UPDATED: Mark L. Schifter, PLEADS GUILTY to suspicion of charity fraud

[GirgleMirt]

Audioholics Story/Coverage: http://www.audioholics.com/news/indu...ted-grand-jury

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DO NOT BUY anything from AV123

MLS indicted in Colorado on charity fraud!

Publish Date: 2/26/2010

Longmont man indicted on suspicion of charity fraud

© 2010 Longmont Times-Call

LONGMONT - A statewide grand jury on Friday indicted a Longmont man on suspicion of running illegal charity raffles, according to the Colorado Attorney General's Office.

Mark L. Schifter, 54, president of www.AV123.com and Perpetual Technologies, was accused in a five-count indictment of making to the tune of $180,000 by defrauding 707 people in 27 illegal raffles heled from 2004 through 2009. According to the attorney general's office, only $29,500 was distributed to charities. Some charities reported receiving nothing.

http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=20988


You can read the 5 count indictment here...

http://www.timescall.com/assets/pdf/...indictment.pdf

(From the Do not buy anything from av123.com thread)


Just thought a little heads up would be worth it for those who haven't followed this saga... Again, congrats to all of those involved in bringing this to justice! And thanks to AH for not having censored the issue like many other forums have chosen to! I think this will be a celebration day for many!

(Thought this deserves it's own heads up thread! If not, my apologies, please feel free to lock/delete!)

[6L6X4]

Wow... If convicted, what an ignominious end. Sad...

[jamie2112]

Sounds like he is FINALLY getting his.........

[MapleSyrup]

I never suspected a thing on AV123. In fact, I was moved when I saw Schifter use his website to raise funds for Hurricane Katrina victims. This is very sad. Schifter is a highly successful, and energetic, business man and set forth a very successful business model to provide audio gear to customers. I wish Schifter and his family well.

[MapleSyrup]

From your "Don't buy anything from AV123" link:

That sale can be viewed here:

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php...ghlight=friend

(As an aside from anyone from AV123 who might remove this thread I already have a screen shot of it so please do not waste your time)

LOL, that part of the forum apparently WAS taken down.

Dude, I tell ya', I was totally oblivious to the dark side of Schifter. Although I've never bought from them, I did recommend that site to a few family members (none of them bought anything from it either - phew).

I admire "Grantc79 for taking this issue public. That showed integrity snce it was he who recommended AV123 to a friend who got stiffed by Schifter.

And, WOW, 2653 posts?

[lsiberian]

This is sad that it had to come to this. I hope he comes to his senses and comes clean. Everyone messes up in life, but the longer we let it continue the worse of it gets. I pray this gets through to him.

[ratso]

sad? it's a great happy day. burn in hell. ripping off charities???? burn in hell.

[Bluesmoke]

Defrauding hundreds of people and capitalizing on their generosities. How an individual can use the name of a cancer or children's hospital and defraud them is beyond me. It's not as if he's made a mistake. This has been ongoing for 6 years now.

I hope the bastard gets what's coming to him!!! Stuff like this really me distrust humanity.

[Chu Gai]

Not one penny went to Katrina.

[Soundman]

Sad but true. Not sure what that means for the future of AV123