RCMP probe penny stock deals
Harrow lumberyard linked to claims of projects in Mideast
The flamboyant CEO of a Harrow lumberyard who has promoted hundred of millions of dollars worth of investments around the world -- including a $20-million commercial development in Colchester -- is facing scrutiny from the RCMP.
Petar Vucicevich, of Sulja Brothers Building Supply Ltd. said he was questioned last week by the RCMP about the stock of his company, which is currently one of the most hotly traded penny stocks in North America.
"I have nothing to hide," Vucicevich -- nicknamed "Black Pete" for his penchant for black clothing -- said in a telephone interview earlier this week. "They just want to make sure everything is as it's supposed to be."
Vucicevich said the officers who questioned him told him it was a routine investigation because the price of the stock had shot up from zero early this year to around 12 cents a share in recent trading.
Investors were looking anxiously Wednesday for audited statements that would reflect the company's many news releases that had noted deals in the works such as US$100 million or more in cement sales, lumber mill purchases and a US$650-million hotel project in the United Arab Emirates, among others.
Trading in the stock has created an enormous buzz on Internet chat forums.
Hundreds of thousands of messages are flying around daily as investors rejoice or curse with each upward and downward movement in the stock's price. About 21 million shares were traded Wednesday, but the price dipped to nine cents a share when the audited statements were not released.
On some days as many as 30 million shares or more are traded, and the price per share has been as high as 21 cents. Many who bought for pennies a share, dream of a jump to $4 or more a share.
Vucicevich drives a black Range Rover, but his several corporate roles and talk of multimillion dollar deals seem out of character with the tiny second-floor offices and no secretary or any other visible staff at the Pelissier Street headquarters of Kore International, where he is director. One room was still being renovated, some furniture was tipped over.
Vucicevich, who is also director of another company called Consultech, wasn't there. The only other occupant, Sam Sulja, a self-employed stock trader, said he didn't work for Kore but had occasional business dealings with Vucicevich.
In late September, Vucicevich announced that Kore International had plans for a $20-million commercial development in Colchester that would include a $1-million Kronk gym and stores, shops and bed and breakfast accommodations. He later said a cheese factory and a factory that manufactures wooden spindles would be added to the project.
Vucicevich said earlier this week that the RCMP officers who questioned him -- Sgt. Darrell Nay and Cpl. Gordon Aristotle -- said they were part of a joint intelligence unit that works with the Ontario Securities Commission. Reached Wednesday in Toronto, Nay had no comment.
Vucicevich said he told the officers he had no objection if they sent the results of the interview to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (OSC) since Sulja Brothers is incorporated in Nevada.
OSC spokeswoman Laurie Gillett and SEC spokesman John Heine both declined to comment.
"Our policy is not to discuss matters that are before the commission," said Gillett.
Canada set up Integrated Market Enforcement Teams in 2002 to investigate commercial crime which includes members of the RCMP, Investment Dealers Association of Canada, OSC, Revenue Canada, and Justice Canada. RCMP Supt. Don Panchuk, who heads up one Toronto-based market enforcement team, couldn't be reached Wednesday.
So far, all investors have seen are Sulja's unaudited financial statements released in early October, which said that total revenues of US$65.5 million and pre-tax profits of US$28 million were made between June 1, 2005 and May 31, 2006.
Another statement released at the time projected US$307 million in revenue for 2007 with a pre-tax profit of US$93.9 million.
Vucicevich said the statements shouldn't have been released and he had ordered them taken off the company's website, although they could still be found there Wednesday.
He would not say what accounting company did the audit, but said the accountant had returned to Cairo, Egypt.
When The Star asked for an interview with Sulja's in-house accountant or chief financial officer for explanations of the previous financial statement and projections for 2007, Vucicevich said the company had neither.
Asked about the board of directors that oversees the company, Vucicevich said there's only one board member left, a Windsor lawyer, Shahid Khan, who serves as president.
Khan said he was hired to do the legal work on the incorporation of Sulja Building Materials Ltd. in Nevada. He said he knew little else about the business. Khan said he is serving as president of the board until other officers can be found. Vucicevich is the board secretary, he said.
Vucicevich's comments about the unaudited financial statements trouble investors like Ken Rosenberg, who is in the mortgage business in New York City. He has 300,000 shares of Sulja stock, an investment of about US$25,000. "I don't want to lose that money," he said.
Rosenberg is trying to decide whether to stay invested until the audited financial statement comes out or get out.
He said he did his best to research Sulja but it's difficult when many of the deals mentioned were in the Middle East and details were vague.
Vucicevich's other company, Sulja Building Materials, began more than two decades ago as a lumberyard and hardware store founded by John Sulja and carried on until recently by his children on the outskirts of Harrow.
In the last eight months, the family business was merged into another U.S. penny stock company called Loftwerks and incorporated in Nevada under the Sulja name, state records show. It has an authorized 800 million shares, according to Nevada records. The stock trades on an over-the-counter market known in the business as "pink sheets." The stock price can be easily tracked over the Internet although it's not listed on an exchange.
At least one Sulja family member works for the lumber business. Wally Sulja, who works for the company out of its Huron Church Road office, said his cousin Steve Sulja, a former CEO, "was bought out" earlier this year. Steve Sulja and John Sulja, who is retired, didn't return calls from The Star.
© The Windsor Star 2006
