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Note the same names running through all these transactions. His cell phone success was with Real. The Rock Hill fiasco was also with Bruce Real and Anthony, and all the other boys. Same people that were common links to Hall and Turino meeting up with Vinnie in the waste disposal business. Vinny is just a small time hood working for a much larger organization. Anyone who takes this on also risks an unhealthy lifestyle, in my opinion.
I just renewed my premium subscription here for 3 more months. I think all discussion will be over by then. As for RB, it would be merciful to shut it down as there is no longer any meaningful conversation regareding the stock.
Geo.
Rick,
I looked at it again yesterday morning at .0042. I said nah, it's headed toward .0001. That will learn me!
Geo.
I don't have time to dig deeper but at the end of this story in the POst-Gazette you will notice Dino LoCastro. Of course Vinnie is into the trotters big time. I believe that Dino is V's brother, also into harness racing. Interesting story in any event.
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An Upper St. Clair horse owner charged in a Washington County sports betting ring may lose his harness-racing licenses in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The Pennsylvania and Ohio racing authorities and the U.S. Trotting Association, a trade group, said they will investigate the illegal gambling charges against James Celedonia, whose horses have raced at The Meadows in North Strabane and Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio.
If convicted, Celedonia will be "thrown out" of the sport in Ohio, said Marty Evans, spokesman for the Ohio State Racing Commission. In Pennsylvania, it's possible a person facing illegal gambling charges could have his license lifted without a conviction, said Anton Leppler, executive secretary of the state Harness Racing Commission.
The attorney general's office gave Celedonia's age as 50. However, court records say he is 53.
State police and the attorney general's office on Aug. 7 identified Celedonia as one of eight bookies working for a sports betting ring operated by Mickey Flynn, 62, of East Washington, and Charles Martin, 50, of South Strabane.
Celedonia is free on $25,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing Sept. 26.
While tapping a phone used by Flynn and Martin, state investigators said, they heard Celedonia on numerous occasions "laying off" sports wagers. The term refers to the practice of transferring bets from one person to another for financial reasons.
Authorities said they seized $12,800 during a search of Celedonia's home April 9.
Celedonia, reached at the phone number he's charged with using in the bookmaking operation, declined to be interviewed. His lawyer, Phillippe Melograne, said he could not comment until he had familiarized himself with the charges.
Celedonia and seven others described as bookies have been charged with misdemeanor counts of bookmaking and criminal conspiracy. Flynn and Martin face more serious charges, including a felony count of participating in a corrupt organization that carries a possible 20-year prison sentence.
The Pennsylvania and Ohio racing commissions said they employ investigators who would contact police and otherwise research the case against Celedonia. Leppler said illegal gambling is a sensitive issue in an industry that revolves around pari-mutuel wagering.
"We strongly differentiate between the two, and we don't want in any way, shape or form for them to co-mingle," Leppler said, citing a need to preserve the integrity of the harness-racing industry.
Kent Hastings, liaison officer with the trotting association, said the gambling case could cost Celedonia his membership. The sport's pre-eminent trade group, made up of owners, drivers, trainers and officials, was established in the late 1930s to govern the industry.
The trotting association had records of eight horses owned or co-owned by Celedonia, none especially prominent in the sport.
The biggest money-maker, Gaelic Ian, had won $189,000 before being euthanized in May 2000. Last year, Celedonia sued the horse's trainer, veterinarian and a pharmacy for negligence, claiming the 6-year-old pacer fell ill after being administered pre-racing vitamin and mineral supplements.
The case has not been resolved.
In 1997, Celedonia was accused of feeding rat poison to a race horse owned by Dino LoCastro of Peters. LoCastro, in a civil complaint filed with District Justice David Mark of Canonsburg, said he caught Celedonia in the act.
Mark ruled for LoCastro and ordered Celedonia to pay nearly $6,100. Celedonia appealed to Common Pleas Court, and the parties settled; court papers did not say how.
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Joe Smydo can be reached at jsmydo@post-gazette.com or 724-746-8812.
Neal,
Good show. I have given Smydo about everything I have. Last email back from him, he had spoken to Rock Hill's attys and also getting other info under the FOIA. Whether he does anything with it I do not know. I understand there is a picture of Vincenzo with the gov. celebrating his slot machine license. I would love to send Smydo that link. For all I know it is in his own paper. Didn't find it by search.
Geo.
Yep. One of the first things that PCBM did for LoC is pay off his floor plan with the bank. That was part of a PR.
Back when PCBM was in the .20 range (1999), I started emailing with a fellow in Port Richey. His screen name evades me for the moment. He was retired, a widower about 68. He put his life savings into PCBM at .20 and was still holding at about .08 praying for a miracle. We corresponded for about 2 years. He never did sell. Lost his home, moved into an apartment and was driving a cab to stay afloat.
I know Stan corresponded with people who lost their homes, divorced, lots of sad stories. Those who can least afford it are those that get taken in by the dream of riches.
I suspect there is not enough interest here for justice to occur. Now if Turino and LoC were arabs, Ashcroft would have them under the jailhouse by now. Maybe we can start a rumor that this was an AlQaida money laundering operation.
G
Better floating by Uranus than Myanus
Anybody got a link to the picture of LoC with the PA gov and the slot license story?
I think poor Martha should take her minimum 10 month sentence, 1/2 of which will be at home, say thank you and go straight to CT with her tennis racket. Probably get out for good behaviour in time to make a Xmas souffle on TV. Sure wish I had bought MSO today - up 37%. Looks like her and her company will survive this.
Hey Rick,
Her striped outfit will be ironed with a perfect crease. She will be a model prisoner and the warden wil be eating yummy cakes and biscuits. Just like Glen Campbell. Got 5 days in jail, could go home nights and for community service he gave a free concert to the prisoners. Didn't suffer too much and neither will she.
A fellow I worked with here in Tallahasse got into a little trouble last year. The cops then got a warrant to raid his place and found pictures - voluntary pictures of naked girls from FSU on his hard drive. One of the girls was 17. He's doing 7 without parole for possession of child porn. Already starting year #2 this month. Good software engineer. His life and career are ruined. Ol' Jeb don't mess around with them unchristian-like folks here in the big T.
I think you are right. I think beyond what the SEC said, we will never know unless a forced deposition at discovery. By looking at how many people are stepping forward with info, that may never happen. We may get to read about LoC going to prison for arson, but that may be all we ever get out of it, if that. Hey maybe he isn't even responsible for the fire. Is there such a thing as Italian lightning??
I think there is a professional relationship that remains. I know that shares of my corp are held by someone who knows the owners' names and addreses but I don't think is free to give it out, even if I changed TAs. Of course my corp is privately owned, but that shouldn't make a difference. I think it would take a subpoena for them to give up the info. Of course Hall could give up that info -only publicly, not privately, but WTF would believe him.
Geo.
Test Test LOL
Bull,
Maybe so. I realize no one really knows who almost anyone is but his profile as I see it in my mind is a guy around my age, well established with a career. Just doesn't make sense do take heavy risk after risk and be so dense besides. Maybe I am trying ot morph my own personal values into his ID. I just don't know anymore. That's why I keep asking did someone steal the ID of a realtor in Maine? ID theft happens every day, why not here on a message board where there are no controls?
I just dunno.
BTW, I went to see Farenheight 911 last night. Jeb has managed to keep it out of the major theatres in Tallahassee. Only in one run ddown theatre in a rundown strip mall in a rundown part of town. Being deaf, I missed most of the words of course, but got the jist of it anyhow. Even a good Republican would come away with something, I think. Very powerful. If you go in knowing Moore is a rabid left winger and discount that up front, this movie will still make you cry, make you laugh and in the end if you are a Dem or a disenfranchised Republican turned independent like me, will make you angry.
Geo.
Yeah I saw that when it came out. From my conversations with Smydo, I think he wants to do at least one more expose' but it would center around LoC and strange ceonnections to organized crime and the Rock Hill bank fiasco. Don't know that he wants to be a crusader for penny stock scams per se - only the V LoC connection. I could be wrong, however. Here's the addy:
jsmydo@post-gazette.com
Now you're thinking. Al*n doesn't want to prosecute these guys. He wants to know what info people have on him. He has said a lot he shouldn't have said and it has been saved. He's already taken a trip to the CA bar at least once, I suspect. Supposedly he is the black sheep of a wealthy family that owns rental props. and he draws up leases, sales contracts whatever. Not exactly a criminal atty. I suspect how much money he has on a given day depends on the stipend his family provides.
Derf,
I've talked before about the amateurs and the pros. Wendy is a big player and a big time professional. As we know, she had a broker's license and participated in boiler room operations for a career. She has to have earned a great name for herself with would-be scammers to have been selected to participate in so many scams. Al*n/Slurp, be they multiple individuals, are also pros. They can morph into different IDs in a heartbeat. Look how al*n flips personalities. Of course that could be substance abuse too. To me there are 3 critical surface players (besides mgmt.) in this scam. Wendy, Al*n and Alan C. The first two make sense, the third does not compute. I still say maybe someone stole his ID. A succesful real estate broker would not get this deep into a penny stock- and if burned big time wouldn't go on and do another one (CMKM/CMKX). He's the one I can't figure out. His posts reak of the stupidiy a successful businessman would not have. I do think the first two have gotten away with it for so long that they think they are immune to getting caught. I'm betting against them.
I feel the majority of TLs left are 1 or 2 individuals with multiple aliai.
Geo
John,
Turns out he and I have spoken in the past. I know now exactly who he is. We will probably meet in person shortly. He is a good person to feed info to and in fact I just gave him a pile of stuff. I urge us all to use him as a central repository.
Geo.
Neal-
Just sent you an email. Let me know when you receive it.
Geo.
Well why the **** didn't you say so. We need to have a drink together in Clearwater one day soon. I think I have your email addy in my hotmail directory.
Geo.
I have always wondered if Slurp was Treffy. On Treffy's bad days, they sounded very much the same. The foul mouth, the homophobic stuff, even the religious overtones. Then of course there is the Treffy that is the consuamate professional counsellor, devout Christian and proud conservative Republican.
If this ever gets to the feds, they would get ISP info and pin it all down. I have enough faith left in the system to think they may get these guys. I think Treffy has fear of that as well. That is why he wants to be the repository of all PCBM scam info. He can't even practice law in PA or Fla. I also don't think he wants to visit the inside of a courtroom to talk about pennystocks and consultant fees. If there is justice, I don't think they it will be just for PCBM. It is just one small piece of a very large puzzle. Look for Wonderwen to be right there beside him (I hope).
No, I do not know who Littoral is and that is the problem. Just as Al*n wants to see what everyone has, so too might littoral. I don't think so, but I don't know. I think Smydo might be the key. He wants to publish more. He told me he has written for all the Rock Hill stuff under the FOIA. I don't think he will let go easily. There are 3 people at the Post-Gazette working on the story that I know of. It's is long gone past a fire at a car dealership. If he does publish enough and the RICO boys or FBI get into it, then there would be a central prosecution team to give info to.
Then those "connected ones" need to get mad enough to put it all together and send it to the press or to the FBI. I am told that both the FBI and the Feds, under the RICO statues, are looking at many of the periperal items that relate to our ex-PCBM execs.
I am off to din din with Jeb again tonight. Daughter needs her Xanax. Promise I won't talk to him about his brother's poularity sinking like a rock. At least this time they may not have to bother with a fudged election. New plan is to cancel federal elections due to unexplained dangers. Y'all can still come out and vote for them Governor type fellas OK on Nov 2, just can't vote fer Pres. and Congress till Dubya says the coast is clear. It's hard to even imagine where we were 4 years ago and where we are now as a country. There I go again. Shut up Geo.!
G'night
I would assume the true longs left are either playing a game, just to break chops or are really stupid. Most of the true longs have either admitted it's over or just melted away into the night. Probably if we stopped harrasing them, the board would dry up. Not much to encourage each other about. Of course if there are federal criminal charges some day, they will be back to complain and set up a new website "Investigate the FBI" or "Investigate the DA"
I didn't even see a post from the cut and paste gals today or a single Iggy from WG6S. The bottom line is we don't even know who the players are. I think some of them know who each other are. I hope Smydo is not Playdough and gets enough info to put it all together. There needs to be one single trustworthy repository of info. I know- Derf can post his home address and everyone can mail stuff there.
I'd love to know who the behind the scenes amateur players were. Guru is very silent I see. Is no surrender, gate? MQ? Are they both SBG? Best question of all is Alan C really Alan C. the realtor, or did someone who never heard of PCBM have his ID hijacked. Is Treffy the Slurp or a Slurp clone? So many questions so few answers.
Geo.
Just reading the RB board for kicks. We are down to about 8 "True Longs". Take out the true criminals and multiple posters and maybe it is 3 or 4. Out of what 30,000 shareholders? Those few are either dumber than snot or just jerking the realists around for fun until the board is shut down.
Seems as though there were some folks humbly kneeling at the confessional on the mullet board today. Ladiespa, Capstar and skihighup are three that come to mind offhand. I wonder if nosurrender, guru and gate are one in the same. Not possible that "God" would allow three people to be that dumb.
Janice,
That's really a suspension. When and if you pay up and file, all is forgiven. As I stated, Florida has annual reporting requirements. They are minimal. I don't need an accountant, I do mine myself. You have to declare # of shares owned, your shares have to be with a registered agent, etc. simple things. You also have to do quarterly UCT-6 for unemployment, even if you have only one employee or officer- yourself. I am sitting here doing mine this morning. You can pull the forms off the sunbiz website in PDF, but they also mail them to you. Impossible to ignore. It costs $250/yr. to file the annual report. If you don't file it by May, big dollar pentalties start to accrue. They also mail you a lot of warnings before taking action. Anyone intending to stay in business would surely spring for 250 bucks and fill out the damn form. It means they can't do business in Florida until and unless they do, but then again the Nevada SOS says their address and phone # is Carson City Nevada, so I guess they don't want to be in Florida anymore. However, I think they let Nevada lapase also, so they are just plain 100% certified gone bye bye.
Geo.
Florida costs me $250 - but I have to specify outstanding shares, shareholders list and indicate public or private corp. Since their shares are no more, they can't do that. The corp as it is known now is defunct - no shares outstanding.
Beech,
I had the US NAVY at North Island as a client in the '80s. Had to go out one week a month for 3 years, so I got to know it well. Everything from the Hotel Del Coronado to the infamous "Body Shop" (I was younger then). I used to jog in Balboa Park. Made my forays down into Tiajuana for booze and cheap leather junk. Park my car up on the bridge and walked in to town. Used to have lunch at the Hotel Cesar on Avenida de Revolucion (gone now I hear). Many fond memories. Little rain, never hot never cold. Ideal climate, very similar to San Jose, Costa Rica- another great place to retire, but still third world, unfortunately.
Property values have gone nuts in a lot of places. As is the story of my life, I am looking to invest maybe after the peak. My wife and I were looking in our own neighborhood on the Gulf coast of Fla. yesterday. I live on 6 acres that I paid $34K for 6 years ago. The subdivision I bought in has become very exclusive (dumb luck on my part) and there are only 3 large lots like mine for horses left and all 3 are listed at $225K each. Unbelievable. If only I had bought a few more at the time. If I thought the real estate bubble would burst shortly, I would bail in a heartbeat and move someplace nice that would be more reasonable. Spain keeps looking better and better.
Later,
Geo.
Derf,
Yes, San Diego is muy expensive. My wife's 92 year old stepmother lives in Paradise, California about 45 minutes outside of Chico at about 3500 ft. about an hour's drive to Scaramento and maybe 2 1/2 to San Fran. Absolutely beautiful. Maybe someday we will inherit that place with a lovely canyon view.
Geo.
Janice and Derf,
I love central Florida, but if I had enough retirement $$$, San Diego has a perfect climate. Got the seashore and the mountains and cheap forays into Mexico. If Bush gets 4 more years (and I am serious now) we will move to the Costa del Sol area of southern Spain. I lived and worked in Barcelona for a year and just loved Palma Mallorca and Malaga. Very international. Spanish is easy to learn if you don't speak it and can get by without it also. Lots of American communities. Even with the current dollar exchange rate, you can buy a beautiful 2 bedroom condo on the water for about $225K US.
Geo.
I would expect since he is effectively looking at life without parole at his age, bail will be mega- millions in cash. Fastow had to put up, I think, $1 million in cash and $32 million in property.
If that happens we will see how much Kenny Boy really has left to his name. May need to cash those annuities in.
Tater,
That's because you are a kind soul and a nice person. Some of us (like me) tend to be a bit viscious. Maybe comes from being had a few times too many. I do know that 5500 families enjoyed the perp walk this morning. It may all they get for their lost retirements. Kenny Boy is still entitled to all the protections of the law for sure. If he is innocent he will walk. If he is guilty, he will die in a prison cell. That is how it should be.
Peace,
Geo.
"It's humiliating that's for sure. I feel bad for his family too."
I feel far worse for the 5500 families he destroyed while stealing $100 million from them telling them to buy while he was dumping as much as possible
No Huck,
Hall bowed down, kissed the ring then kissed Vinnnie on both cheeks. It's an old family tradition.
Funny you should mention Italy. When LoCastro lost his $7 million investment in the Rock Hill Bank fiasco in South Carolina and was paid off by the insurance company, the investment vehicles were shipped offshore to Milan, where they instantly disappeared.
No laugh, Tate! Dead serious. Of course only my personal opinion.
Certainly makes those fires more suspicious now, doesn't it. LoC had to know, via Hall, that the revoke was coming. Those records had to disappear bfore the US attys. and IRS got hold of them. That's why the fire was set twice, until the job was satisfactorily accomplished. IMHO
Geo.