DO NOT BUY anything from AV123

[randyb]

It's OK. Really, it's OK. I'm not asking for any and I really don't see myself holding grudges. Even if my motives were because I hated the man for no good reason, the truth was the truth. I work for no competitor. I'm not in the audio business. I don't like Star Wars. No one pays me for this. If Schifter wasn't stopped, and it took all of us to do it, he'd have paid off on a few more people and he would've devastated others. It was a no win situation. In order for him to do good, he'd have to do bad and he was doing bad up to the very end.

Chu, you DO deserve credit for pushing this along. Also, credit must go to the Longmont Police Department.

 

[Chu Gai]

Chu, you DO deserve credit for pushing this along. Also, credit must go to the Longmont Police Department.

Longmont did a hell of a job. A hell of a job and my heartfelt thanks to the Detective there who spearheaded the case and it was a case like no other they've ever seen before. A big, and I mean a big debt of thanks goes to Dana Farber Cancer Institute/The Jimmy Fund. They kicked a$$. They reacted to the heads up and moved it up the corporate hierarchy quickly. It went to their legal team for followup, investigation, and cross checking. The Red Cross acted quickly too, but it was Dana Farber that was very proactive and to tell the truth, was instrumental in getting the Red Cross into the position where they contacted the authorities. I had charities just get back with form letters and a promise of a followup which never happened. Maybe it got lost in the shuffle. But not those two. Frankly they were pissed off their names were used as bait and I mean pissed off.

So folks, earlier both here and elsewhere when I said DFCI or the ARC didn't respond, I was lying to everyone. I had to and so did some others lie. We had to because if we hadn't, the police investigation would be compromised and there might be record burning. We wanted Shifty and pro Shifty folk to think because they said nothing that meant he was in the clear. He wasn't obviously. He got punked.

 

[MinusTheBear]

Longmont did a hell of a job. A hell of a job and my heartfelt thanks to the Detective there who spearheaded the case and it was a case like no other they've ever seen before. A big, and I mean a big debt of thanks goes to Dana Farber Cancer Institute/The Jimmy Fund. They kicked a$$. They reacted to the heads up and moved it up the corporate hierarchy quickly. It went to their legal team for followup, investigation, and cross checking. The Red Cross acted quickly too, but it was Dana Farber that was very proactive and to tell the truth, was instrumental in getting the Red Cross into the position where they contacted the authorities. I had charities just get back with form letters and a promise of a followup which never happened. Maybe it got lost in the shuffle. But not those two. Frankly they were pissed off their names were used as bait and I mean pissed off.

So folks, earlier both here and elsewhere when I said DFCI or the ARC didn't respond, I was lying to everyone. I had to and so did some others lie. We had to because if we hadn't, the police investigation would be compromised and there might be record burning. We wanted Shifty and pro Shifty folk to think because they said nothing that meant he was in the clear. He wasn't obviously. He got punked.

It doesn't suprise me that organizations like the Red Cross would take this extremely seriously and by the indictment so does the state. The crackdown on white-collar crime is getting much more attention these days.

 

[myaudiocd]

...... take responsiblity for his support of MLS in the past. Whether he beleived in Mark or not, is irrelevant to the fact that his faith was misplaced.

I guess that would apply to all of us that bought raffle tickets or even products then.

 

[Zaluss]

There was in a point in time where a lot of us heavily believed in MLS and AV123. After I disappeared for a year due to finacial hardship and came back to rebuild my audio system the forum was different. Of course after a month or so of jumping around my old forums and new ones and figuring out what has happened it really just was sad.

 

[randyb]

I guess that would apply to all of us that bought raffle tickets or even products then.

I removed the post. It wasn't well thought out.

 

[Harmon]

Family? Wife or kids could tap their retirement accts or take out a home equity loan. Have to think the bail is that high due to all his international travel and connections.

Maybe Harmon can opine on that high of a bail?

$500k is an extremely high bond for any crime. I've seen many rapists and violent criminals (and a few murderers) with a much lower bond. Don't know all the factors that went into that, but I would expect his attorney to file a motion for bond reduction today.

Bond amounts are something that varies alot from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but I would be somewhat surprised if the bond wasn't lowered. The purpose of bond is only to assure someone's appearance in court. The judge might want him to surrender his passport or otherwise restrict his travel. It would be a shame for $50k-$75k (10%-15%) to go to a bondsman instead of restitution to the charities.

 

[The Ninja]

I called the courthouse this morning and spoke to 'Wendy'. She had already been working on getting my date re-set. I explained that the registered agent for the company was not Mark but unfortunately any reply she could give me was considered legal advise and therefore not allowed. Best I can do is bring it up during the hearing. So for the time being, I don't know what will happen as no one there can actually tell me. Pretty crazy but I understand their position completely.

Wendy did tell me that she was waiting for a call back from the Magistrate and that they thought it could be pushed as far back as late April due to the recent hospital visit.

One thing I'm confused about. Sean was told that his court date was postponed because of "surgery of the president" etc. Yet, what a day or two later, MLS was taken to jail?

Who's lying to whom?

 

[The Ninja]

There are a few of us out here working on ensuring replacement parts can be had for as long as possible. No guarantees of course but it is being worked on.

I think it's safe to say you can kiss any chance of a warranty on your subs goodbye.

Don't hold out hope for any other company to take them over, nobody in their right mind will ever touch that name/company, too much of a stigma attached.

 

[Stereodude]

Yeah.... even my thread has now been deleted. And all I was doing was saying goodbye to some of the "really old" forum members like me.

Sad indeed

It's sad, but it shouldn't be at all unexpected. You can't have the prospective customers finding out about the people and company they're doing business with.

Besides they've been sweeping stuff under the rug and suppressing things from the minute they shut down the forum. Why stop now?

 

[Chu Gai]

I hope they're able to keep all the equipment in that office they converted into a showroom for all the walk in traffic.

 

[Stereodude]

he should spend some time in prison. What else is a suitable punishment? Restitution and community service? Not severe enough IMO.

Maybe he can go around to local businesses and give free seminars on outsourcing, creative accounting, screwing your hired contractors, pre-payment, etc... as part of his eventual community service.

 

[Nathan_R]

I was surprised to learn this morning that in spite of reading Audioholics for quite a long time that I didn't even have an account here. Oh well, problem corrected.

I participated in two of the raffles-- a cancer one I think, and the Colorado Ballet one, and I rarely posted on the av123 forums outside of the classifieds to buy used gear. Over the last few days I've picked up most of the public knowledge pieces of the MLS puzzle through various forums and now deleted threads.

Like a great many buyers out there, I had no idea what was going on behind the scenes at av123. I mean I knew that I shouldn't buy an MFW if my life depended on it, and I remember the forum shutting down for a while, but this thread has opened my eyes to a whole level of shadiness that I would have never learned elsewhere. Up until this weekend, I had no idea that tweak city existed, who CC was, that certain well known posters on various forums put so much leg work into uncovering this (and were vilified in turn), or that when people were saying not to buy an MFW it wasn't about brand loyalty or favortism. Hell I didn't even know the av123 sales peoples' names or that they worked on commission until this morning.

So to the posters, thanks for opening my eyes. And to Audioholics, thanks for not deleting this entire thread and banning users wholesale like many other forums would do. I don't post much anywhere, but Audioholics looks like a good home now.

 

[Chu Gai]

Here's a post from someone over at TCA

that talks about the cavalier and indifference of MLS aka Shifty or as some prison inmates call him, Marsha.

This was posted by dawgfan here.

I agree. I participated in a number of the raffles. I will always be suspicious from this point on if there is a 'middle man' involved in my charitable contributions. We all felt part of a family based on like interests that were teaming up to contribute to the needy.

No one likes to be fooled. I should have been tipped off by an instance where my family prepared a care package for a forum member and his fellow soldiers and K9's. It was to be included in a shipment from MLS/AV123 to the soldiers. We packed it up and shipped it to Colorado, but was told later the soldiers never got anything.

I may never know the truth about any of these situations. From an overall standpoint, if the allegations are true, I am extremely disappointed based on the evidence thus far.

Bolding is my doing.

 

[j_garcia]

I knew of some things that had gone on with AV123 previously that were surprising for what seemed like a good company, but I had no idea it could reach this level. I participated in the cancer raffle as well, feeling like I was helping and now all I feel is betrayed both for the help I though I was giving and for the family who may never have received that help.

 

[silverbullet]

"They will get theirs" WTF?

Before I made my initial purchase of AV666 gear, I called and spoke with Mark over the phone and flat out asked him what was going on with all the raffle issues and rumors floating around other forums. I had read the initial hundred pages (all there was at that time) of this thread several months ago and felt fairly informed. His response was this, in so many words....

"Certain people" had it out for him and he "knew exactly who they were" and more or less said they would "get theirs in the end." He did admit to the "underfunding" and was very apologetic and reassuring that it was all but cleared up. I had no idea he had lined his pockets with nearly $200k either. Of course he downplayed everything as I figured he would.

After the phone call, I came to the same conclusion as many others; used car salesman that would tell you whatever you wanted to hear at the time. Regardless, he gave me an offer I couldn't refuse on the equipment and I have no regrets purchasing from him. I don't agree with what he did, but hey, everyone likes a deal....and those deals are what's kept them floating this long, along with a good dose of lies and a big blanket pulled over the eyes of the forum.

What I'm wondering, does anyone know who these "certain people" are/were and how he could possibly try and flip this and play the victim? I'm sure he was referring to Chu and perhaps The Ninja, but what the heck does he mean by implying "they will get theirs"? Is he trying to pull the libel card or claim lost revenue because they were speaking the truth? I don't see what he could possibly stand to gain by trying to deflect the attention off himself, where the focus belongs.

My hats off to Chu and everyone else (including this site and the mods) who helped make this happen! I hope for swift justice, whatever that may be.

 

[droht]

silverbullet, he made that threat more than once that I saw. I always assumed it was firstly an attempt to scare people and keep more from posting about what was going on, and secondly to assuage any concerns that his faithfull followers may have been experiencing.

 

[Jed M]

His response was this, in so many words....

"Certain people" had it out for him and he "knew exactly who they were" and more or less said they would "get theirs in the end." He did admit to the "underfunding" and was very apologetic and reassuring that it was all but cleared up. I had no idea he had lined his pockets with nearly $200k either. Of course he downplayed everything as I figured he would.

This is absolutely the truth. The man was a smear merchant. Such a giant conspiracy and they are all out to get innocent, kind hearted, always make it right Mark. I can't believe after the truth has come out that some people STILL think there is some truth to his smears.

Edit: I have no problem if you want to be Mark's friend and support him. My issue is with people who continue to believe what he said about other people, like Chu,Santiago, etc... Its a load and anybody who swallowed it should feel pretty ashamed, yet incredibly some are still on the hunt to find out the "truth behind the conspiracy" for their pal humbly...

 

[bunnyma357]

The cavalier attitude seems one of the more bizarre aspects of the whole thing as it went along, that MLS seemed to pick causes that could easily report his fraud - i.e, people who were in direct contact with the contributors. It almost seems like there was a gambling aspect with regards to getting caught.

I suppose familiar recipients also generated the strongest donations, but it doesn't make a lot of sense from a premeditated criminal intent point of view.


Jim C

 

[T2T]

What I'm wondering, does anyone know who these "certain people" are/were and how he could possibly try and flip this and play the victim? I'm sure he was referring to Chu and perhaps The Ninja, but what the heck does he mean by implying "they will get theirs"? Is he trying to pull the libel card or claim lost revenue because they were speaking the truth? I don't see what he could possibly stand to gain by trying to deflect the attention off himself, where the focus belongs.

I'm quite sure Mark's delusions were getting the best of him while making these statements. Just as he thought it was fine to line his pockets at the expense of many needy charities, he had a paranoia that others were out to get him just because they had nothing better to do.