WFTV: Ralph Edward Bell and Alec Defrawy aka Ayman Difrawi Fraud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hfuC7IbVdE
http://www.rgm.com/articles/VanityFair.html
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1573182/backstreet-boys-open-up-john-norris-about-lou-pearlman.jhtml
Excerpt:
Oct 31 2007 7:31 PM EDT 13,365
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hfuC7IbVdE
http://www.rgm.com/articles/VanityFair.html
Benscher pushed Pearlman to expand Airship, and he did, eventually acquiring four more blimps, which were leased to SeaWorld, Metropolitan Life, Gulf Oil, and others. To raise the needed funds, Pearlman, true to his penny-stock roots, turned to a shady Colorado brokerage house, which in two public offerings helped raise about $17 million selling Airship stock to investors. The firm was what Wall Street calls a "boiler room," that is, it hawked risky, overpriced stock to unsuspecting investors. In 1993, shortly after the Pearlman offerings, the firm, Chatfield Dean & Co., was hit with $2.4 million in fines by the National Association of Securities Dealers for swindling investors; it later agreed to a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (S.E.C.). Among the allegations were charges that Chatfield brokers took investors' orders for one stock but actually bought Airship shares instead.
Pearlman was thrilled with Chatfield's work. When one of its brokers,
Anthony DeCamillis, was banned for a year from the securities industry and fined $25,000, Pearlman hired him to help raise still more money for Trans Con Air from banks and private investors. Another Chatfield executive was hired as well and ended up handling merchandising for the Backstreet Boys. "I remember asking Lou, 'You know, do you think it's wise to hire a guy who's been banned from the industry?'" Benscher recalls. "And he said, 'Oh, Tony'll be great for getting us financing!'"
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1573182/backstreet-boys-open-up-john-norris-about-lou-pearlman.jhtml
Excerpt:
Oct 31 2007 7:31 PM EDT 13,365
Backstreet Boys Open Up To John Norris About Disgraced Boy-Band Mogul Lou Pearlman: 'Karma's Karma'
As the Boys drop a fifth album, their former manager awaits trial on fraud charges and is accused of being a sexual predator.It was a difficult moment in an interview ostensibly to mark the release of a new album, and, in searching for the right comment, the Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean turned to a lyric from a onetime boy-band rival.
"One of the radio stations asked us about this, and Brian and I started singing Justin [Timberlake]'s 'What Goes Around ... Comes Around.' I mean, you can't run from these things forever. You know if you're doing something bad from the very get, it's gonna come back around and bite you in the ass. There's no way around it."
The person in question — indeed, a guy Backstreet would just as soon not be talking about in 2007 — is Lou Pearlman, the impresario once known as "Big Poppa," the man who helped turn Orlando, Florida, into the late-1990s capital of boy-band teen pop-dom, and a man who has seen better days. Not only is Pearlman presently sitting in an Orange County, Florida, jail awaiting trial on charges of bank and investment fraud, accused of bilking investors nationwide of millions of dollars through what amounted to a Ponzi scheme, he is also the subject of a damning article by Bryan Burrough in the November issue of Vanity Fair.
The VF piece not only exhaustively chronicles Pearlman's years of financial shenanigans and tall tales that landed him in his current hot water, it also alleges that Pearlman was a habitual sexual predator — harassing, abusing or worse — the teenage boys in his charge.
McLean continued, "I mean we thankfully got out of that whole situation when we did, and you know we don't wish bad upon anybody, but karma's karma."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Dyllon
Excerpt:
Marshall Dyllon was an American country music group formed in 2000, comprising vocalists Daniel Cahoon, Jesse Littleton, Michael Martin, Paul Martin, and Todd Michael Sansom. These five members were recruited by country music artist Kenny Rogers and talent manager Lou Pearlman, in an attempt to bring the boy band sound to the country music scene.
Excluding Kenny Rogers himself, Marshall Dyllon was the first act to be signed to Dreamcatcher Records, an independent label which Rogers owned. The group's singular album, Enjoy the Ride, was released that year. It accounted for the chart singles "Live It Up" and "You". The band released a third single, "She Ain't Gonna Cry", in 2001 before disbanding.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Airways
Excerpt:
The company was a private venture co-founded by Peter V. Garrambone and Tony DeCamillis, and capital partner Lou Pearlman. Upon Garrambone's resignation Lou Pearlman was the Chairman and Tony DeCamillis was President & CEO. Lou Pearlman was subsequently imprisoned for fraud related to an Employee Investment Savings Account and an aircraft leasing company that did not exist, neither that involved Planet. Press Release FLOFR 2 February 2007 INJUNCTION ISSUED AGAINST LOUIS J. PEARLMAN, TRANS CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, AND OTHERS. JUDGE ALSO APPOINTS RECEIVER OVER THREE COMPANIES</ref>
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1142603/index.htm
Excerpt:
The boy's name was Lou Pearlman, and he got his ride. That he eventually came to own the Metropolitan Life, Sea World and Budweiser blimps was no surprise to those who knew him back then. Pearlman has always loved blimps. More important, he has always had what, in the old neighborhood, is called chutzpah.
http://www.corporationwiki.com/Florida/Orlando/nation-airways-llc-5964502.aspx
Excerpt:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/112/112335.html
Excerpt:
The person in question — indeed, a guy Backstreet would just as soon not be talking about in 2007 — is Lou Pearlman, the impresario once known as "Big Poppa," the man who helped turn Orlando, Florida, into the late-1990s capital of boy-band teen pop-dom, and a man who has seen better days. Not only is Pearlman presently sitting in an Orange County, Florida, jail awaiting trial on charges of bank and investment fraud, accused of bilking investors nationwide of millions of dollars through what amounted to a Ponzi scheme, he is also the subject of a damning article by Bryan Burrough in the November issue of Vanity Fair.
The VF piece not only exhaustively chronicles Pearlman's years of financial shenanigans and tall tales that landed him in his current hot water, it also alleges that Pearlman was a habitual sexual predator — harassing, abusing or worse — the teenage boys in his charge.
McLean continued, "I mean we thankfully got out of that whole situation when we did, and you know we don't wish bad upon anybody, but karma's karma."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Dyllon
Excerpt:
Marshall Dyllon was an American country music group formed in 2000, comprising vocalists Daniel Cahoon, Jesse Littleton, Michael Martin, Paul Martin, and Todd Michael Sansom. These five members were recruited by country music artist Kenny Rogers and talent manager Lou Pearlman, in an attempt to bring the boy band sound to the country music scene.
Excluding Kenny Rogers himself, Marshall Dyllon was the first act to be signed to Dreamcatcher Records, an independent label which Rogers owned. The group's singular album, Enjoy the Ride, was released that year. It accounted for the chart singles "Live It Up" and "You". The band released a third single, "She Ain't Gonna Cry", in 2001 before disbanding.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Airways
Excerpt:
The company was a private venture co-founded by Peter V. Garrambone and Tony DeCamillis, and capital partner Lou Pearlman. Upon Garrambone's resignation Lou Pearlman was the Chairman and Tony DeCamillis was President & CEO. Lou Pearlman was subsequently imprisoned for fraud related to an Employee Investment Savings Account and an aircraft leasing company that did not exist, neither that involved Planet. Press Release FLOFR 2 February 2007 INJUNCTION ISSUED AGAINST LOUIS J. PEARLMAN, TRANS CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, AND OTHERS. JUDGE ALSO APPOINTS RECEIVER OVER THREE COMPANIES</ref>
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1142603/index.htm
Excerpt:
The boy's name was Lou Pearlman, and he got his ride. That he eventually came to own the Metropolitan Life, Sea World and Budweiser blimps was no surprise to those who knew him back then. Pearlman has always loved blimps. More important, he has always had what, in the old neighborhood, is called chutzpah.
http://www.corporationwiki.com/Florida/Orlando/nation-airways-llc-5964502.aspx
Excerpt:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/112/112335.html
Excerpt:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1573182/backstreet-boys-open-up-john-norris-about-lou-pearlman.jhtml
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http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Delivered/lou_pearlman.htm
Excerpt:
While victims have been encouraged to send letters to national media outlets, congressmen and other elected officials, the campaign has so far been met with apparent indifference to their plight. Even Charlie Crist, the newly elected Governor of Florida, has remained mute on the topic, perhaps due to the fact that he has personally been named as a defendant in an investor lawsuit for failing to properly investigate and act upon some of Pearlman's other apparent crimes.
Les Henderson, one of many fraud awareness advocates who have covered Pearlman's misdeeds for years, recently released a book about "Big Poppa's" foray into talent scouting, along with several convicted criminals, entitled "Under Investigation: The Inside Story of the Florida Attorney General’s Investigation of Wilhelmina Scouting Network – The Largest Model and Talent Scam in America." which is available at Amazon.com Under Investigation ISBN 0-9687133-3-5 His other book “Crimes of Persuasion: Schemes, Scams, Frauds”deals with telemarketing and investment fraud in general as does his website http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/index.htm
Mr. Henderson was prompted to investigate and write the highly detailed book after Pearlman sued several of his detractors for notifying the Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist about the obvious criminal activities occurring within the Church Street complex. The book suggests that Charlie Crist whitewashed the investigation in favor of Pearlman, who, has since hosted fundraising parties at his home for the newly elected Governor.
http://duckduckgo.com/Lou_Pearlman
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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,266481,00.html
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http://www.sptimes.com/2007/10/21/Business/In_humble_Queens__Lou.shtml
Excerpt:
FLUSHING, N.Y. - Mitchell Gardens would never be mistaken for a palace, but inside the Pearlman family's tiny third-floor apartment, little Lou was king.
His parents, Hy the dry cleaner and Reenie the school lunchroom aide, slept on a fold-out couch in the living room, giving their only child the bedroom.
Lou spent hours on that bedroom floor, playing the board game Life with Alan Gross, his childhood buddy who lived one floor up. Gross still recalls a time Mrs. Pearlman watched them play. Lou gave the spinner a whirl, then cheated by moving his car game piece an extra space.
http://futuresexlovejt.popsugar.com/Former-Justin-Timberlake-manager-Lou-Pearlman-exposed-pedophile-who-preyed-young-men-674679
Excerpt:
http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=5670
Excerpt:
Louis J. Pearlman is a manager and executive producer from Flushing, Queens, New York, USA. He is the first cousin of Art Garfunkel.
Pearlman played guitar when he was younger: "I just always wanted to be in the music business and the aviation business too. When I was in a band in the late '70s, we called it Flyer."
The chairman, president, and founder, in 1975, of Trans Continental Airlines, Pearlman founded Orlando, Florida based Trans Continental Records after supplying a charter for the New Kids on the Block in 1991 and discovering that they reached over $1,000,000,000 in record, tour, and merchandise sales.
After asking Smokey Robinson and Art Garfunkel for advice on grooming and harmony, his first boy band was the Backstreet Boys, who sold 65 million units worldwide after a two year $1,000,000 investment, followed by *NSYNC, who sold 56 million units worldwide. "The idea was to create our own bootcamp, a finishing school with PR training, choreography, vocal lessons." Subsequent groups include LFO and O-Town (from Making the Band). Also on Trans Continental Records are Marshall Dyllon, a country boyband co-produced by Kenny Rogers, a Latino group C-Note, a 15 year old solo Latino artist Lugo, ex-Backstreet Boy Phoenix Stone, the hard rock Brizz, the girl group Innosense, Kenny Rogers, The Monkees, and KC & The Sunshine Band.
Trans Continental Studios have been used by artists such as Britney Spears, Dr. Dre, and Eminem. His Fashion Rock LLC hosts talent search events and workshops. He is also the author of Bands, Brands, and Billions with Wes Smith.
The Backstreet Boys sued Pearlman because they felt their contract, under which Pearlman collected as both manager and producer, was unjust, and by *NSYNC, who wished to be able to change record labels. According to Pearlman, Johnny Wright had been hired to manage both bands, but when Wright was unable to receive financial backing Pearlman put up the funds. Both suits have been settled with Pearlman still receiving a cut of both groups profits, "and that will be forever," according to Pearlman.
Lou Pearlman was parodied by Jon Stewart on an episode of Saturday Night Live.
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2009/12/03/our-ponzi-nation-is-florida-the-capital/
Excerpt:
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2008/05/art_garfunkels.html
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http://www.ripoffreport.com/talent-scouts/wilhelmina/tct-trans-continental-talent-a-da86d.htm
Excerpt:
Submitted: Wednesday, June 18, 2003 Posted: Wednesday, June 18, 2003
TCT Trans Continental Talent aka Wilhelmina ripoff Miami Florida
Also a victim?
Trans Continental Talent AKA TC Talent/ Wilhelmina Scouting Network AKA WSN Trans Continental Talent AKA Wilhelmina Scouting Network Fraud Exposed in September Newsweek! Miami Florida .....
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Pearlman
Excerpt:
Talent scouting scandal
Since September 2002, Louis Pearlman got into talent scouting (looking for people with talent) working with former criminal pasts, like Ayman Ahmed El Difrawi (aka Alec Defrawy) and David Elliott. [2], [3]
The New York State Consumer Protection Board did issue a consumer alert about WSN / TCT due to consumer complaints [4]. In Florida about 2000 complaints were filed with the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Henderson
Excerpt:
Les Henderson is a Canadian consumer fraud author and webmaster of Crimes of Persuasion, a consumer-fraud awareness site.[1][2]
Henderson published two books, "Crimes Of Persuasion" and "Under Investigation". His first book "Crimes Of Persuasion" describes a large variety of 'schemes, scams and frauds'. Henderson's second book "Under Investigation" scrutinizes Florida Attorney General (now Governor) Charlie Crist's investigation into the Lou Pearlman owned Wilhelmina Scouting Network.[3][4]
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Pearlman
Excerpt:
Talent scouting scandal
Since September 2002, Louis Pearlman got into talent scouting (looking for people with talent) working with former criminal pasts, like Ayman Ahmed El Difrawi (aka Alec Defrawy) and David Elliott. [2], [3]
The New York State Consumer Protection Board did issue a consumer alert about WSN / TCT due to consumer complaints [4]. In Florida about 2000 complaints were filed with the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Henderson
Excerpt:
Les Henderson is a Canadian consumer fraud author and webmaster of Crimes of Persuasion, a consumer-fraud awareness site.[1][2]
Henderson published two books, "Crimes Of Persuasion" and "Under Investigation". His first book "Crimes Of Persuasion" describes a large variety of 'schemes, scams and frauds'. Henderson's second book "Under Investigation" scrutinizes Florida Attorney General (now Governor) Charlie Crist's investigation into the Lou Pearlman owned Wilhelmina Scouting Network.[3][4]
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