Let's play a game - Follow the WTS $$ trail

by watch the tower 126 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=493&invol=378

    Briefs of amici curiae were filed for the National Conference of State Legislatures et al. by Benna Ruth Solomon and Charles Rothfeld; and for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., by James M. McCabe and Donald T. Ridley.

    JUSTICE O'CONNOR delivered the opinion of the Court.

    This case presents the question whether the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment prohibit a State from imposing a generally applicable sales and use tax on the distribution of religious materials by a religious organization. [493 U.S. 378, 381]

    I

    California's Sales and Use Tax Law requires retailers to pay a sales tax "[f]or the privilege of selling tangible personal property at retail." Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code Ann. 6051 (West 1987). A "sale" includes any transfer of title or possession of tangible personal property for consideration. Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code Ann. 6006(a) (West Supp. 1989).

    The use tax, as a complement to the sales tax, reaches out-of-state purchases by residents of the State. It is "imposed on the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property purchased from any retailer," 6201, at the same rate as the sales tax (6 percent). Although the use tax is imposed on the purchaser, 6202, it is generally collected by the retailer at the time the sale is made. 6202-6206. Neither the State Constitution nor the State Sales and Use Tax Law exempts religious organizations from the sales and use tax, apart from a limited exemption for the serving of meals by religious organizations, 6363.5.

    During the tax period in question (1974 to 1981), appellant Jimmy Swaggart Ministries was a religious organization incorporated as a Louisiana nonprofit corporation and recognized as such by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) (1982 ed.), and by the California State Controller pursuant to the Inheritance Tax and Gift Tax Laws of the State of California. Appellant's constitution and bylaws provide that it "is called for the purpose of establishing and maintaining an evangelistic outreach for the worship of Almighty God." App. 107. This outreach is to be performed "by all available means, both at home and in foreign lands," and

  • rebel8
    rebel8

    Forgive me in advance for going off topic:

    Would a current JW please write in to Questions from Readers and ask, "Is it appropriate for a Christian to own stock in a company whose business is against Christian principles, or to accept proceeds from others' investments in it?"

    Thanks.

    Now returning you to your regularly scheduled discussion.

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    Back to the $$$$$ topic. From sf/sKally http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/11/81925/1.ashx ('Watchtower' is divided into two words in this search, thus it is not cached by google.)

    http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Home+Solutions+of+America+Inc+Watchtower

    Summary of HOME SOLUTIONS OF AMERICA INC - Yahoo! Finance

    ... July 1, 2004, by and among Home Solutions of America, Inc., RAM Home Warranty Holding

    Corp., John Mazurkiewitz, Melinda Mazurkiewitz, and Watch Tower Bible & ...

    biz.yahoo.com/e/040720/hom8-k.html - 11k - Cached - Similar pages

    [[ ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

    (c) Exhibits

    2.1 Stock Purchase Agreement, dated July 1, 2004, by and among Home Solutions of America, Inc., RAM Home Warranty Holding Corp., John Mazurkiewitz, Melinda Mazurkiewitz, and Watch Tower Bible & Tract ]]

    sKally

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From Happy Guy: I have often questioned the wisdom of the WT practise of suggesting that donations are accepted in the form of stock. (If that is what happened here)

    That would not be the case here BB.

    This is a case of the WT purchasing shares in a company for investment purposes (presumably). These shares were not donated. The odd thing is this is a very small company and would be considered a high risk investment which does not seem like the type of investment which a "charity" would be involved in. I do not see where WT owns a massive share. It appears that their investment was done at a time when the company was in dire need of working capital and also to pay off the following loan:

    In March 2003, the Company borrowed $250 from an affiliate of a stockholder of the Company. The note accrues interest at 8% per annum, payable monthly. The note and accrued interest was paid in July 2004.

    That would be $250,000.00 referred to here. I wonder if perhaps a freind of someone in the WT was worried about not getting their note paid. By the WT making their investment in July '04 the previous outstanding loan was paid out with interest. A few days prior (June 30/04) to the WT making the share purchase investment directly with the comapany, the company also had to borrow 175K more cash for short term working capital. To me this high risk investment smells like a case of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    20-Jul-2004

    Other Events and Financial Statements & Exhibits

    ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.

    On July 19, 2004, Home Solutions of America, Inc. (the Registrant) completed a private placement with two institutional investors (the Investors) whereby the Investors purchased $1,000,000 of Home Solutions' Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, which is convertible into its common stock at a price of $1.50 per share. The net proceeds of such offering will be used for acquisition financing and general working capital needs. The preferred shares issued in this offering were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act), and may not be offered for sale or sold absent registration under the Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Act.

    The Registrant also entered into a Financial Advisory Agreement with the Investors, and issued the investors an aggregate of 666,667 warrants to purchase the Registrant's common stock at $1.75 per share in connection therewith, pursuant to which the Investors will assist the Registrant with the financing of the RAM Home Warranty acquisition, which is under a Stock Purchase Agreement among the Registrant and the current owners of such companies dated July 1, 2004 (attached hereto as an exhibit), and is subject to certain closing conditions, as previously announced by the Registrant.

    Certain agreements related to the transactions described above are attached hereto as exhibits and incorporated herein by reference.

    ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

    (c) Exhibits

    2.1 Stock Purchase Agreement, dated July 1, 2004, by and among Home Solutions of America, Inc., RAM Home Warranty Holding Corp., John Mazurkiewitz, Melinda Mazurkiewitz, and Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc.

     3.1 Certificate of Designation of the Relative Rights and Preferences 

    of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock of Home Solutions of

    America, Inc., as filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on

    July 19, 2004.

    10.1 Series B Convertible Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, dated July

    19, 2004, by and among Home Solutions of America, Inc. and the

    purchasers of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock.

    10.2 Registration Rights Agreement, dated July 19, 2004, by and among

    Home Solutions of America, Inc., Victus Capital, LP, and Vicis

    Capital Master Fund.

    10.3 Financial Advisory Agreement, dated July 19, 2004, by and among

    Home Solutions of America, Inc., Victus Capital, LP, and Vicis

    Capital Master Fund.

    10.4 Form of Series C Warrant to Purchase Shares of Common Stock of Home

    Solutions of America, Inc., dated July 19, 2004, as issued

    to Victus Capital, LP and Vicis Capital Master Fund.

    10.5 Form of Series D Warrant to Purchase Shares of Common Stock of Home

    Solutions of America, Inc., dated July 19, 2004, as issued

    to Victus Capital, LP and Vicis Capital Master Fund.

    10.6 Registration Rights Agreement, dated July 19, 2004, by and among

    Home Solutions of America, Inc., Victus Capital, LP, and Vicis

    Capital Master Fund.

    99.1 Press Release dated July 20, 2004.
    -----still digging!
  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    From Randy:

    Regi http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/922330/000106299302000371/form10k.txt Name Class A Shares Owned Percentage of
    Class A Shares
    Owned
    <S> <C> <C>
    John G. Robertson, Chairman of the Board 5,781,350 51.22%
    of Directors, President and Director (1) (2)
    The Watchtower Society (3) 5,073,200 44.94%
    James McCann (4) 5,073,200 44.94%
    Rand Energy Group Inc. (5) 5,073,200 44.94%
    Jennifer Lorette, Vice President and Director 85,500 *
    (6)
    James Vandeberg, Chief Operating Officer 76,000 *
    and Director (7)
    Patrick Badgley, Vice President, Research 75,000 *
    and Development and Director (8)

    ALL EXECUTIVE OFFICERS & 6,017,850 53.31%
    DIRECTORS AS A GROUP (FOUR
    INDIVIDUALS) (9)
    </TABLE>

    Except as noted below, all shares are held beneficially and of record and each
    record shareholder has sole voting and investment power.

    *Less than one percent of the issued and outstanding on July 31, 2002 which was
    11,287,935

    (1) These individuals may be deemed to be our "parents or founders" as that term
    is defined in the Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Securities Act of
    1933. ----still digging!

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    From Randy:

    Scroll down to page A30--Holocaust Swiss Bank settlement for Watchtower Bible And Tract Society: http://www.nyed.uscourts.gov/pub/rulings/cv/1996/671622.pdf Or you can go here: http://www.randytv.com/Hitler/moneydead.htm Proposal From The Jehovah's Witnesses Organization - Making Money From The Dead!

    As you may know, victims from the Nazi camps can get compensation, and the Watchtower has naturally found a new way to get money - from the dead! They propose that THEY will get the money - and "give it away to needy JWs". Since when did the Watchtower do anything of the kind? Their registration as a "charitable" organization is nothing but a tax fraud, and now they are stealing from the dead!


    WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA
    Address: 100 Watchtower Drive, Patterson, NY 12563; Tel No: 914-306-0700

    Contact: Carolyn R. Wah, Associate General Counsel

    Date of Proposal: December 7, 1999; as supplemented August 23, 2000; on August 10, 1999 and on June 22, 2000 the Special Master met with Carolyn R. Wah, Jolene Chu and James Pellechia.

    Proposal Summary: Special consideration should be given to applications of the surviving Jehovah's Witness victims of Nazi persecution. The Watch Tower would use a portion of the Settlement Fund to support its ongoing research and archival work on the Holocaust and presentations of its findings. It would devote any allocated monies solely to Holocaust education and the remembrance of the prisoners who bore the purple triangle, which represented the

    R&O-671622.1 A - 30


    this is the bit I hadnt noticed before, perhaps i missed it or it wasnt on hte other records i've seen

    In Re HOLOCAUST VICTIM ASSETS LITIGATION (Swiss Banks)
    SPECIAL
    MASTER'S PROPOSAL, September 11, 2000 These are old threads. I'll look for some newer ones!

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    http://www.radcribs.com/salestatscounty.php?county=3

    11/20041,280$450,000$592,790$7,652,0001280 East 12 Street, Midwood, New York 11230 A & A Realty LlcFatima Realty Llc
    10/20041,293$428,866$978,446$26,000,00050 Bridge St #408, , New York 223 Water St. LlcBrick Condominium Developers, Llc
    9/20041,318$430,950$594,788$35,414,3872220 Albemarle Road, Flatbush, New York 11226 Forest City Tilden Associates, L.p.Flatbush Delaware Holding Llc
    8/20041,207$420,000$554,769$23,514,799780 Flatbush Avenue Partners 2004 LlcNew Rock Holding, Llc
    7/20041,118$407,260$509,607$205,020,000360 Furman Street 360 Brooklyn Investors LlcWatchtower Bible And Tract Society Of New York
    6/2004491$400,000$1,225,854$44,000,00080 39 Street 19-20 Industry City Associates, LlcBush Realty Associates Llc
    5/20041,224$399,000$527,941$11,500,000Royce Street Parkmore Development LlcSaint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers Of New Yor
    4/20041,245$387,000$474,363$8,750,0007602 21 Avenue Twin Park Equities, Llc7602 21st Realty Co.
    3/20041,933$385,000$486,627$9,000,00067 Delevan Street 80 Richards Street LlcRed Hook Realty Llc
    2/20042,100$75,000$619,068$20,500,000204 Huntington Street Ap Huntington Street, LlcM.G. Huntington, Llc
    1/20041,035$371,000$449,266$8,700,000222 Morgan Avenue Rolling Frito-Lay Sales, LpQuattro Properties, Llc

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    See pages 16--18 here: http://www.cityofwpb.com/meetings/agenda/cc-05-04-11-Commission_Meeting_PassFail_Agenda_April_11_2005.pdf 23. Public Hearing and First Reading of Ordinance No. 3844-05 regarding a Major Amendment to the Home Depot Commercial Planned Development (CPD). Continued Thirty Days. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 94 (ZONING AND LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS) OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES APPROVING A MAJOR AMENDMENT TO THE HOME DEPOT COMMERCIAL PLANNED DEVELOPMENT (CPD), LOCATED ON PALM BEACH LAKES BOULEVARD, EAST OF HANK AARON DRIVE; AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 3244-99, AS AMENDED; DECLARING THIS MAJOR AMENDMENT TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF THE CITY; PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CAUSE AND A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Agenda Cover Memorandum No.: 13734 Staff Recommended Motion: Approve Ordinance No. 3844-05 on First Reading and schedule a Public Hearing and Second Reading for April 25, 2005. Background: The subject property (ATTACHMENT II) is part of a larger tract of land consisting of approximately 72 acres, which was formerly a Municipal Stadium and Auditorium site. The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Florida purchased the land from the City and subdivided the land into (3) tracts, Parcels A, B and C. On October 6 1997, the City Commission approved the Special Impact Zoning/Commercial Future Land Use and General Commercial Zoning designations for the approximately 21.001-acre Parcel C (Ordinance Nos. 2966-96 and 2967-96). The Home Depot Commercial Planned Development (CPD) was approved for Parcel C on August 23, 1999 (Ordinance No. 3244-99). The CPD was to be developed in two (2) phases. Phase 1 consisted of the following: Home Depot store, fuel station, a Wendy's restaurant, local retail and retail with a drive-through. Construction of Phase 1 has since been completed. Phase II was to consist of 47,115 square feet of General Commercial uses. On February 2, 2004, the City Commission approved an amendment to Phase II of the development (Ordinance No. 3727-04). The amendment provided for a 4,128 square foot bank facility with four (4) drive-through teller lanes and a drive-through ATM. In addition, there was to be 9,590 square feet of future retail. A Major Subdivision was approved in connection with the proposed bank, creating four (4) developable lots and three (3) ingress/egress tracts on Phase II of the development (Resolution No. 48-04). An easement abandonment was also approved for a general utility easement (Resolution No. 91-04). ---------------------------------------------------------------------

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    From ithinkisee.

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/11/96122/1.ashx

    The Watchtower Grove in Lehigh Acres Florida was recently sold off. This land was purchased by the Society from some well-off brothers for about $3000 a couple of decades back (1982 precisely). It has since been bought by another JW - whom I have met personally. He still owns it. You can actually see the transaction prices and who the current owner is online.

    Check out the Hendry County, Florida Property Appraiser site:

    http://www.hendryprop.com/GIS/Search_F.asp?GIS

    Click on NEW SEARCH. In the OWNER'S NAME field, type in: "nelson,tony" (no quotes though)

    Then click RUN SEARCH.

    Click on the tab labeled PARCEL DETAILS

    There you will see the entire history of the transactions on this piece of land.

    It is interesting to note how the property was sold from WTS of FLORIDA - to the WTS, Inc.

    Any real estate pros on the list that can venture what kind of numbers gymnastics the Society went through ... if any?

    -ithinkisee

    (You can even click on the GIS MAP link and see the property and zoom in on the buildings and stuff.)

  • watch the tower
    watch the tower

    That is some incredile digging atlantis. Have you ever thought about becoming a private eye?

    So there are a few key names that have emerged from all this:

    James McCabe

    James McCann (why do these sounds so similar?)

    Tony Nelson

    John Mazurkiewitz, Melinda Mazurkiewitz

    Do these ppl have anything in common?

  • AuldSoul
    AuldSoul

    Okay, we have picture:

    Left to right: James M. McCabe, Judah Schroeder, Dr. Laila Al'Marayati, and Professor W. Cole Durham, Jr.

    McCabe at Conference for Watch Tower Society

    CSCE Digest Vol. 21, No. 9 September 1998 (PDF format)

    CSCE Digest Vol. 20, No. 10 October 1997 (PDF format)

    The picture was from October 1997

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