This is a sordid story, but I owe you the truth. If anyone wants to
fwd this to anyone you have my permission because after all this, the
least people deserve is the truth, after all the obfuscation.
I am saying this not as a future "competitor" (impossible as he has
few products left) nor as an embittered ex-employee (he paid me well -
even though he never actually paid me himself (I had to take control
sometimes to even get paid the lesser amount he had promised me)
Rizzer had said "As long as the money comes in, they can WAIT for
their orders" one too many times. I just couldn't stand by and see
people ripped off. I realized I needed to leave when he tried to
physically prevent me from fulfilling orders and sending them out.
Now there is no one left working there except for Mike, and he hasn't
lifted a finger since I've been there.
I stayed this week on my own time to try to help as many of our
customers as possible (up to last Tuesday, when Mike took over the
paypal order form). Today as I was leaving I was trying to get Mike,
whose nose was mysteriously bleeeding, to sign over the cable
modem/phone (which was in my name) he became violent and tried to
throw me down a flight of stairs. He then grabbed my fiance and
threw her out too. We came back with the police to get the remainder
of our belongings.
Mike is not in a good space now. He deserves your prayers and
compassion, but do NOT send him money as the orders after last
Tuesday have not even been looked at - and he has spent everything on
non business related things, some of which are consuming him.
Everyone around him has done all they could, but it always ends like
this. I didn't think it could have happened to me, but he has been
acting more and more erratic as his money has dwindled. That, added
to the unsavory and unhealthy lifestyle, coupled with his refusal to
take his Lithium has made him a self-constructed hell of his own
making.
I have removed Mike off this list. He is on a self-destructive pathy
and I want to protect people from his predations. If you want to
contact Mike, he may or may not get his phone hooked up again since
he got violent as i was trying to switch the acccount into his name,
and he hasn't even looked at his email since I started in late
March.
He was already behind on his rent, and he spent the $800 I owed him
in 2-3 days on drugs. I really wish there was a way now to take out
his misappropriation of Dr. Timothy Leary's image and the pissing on
of smart drug newbiesbut the worst thing he has has done, after of
course ripping off many people.
Even though I was expensive to Mike I hope that my legacy will be one
of fixing as many problems he had with customers as possible. I
couldn't stand by and see people being ripped off. He tried to get
me to lie as well, to make promises we could not fulfill, but that
would been unethical and stupid. because I made claims that
everything was "OK" emboldens me now to speak the truth without fear
of seeming like someone with an axe to grind.
If Mike owes you money or products now, all I can say is Good Luck.
I stayed as long as I could to fix what I could. Everything that was
bought with the BRAINMACHINES paypal account was sent out, the last
of which was today (I had selfish reasons for that, as I want to keep
a perfect record both on Paypal and on Ebay as I believe that
honesty/credibility/reputation are paramount) I have very serious
doubts as to the future of Mike's business, as I have never seen Mike
work and he has only gotten worse. On the few times he or his hanger-
on girlfriend (who has stolen from other people as well) did answer
the phone, many times people would hang up because they did not make
any sense. I feel for his parents and I feel badly for him but he
needs professional help. His business is "upside down" in that his
libilities are ~50% greater than his assets.
The only thing that will save him temporarily is ripping as many
customers off as possible. That's where many of you came in. That's
what has carried him this far. He was charging your cards, then if
one thing was out of stock, he simply would forget about it. I have
much worse yet strangely amazing stories, but they are unfit for this
forum and I believe no one is hurt. And above all... he doesn't
CARE. He has said this repeatedly. And he has threatened me with
physical violence. We could have sent him to jail today as he has
multiple offenses and is on probation. Maybe it would have been good
for him. But I owed him that much. I want him to not be able to pin
the blame on anyone but himself.
If anyone here is still owed products, I can try to help you in any
way I can when my bulk products co. and independent buyer's club gets
up and running. After all the broken promises I gave out as Smi2le
Customer Service Manager, I am hesitant to say 2-3 weeks. But that
is where we're at. I can be reached at jeffwhitmore@aol.com
Pray for him - but do not Pay for him.
PS If anyone finds out that Mike has actually gotten more products
(and they get them in the mail!) I will return this list to Mike.
Who knows, he may find another supplier to front him.
Link from Avantlabs
