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Our little friend:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118029821
I was in the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton when he and others from Israel were doing their things to get rich quick in America.
He will get out of jail and on with I-got-them jobs, and be proud of it. Welcome to America.
Don't miss "The Big Business of Water" on CSNBC 9-30-10.
We got the business.
(I bet he is out and looking at the Pacific Ocean right now.)
He's probably already out and working on his next "deal."
Oh, Canada!
He may like it...but I can almost guarantee he's scamming the prison system and "fellow" inmates to make extra scratch (literally or figuratively). And when he gets out, even if he doesn't go back to Israel, he'll be on the scam. Sociopath.
Too bad they didn't catch up with his other 2 thieves (one in "Hollywood" and the other in Nevada), not to mention all of those laughing from Canada.
Cest la vie.
Thank you. The guy was a fat crook all along (and I fell for it, but only lost around $3k).
Here is another version, from the scumbag's local newspaper:
Calabasas, CA movie distributor sentenced for independent film financing fraud
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 at 10:41 pm | California US - West Region | BNO News | Leave a Comment
LOS ANGELES (BNO NEWS) – A Calabasas, California movie distributor was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for a $7 million fraud scheme related to the financing of independent films, prosecutors announced on Wednesday.
Harel Goldstein, 49, pleaded guilty to bank fraud in relation to a scheme to defraud Comerica Bank about 10 years ago. He was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Goldstein initially cut a deal with the prosecution to cooperate in the investigation but he lied to special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Goldstein falsified “Deal Memos” and “Notices of Assignment,” which intended to show that foreign distributors of independent films were willing to pay for distribution rights before the movies were produced. Typically, these documents were the result of pre-production pitches made to foreign distributors by sales agents like Goldstein at film markets and events such as the Cannes Film Festival.
Such commitments, usually in the form of “Deal Memos,” were presented to a bank as collateral to secure loans to finance film productions. Goldstein and others forged at least $7 million worth of such false documents and then presented them to Comerica Bank, which awarded more than $35 million in loans to produce six films featuring actors such as Peter O’Toole, Casper Van Dien, Alicia Silverstone, Treat Williams, Natasha Henstridge and Leslie Nielsen.
During the 2001 Cannes Festival the scheme was discovered. Goldstein blamed Canadian producer Gary Howsam, as the head of the fraudulent operation and entered an agreement with the FBI to cooperate in the investigation.
Goldstein wore a recording device to a dinner meeting with the producer in which details relating to the scheme were discussed. Based on information provided by Goldstein, much of which was corroborated by the recording, the producer was indicted by a federal grand jury on bank fraud charges.
During his trial, Howsam claimed that he was not the planner of the fraudulent scheme and after some investigation; FBI agents concluded that Goldstein was the individual who planned the scheme without Howsam’s knowledge. The indictment against the producer was dropped and Goldstein was convicted.
In the slammer:
Media Decoder - Behind the Scenes, Between the Lines
May 12, 2010, 6:30 pm
Indie Film Distributor Sentenced in Film Festival Scam
By MICHAEL CIEPLY
A word to the many indie film types headed for the annual film festival just getting under way in Cannes: Let the seller beware. The United States attorney’s office in Los Angeles on Wednesday said that an independent film distributor, Harel Goldstein, was sentenced to four years in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to bank fraud in a scheme that bilked Comerica Bank of more than $7 million.
According to federal officials, Mr. Goldstein forged deal memos showing commitments from foreign distributors at festivals like Cannes, then gave them to Comerica as collateral for $35 million in loans to produce films starring Peter O’Toole, Alicia Silverstone, Treat Williams and others.
Mr. Goldstein said the whole scheme had been dreamed up by a film producer, but prosecutors eventually decided it was really Mr. Goldstein’s own idea. On Wednesday, Judge S. James Otero ordered Mr. Goldstein to prison for a term that was on “the high end of the sentence range,” a statement from the United States attorney’s office said.
Better yet, Google "Icho...Royal...Spring...Water." Does what you read sound familiar?
If you have a "premium membership" I think you can search Icho on this board and get some long-ago and forgotten info.
I wonder if Mia is going public?
Google "Mia Water" and back up from there.
I knew better. Especially after meeting a certain person in person. But when someone looks me in the eye and tries to sell his life of lies, it is really interesting, especially when my intent was only to help his alleged company (and myself).
So, I lost $3k (big deal), but no sleep (and I don't have to worry about protecting myself from fellow inmates). The fat frumpy guy, whose civilization in Israel is at the financial tax-paying behest of my country, sold his soul for a quest for money. If only they could nab the other crooks.
I have several emails from the RSPG folks in California and Canada during "the peak."
I met in person with a company officer, who recently was reportedly indited by the federal government.
After a few drinks, I asked the person how the stock could be holding up so well (around $2.25 at the time). He asked, "You don't know?" I said, "No." He said it was because of the company in Canada.
Over the ensuing months, I finally saw the light.
Taking a known risk is one thing, but there are other things that fall into the category of beyond "risk".
Lesson learned. (And they promoted how they were childhood friends and army buddies in Israel. What a sucker, I am. How do you say "sucker" in Yiddish?)
Who is in Jail?
====
Ex-Peace Arch exec cleared of fraud charges
Gary Howsam was arrested over film finance dealings
By Etan Vlessing
April 28, 2009, 07:36 PM ET
TORONTO -- Nearly a year and a half after his arrest on the way home from the 2007 American Film Market, California authorities have dropped all federal bank fraud charges against former Peace Arch Entertainment CEO Gary Howsam.
The Toronto-based film producer on Tuesday said the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California dismissed all charges regarding film finance dealings Howsam and partner Harel Goldstein had with the Comerica Bank of California in 1999 and 2000.
Howsam faced one count of bank fraud and six counts of allegedly falsifying international film distribution agreements to secure $7 million in bank loans from Comerica.
But before his case could go to trial, Howsam's defense team, led by Donald Randolph of Randolph and Associates in Santa Monica, uncovered evidence that the government's star witness, his former partner Goldstein, lied when implicating Howsam in a ruse to deceive Comerica.
"We compiled a dossier against him (Goldstein), discrediting what he told the FBI and implicating Howsam, and we proved he had a history of similar acts against other people," Randolph said.
The lawyer said that U.S. authorities reviewed the two-volume dossier before a California judge on Tuesday signed a motion from the prosecution to dismiss all charges.
Howsam, who disappeared from public view while on bail, broke his silence Tuesday to say that the legal ordeal took a huge toll on him.
"When your world turns against you and you're suddenly dealing with the U.S. government, it's a wheel that you get caught into. And you just fight for your innocence," he said.
The federal case against Howsam followed a three-year FBI investigation that included a wiretap of a Nov. 2, 2007, dinner he had with Goldstein at a Los Angeles steakhouse.
That evidence clinched an arrest warrant that was carried out on Howsam three days later as he boarded an airplane at LAX after the 2007 AFM.
But as Howsam tells it, he first met Goldstein, a film sales agent, in 1999 while producing films from his Toronto base. And it was only in 2001 that Howsam became aware of a civil lawsuit filed against Goldstein by Comerica.
By 2003, Howsam was president of Peace Arch, where his credits included one as a producer on Showtime's "The Tudors."
But in mid-2007, Goldstein secured a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office over his film dealings with Comerica and attempted to implicate Howsam in return for a reduced sentence, Howsam said.
Howsam was ousted from his Peace Arch post after he was indicted in December 2007. He said Tuesday he retains a minority stake in the company and intends to resume his film production career.
He has a producer credit in "Casino Jack or Bagman," the upcoming Kevin Spacey starrer loosely based on the story of disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Ex-Peace Arch exec cleared of fraud charges
Gary Howsam was arrested over film finance dealings
By Etan Vlessing
Water deal with National Lampoon.
RSPG is long-gone and all dried up. One of the boys was reportedly in trouble with the Feds. But what happened to that deal they announced with National Lampoon?
"National Lampoon CEO Daniel Laikin and two others were charged with conspiracy and securities fraud for manipulating the stock price of Los Angeles-based National Lampoon...
"Lankin and others hoped to push the price of the shares from $2 to $5 prosecutors said. The stock was worth 73 cents monday..."
Associated Press 12-16-08
I smell a camel.
Please.
I lost around $3k (oh, no, I can't take it!), based on seeming misinformation from a person who supposedly was a "founder", at a time when I assumed the company was legitimate. I was trying to bring them significant business.
This frumpy, heavy-set guy, with a very thick accent, who said he was from Israel, is reportedly working with the federal government in another matter in which he was allegedly involved, according to what I have read on this site and in public reports.
The money I will have lost is more than worth the entertainment and education I received from these people from Israel, Hollywood, Canada, Florida, etc.
"Born in the USA" has a lot more meaning to me, and I appreciate RSPG for that.
Shill or shell?
"Hi guys - looks good for our boys at RSPG - with the land and water rights maybe we can see $1.00 down the road"
(The boy/girl who says, "Hi guys" and that RSPG "looks good" might possibly be blind.)
How could two high school kids from Israel, who served in the IDF, be allowed to enter the USA (90210), which has given Israel untold trillions of dollars and untold lives of American soldiers, turn around and take advantage of Americans just for money, power, an office in Hollywood, homes by the ocean and all of the other objects that make all of us wish we could give away our casual lives for the lust of that perfect American lifestyle?
Who could believe that?
"This stock could use some nice news~"
===
People are looking for "scratch" to buy more shares at 9 cents. How much better can things get?
"Utah...you still holding?"
====
Yes, but only for the enjoyment of self-flagglation.
"Marketing was the biggest shortfall with this Co."
===
I agree with everything you posted, except I believe integrity was the biggest shortfall of this company.
"whats your point carl?
Are you long or short?
whats your point?"
My point is the interesting story of two teenage buddies in Israel, who came to the USA to live (benefit from) the American Dream.
The pr's say, after they made it big as Hollywood producers, they diverted their attention to Hereford, Texas, where hard-working families have been sweating for generations to live the American Dream (some might say "the American Dream" is predicated upon defending Israel, as I discussed with an RSPG co-founder).
I am neither long nor short. But I am holding my shares of RSPG for personal reasons.
I, myself, haven't said that RSPG is a scam. But a poster here posted in approximately the summer of 2006 that he/she/they entered the wide-open gates (with no "No Trespassing" signs) of the Hereford plant, began taking pictures (as posted here, but may have been deleted for legal reasons), walked into the "plant", apparently surprising two individuals, who reportedly ordered he/she/them off the premises (not an unreasonable request), with one of the individuals reportedly (per post here) following he/she/they down the road.
Soon thereafter, according to conversations I recall with a co-founder, who seemed to be very upset by the pics, the gates were locked, "no trespassing" signs were installed, but so was a "welcome" sign. A "grand opening" was planned (and delayed several times).
All of this info is pretty much contemporaneously documented (or not) by postings here at Investorshub.com.
It really is a fascinating international story (Israel, Canada, USA), imo, most of which is unknown, and will probably blow away with the desert winds (both here and abroad).
It just ain't right.
"I was told by the Hereford Economic Development group that they are not running in Hereford, but are running or will be running somewhere else..."
====
I was told in-person by a co-founder (the one with federal problems) around 18 months ago that their first choice for a plant location was Pahrump, Nevada.
Data Commodities (who I think may also have/had federal problems) is/was also located in Pahrump, Nevada. The Data Commodities guy was reported on this site as a greeter at the Hereford "Grand Opening" (the police and
police dogs were reportedly also greeting people).
Questions were reportedly not permitted at the "opening."
I was told by the co-founder that the "opening"
was undertaken as a direct result of unflattering photos of the plant posted on this site. (Some posters here were
claiming the whole thing was a scam...)
I can't find an Alex Plan.
Will someone please give a Post #?
I will butt in here (as a shareholder) with an uneducated guess:
If the company officially declares bankruptcy now, maybe there are certain individuals who believe they would have some kind of "exposure."
So, they let it play out until there's literally nothing left, then they fold and do the well-deserved high-fives.
This is the entertainment business.
"The Beverly Hills address, 468 N. Camden Suite 200, is an executive suite setup where answering/mail service is $180/mo, and offices can be rented by the hour."
====
Thanks for the research.
A few thousand posts and over a year ago, there were a number of posters here researching this and many, many other matters regarding RSPG in great (and documented) detail. This Investorshub.com site has a vast amount of background info on RSPG. (But we have to keep it up, so thanks, again, and please don't stop.)
"So tell Big Brother how are the negotiation going with the land owner - my mold tells me NO deal - they will not take stock - So tell us what does Pete, Harel, Barry and Itmar have to say "
===
What are the land-owner's personal/business associations, if any, with RSPG principals?
"Okay...since I may know what is going on and you and the officials in Texas do not...what do YOU think is going on?
Do you have any idea?"
=====
The water plant is closed, per the Hereford Chamber of Commerce and the Hereford Economic Development Corporation.
These are not "rumors"; they are sourced. If in doubt, call the Hereford Chamber of Commerce and/or the Hereford Economic Development Corporation.
"So..... you are speculating publicly about the status of a publicly traded company with second hand information alledgedly from some guy at the Chamber of Commerce named Sid?
Then posting these "rumors" on a message board?
Is that basically it?"
=====
No, Billion.
I posted and quoted one response to my inquiry to the Hereford Chamber of Commerce, who said the plant is closed and that they have been unable to contact RSPG officials.
Then, I posted and quoted another response from another entity. This one, the Hereford Economic Development Corp. Sid, the rep, also confirmed that the plant is closed and that his organization has also been unable to contact RSPG officials.
That's two local reliable independent Hereford, Texas sources which confirmed that the plant is closed and that they have been unable to to contact RSPG officials.
I have a third pending independent Hereford, Texas source.
My call to RSPG "investor relations" is unanswered.
(My degree in journalism is old and faded, but I'm not.)
This is information from the Hereford Economic Development Council (c/o Sid), who I just spoke with in detail on the phone:
The RSPG water plant in Hereford is "currently closed and not occupied." "It looks like they are shut down."
They have tried, but also have been unable to contact RSPG management.
They have received "around 150 calls" from people asking about the status of the plant. Sid thought most of the calls were from stockholders (like my call).
A realtor told Sid several weeks ago that there was a gentleman inquiring about purchasing/leasing a home in Hereford. The gentleman said he was (or expected to be) working for RSPG.
Sid said he talked with Pete Genecco (spelling?) several months ago, "from Las Vegas," who was supposedly managing the plant before it "shut down."
I have two more pending incoming calls regarding this matter.
(Sid gave me permission to publicly post his comments.)
Making more calls:
Regarding the recent PR, I called 1-866-446-7774 (the given contact for RSPG).
The young woman who answered the phone didn't know much about RSPG (wouldn't even give me her name). I asked if she was an answering service. She said, no, RSPG has an office in the building. I asked if the building is in Van Nuys, she said, "No, Beverly Hills." I asked again for her name, but she clicked off and sent me to the voice mail.
I then called the new investor relations company, got the "all agents are busy" and gave them my number for a return call.
All I want to know is why the chamber of commerce says RSPG closed its plant and why they are unable to contact RSPG management. I'm sure "investor relations" has the answers...
I will report back.
Lessor-tenant relationships discussed here a few thousand posts ago.
Inquiry to Hereford Chamber of Commerce:
Here is what the Deaf Smith County, Texas (Hereford) Chamber of Commerce said in response to my inquiry today regarding if RSPG is still in business:
"To our knowledge, Royal Springs water had been closed for over a month. We have heard that they may re-open but are unable to talk to management as well."
Data Commodities worked with RSPG regarding the prospective Las Vegas casino market, is what I was told by a co-founder of RSPG.
I know for a fact, through a Freedom of Information Act request from the Las Vegas (Clark County) school system, that the RSPG pr regarding a contract with Data Commodities to supply bottled water to the Clark County school district was apparently based on false information (I have written conformation that neither Data Commodities nor RSPG were known to the school system.)
Per last year's post at this site, several months later, a representative of Data Commodities greeted people attending the grand opening of the water plant (which included police dogs at the gate and a search and confiscation of all recording equipment).
This story needs a producer (and EZ Financing).
From Forbes: 2-8-08
Undoubtedly True
Since going public in June, shares of Toronto's MaxLife Fund Corp. have risen 1,000% to a recent $12.90 for a $390 million market cap (in U.S. dollars). That's 700 times its book value. Filings list nil revenues, losses and very few employees. The two-year-old company says it buys and sells existing life insurance policies.
A potentially controlling 46% of the shares belong to Itamar (Eddy) Cohen of Concord, Ont. He also owns four-year-old investor relations firm Maxwell Network Group, whose Web site proclaims, "We will work to quickly and dramatically increase your stock's marketability and liquidity." Not always with lasting results: Shares of recent clients Royal Spring Water and Red Rock Pictures Holdings have fallen 97% off their 2007 peaks. Cohen, 46, tells FORBES he's not promoting MaxLife and "This is not a pump and dump." Why the zooming stock price? Says MaxLife boss Bennett Kurtz, "There are things happening." --W.P.B.
Are there any volunteers to call Investor Relations tomorrow and ask, "Why was there no vol., yesterday?" and report back here to the mothership?
The answers can be found in the thousands of posts on this board, many from ancient and wise posters who spent countless hours researching and documenting the company, its employees (7?), its Canadian "investor relations" company, windfall investors (relatives, co-hearts, etc.), Californians popping up out of nowhere to suddenly go into the bottled water business (using RSPG, of course), tens of millions of dollars in "letters of intent" and/or purchase orders (including a press release announcing providing bottled water to the Las Vegas school district (Clark County), which never heard of RSPG, according to a response to a Freedom of Information Act request).
Billion probably knows the facts, but I don't know what, if any, assets remain (i.e. the machinery to produce bottled water and an unused train sitting on a railhead in the Texas panhandle). The office in Van Nuys might also be shared with the founders' real estate business, but that's just speculation.
I just hope there is an attorney somewhere who is telling them that if they declare bankruptcy, something worse could follow (but I have no reason to believe that is the case or what "something worse" might be). Remember, there are at least two individuals who are currently involved with the federal government (in matters that apparently do not involve RSPG).
They need to find a Hollywood producer to bring this story to the screen.