Ripoff Report Rips on Park West Gallery:
Dirty Deals, Intimidation, Cover Ups, and Trial Testimony Exposed
by
Theresa Franks, for Fine Art Registry®
Way back in the spring of 2007 when Fine Art Registry first began reporting on cruise ship art auction rip offs in general, we discovered that at least 73 reports of rip off by the art peddler, Park West Gallery, had been filed on a web site called ripoffreport.com. The dates of the rip off reports associated with Park West Gallery ranged from February 2004 (well before Fine Art Registry started reporting on Park West Gallery) to September 2007 when ripoffreport.com CEO, Ed Magedson, claimed that Park West Gallery "joined" his so-called "corporate advocacy program" at which time all reports were suppressed or blocked from being published. Soon after, a Park West Gallery insider reported to Fine Art Registry that the initial check Park West Gallery issued to ripoffreport.com was approximately $66,000, with agreed upon monthly payments of $1,400 per month thereafter to keep the rip off reports against Park West Gallery completely suppressed. And all the while ripoffreport.com was raking it in and posting glowing reports about Park West Gallery, Fine Art Registry and the Michigan Attorney General's Office (we recently learned) were receiving complaint after complaint after complaint from victims reporting the deceptive trade practices of Park West Gallery.
The historical facts surrounding our 2007 discovery of the "special relationship" between Park West Gallery and ripoffreport.com is posted in a thread on the Fine Art Registry forum, which can be accessed here.
Fast forward to the Federal jury trial in Michigan held in March and April 2010. As always, we like to back up our reports with hard evidence in support of the truth, so we thought our readers would like to read a bit of the trial testimony in the Federal Court case where Fine Art Registry won a unanimous jury verdict.
On March 18, 2010, Albert Scaglione, on direct examination by his lawyer, adamantly testified that Fine Art Registry was the only web site that referenced negative reports about Park West Gallery, but then the following day, under cross examination Scaglione was impeached. He changed his testimony, admitting that in fact there were many other web sites including ripoffreport.com that had also reported negatively about Park West Gallery and years before Fine Art Registry ever printed a word. Scaglione further denied under oath that Park West Gallery paid ripoffreport.com, calling it "absurd," but was later made out to be a liar by his own partner, Albert Molina. What follows are some very interesting portions of the relevant sworn testimony of Albert Scaglione (as schizophrenic as the testimony is). We'll save Scaglione's "rocket scientist" and "moon man" testimony for another day, as it is on its own quite entertaining. The cross-examination is by Fine Art Registry lawyer, Donald Payton, with the law firm of Kaufman, Payton & Chapa. The date of the sworn testimony is March 19, 2010. (Note: emphasis and editorial comment is added to some portions of the testimony below. All the typos and mistakes in grammar in the transcript of the testimony are in the original.)
DIRECT EXAMINATION OF ALBERT SCAGLIONE BY HIS OWN LAWYER
Q. Sir, before Fine Art Registry and Theresa Franks and David Phillips and Bruce Hochman, has Park West ever been subjected to any kind of an Internet or worldwide web attack such as the one that they have launched?
A. None.
THE WITNESS: No. No. We have never seen anything on the Internet like this. I mean, I know, we monitor the Internet. And, no, there is nothing remotely like this that has been done to our company, no.
CROSS EXAMINATION OF ALBERT SCAGLIONE BY DONALD PAYTON
Q. You also testified yesterday that I think you said that prior to Fine Art Registry writing about complaints from various customers that they were the first website that you are aware of that did that?
A. Would you repeat your question?
Q. Sure. The posted complaints, fine Art Registry was the first website that you are aware of that posted complaints regarding purchasing Park West art?
A. No. That wasn't my testimony. [Really Scaglione? That wasn't your testimony, the day before was it? Let's look at it again. When presented the question by your lawyer, you said "None" and "No, No, No" and "We have never seen anything on the Internet like this." "I mean, I know, we monitor the Internet."]
Q. Oh. Were there others before them?
A. I just said that wasn't my testimony.
Q. Okay. But I am asking you, were there other websites prior to Fine Art Registry that posted complaints from Park West customers?
A. Yes.
Q. And who and what are they?
A. A company called rip off dot com.
Q. Rip Off Report?
A. I think. I'm not sure.
Q. You're not sure?
A. I don't know the name.
Q. Do you know Ed Magdison (ph)?
A. I know the name.
Q. Who is he?
A. He is involved with that company.
Q. And how?
A. I am not sure.
Q. Don't know that he is the CEO of rip-off report?
A. I don't.
Q. You never had any discussions with him about anything?
A. Never.
Q. Never. All right. Have you followed the complaints on Rip Off Report since they began reporting it?
A. Yes, sir. They are a very reliable company. They contacted us.
Q. My question was, did you follow Rip Off Report when they were posting these complaints?
A. Yes, we did.
Q. Thank you. All right. Do you know when they began writing about complaints from customers of Park West on their websites?
A. I don't know the date.
Q. Are you aware that they began on -- well, let me ask you this date. February 19th, 2004. Do your remember reading anything like that on that website starting then?
A. No.
Q. Okay. Did you count how many reports they did about customer complaints regarding Park West?
A. In general terms, yes.
Q. Were you aware they had 73 reports regarding Park West even before Fine Art Registry began reporting on Park West?
MR. YOUNG: You Honor, I'm going to object to the relevancy of this other website. We have not sued them. [Not yet, anyway, right Rodge?] We have not -- the issue here, your Honor, is what these defendants have done. That's what we are here focusing on. And I fail to see the relevancy of 2004 or whatever it was, post, without some foundation as to how it's relevant. He tried to address the company, and counsel cut him off.
MR. PAYTON: Your Honor, this was gone into yesterday. I'm only following up with it.
THE COURT: What was gone into it?
MR. PAYTON: Whether or not other sites had written about Park West and had negative things to say about them. And he didn't mention any yesterday so I wanted to go into whether or not he is aware of other sites and now I'm finding out there are. But this is what started yesterday.
THE COURT: Okay. Well, now you found out that there are. [Yes, we certainly did, didn't we?] What is your next question?
MR. PAYTON: I want to ask him about a couple others.
THE COURT: Okay.
MR. PAYTON: Thank you.
Q. How about Pissed Off Consumer Dot Com?
A. I've heard of it.
Q. Did you ever read anything negative about Park West on that site, sir?
A. Very minimal. Almost nothing. And we had one in 50,000 on Rip Off Dot Com and they gave us an A plus 6 rating, by the way, unlike this particular situation. They are all reliable companies, and I might add, with the exception, singular exception of you people. Excuse me.
Q. Well, yes, Rip Off Report has now changed their tune after Park West paid them $66,000, isn't that correct, sir?
A. That's absurd.
Q. That's absurd. If I bring in the person from your company who saw the check you wrote to Ed Magdison (ph) at Rip Off Report, he would be lying.
A. I don't know what anybody would be saying, but I think you will bring in what you will bring in.
Q. Okay. But you are denying it as we sit here today, right?
A. Yes.
Q. Well, don't you think it rather odd that they had 72 reports criticizing Park West and then all of a sudden Park West is the greatest thing since sliced bread?
A. No. No. Over a three year period [and thousands and thousands of dollars of payoff later], and they gave us an opportunity to resolve every issue and we did resolve every issue. [Oh, no you didn't. What about Martha Szostak? She filed a report with ripoffreport.com and she's still left holding the bag.] So you are mischaracterizing it absolutely totally. It's so far from the truth. It's not the 8,000 postings on the Internet that you people -- and, no, it's -- one has nothing to do with the other.
Albert Scaglione's partner, Albert Molina (who testified that he is "President of Park West in Miami Lakes, Florida"), was not present in the court room during Scaglione's testimony. Therefore, Molina had no clue as to what Scaglione had testified to before he took the witness stand - and there certainly wasn't any time between the testimony of Scaglione and Molina for them to have "compared notes," and what a thing of beauty it was.
After Scaglione had finished with his testimony, Albert Molina was immediately called to the stand and quickly proceeded to chuck Scaglione under the bus. Molina made a liar out of Albert Scaglione by testifying that it was Albert Scaglione's idea that Molina meet with ripoffreport.com and that Scaglione gave his direct authorization for Park West Gallery to join ripoffreport.com's so-called "corporate advocacy program" which is a rosy designation for what is, in our opinion, "extortionate payoffs" to the CEO of ripoffreport.com in order to restrain legitimate complaints from being publicly posted or published. One only has to Google, Ed Magedson, and read what he and his organization is really all about to get the picture. Ripoffreport.com is not unlike the Better Business Bureau which is also, in our opinion, another worthless organization that does little, if anything at all, to protect consumers - these organizations simply collect large fees from participants like Park West Gallery in order to keep genuine and serious complaints swept under the rug. But don't take our word for it. Research it yourself.
The following is the testimony of Albert Molina while on the witness stand on March 23, 2010, in Michigan Federal Court. In the following Q & A, Fine Art Registry lawyer, Attorney Jonathan Schwartz, with the law firm of Kaufman, Payton & Chapa cross-examines, Albert Molina, who confirmed by his testimony that Albert Scaglione knew everything about the ripoffreport.com deal and in fact authorized it. (Note: emphasis and editorial comment is added to some portions of the testimony below. All the typos and mistakes in grammar in the transcript of the testimony are in the original.)
CROSS EXAMINATION OF ALBERT MOLINA BY JONATHAN SCHWARTZ
Q. You have explained that you were a different situation than Fine Art Registry because you hadn't investigated or written about Park West. But isn't it true that Park West has invited to its Michigan facility people associated with other websites that have been critical of Park West?
A. If you are referring to rip off dot com, absolutely.
Q. So, obviously you are familiar with rip off reportdot come.
A. Yes, I am.
Q. Are you aware that rip off report had posted dozens of critical comments about Park West and stories from victims of Park West prior to the time that Fine Art Registry ever started writing about Park West on the Internet?
A. No. That was a very different case because the way rip off report dot com works is if there is somebody that is unhappy or disgruntled they would go ahead and post and
put a letter, I was unhappy with this situation or I wasn't happy with that. It was never the actual person that owned the site. It was never any type of spinning. It was the actual client that would post whatever they felt. And the owner would never involve themself in
discrediting a company or anything of that nature. Two very different sites. You've got one that would share both good and bad, where you have in Theresa's case everything we do is just awful.
Q. So what you are saying, rip off report has essentially a forum like the Fine Art Registry forum where people can post whatever they want. Is that the distinction you are making between rip off report which had allowed critical comments to be posted on Fine Art Registry which does the same thing and publishes articles and investigations?
A. I think they are two different websites, totally different. First of all, Rip Off Report goes through every single industry, whether it's carpets, draperies, fans, cars, chemicals, you name it. They don't focus on one particular industry, unlike Theresa Franks' website.
And in Theresa Franks' website it even goes further and it just focuses on one company which is Park West Gallery.
Q. Now is it your testimony to this court and this jury that Fine Art Registry has never written about any other company beside Park West?
A. No. I wouldn't say that is my testimony. I'm saying that is her focus.
Q. And also the distinction you draw that Fine Art Registry concerns itself with art whereas Rip Off Report, covers topics other than art?
A. Covers everything including art.
Q. Okay. Isn't it true that after there were dozens of critical comments posted on the Rip Off Report website that Park West flew the owner, Ed Magidson (ph) to Park
West Michigan facility?
A. No, that is not true, sir.
Q. You know that for a fact, that Mr. Magidson never visited Park West facility in Michigan?
A. I wouldn't know that for a fact but I don't think we flew him there. If he did, the gallery is the largest gallery in North America. There's been many people that
walk through the gallery. I don't know for a fact that he has been or hasn't been. But it is not my understanding that Park West has flown anybody from Rip Off Report. If
they did, they did on their own.
Q. Okay. Do you know where Ed Magidson lives?
A. No, sir, I do not.
Q. All right. It's not your testimony that he lives in Michigan and walked into this Southfield gallery and was looking for art, is it?
A. No, that's not my testimony.
Q. Now, isn't it true that Park West has joined Rip Off Reports Corporate Advocacy Program?
A. Yes, it is.
Q. Now when you go to Rip Off Report dot com and look at the dozens of critical postings about Park West now there is something on the top of each of those posts, are
you aware of that?
A. Yes, I am.
Q. Are you aware that it says, quote, Park West joins the rip off report corporate advocacy business remediation and customer satisfaction program and pledges to resolve
any and all legitimate complaints. You're aware it says that?
A. I will take your word for it.
Q. You're aware that now if you post a critical comment on Rip Off Report that the owner sends the post to Park West Customer Service Department?
A. Yes, I am aware of that.
Q. And you understand that the Rip Off Report Program is not free, you have to pay to be a part of it, correct?
A. That is correct.
Q. Okay. Do you know how much -- is it a monthly kind of thing?
A. Yes, it is.
Q. Do you have any idea what it is monthly?
A. Yes, I do.
Q. What is that?
A. $1,400 a month.
Q. Did you and Mr. Scaglione decide to be part of this program?
A. Yes, we did.
Q. Okay. Now, if Mr. Scaglione yesterday told the jury that he doesn't know anything about paying Rip Off Report, that would be untrue, wouldn't it?
A. Well, he wasn't responsible for the checks or anything. That is something that came out of the Miami facility.
Q. You already testified that you spoke to him about that and he knew about it?
A. Absolutely. I spoke to Albert Scaglione after I spoke to the owner of Rip Off dot com and he explained the advocacy program they offer and after looking into it and
also calling other companies that joined this program and they had very good things to say and that's when I went ahead and recommended to Albert that we should do it and
he says, fine, if you think we should do it, we should do it.
Q. And Theresa Franks, on the other hand, wouldn't fly down Michigan to meet with you, would she?
A. And as I said before, neither did Ed Magidson, the owner of Rip Off.
Q. You don't think he did, but you don't know?
A. I never met the man. I just had very professional conversations with him on the phone and unlike the first conversation that I had with Theresa Franks.
Q. And you -- Fine Art Registry doesn't have a consumer advocacy type of program where you can pay them monthly and have all of the negative posts move down?
A. No. And they also don't have good things to say about Park West or anybody attached to Park West. Anybody who is attached to Park West is just wrong and awful.
Q. And here is something I didn't get. Maybe can you explain it to me. If Theresa Franks wanted to do business with you, wanted a business deal, wanted a relationship
with you, why wouldn't she fly to meet with you?
A. I think you would have to ask her that.
In addition to testimony by Albert Molina confirming Scaglione's involvement in Park West Gallery's pay off to ripoffreport.com, there is also continued testimony by Molina that confirms and evidences how Park West Gallery actively makes a habit, and a sleazy practice of pressuring and intimidating individuals and experts that dare offer opinions or that dare speak out against Park West Gallery's bad and deceptive trade practices.
Fine Art Registry has reported on Park West Gallery's intimidation tactics for the last three and a half years. It's no secret that Park West Gallery and Albert Scaglione employs an army of thugs, including lawyers from at least three law firms, a retired ex attorney who once worked for the government and his little buddy, a retired FBI agent turned gumshoe private investigator to assist Park West Gallery in carrying out its threats of intimidation. Scaglione and Molina's plan was to try to buy everyone off or threaten them into submission, including Fine Art Registry, Frank Hunter, and even Alex Rosenberg (another Dali graphic connoisseur and expert), as well as Florida Investigative Reporter, Mike Holfeld (WKMG Channel Six in Orlando) and sportscaster, Eli Zaret, just like they did with ripoffreport.com. Park West Gallery failed miserably to get anyone but ripoffreport.com to cooperate with them. Eli Zaret played ball at first, but later wrote an acknowledgement to Mike Holfeld that he [Zaret] was wrong and that Holfeld had been right all along for airing the investigative report exposing Park West Gallery.
Below is quoted the continuing testimony of Albert Molina regarding his intimidation of world expert in Dali graphics, Frank Hunter, Director of the Salvador Dali Archives in New York, in an effort to turn him and his opinion about the Park West Gallery Dali forgeries, or else. Keep in mind that on the eve of the first day of trail in Michigan, Park West Gallery and its lawyers attempted to get Bruce Hochman (a defendant in the case being represented by a lawyer for his insurance carrier) to pay the sum of $775,000 to Park West Gallery and to turn on Fine Art Registry and testify against us at trial, in exchange for dropping its $46,000,000 claim against Hochman. Hochman to his credit refused to accept the deal.
Pay particular attention to the testimony about the very serious threats that Mr. Hunter received - threats on his life. In the end, however, like Fine Art Registry, Frank Hunter could not be "bought off," but it wasn't for a lack of trying on the part of Molina, Scaglione, and the Park West Gallery thugs, including, Bob Wittman (an ex-FBI agent to whom Park West Gallery has paid a princely sum in excess of $200,000 for his part in intimidating Fine Art Registry witnesses and in trying to get Hunter, Nicolas Descharnes and others to "see it the Park West Gallery way." (Wittman is now embroiled in a lawsuit of his own which anyone can Google and learn about. And if you want to know some truth about the "real" Bob Wittman, read the book, "The Gardner Heist" by Ulrich Bosner. The book discloses a dirty little secret that Wittman would just as soon be buried forever.) (Note: emphasis and editorial comment is added to some portions of the testimony below. All the typos and mistakes in grammar in the transcript of the testimony are in the original.)
CONTINUED CROSS EXAMINATION OF ALBERT MOLINA BY JONATHAN SCHWARTZ
Q. Sir, sir, I think you answered my question.
A. Okay.
Q. After this litigation had started, you also called defendants, Dali expert Frank Hunter who had stated publicly that Park West sold prints with forged signatures, didn't you?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. And you realized there is also a tape of that phone conversation?
A. Because of this litigation, I have been made aware that Frank Hunter also recorded his telephone conversations unbeknownst to me.
Q. Have you listened to that phone conversation, tape of the phone conversation?
A. No, I haven't.
Q. Now, similar to Mrs. Franks, you called Mr. Hunter to see if you could work something out, right?
A. No, sir. I was trying, to once again, give him the same common courtesy I gave Theresa Franks which was to try to understand why he would all of a sudden be saying
the things that he was saying on Theresa's website and I was asked by a friend of his to give him a call because his friend felt that Frank Hunter was on the wrong side of
this and he felt that she was crazy and that he was making a very big mistake to be involved with Theresa Franks but that he is so far into this that he can't get himself out.
And he said please give him a call, reach out to him and see if you guys can work something out. And I made the attempt. I gave the same courtesy to Theresa Franks. I
don't know why I wouldn't do it to Frank Hunter.
Q. Sir, isn't it true you didn't want Frank Hunter coming into this court and telling the jury that you sell Dali prints with fraudulent signatures? Isn't that why you called him?
A. No, sir, not at all. As a matter of fact, I made very clear to him that in allowing him to do whatever you're going to do, that is one thing. But at the very minimum, if you are going to say something about Park West you may want to come in and meet us, get to know us, at the very minimum, look at the product, versus just making these statements.
Q. Mr. Hunter doesn't have a corporate advocacy program either, does he?
A. I wouldn't think so. I never heard of that.
Q. When you called, do you remember what date that conversation was?
A. No, sir.
Q. You do remember the conversation?
A. Yes, I remember the conversation and I think it was we were playing voice mail -- voice mail tag back and forth several times.
Q. Now, at the time you called Mr. Hunter, did you know that Mr. Scaglione had sent him and Mr. Field a letter threatening them with a lawsuit in 2001 and warned them
not to comment on the authenticity of Park West's Dali print inventory?
A. At the time I was not aware of anything like that happening.
Q. And did you know, do you know that Mr. Hunter has alleged that Park West employee Bill Smith made a failed attempt to bribe Mr. Hunter and Mr. Field after they deemed certain prints that Park West was going to sell fraudulent with fake signatures at that warehouse?
A. I do not believe that to be accurate.
Q. You didn't know that he alleges that?
A. No. I didn't know and I don't know that he alleges that.
Q. Have you read his deposition?
A. No, sir, I didn't. If you remember, you asked me that question in the deposition that you took of mine. And I told you that I got to paragraph -- the first paragraph and either my kids were crying or something happened and as I mentioned last time and I mentioned now, I did not read Frank Hunter's deposition.
Q. When you spoke to Mr. Hunter, did you know that the Park West and Albaretto family middleman, Phillipe de Noyer, had put a simulated gun to his head and told
Mr. Hunter that he better authenticate Park West Dali prints or he would be in some serious trouble?
Q. Did you see Mr. de Noyer put a simulated gun to his head and threaten Mr. Hunter? [Philippe du Noyer is the dealer from which Park West Gallery purchased a boat load of the forged Dali artwork they have peddled for the last 10 years. He was the "authorized agent" for the Albarettos in the U.S.]
A. No, sir.
Q. You would agree with me that the only people that could have seen that, well, that we know would have seen that is Phillipe de Noyer and Frank Hunter?
A. I'm not going to agree to that because I have no idea what you are talking about.
Q. You didn't drop the issue with Mr. Hunter after your phone conversation with him, did you?
A. No. As I said, we had telephone, we were playing telephone tag several times and I think we had two to three conversations. It could have been two. It might have been three. The gentleman who asked me to first reach out to him said, listen, he's in a terrible bind with Theresa Franks, so he's scared, he doesn't know, he may agree to meet with you and then he may -- I think his words were, he may chicken out. But he wants to do the
right thing so try to meet with him and just be patient with him. So in the first conversation he said, yeah, I think I can meet with you and then he called back and said
that he wouldn't meet but that he wasn't sure. And I think the third conversation he says, no, I'm not going to meet. [The "gentleman who asked" Molina "to reach out to" Frank Hunter is a Dali dealer by the name of Joe Nuzzolo - who was working hand in hand with Park West Gallery throughout the litigation and as far as we know is still working with them today. We plan to publish some very interesting material concerning Mr. Nuzzolo's part in the intimidation practices of Park West Gallery.]
Q. Now isn't it true that you wanted Frank Hunter to meet with your hired former FBI agent Wittman to discuss Mr. Hunter's opinion?
A. No. I thought I was giving him a tremendous opportunity. [The "tremendous opportunity" referred to here was the Park West Gallery warning to "play ball," or else! To Frank Hunter's credit he did not "play ball." But Frank Hunter paid a price in standing for the truth as Park West Gallery made good on its threat. Albert Scaglione sued Mr. Hunter soon after his refusal to cooperate with the art peddler.] I made very clear to him I would like to meet with you. If you feel comfortable meeting with me, great. This is not about litigation. [Oh yes, it certainly was "about litigation" as Park West Gallery made good on its very serious threat.] This is, I am trying of have a conversation with him about the art industry, where he's getting his information, where is his knowledge coming from, and where we can sit down. I offered him that Morey and I can meet with him because I am bringing up the archive. If you don't feel comfortable with that I can meet with you by myself and/or I did offer Bob Wittman who was with the FBI who started the Art Crime Division with the FBI and if he really felt that there was something that we were doing wrong this was a perfect opportunity to, during Bob Wittman's investigation, to go ahead and show him. He is doing this investigation. And if he didn't feel comfortable sharing everything with Bob Wittman while I was present he can just meet with him by yourself. However you like. And he kind of liked that idea because --
Q. Mr. Molina, I think you answered my question. So the answer was, yes, you did try to get Mr. Hunter to meet with you and Park West's retired former FBI agent who is
now being paid by you, correct?
A. No, sir. He is not a Park West employee.
Q. You are not paying him?
A. I don't know who is paying him. I don't know if it's the attorneys who are paying him. But referenced -- you made comment, your Park West FBI guy.
Q. Sir, don't you admit on the tape with Mr. Hunter that Park West pays Mr. Wittman?
A. If I said that, it escapes me because it could be the attorneys who paid for it. I have no idea who pays Bob Wittman for his investigation.
Q. Okay. So you don't remember, but it could happen?
A. Sure.
Q. Okay.
A. Because at the end of the day if it's the attorneys paying for it and we are paying the attorneys, maybe it could be directly or indirectly, but, yes, I would agree with that.
Q. Okay. Now, are you aware of any other critiques or experts that Park West has offered to meet with to talk about synergy or other things?
A. Not that I can think of right now.
Q. Okay. Are you aware that Park West sent Mr. Wittman to Mr. Rosenberg's home to talk to Mr. Rosenberg after Mr. Rosenberg had determined that certain signatures on
Park West Dali art work were fraudulent and tried to help victims, excuse me, tried help Park West customers get a refund?
A. I'm not aware of Bob Wittman's investigation. I know he has traveled the entire world investigating these things that have [yes, the Globe-trotter, Wittman, lavishly wining and dining with his lil buddy, Bob "the Dancing Bear" Goldman on Park West Gallery's huge travel budget no doubt taken directly from the revenue Park West Gallery generated from scores of Park West Gallery victims, like Sharon Day and Julian Howard. All the while doing little "investigating" but rather visiting with the Albarettos, Bernie Ewell, and most likely whipping up and concocting provenance to somehow support all those shady Park West Gallery sources of the Dali graphics] --
Q. My question was about --
A. I don't know. I'm telling you I don't want.
Q. You don't know -- you didn't authorize Mr. Wittman to go to Mr. Rosenberg's house or the pressure that was applied to Mr. Rosenberg at his home, is that fair?
Q. Mr. Molina, you already testified that you know who reporter Mike Holfeld is, correct?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Okay. Are you aware of somebody by the name Eli Zaret who is a former sportscaster who has been hired by Mr. Scaglione as a PR representative?
A. I don't know if that's the case or not. I know that Eli and Albert are friends but I don't know if he was hired or if he was paid. All I know is that he's a sport's commentator for the Detroit Pistons. I don't know if he still is not.
Q. Are you aware that Mr. Zaret sent an e-mail to Mr. Hofeld within a few days after you had sent your e-mail to Mr. Hofeld which stated, quote, I want to protect you, your station and Albert [Scaglione] before something happens that could potentially damage all parties involved in a serious way, end quote. And it goes on to say, quote, once you digested it then Albert and I would be happy to visit you in Orlando and give you all the camera time you need, end quote. Are you aware of that e-mail?
A. No, I am not aware of that e-mail. I know that Eli and Mike had worked before in a previous station and he reached out to him. I don't know necessarily how he reached out, whether it was phone call, e-mail or what have you.
The ripoffreport.com relationship is further confirmed by a number of recent documents Fine Art Registry secured from the Michigan Attorney General's Office via a Freedom of Information Act Request. The AG documents, which we hope to disseminate publicly someday in the future makes the arrangement between Park West Gallery and ripoffreport.com crystal clear. Therefore, like everything else Fine Art Registry has reported on regarding Park West Gallery in the past, the truth concerning Park West Gallery and ripoffreport.com has been confirmed by overwhelming documentary evidence and by sworn testimony straight from the (forked-tongued) mouths of Park West Gallery principal, Albert Molina and Albert Scaglione. Park West Gallery lead salesman, Morris Shapiro, was a weasel too when questioned on the witness stand about ripoffreport.com. He claimed he didn't know about the 73 complaints that had been posted about Park West Gallery, yet in the Michigan Attorney General Office documents there are copies of letters authored by Morris Shapiro specifically acknowledging Park West Gallery's relationship with ripoffreport.com's "corporate advocacy program." It is a concrete truth that the first liar doesn't stand a chance.
But the icing on the cake is the very recent confirmation Fine Art Registry received directly from a victim of Park West Gallery and the CEO of ripoffreport.com, Ed Magedson. In an email copied to Fine Art Registry, dated November 16, 2010, (printed below in its entirety but redacting the email address to protect the victim's identity) a Park West Gallery victim wrote a complaint to the "Editor of ripoffereport.com," as follows:
Hello to the Editor of ripoffreport.com,
After reading your response to complaints about Park West, I was compelled to write to you. "Park West has a great reputation for honouring their warranties, return policies and standing behind their work." This would make anyone feel confident however, if you were to investigate further, I think you will find that these great qualities are in fact part and parcel to a more sophisticated scheme.
As we are finding, it is difficult to know who is involved with them and who is simply taking them at face value. Not sure at this point where your web site stands.
If you really believe that Park West is a credible company, I invite you to take a cruise, listen very carefully to their presentations then make even a small purchase. Once you return home, investigate your purchase thoroughly. I think you will find, unless they screw up in their wording, it will be exactly what they say you will receive as opposed to what they will have made you believe you should be receiving. Feel free to buy, because with any return, you will get all your money back minus 15% plus any restocking fees. This is a very clever operation.
I will gladly provide more information after my issue with them has been resolved.
With all sincerity,
from someone who wants to give you a heads up, if you are not part of this network.
The email response by Ed Magedson of ripoffreport.com to the victim is quoted below in its entirety. All of the typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors are in the original. It is interesting to note that Ed Magedson boldly copies Fine Art Registry on his email response to the Park West Gallery victim and notifies the victim that "We have no idea what they [Park West Gallery] are doing these days as they are off our program...." Magedson then goes on to suggest that the victim report Park West Gallery’s conduct by contacting the long list of Federal Law Enforcement agencies cited in his email correspondence. Ed Magedson also encourages class action lawsuits which are already in the works. He tells the victim that "the more Reports that are put out in the open like this, the better." Heck, Ed Magedson even offers to put lawyers in touch with Park West Gallery victims. How sweet. Isn't it absolutely amazing how quickly things change when the money train stops? So much for the love affair between ripoffreport.com and Park West Gallery - the gloves are off, and it is abundantly clear that Ed Magedson is no longer a champion of Park West Gallery. We suspect that the hemorrhage of Park West Gallery victims is just too great to control any longer - there are just too many leaks in the dike these days and too many moles to whack.
From: ED - Rip-off Report [mailto:EDitor@ripoffreport.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 1:03 PM
To: REDACTED
Cc: admin@fineartregistry.com
Subject: RE: Park West Gallery
We have no idea what they are doing these days as they are off our program –
When they were on the Corporate Advocay Program – they did vey well and made things right with their customers.
Now or in the future, if your ever the victim of a Rip-off, ... here is what we tell consumers.....
So we can and millions of others from around the world can better understand the situation to possibly try to help you by someone out there responding to your filed complaint...
If you've been the victim of a Rip-off, you should first file your own detailed Rip-of Report. Your report will be looked at by other consumers from around the world who are interested with your situation may post informative information on your Rip-off Report, so you and others may benefit by the rip-off you experienced..
The more Rip-off Reports on a company, the more educated other consumers will be when dealing with the reported company or individual. This will also help create a better working history on the company or individual that Ripped you off and give us the information needed if a lawsuit is filed.
Go to www.ripoffreport.com to file your Report
Those interested in joining a possible class action lawsuit should first file a detailed Rip-off Report; ..using your contact information, Rip-off Report Consumer Advocates will e-mail you once there are attorneys interested in working on a class action lawsuit against this company or individual, never costing you any money, or a lawyer might be interested in your particular case individually. That's why it is important to file a detailed Rip-off Report explaining exactly what happened also what you think you are owed. Once lawyers are interested, we contact you to contact them.
FTC, SEC, Justice Department, Attorney Generals, FBI, Secrete Service, Homeland Security, US Postal Inspectors, Federal Prosecutors, Local & State Police all look at Rip-off Report, and Rip-off Report works with these agencies on a daily basis to help prosecute unscrupulous businesses ripping off consumers ... The more Reports that are put out in the open like this, the better. Rip-off Report was told by one Attorney General's office that Rip-off Report embarrasses the authorities to take action and instigates businesses into doing the right thing! ... those reports you file with Attorney General and the BBB, you never get to see. We are told by most authorities and the media, that they come to Rip-off Report to see how consumers are being taken advantage of, and your filed Report also immediately warns innocent unsuspecting consumers, so it is all out in the open. All other agencies just suck in all the information and never let you, the consumer see a thing! Businesses now realize the Internet is not going away, and a force to be reckoned with. Rip-off Report also puts you in contact with the Authorities when they are looking to prosecute and we put you in contact with TV News producers and News Paper Reporters when they are exposing consumer rip-offs.. Every day, Rip-off Report is involved with exposing consumer rip-offs.. And, those who are reported on Rip-off Report with real deep pockets are on a major campaign to try and destroy the reputation of Rip-off Report..
Don't let them get away with it!™
Make sure they make the Rip-off Report™
Go to www.ripoffreport.com to file your Report
Once your situation is rectified, you can always come back and add an UPDATE on how they did or did not take care of you.
ED Magedson - Founder
EDitor@RipoffReport.com
www.ripoffreport.com
a Worldwide Consumer Reporting News Agency
..by consumers, for consumers
PO BOX 310, Tempe, AZ 85280
Remember.
Don't let them get away with it!™
Make sure they make the Rip-off Report™
The following day, Fine Art Registry responded to Ed Magedson’s email on behalf of the Park West Gallery victim to try to clarify some points, in light of the fact that Park West Gallery was no longer paying Mr. Magedson and his company a whopping $1,400 per month to suppress reports and were no longer participating in Magedson's "corporate advocacy program." Our email is posted below in its entirety:
From: Fine Art Registry [mailto:admin@fineartregistry.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 1:25 PM
To: 'editor@ripoffreport.com'
Subject: Park West Gallery--Advocacy Program
Dear Mr. Magedson...
If Park West Gallery is no longer participating in your "Corporate Advocacy Program", does this mean victims are now free to post fresh reports of rip offs by Park West Gallery on the ripoffreport.com web site?
You stated yesterday in an email to a victim (copied to Fine Art Registry) that "we have no idea what they [Park West Gallery] are doing these days as they are off our program," yet you still have the following posted on your web site as it relates to Park West Gallery:
"Important Update...
Rip-off Report Investigation: Park West, Park West Gallery, Park West At Sea pledges to resolve any and all legitimate complaints. Commitment to Rip-off Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program. Customers can feel confident & secure with Park West - the world's largest art dealer pledges its commitment to 100% customer satisfaction & personal service. All Park West art is certified authentic. Park West's certificates and appraisals are consistent with industry standards, and provide a money-back guarantee. Park West Galleries served well over 1 million satisfied clients since its founding in 1969. Park West at Sea received the Porthole Magazine Reader's Choice Award for the "Best Art Auction Program".
I'm confused. The above paragraph sends the message that Park West Gallery has 100% customer satisfaction and personal service when this couldn't be further from the truth. Additionally, the Park West Gallery artwork is not "certified authentic" by anyone but Park West Gallery who has a vested interest in the artwork. What's more their Certificates of Authenticity and Appraisals are not even close to being "consistent with industry standards."
If Park West Gallery is truly "off" the ripoff report "program," when did they terminate the program and why is the above-paragraph still posted? And if you are not going to remove the notice or permit fresh reports to be posted, then to be fair and transparent wouldn't it be prudent for you to at least update your web site to let prospective complainants know that Park West Gallery is no longer part of your Corporate Advocacy Program?
I would appreciate it if you would please advise me as to what the current status is, so I can report accurately on this very interesting news.
Thank you very much...
Best regards,
Teri Franks, CEO
www.FineArtRegistry.com
602-595-2227
To date, Fine Art Registry has not yet received a response from Mr. Magedson. We will have to assume that Park West Gallery victims are free to post rip off reports concerning its bad business practices. Sharon Day, who has sued Park West Gallery twice for fraud in the sale of forged Dali prints, submitted the following complaint of her ripoff on ripoffreport.com on December 2, 2010:
"I have been ripped-off by Park West Gallery for over a half-million dollars and have sued them twice with no resolution as yet. To the contrary, Park West Gallery counter-sued me to the tune of $47 million dollars to shut me up. That did not work and they dismissed the case with prejudice two days before the dismissal hearing. For further information Google search "sharon day dali" or go to: http://www.fineartadvocacy.com/articles/park-west-gallery-salvador-dali-print-swindle.php or http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/the-surreal-case-of-dalis-art-and-the-squandered-legacy-1751557.html."
Ms. Day's report has not yet been published or made public on the ripoffreport.com web site. We will keep you updated with Ms. Day's progress on her submitted report and we will let you know if it is ever published on ripoffreport.com.
We thought the fact that ripoffreport.com is now encouraging Park West Gallery victims to report complaints to Federal authorities including the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspectors, the Attorney General's Office, the Department of Justice and others is very interesting news.
Can the evidence be any more compelling to show that Park West Gallery is a bottomless pit of lies, corruption, deception, threats, and cover ups? We don't think so.
Stay tuned for a very interesting update on what Fine Art Registry has just discovered concerning the Park West Gallery appraiser, Caroline Ashleigh, who has been personally sued by a victim who alleges that Ashleigh wrongfully converted his antiques, artwork, and other valuable property. This upcoming article is something you will not want to miss.
— by Theresa Franks
| December 3, 2010
Print
|
View Article Archives
