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INTRODUCTION
This Blog is dedicated to making public some of the business activities and methods of Liam Collins, David Bone Jr and their associates. In the spring of 2010, the present authors invested in Collins & Bone (C&B), who were offering an enticing 8-10% interest on the basis of buying houses for cash, renovating them and letting them out to students. We were assured that our money was secured against houses that they owned, including their own homes and the properties held by their associated company, Castle & Gatehouse (C&G). We have emails and brochures that confirm these details, as do others who invested on this same basis at around the same time. The idea worked for us for over a year, then in November 2011 they told us they were insolvent. They refused our every request for clear accounts, which led us to suspect wrongdoing. We began an investigation and then started this Blog. We found our suspicions confirmed: other investors had lost sometimes quite large amounts to C&B and its predecessor CBS, and all requests for repayment were adamantly refused. These people use and have used so many names that we found it necessary to compress them into CoBo (for Collins & Bone) and Coboco (for the whole bunch of them – there are quite a few!) Note that there is an index in the margin at the right hand side.

Saturday 17 March 2012

WHY CAN'T INVESTORS TRUST COBOCO?

When Cobo told us that they were insolvent and pressed us to sign a 5-year promissory note with no interest and no guarantee of repayment, we consulted an accountant, a lawyer, our bank and other professionals about what to do. All gave the same advice: don’t consider signing unless they give you a clear account of their assets and liabilities.

But no accounts have been given to investors! (see note below). Cobo refuse to tell us what they actually did with all the money they were given. Here is  LC’s latest explanation to Ewart Tempest on 14th March:

“We made mistakes the money has been spent.” [sic]

If Cobo had taken the idea of an IVA seriously, they would have put together a plan months ago and showed us the details. As it is, we can only conclude that their present  wish for one is nothing but a last-ditch attempt to avoid or postpone bankruptcy and consequent full accountability.

The partners make tedious and exhausting emotional appeals for support while studiously avoiding the truth about their situation. They have broken innumerable promises, caused misery, anxiety and hardship—yet incredibly still want investors to back them and to loyally support their latest brainwaves.  They confuse the issue by claiming that their plans are entirely in their victims’ self-interest. 

“The houses are for YOU! All we are doing is for You, our Dear Investors. You are the only Ones we’ve ever cared about! "

"Now, vote for our IVA, or go to hell and you won't get your money back anyway!"   (Italicised script ours)

Comedy aside, they have created a scandalous financial mess which is going to take many hours of other people’s time to clear up. They have to be stopped from  wasting any more honest peoples’ time and money.

Note: here’s one reason why investors haven’t seen any accounts:

“Our accounts are held by our old accountant who will not let go of them until we have paid him in full which we cannot.” - Liam Collins, 22nd February 2011. (He means his ‘former’ or ‘ex’ accountant, not that the man is elderly).


Afterthought: It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that CoBo could suddenly 'discover'  huge loans that they owe to family members and friends, who all enthusiastically favour the idea of an IVA. "Yes, of course. How much would you like to be owed?" The question would then be, 'Could large virtual loans be arranged retroactively?'

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