2008
But It Beats Estimates (SEC press release brags about second-highest number ever of enforcement actions, but doesn’t mention role of minor delisting actions) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, December 8, 2008, p. 34.
Something Is Afoot Here (Shares of air-remediation firm Ozone Man have risen 350% in five months despite nil revenue and net worth, a going-concerning warning and one fulltime employee) (Informer), Forbes, December 8, 2008, p. 34.
Wheel of Fortune (Months after a fortnightly business magazine cover called him “America’s Hottest Investor,” Kenneth Heebner of Capital Growth Management has seen precipitous declines in his CGM Focus Fund, CGM Realty Fund and CGM Mutual Fund. (Informer), Forbes, December 8, 2008, p. 34.
Fox News Channel interview (Transcript of interview on financial efficiencies among largest charities), Fox News Channel, November 30, 2008.
America’s 200 Largest Charities (annual list), Forbes, December 8, 2008, Forbes.com, November 19, 2008.
March of Dimes’ Second Act (Venerable charity reinvents itself again), Forbes.com, November 19, 2008.
lIl-Timed—or Apt (On the same September week that Wall Street collapsed, the Treasury Department launched a new web site, controlyourcredit.gov, with the slogan “Don’t let your credit put you in a bad place) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, November 10, 2008, p. 76.
A Lot of Work Left to Do (Monza Ventures shares have risen 102,000% in five months despite only $31 in cash in the balance sheet) (Informer), Forbes, November 10, 2008, p 76.
Doors Swing Both Way (Federal judge blasts Toledo, Ohio, family members of Therma-Tru Corp. founder David K. Welles Sr. as they lose big tax shelter case) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, October 13, 2008, p. 30.
Nic Cage’s Other Weekend Premier: IRS Settlement (Actor Nicolas Cage agrees to pay substantial back taxes and penalties to settle IRS claims he improperly deducted personal expenses) (with co-author), Forbes.com, September 5, 2008.
“Nonprofit Entrepreneur” Roger Chapin Strikes Again (Make America Safe Foundation is his newest charity in a four-decade-long career pushing widely disparate causes), Forbes.com, September 4, 2008.
His Biggest Unsuitable Stock Sale (H&R Block, which paid $887 million in 1999 to buy tainted Olde Discount from Ernest J. Olde and then incurred close to $400 in losses, is selling it to Ameriprise Financial for just $315 million) (Informer), Forbes, September 15, 2008, p. 32.
Bronx Cheer (Shares of Terra Energy Resources have risen 1,900,000% in four months despite just $174 in cash) (Informer), Forbes, September 15, 2008, p. 32
Shell Game (SEC says Phoenix lawyer David B. Stocker and his firm, Carrera Capital, committed corporate identify fraud by forming new companies with same name as defunct public companies) (Informer), Forbes, September 15, 2008, p. 32.
All the Ooze That’s Fit to Print (Table compares plot elements of lurid novels by New York Timesmen, Bylines, by Bernard Weinraub, and Black & White and Dead All Over, by John Darnton) (Informer), Forbes, September 15, 2008, p. 32.
Feds Hound Bodog ($24 million seized from bank accounts linked to Internet gambling operation founded by Canadian tycoon Calvin Ayre) (with co-author), Forbes.com, July 30, 2008, and Forbes (Informer) (both with co-author), September 1, 2008, p. 30.
Where’s Jack Grubman? (Financial Analysts Journal study by Boris Groysberg and others says buy-sell analysts make more inaccurate earnings predictions than do sell-side analysts) (Informer) Forbes, September 1, 2008, p. 30.
No Solar Energy Needed Here (Prime Sun Power shares have risen 6,000% since January 1 despite no operations) (Informer), Forbes, September 1, 2008, p. 30.
Moonstruck (New book, Falwell Inc., by Dirk Smillie, says Jerry Falwell saved his fundamentalist Baptist organization with secret funding from the Rev. Sun Myung Moon) (Informer), Forbes, September 1, 2008, p. 30.
More Like a Big Bite Out of the Big Apple (Table lists criminal case sin which prominent New York companies were victims) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, September 1, 2008, p. 30.
Turning Pink into Green (In four months Green Earth Technologies shares have jumped 1,400% despite no financial statements in more than a year) (Informer), Forbes, August 11, 2008, p. 28.
One Big Dropped Ball? (The IRS tries to collect on a huge tax settlement deal it struck 10 years ago with Monex) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, August 11, 2008, p. 28.
Global Plugging Service (GTX Corp. shares have risen 500,000% in five months despite little revenue and a going-warning concern)
Feds Hound Bodog ($24 million seized from bank accounts linked to Internet gambling operation founded by Canadian tycoon Calvin Ayre) (with co-author), Forbes.com, July 30, 2008
Quake Shakes, but Doesn’t Rattle L.A. (Media hype dwarfs impact of 5.4 earthquake in Southern California) (with co-authors), Forbes.com, July 29, 2008.
Charity Gag Case Goes Away (New York court dismisses Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes Foundation lawsuit seeking a court order to bar 2 fired employees from revealing information), Forbes.com, July 24, 2008. (Informer) Forbes, July 21, 2008, p. 30.
China Syndrome (Xinhua Finance Media issues press release about boss Loretta Fredy Bush’s purchase of shares but doesn’t mention they’re down 83% in 14 months) (Informer), Forbes, July 21, 2008, p. 30.
Invoking the F Word (Certified Financial Planners finally owe their clients a fiduciary duty) (Informer), Forbes, July 21, 2008, p. 30.
‘Crocodile Dundee’ Star: ‘It’s Criminal’ (Paul Hogan says for the first time that he’s the subject of a criminal tax investigation in his native Australia) (with co-author), Forbes.com, July 15, 2008.
Rock and Roll (SK3 Group stock has risen 3,100% in 14 months despite little cash, no revenue, a negative net worth and a going-concern warning) (Informer), Forbes, June 30, 2008, p. 30.
Stealth Pricing (Postal Service has cut retail-window mailings of bound printed matter by 58% by removing option from clerk computers) (Informer), Forbes, June 30, 2008, p. 30.
Zombie Stocks (SEC revokes registrations of more companies that haven’t filed financials in years, including American Kiosk, Austin’s International, Premier Laser Systems and SYQT (Informer), Forbes, June 30, 2008, p. 30.
Must Be That Fresh Air in Texas (Mainland Resources shares have risen 40,000% since January) (Informer), Forbes, June 16, 2008, p. 42.
Giving the Clients What The Want (P.R outfit Gorkana asked journalists if they can take free meals and tickets) (Informer), Forbes, June 16, 2008, p. 42.
Working From Home (Table lists prisoners accused of new bad deeds against those outside) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, June 16, 2008, p. 42.
Chapin’s Controversial Charity Backs Off Claims (Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes Foundation acknowledges doubts that a deal comprising half its charitable effort ever took place), Forbes.com, June 13, 2008.
Singing Tax Blues (In poor health, Grammy-winning blues singer Koko Taylor sues to force IRS to accept her workout offer over $400,000 of back taxes) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, June 2, 2008, p. 36.
Looking for Mass Torts (At plaintiff lawyer seminar Mass Torts Made Perfect, part-owner attorney James M. “Mike” Papantonio leads search for new targets of lawsuits), Forbes, June 2, 2008, p. 54.
Kissing The Ring? (Columbia Business School gives “distinguished leadership” award to Fed chairman Ben S. Bernacke, won’t say how “mere leadership” is different, and sells $1,500 award dinner tickets to companies subject to his policies) (Informer), Forbes, May 19, 2008, p. 28.
Pay on Steroids (Office of the Commissioner of Baseball deletes from its public tax return the compensation of top aides to Allan H. “Bud” Selig, but reveals he is paid $15 million a year) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, May 19, 2008, p. 28.
Buy and Fold Strategy (Financial Analysts Journal article by John J. McConnell and Wei Xu confirms persistence of the turn-of-the-month investment anomaly (Informer), Forbes, May 19, 2008, p. 28.
Did ExxonMobil Start This Way? (Despite no revenue, Blackrock Petroleum shares have risen 3,900% in four months and trade at 283 times book value) (Informer), Forbes, May 19, 2008, p. 28.
Equality Under the Tax Law (Table, noting Federal Government didn’t issue a press release after Igor M. Olenicoff drew no jail time on a felony tax fraud charge involving $52 million, lists press releases issued in other cases for defendants accused of far smaller transgressions) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, May 19, 2008, p. 28.
Singing the Same Old Song (Shares of K’s Media, f/k/a Kinglake Resources, have risen 16,000% in eight months) (Informer), Forbes, May 5, 2008, p. 30.
Herbs From Russia Work Better (Crown Oil & Gas shares are up 20,000% since changing its name in January from Onelife Health Products) (Informer), Forbes, April 21, 2008, p. 32.
Betting on One’s Health (Financial Analysts Journal article by Jason S. Scott touts the concept of a longevity annuity) (Informer), Forbes, April 21, 2008, p. 32.
More Feature Coverage, Sir (Chicago-area businessman A. Demetrius “Tony” Brown is indicted in Chicago on charges of ripping off General Motors) (Informer), Forbes, April 21, 2008, p. 32.
Auditing the Auditors (Table lists disciplinary actions by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board) (Informer), Forbes, March 21, 2008, p. 32.
We’re a Hap-py Fam-i-ly (IRS says Lyons Partnership, which owned Barney the purple dinosaur, wrongly deducted a $65 million payment to creator Sheryl Leach) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, April 7, 2008, p. 24.
Colorful Detail (Purple Beverage Co. shares have risen 49,000% in five months despite losses, scant revenue and boss Theodore Farnsworth, whose last firm dropped 99.9% on his watch (Informer), Forbes, April 7, 2008, p. 24.
So That’s Why They’re Called the Badgers (Table lists fundraising overhead of major colleges, with the University of Wisconsin having the lowest) (Informer), Forbes, April 7, 2008, p. 24.
New York AG Opens Inquiry Into Controversial Charity (Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes Foundation, run by Roger Chapin, comes under scrutiny of state regulators), Forbes.com, April 1, 2008.
Total Fiction, of Course (John Grisham new novel, The Appeal, concerns a tycoon’s effort to improve his ranking on the Forbes 400 list (Informer), Forbes, March 24, 2008, p. 38.
From What to What? (Language Enterprises Corp. stock has risen 15,000% in barely two months despite just $325 in shareholder equity) (Informer), Forbes, March 24, 2008, p. 38.
Another Oil & Web Firm (Shares of Tamm Oil & Gas have risen 23,000% in seven months, producing a market cap 3,300 times book value) (Informer), Forbes, March 10, 2008, p. 28.
Do-Somewhat-Gooders (Fund for Public Interest Research faces a class-action lawsuit alleging minimum wage and overtime violations) (Informer), Forbes, March 10, 2008, p. 28.
When Tuition Rises Faster Than Inflation (Table lists recent bond-rating changes, mostly upgrades, at noted private college) (Informer), Forbes, March 10, 2008, p. 28.
Roger Chapin’s Silent Treatment (Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes Foundation seeks court order to bar two fired ex-employees from revealing information), Forbes.com, March 5, 2008.
Did We Say Fraud? (Original SEC lawsuit against Heartland Advisors and William J. Nasgovitz used “fraud” or “fraudulent” 22 times, but settlement speaks only of “negligent conduct.”) (Informer), Forbes, February 25, 2008, p. 24.
Undoubtedly True (Maxlife Fund Corp. shares have risen 1,000% in eight months and trade for 700 times book value, but 46% shareholder Itamar Cohen, who owns investor relations firm Maxwell Network Group, says, “This is not a pump and dump” while Maxlife boss Bennett Kurtz says, “There are things happening.”) (Informer), Forbes, February 25, 2008, p. 24.
Your Results May Vary (S-Network Global Indexes, a small New York firm, says its new WMA Nuclear Energy Index would have been up 364% over five years had it been around) (Informer, with co-author), Forbes, February 25, 2008, p. 24.
Roger Chapin’s Card Tricks (Charity watchdog says Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes Foundation falsely described its distribution to U.S. troops of 1.5 million sports-information-only telephone cards, while Forbes reporting raises new doubts about charitable bona fides), Forbes.com, February 20, 2008
The IRS as a Stock Tip (Academic paper by Jacob Thomas and Frank Zhang says higher-than-expected quarterly tax bill signals better future returns) (Informer), Forbes, February 11, 2008.
Bark Worst Than Bite (In 2 months shares of Arctic Gas & Oil, which claims 30% of polar oil, have risen 70,000% despite only $155 in cash) (Informer), Forbes, February 11, 2008, p. 28.
Futures Shock (Table lists fines paid by futures firms over questionable marketing claims) (Informer), Forbes, February 11, 2008, p. 28.
The Incredible Morphing Nonprofit (A single nonprofit corporation created by Roger Chapin has had nine names and a variety of purposes), Forbes.com, January 30, 2008.
Problems With a Cell (Global Roaming Distribution shares have risen 11,000% in four months despite nil revenue, losses, few employees and little equity) (Informer), Forbes, January 28, 2008, p. 28.
But They Still Top Death (University of Memphis Law Review article by Katherine D. Black, Stephen T. Black and Michael D. Black argues family limited partnerships aren’t worth the trouble) (Informer), Forbes, January 28, 2008, p. 28.
Congress Grills Charity King Chapin (San Diego “nonprofit entrepreneur” Roger Chapin faces hostile questioning on Capitol Hill), Forbes.com, January 17, 2008.
Blame It on the Feds (Angelo Mozilo, boss of Countrywide Financial, hasn’t bought any of its stock even though it’s down 78%) (Informer), Forbes, January 7, 2008, p. 26.
Still Ignoring Us? (Table lists high-flying stocks that fell an average 48% after Informer pointed out flaws) (Informer), Forbes, January 7, 2008, p. 26.