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

[cschang]

Or he will be "born again" and come back as himself asking for forgiveness. By the way, where is Chu today?

He has told many people in the industry that he had "changed his ways". I heard that 4 years ago. What's the saying? "A leopard can't change his spots."

Yeah...where is Chu?

 

[rotorooter]

I'd prefer to think that MLS was lying right up to the end with the G2's. That would be in keeping with his m.o. which makes him even more of a sc_mbag. I mean...that's what he does and that's what he's done. Who knows, maybe you'll see a fairly similar speaker like the G2's pop up at D. Ritchie's. Wouldn't be completely out of the question.
Well, Mark will have time to dream up a new scam while he's in the clink or under house arrest for the next several months. And he'll have a new title, Mark Schifter-felon. At least I hope so. Ahhhhhhh, nobody to kick around anymore.

 

[NicolasKL]

If he is allowed, he will start another company and not use his own name. I bet he gets someone to front for him, and when he finds a supplier, he will be back in business.

I think that too, but I also think with MLS' personality, everyone in the audio community will know it's him behind it within three days.

 

[rotorooter]

Yeah...where is Chu?

I hope he's celebrating.

 

[cschang]

I hope he's celebrating.

It doesn't look like he's been online in a few days.

Also, I think for Chu, it is more about MLS paying for his crimes than AV123 closing its doors.

 

[mhawker]

Anyone else notice Chu's hiatus from the forum corresponds to the last court date for MLS?

Come to think of it, has anyone ever seen MLS and Chu in the same room together?

 

[sandbagger]

I was thinking the same thing

Anyone else notice Chu's hiatus from the forum corresponds to the last court date for MLS?

Come to think of it, has anyone ever seen MLS and Chu in the same room together?

 

[NicolasKL]

Ho ho, a new angle, multiple personality disorder brought on by the stress, sleep deprivation, and biorhythm disruption (as diagnosed by our esteemed top hat wearing, monocle laden friend, John E. Johnson, Jr.).

 

[Jed M]

We were talking about that whole Normal Bates/Chu/MLS angle a while ago. Man, would I love, love, love that to be the case. It would be so freaking awesome. It would make this whole thing worth it to go on a truly insane ride ripped straight from the pages of Hollywood. MLS is Chu... I just couldn't imagine how great of an ending that would be.

 

[Stereodude]

That would certainly be the craziest ending to the saga. However, I suspect it's not the case.

 

[SteveSatch]

I'm so pissed right now. I only bought MFW15s because I had paid into my AV123 account saving for a BMF and when that never happened I bought MFW15s because I couldn't get my money back. I've gone through more amps than I can count. I have three MFWs and one has a dead amp that recently died (again). Kyle lied on 8-2-10 and said more was coming in that week and would send me one.

 

[mhawker]

Sorry to hear that, Steve. With any luck, av123 follows through with their "we'll get you information about replacement mfw amps".

ETA: Maybe someone who is friends with Kyle on Facebook can get some info for you on replacement amps.

 

[MinusTheBear]

I'm so pissed right now. I only bought MFW15s because I had paid into my AV123 account saving for a BMF and when that never happened I bought MFW15s because I couldn't get my money back. I've gone through more amps than I can count. I have three MFWs and one has a dead amp that recently died (again). Kyle lied on 8-2-10 and said more was coming in that week and would send me one.

The old bait and switch does suck. I am under the impression there are going to options coming to the market for AV123 replacement parts or upgrades. I am pretty sure you can talk to Mark Seaton who spec'd the MFW-15 regarding his upgrade option or on a suitable replacement amp for the MFW-15. For driver replacements the various Onix dealers mentioned something to this effect. Crossovers for AV123 you can buy from the Ninja.

The good thing is, current owners are not totally screwed.

 

[SteveSatch]

MFW owners are not totally screwed, but we're certainly going to be paying money to replace amps that we were told they would have an extended warranty. Many of us didn't want MFWs to begin with, but once we paid money for a BMF and the BMF vanished we had no choice. AV123 wouldn't give us our money back. I am happy that Seaton Sound and Motor City Custom Audio are going to try to help people out. We'd be completely screwed without them. It just stinks to sink more money into a product in these economic times when extra money for HT gear is not really viable. I don't have any money to try to upgrade mine or buy new amps. We're stuck. We can't sell them and the amps die like clockwork.

 

[jvgillow]

Well I'm glad they finally threw in the towel. Trying to keep up the facade of a functional business (by mls or otherwise) was just another deception, although I hope all recent potential customers saw the writing on the wall a long time ago and did not give them any money.

I don't have any intentions of getting rid of my av123 speakers, they are all working fine to this day. Brand value/recognition was never really a deciding factor anyway. I figure if anything breaks I could try to track down replacements via skiingninja or Danny.

I do hope that the couple of friends I referred to av123 (before all the faulty amps and raffle exposure) don't have any problems with their equipment. Also some folks at GTGs who may have purchased av123 models after hearing demos of speakers that I brought.

 

[cschang]

Many of us didn't want MFWs to begin with, but once we paid money for a BMF and the BMF vanished we had no choice.

No ill will in this post....so please don't take it as such....

But Steve, you did have choices. You could have filed a complaint with the BBB, as some have done. You could have also taken AV123 to small claims, as some have done as well. As Chu has posted, people that were owed product, refunds, or repairs, should have contacted the authorities.

What ended up happening is exactly what MLS wanted to happen. He got your money before he had want you wanted.

I feel bad for the people that got screwed, but there were choices.

 

[SteveSatch]

I don't think I did have a choice. I wasn't owed product or money. They did send me amps when they died. I don't see how I could have filed a complaint. I would have filed a complaint otherwise. I probably would have driven to Colorado and got what I was owed. My problem didn't arise until right now. They are out of business and owe me an amp, but they haven't owed me the amp for 18 months and kept putting it off. It was just in the last couple of weeks that I contacted them and told them I needed a new one. They said they'd end one out. Last contact from them was on 8-2-10. Maybe you didn't fully read what I posted about my situation. Believe me, if I had been owed product or money from years ago I would have scoured the Earth and left no stone unturned for what I was owed.

No ill will in this post....so please don't take it as such....

But Steve, you did have choices. You could have filed a complaint with the BBB, as some have done. You could have also taken AV123 to small claims, as some have done as well. As Chu has posted, people that were owed product, refunds, or repairs, should have contacted the authorities.

What ended up happening is exactly what MLS wanted to happen. He got your money before he had want you wanted.

I feel bad for the people that got screwed, but there were choices.

 

[cschang]

I don't think I did have a choice. I wasn't owed product or money. They did send me amps when they died. I don't see how I could have filed a complaint. I would have filed a complaint otherwise. I probably would have driven to Colorado and got what I was owed. My problem didn't arise until right now. They are out of business and owe me an amp, but they haven't owed me the amp for 18 months and kept putting it off. It was just in the last couple of weeks that I contacted them and told them I needed a new one. They said they'd end one out. Last contact from them was on 8-2-10. Maybe you didn't fully read what I posted about my situation. Believe me, if I had been owed product or money from years ago I would have scoured the Earth and left no stone unturned for what I was owed.

I meant when you decided to get the MFW when there was no BMF in sight. You gave them money for a BMF, right?

 

[SteveSatch]

I meant when you decided to get the MFW when there was no BMF in sight. You gave them money for a BMF, right?

I do not have a receipt that says I bought a BMF. I blame myself for trusting the BMF would come out. I was a bit of a HT newbie. I went to a few meets (big and small). I liked what I heard. I met some great people both on the forums and in person (including you). They didn't sell the BMF. They got people to believe it would be "out soon." I bought non refundable credit that I planned on using towards a BMF. It's my own fault for doing so. When the BMF didn't come out I used the credit for MFW15s. Up until now they have replaced amps that died. If I had a receipt that says I paid for a BMF I would have gone the route you and Chu suggested. My fault. Lesson learned.

 

[cschang]

The little GTG we had was great...but to me, it was great because MLS was not really involved or there. He got a bit upset when everyone seemed to like the 170SE more than the X-LS...remember? I met him at a GTG in Austin, and saw how he operated.

The credit you bought was at a discount, right? To put towards future product?

In other words, what was the expected advantage to buying the credit?