Da TMSC di mjjcommunity
Just wanted to post an update on Universal Express, Richard Altomare, and the memorabilia auction from last year...
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As of May 3, 2008, Richard Altomare (former CEO of the now defunct Universal Express) is now spending quality time in a Manhattan jail, and he will remain incarcerated as such until he makes good on the roughly $1.7 million he owes for his string of provenly fraudulent activities, which not only led to the demise of Universal Express but also cost many investors and shareholders a ton of money based on Altomare's false promises and claims. Of the money owed. Richard Altomare has only paid $60,000 in the past year and claims to be unable to afford anymore, but a New York court found otherwise (he's got millions of dollars in assets, two expensive properties, recorded wages of $1.75 million on his 2007 taxes, etc).
Regarding the Jackson memorabilia auction from 2007, Altomare grossly inflated the actual value of the items in the collection and falsely claimed that they were appraised for up to $200,000,000. The actual price the entire auction netted was just $580,110 (he ended up deep in the hole after all expenses were paid for this collection). Altomare was found in contempt by a Nevada judge after trying to circumvent the agreement he and Michael Jackson had signed, by trying to auction off items that he knew he had no right to sell. Michael (and Janet) won the case against Altomare and Universal Express (Altomare ended up paying the legal fees to all parties), but now Henry Vaccaro has been allowed to intervene to try to win control of the remaining memorabilia (another court date on this matter is set for later this month).
Prior to all of this madness going down with Richard Altomare, he claimed to also have possession of many master recordings of unreleased tracks from Michael Jackson and the Jacksons, and that he was planning to sell them for millions to Sony etc... Michael Jackson's Nevada attorneys made it clear that each of these recordings are under copyright protection by Michael Jackson and the Jackson family and they could not, under any circumstances, be sold. Despite this, Altomare refused to provide their whereabouts and it is believed he tried to sell them "under the table" to anybody interested. However, in January of this year he was forced to turn them over to the court.
In poche parole il signor Altomare è in galera a New York, il tipo che comprò non legalmente gli oggetti tenuti in magazzino della famiglia JAckson.
Come saprete i fratelli JAckson non pagarano l'affitto degli oggetti tenuti nel magazzino, tutti tranne Michael JAnet e La Toya.
Il giudice quindi ordinò che Altomare poteva comprare e mettere all'asta solo gli oggetti non appartenenti a Michael, Janet o La toya, invece non fece così.
Ora ci sono un paio di cause in corso per risolvere il fatto. Non solo ma pare che questo tizio non sia nuovo a truffe e inganni, per questo si ritrova in cella.
Vi ricorderete anche delle centinaia di canzoni e demo che aveva detto di possedere, purtroppo le registrazioni come ha fatto notare Michael sono coperte da copyright, e quindi manco quelle gli appartengono e non può pubblicare un bel nulla.
Sembra proprio che Michael e Janet e forse tutti gli altri avranno indietro la loro roba se si continua così... o forse l'hanno già avuta indietro, tranne per le cose già messe all'asta per le quali hanno chiesto un risarcimento... vedremo come va a finire.
Come sempre i media scrivono ciò che gli pare!
Altri nodi che vengono al pettine.