.
It's not an "investor friendly" stock, IMHO.

LIQR on fire today. If the float is as small as you say, this thing could really explode with a bit of volume and or news.

LIQR Security Details
Share Structure
Market Value1    $866,907    a/o Jan 20, 2012
Shares Outstanding    10,836,335    a/o Aug 31, 2011
Float    62,719    a/o Apr 28, 2010
[1/21/12 12:29:37 AM] iceQuity: Business Description
Liquor Group Wholesale, Inc. (Publicly Traded: LIQR) is an emerging alcohol distribution/brokerage organization representing thousands of brands with operations in 33 US States. Our Manufacturer to State level conveyance utilizes a Patent-Pending business model focused on providing unique trade channels for many of the world's leading & emerging alcohol beverage brands.
Current/historical financial information at: www.LiquorGroup.com and www.SEC.gov
[1/21/12 12:30:00 AM] iceQuity: LIQR 52wk Range
3.00 - 0.08
[1/21/12 12:33:34 AM] iceQuity: https://www.otciq.com/otciq/ajax/showFinancialReportById.pdf?id=69884 Liquor Group Wholesale, Incorporated Year End Statement

Skype me: lite420

Investing In Vodka Seems Smart

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Don Poffenroth spent more than 20 years watching his 401(k) eke out returns of 3% to 5%. Until, in 2007, he decided to take a bold step: He emptied out his 401(k) into a self-directed IRA and funneled all of his savings — $300,000 — into a vodka distillery.

At the time, there were only a handful of players in the business and about 40 distilleries in the country. “There was all sorts of potential there,” said Poffenroth.

Three years later, the vodka distillery, which is based in Spokane, Wash., is bringing in annual revenue of more than $1.5 million. And Poffenroth estimates that his 60% share of the company is worth about $1.2 million.

The money the distillery brings in goes directly into Poffenroth’s self-directed IRA, where he says it will sit until he retires.

Source: CNN Money

When the stock market crashed in 2008, I heard from so many people that they lost their life savings. Now you have to be smart with your money. Do you put a little bit into Apple even though iit’s high right now? Is it still a good buy? I say investing in Vodka is never too late. As more and more people lose jobs, they end up drinking more. Why not invest in that, right?

Liquor Group Adds a Large Wine Portfolio

August 4, 2011 – Jacksonville, FL – Liquor Group Wholesale (Publicly Traded: LIQR) announced today the addition of a large wine portfolio to their ever growing list of products represented to a distribution channel in 33 US States. Some of the more than 30 wine brands added include a variety of products under the well known lines including:

Bad Fish ®
Dame Rouge ®
Fruit Machine ® - Windsor Vineyards
Hat Dog ® - Casas Patronales
Merveilleux Stars ®
Parrillada Classic ® - Domaine Vistalba
Portrait Series ® - Bodegas y Vinedos Lanzarini
Water Color ® - Les Domaines Paul Mas
Vintellect ®

These mid range to higher priced top quality products are expected to sell well in tandem with the existing wine lines already under distribution management by Liquor Group.

Never.