Vestiage, Inc. (VEST)

[JimsZ]

For those that believe TS isn't associating with crooks... Now isn't this the shell that TS bought off Platten? Now known as HCKE...

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2009/08/17/daily71.html

Boca Raton man convicted in tax, securities fraudSouth Florida Business Journal


Donald Platten, of Boca Raton, was convicted Friday of conspiracy, securities fraud, and tax charges following a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks in West Palm Beach.

In a news release, the U.S. attorney’s office in Southern Florida said Platten faces a maximum sentence of 133 years in prison and a maximum fine of $30.75 million. Sentencing is set for Oct. 30.

Platten was indicted in December on 17 charges, including conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and impeding the internal revenue laws. He was convicted on the conspiracy to commit securities fraud count, six of the 14 securities fraud counts, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and impeding the internal revenue laws.

According to the indictment and evidence introduced at trial, Platten was the president of Harvard Learning Centers, located in Boca Raton.

Harvard Learning changed its name several times and claimed to be involved in several different business ventures. From 2004 to 2007, Platten caused Harvard Learning to issue stock to his wife, his sister, his ex-sister-in-law and his limousine driver, supposedly as repayment of promissory notes, even though Platten knew the promissory notes were fraudulent and the company did not owe these individuals the money reflected on the promissory notes.

In this manner, Platten caused Harvard Learning to issue stock to repay his own obligations and to enrich himself, his relatives and others. Platten also caused a subsidiary of Harvard Learning to pay the personal expenses of himself, his wife, his mother, his sister and his teenage son.

According to the indictment and evidence introduced at trial, Platten failed to file corporate federal tax returns for Harvard Learning for 2004 through 2007, and failed to file his personal federal tax returns for 2004 and 2005. For 2006, Platten failed to report on his personal tax return the income that he received as a result of Harvard Learning's stock issuances and payment of his personal expenses.

According to the indictment and evidence introduced at trial, in order to conceal Platten’s ownership of a house in Boca Raton, Platten caused his limousine driver to purchase the house and obtain a mortgage by providing false information about his income and assets. The day after the driver purchased the house, Platten caused him to execute a quitclaim deed, transferring his interest in the property to Platten's wife.