Why get involved? Following is a snippet from an email I received from an amazing volunteer who is on the ground in New York. She is the lead singer in her own band and is organizing all the high schools and colleges in the area to promote voter registration through Rock the Vote. She writes:
I have my own reasons. I have a three year old that needed surgery during a time when I had no insurance. The bills came and came, and now my credit is shot. I also ended up with a problem pregnancy with him, and ended up having to leave school, sticking me with thousands in student loans. One of my best friends joined the Marines for school aid, the war broke out, he spent 10 months in Fallujah on the front line, then he was sent to New Orleans to protect the Red Cross, and scoop out dead bodies. At 22 years old.
posted by Hans Riemer at 3:29 PM
5 Comments:
Caporicci, Redwitz, and next?
Audit Firms from Orange County seeking Clients in San Diego County
Series: CORPORATE PROFILES (with web-site references)
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2006/05/158598.php
Dear Colleague:
We have already noted the activities of the CPA firm of Caporicci & Larson, http://www.c-lcpa.com (although the "c-lcpa" web-site is currently frozen on just one screen), of Costa Mesa, in Orange County, which in 2003 had taken over the San Diego CPA firm of Calderon, Jaham & Osborn, and therewith the audit contract with the City of San Diego. Caporicci & Larson were later sued for damages in 2005 by the City of San Diego for $100 million as co-defendants with other professional firms. See
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/pension/20051201-1336-bonds.html . Caporicci settled with the City of San Diego in 2006 for $900,000 and Calderon settled for $750,000, according to "The Daily Transcript" of San Diego of July 26, 2006, Source Code 20060725tlb. Also http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20060726-9999-2m26settle.html .
Now we observe the activities of another CPA firm from Orange County, namely "Robert R. Redwitz & Co., An Accounting and Consulting Corporation", http://www.redwitz.com , at 38 Discovery #250 in Irvine, which in 2005 had taken over the San Diego CPA firm of Coradino, Hickey & Hanson, and therewith several audit contracts with several local companies. The partners of the old company stayed on as employees of Redwitz: Bruce A. Hanson as "Regional Managing Principal", and Charles "Charlie" J. Coradino and David "Dave" R. Hickey as "Directors". Several managers were terminated or otherwise left the firm after the acquisition.
Among the companies later (at least until recently) audited by Redwitz some broker/dealer firms, like Stolper & Co., Inc., http://www.stolperco.com , Laffer Advisors Incorporated, and a Delaware LLC http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/corpdata/ShowLpllcAllList?QueryLpllcNumber=200529910193 , Granite Financial Group, LLC, http://www.gfgsd.com , list Redwitz as their independent public accountants on the Securities and Exchange Commission Forms X-17 A-5 Part III/Financial and Operational Combined Uniform (FOCUS) reports as required under SEC Rule 17a-5 on file with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., http://www.nasd.com .
Receiver Charles G. LaBella has investigated and made formal claims against one of these companies, Granite Financial Group, for some $7 million http://www.gmmreceiver.com . Mr. LaBella is in charge of recovering some of the alleged losses that Global Money Management/LF Global have sustained as a result of having placed some of their trades/investments with Granite Financial Group.
The weekly magazine San Diego Reader on October 20, 2005, published an article by Don Bauder which stated: "… An investment banking firm, Granite Financial Group, ‘maintained its headquarters in the same office suite’ with Global Management and LF Global on El Camino Real in Carmel Valley, says the receiver. The hedge fund did some of its business through Granite. Over four years, $7.08 million went into the Global account at Granite, generating a negative return of 90 percent, says the receiver …".
The article continues: "… Granite also managed accounts for Friedman's family, and there is ‘some evidence’ that Friedman at day's end gave winning trades to his family and the others to Global, according to the report. This practice, called ‘cherry-picking’ on Wall Street, has led to fraud convictions in other cases. The receiver has entered claims against Granite …" http://www.sdreader.com/php/cityshow.php?id=C102005 .
At least until recently, Redwitz listed "Mayer Roofing http://www.mayerroofing.com " among their "San Diego" clients on their web-site at http://www.redwitz.com/clients/index.html, an Escondido construction company, Mayer Roofing: the daily newspaper San Diego Union-Tribune on March 10, 2006, reports that "… A dozen officials from an Escondido-based roofing company have been charged in what prosecutors said was a fraudulent workers’ compensation scheme worth more than $4.5 million over three years …".
The article continues: "… The officials of Mayer Roofing Company are accused of falsifying employee timecards to allow the company to pay lower insurance premiums. A San Diego grand jury indicted the group on February 9, 2006, on felony charges of conspiracy and insurance fraud …", per Dana Littlefield of the Union-Tribune. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20060310-9999-1mi10roofing.html
The article adds that "… If convicted, they face up to 17 years in prison and fines of up to $9 million …", and continues: "… District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said that company officials were ‘dummying up’ timecards so that low-wage workers would qualify for premium rates typically reserved for workers who earn more that $20 an hour …", adding "… It’s a shell game, really …".
Also the San Diego newspaper The Daily Transcript on March 10, 2006 (and the SanDiegoSource on March 9, 2006) reports about the "Mayer Roofing Co." indictments in an article by Doug Sherwin http://www.sddt.com/News/article.cfm?SourceCode=20060309czj .
Regarding Mayer Roofing see also NBC San Diego at http://www.nbcsandiego.com/money/7861715/detail.html and http://www.redwitz.com under "Clients". Actually, two Redwitz employees, namely David "Dave" Hickey and Douglas "Doug" Clevenger, according to the Redwitz employee list at http://www.redwitz.com/contact/names.html , even hold a title of Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional as per http://www.iccfp.org/cert/ccfp_holders/index.asp .
"Robert R. Redwitz & Co." is not new to clients involved in heavy litigation: among their clients at http://www.redwitz.com/clients/index.html they listed, at least until recently, "The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County http://www.rcbo.org ", regarding which the Orange County Weekly reported: "… An internal church document obtained by the Orange County Weekly shows the Orange Diocese accepted the $100 million settlement not to, as Brown told the faithful, spare victims from ‘years of emotionally difficult litigation’, but because Church officials knew just a minute before a civil court would ‘return devastating jury verdicts against the Diocese’ …" and "… the astonishing revelation appears in a confidential memo authored by Father Michael Heher and distributed to Diocesan priests, titled ‘How the Diocese of Orange Came to Settle the Sexual Abuse Civil Claims’ …" which "… retells key moments during the past two years it took for the Church officials to settle all 90 claims against the Orange See …", at http://www.ocweekly.com/news/ex-cathedra/the-all-spin-zone/15106/ .
The Redwitz catholic connection included also, at least until recently, the "Santa Margarita Catholic High School" http://www.smhs.org , according to the Redwitz web-site list of clients, at http://www.redwitz.com/clients/index.html . "Santa Margarita" is owned and operated by the Diocese of Orange County, per http://www.smhs.org . "Randy Redwitz" at "redwitzr@smhs.org" and "Mary Redwitz" at "redwitzm@smhs.org" were listed, at least until recently, among the staff of "Santa Margarita", per the staff list at http://www.smhs.org/apps/staff/ .
"Randy" Redwitz is also listed as "Business Manager" of the Eagles Football team of the Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita per http://www.eaglesfootball.com/teams/200/staff/admin.php , and an “Eric Redwitz” is listed at http://www.eaglesfootball.com/teams/1989/players/75.php . See also http://www.gdrmusic.com/client_sites/redwitz and http://www.redfritz.com , that states that “… Jennifer is still working for The GDR Group as a manager and web site designer …”, and http://www.gdrgroup.com .
The Redwitz catholic connection included also, at least until recently, “Saint Edward the Confessor Roman Catholic Church” in Dana Point, per http://www.stedward.com/Weekly%20Bulletin/documents/06-1-29W05_000.pdf , where on page 3, among “Other Ministries”, “Randy” Redwitz was listed as “Finance Chairman Randy Redwitz (949) 753-1514”. St. Edward is also associated with a “Serenity Day Retreat”, and the “St. Edward the Confessor School”, a K12 catholic school.
Regarding the players at Redwitz http://www.redwitz.com , Robert R. Redwitz (a. k. a. "Randy" Redwitz, from the middle name “Randolph”), was listed, at least until recently, as principal/CFO of "The Diamond Group, LLC", http://www.thediamondgroup.net , (a "limited liability company" that has been "… involved in more that $500 million tax exempt financing transactions …", according to its own web-site), and at the same time as a principal of "Robert R. Redwitz & Co., An Accounting and Consulting Corporation" (incorporated in 1999, per http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/list.html under "redwitz", where another corporation, "Robert R. Redwitz, An Accountancy Corporation" incorporated in 1977 is listed as "suspended"), and as a "Partner" of a corporation, "GDR Group, Inc.", a technology subsidiary with addresses at 38 Discovery #250 and 220 Technology Drive #210 in Irvine http://www.gdrgroup.com/about/team.html http://www.gdrmusic.com . A "limited liability company" with the same name, "GDR Group, LLC", is also listed at 220 Technology Drive #210 in Irvine
http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/corpdata/ShowLpllcAllList?QueryLpllcNumber=199904010020 .
A Redwitz employee, Jennifer Riva-Kirk, was listed, at least until recently, as "Partner" of a corporation, "Redwitz Wealth Management Group, Inc.", http://www.redwitzwealth.com , (an investment advisory firm), and at the same time as a principal CPA of the Accounting / Consulting Redwitz affiliate http://www.redwitz.com/contact/names.html . In fine-print the Redwitz Wealth Management Group web-site http://www.redwitzwealth.com/new/redwitz/default.asp states that securities are "… offered through 1st Global Capital Corporation …".
A Redwitz employee, Douglas "Doug" Clevenger, was listed, at least until recently, as "Partner" of a corporation, "Redwitz Wealth Management Group, Inc.", http://www.redwitzwealth.com/new/redwitz/default.asp , (an investment advisory firm) and at the same time as the senior manager CPA of the Accounting / Consulting Redwitz affiliate http://www.redwitz.com/contact/names.html . Regarding Douglas "Doug" Clevenger, see also http://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume36/GOT036172.htm in "John Lennon and Jesus", where apparently some citations from the Holy Bible are given. Later information at www.redwitz.com/news/firm_update/new-principal.html seems to convey that “Doug” Clevenger has been given more responsibilities in the Redwitz activities.
Additional Redwitz employees listed, at least until recently, as CPAs at http://www.redwitz.com/contact/names.html are Chris Adams, Jay Siegel, Julie Incorvina, Bruce Hanson, Charles Coradino, Christopher Lamb, David Hickey, Jill Peterson, Robert Gustafson, and Dan Dielke.
Robert Randolph Redwitz is listed at www.dca.ca.gov/cba as having a CPA license issued in 1973, with his recent address at 38 Discovery #250 in Irvine.
In addition to Robert R. "Randy" Redwitz, the Redwitz web-site www.redwitz.com lists among its employees other members of the Redwitz family, namely Claudia Redwitz (not a CPA), Robbie Redwitz (not a CPA), and Jennifer Redwitz (not a CPA). Also, www.redwitz.com/firm_profile/principles/bruce.htm lists among its “principles” a “Regional Manager Principal”, Bruce A. Hanson, as having his son, Derek A. Hanson (not a CPA) also employed in the Redwitz firm.
Another investment company housed at the Redwitz address at 38 Discovery #250 in Irvine is "Redwitz Family Investments, LLC", per http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/corpdata/ShowLpllcAllList?QueryLpllcNumber=200414210084 .
Two other investments companies were registered, at least until recently, at http://cr.ocgov.com/fbn/index.asp name search "redwitz", "dorse", and "greenberg", namely:
"Lighthouse Investments, A California General Partnership", with Robert R. Redwitz and Claudia Redwitz as owners (and Claudia Redwitz is also listed in the Redwitz web-site as "office manager" http://www.redwitz.com/contact/names.html), and
"Lighthouse Investments II, A California General Partnership", with Robert R. Redwitz, Claudia Redwitz, Ellen Dorse and Bruce Greenberg as owners (Ellen Dorse and Bruce Greenberg were also listed in the "GDR Group, Inc.", at least until recently, as this corporation’s "partners" together with Robert Redwitz http://www.gdrgroup.com/about/team.html).
A “Robert R. Redwitz” appeared also, at least until recently, as Agent for Service of Process on the California Secretary of State Business Portal for a corporation, "Cumming, Redwitz & Wilson, Inc.", listed as "suspended" at http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/corpdata/ShowAllList?QueryCorpNumber=C1417018 .
An Iranian web-site offering services http://www.iranbb.com/world/index.php?c=/Business/Accounting/Firms/Accountants/United_States/California/ lists also Robert R. Redwitz & Co.: “Irvine, San Diego, and San Jose offices offer accounting and consulting services. Includes company history, staff biographies, financial tips, tax help charts, firm and industry news, and a description of services”.
The California Board of Accountancy, http://www.dca.ca.gov/cba/lookup.html , lists several Redwitz CPA firms, namely "Robert R. Redwitz Acc Corp", licensed in 1978 and expired/"canceled" in 1986, "Robert R. Redwitz & Co. Partnership", licensed in 1991 and expired/"canceled" in 1994, and "Robert R. Redwitz & Co. An Acct & Consulting Corp", licensed in 1999, with an expiration date of 2007. The status definition of "canceled", per the California Board of Accountancy web-site, is: "… A license is canceled if not renewed within five years following its expiration date. A licensee with a canceled license may reapply as a new applicant and meet the current requirements for approval. Upon approval, a new CPA license number is issued … ".
Through http://www.yahoo.com or http://www.google.com, via search item "robert r redwitz", Robert R. Redwitz appeared also, at least until recently, as Acting CFO and as a Director on the web-site of LearnCom, Inc., a Delaware corporation per https://sos-res.state.de.us/tin/GINameSearch.jsp , under "entity name" insert "learncom", also at 38 Discovery #250 in Irvine per http://www.learncom.com/about/execs.htm . The web-site specifies that Robert R. Redwitz "… was one of the founders of LearnCom’s predecessor companies - WingsNet and Video Publishing House, which in turn was an LBO from CBS Fox Video in 1983 …", and also lists "… NASDAQ OTC/Bulletin Board - LRCM …". Robert R. Redwitz is listed as a trading insider of shares of LearnCom, Inc., at http://biz.yahoo.com/t/51/1763.html . Another company, "VideoLearning Systems, Inc." http://www.videolrn.com is also housed at the same Redwitz address, 38 Discovery #250 in Irvine: "VideoLearning Systems, Inc." is a Pennsylvania corporation created on January 16, 2001, per http://www.corporations.state.pa.us/corp/soskb/Corp.asp?1886940 .
Through http://www.yahoo.com or http://www.google.com, via search item "robert r redwitz", Robert R. Redwitz appeared also, at least until recently, as CFO on the web-site of "Cofiroute USA, LLC", a Delaware entity per https://sos-res.state.de.us/tin/GINameSearch.jsp name search "cofiroute", also at 38 Discovery #250 in Irvine, http://www.cofiroutegm.com/execs.shtml . The Cofiroute web-site lists as Chairman/CEO Gary Hausdorfer ("… On October 24, 2005, Cofiroute USA was awarded a new five year contract by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to continue as the operator of the ‘91 Express Lanes’, http://www.91expresslanes.com …").
Gary Hausdorfer, Chairman/CEO of Cofiroute USA, LLC, also appeared, at least until recently, as President of the Redwitz affiliate "The Diamond Group, LLC", and its web-site http://www.thediamondgroup.net/principals.htm states about its President Gary Hausdorfer: "… Concurrently, with his business career, Mr. Hausdorfer also made a commitment to public service in his hometown of San Juan Capistrano. Elected to the City Council in 1978, Mr. Hausdorfer served four terms as Mayor and a total of nearly seventeen years on the City Council. As a representative of San Juan Capistrano, he also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) and as a Director and Chairman of the Board of Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) …".
Subsequently, the Accounting / Consulting Redwitz affiliate listed "Mission San Juan Capistrano Parish http://www.missionparish.org/ " among its clients at http://www.redwitz.com/clients/index.html , and "Mission San Juan Capistrano" informed in a press release that they had hired accounting manager Bonnie McBean, stating "… she had served as an accounting consultant for the Mission through ‘Robert R. Redwitz & Co.’ in Irvine …", at http://www.missionsjc.com/pdf/press/Press2004BonnieMcBean.pdf .
Per the Cofiroute web-site http://www.cofiroutegm.com , the company "Cofiroute USA, LLC", a. k. a. “Cofiroute Global Mobility, LLC”, is a subsidiary of a French company, Cofiroute (Compagnie Financiere et Industrielle des Autoroutes, Societe Anonyme), which in turn is a subsidiary of another French company, Groupe Vinci, formerly called SGE (Societe Generale d’Enterprises), all on the web.
michael redwitz http://www.google.com michael redwitz http://www.yahoo.com
Another Cofiroute entity is incorporated in Delaware, namely "Cofiroute Development, Inc.", per https://sos-res.state.de.us/tin/GINameSearch.jsp name search "cofiroute".
Regarding Cofiroute, the Associated Press, under the title "Foreign companies buy U. S. roads, bridges", in an article by journalist Leslie Miller on July 17, 2006, writes: "… Orange County - California - got burned by a toll road lease. The road, part of State Route 91, was built and run for $130 million by California Private Transportation Company, partly owned by France-based Cofiroute. The toll road opened in 1995. Seven years later, Orange County was looking at gridlock. But it could not build more roads because of a provision in the lease. So it bought back the lease – for $207.5 million …". A net loss of over $77 million. Merci! And, apparently, … au revoir … !
And "The Diamond Group, LLC", states also in its web-site http://www.thediamondgroup.net/experience.htm that "… the Diamond Group acted as facilitator in helping resolve one of the largest municipal bankruptcies in American history …". Perhaps Orange County? And is San Diego next on the agenda?
So, audit firms from Orange County land on the shores of San Diego: what is coming next?
Regards,
Johan O. Wallen, CPA
619/295-4624
wallen107@yahoo.com
PLEASE FORWARD THIS E-MAIL
yahoo
history: michael redwitz
google
altavista
lycos
Wa wa wah wah wah
To the "awesome" volunteer referenced in the September 26th comment posted by Hans Riemer, and to those who sympathize with her plight, I write the following response:
Do you not understand the concept of personal responsibility? So, you say that your child needed surgery. I am sorry for that. But from what you say your child was not denied the surgical procedure. The problem was that you could not pay for the surgery after the fact because you CHOSE not to have insurance. I don't want to hear that you could not afford it! You could afford to pay for school, couldn't you? You are also able to work, aren’t you? It is not the responsibility of taxpayers to pay the freight for you or for your child. That would be YOUR responsibility as well as that of the child's FATHER. You are a PARENT and you are not responsible enough to make sure that you have health insurance for your child and for yourself? Unbelievable! Again, do you not understand the concept of personal responsibility?
So, you say you have a friend that joined the U.S. Marines to benefit from "school aid". Since when has the United States Marine Corp or any other branch of the military become either a bank or a university? THE MARINE CORP IS A BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY! It exists for the sole purpose of protecting all American citizens, including whining babies like you! The fact that any branch of the military offers educational perks in peace time is a BENEFIT, but it is NOT THE PURPOSE of the military. Anybody joining a branch of the military is fully aware of the possibility that they might actually have to "serve" their country instead of having the country serve them. In the infamous words of John F. Kennedy; "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country".
Now, having been a bit tough on you, I do understand the need for health care reform, particularly for people who are effectively denied insurance due to chronic and debilitating illnesses. I use the term “effectively denied" because insurance is available for anybody, for a price! Sometimes, the cost of health insurance for a person (or family) that has such a health issue is more than the national average annual household income. So, yes, we need health care reform, but we do not need social programs to fund the needs of those who choose to be irresponsible. Social health care simply does not work and cannot work, but that would the topic of another railing e-mail.
Regarding the military, if we in this country should choose to have a legitimate social program that is based both on need and obligation, it would be a program to fund certain needs of those families who have lost loved ones serving our country. While it would not be possible to measure our debt to such families in economic terms, I would support a program to provide for certain economic needs of a family that can no longer be met due to the loss of a loved one while serving in the military.
I am sure that all of this sounds very “old school” to anyone reading this e-mail. And, I suppose that it is. But, the origin of our country, our present form of government, as well the enormous success of this incredible representative republic is based on the notion of personal responsibility. And, it is only through accepting the principles of personal responsibility and accountability that we can continue to survive as a nation.
So, I wish you the best of luck! If you ever get to read this e-mail I hope you really think about your situation in light of what I have written to you. It could change your life for the better and also improve the life and prospects of your child.
Anonymous
To the "awesome" volunteer referenced in the September 26th comment posted by Hans Riemer, and to those who sympathize with her plight, I write the following response:
Do you not understand the concept of personal responsibility? So, you say that your child needed surgery. I am sorry for that. But from what you say your child was not denied the surgical procedure. The problem was that you could not pay for the surgery after the fact because you CHOSE not to have insurance. I don't want to hear that you could not afford it! You could afford to pay for school, couldn't you? You are also able to work, aren’t you? It is not the responsibility of taxpayers to pay the freight for you or for your child. That would be YOUR responsibility as well as that of the child's FATHER. You are a PARENT and you are not responsible enough to make sure that you have health insurance for your child and for yourself? Unbelievable! Again, do you not understand the concept of personal responsibility?
So, you say you have a friend that joined the U.S. Marines to benefit from "school aid". Since when has the United States Marine Corp or any other branch of the military become either a bank or a university? THE MARINE CORP IS A BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY! It exists for the sole purpose of protecting all American citizens, including whining babies like you! The fact that any branch of the military offers educational perks in peace time is a BENEFIT, but it is NOT THE PURPOSE of the military. Anybody joining a branch of the military is fully aware of the possibility that they might actually have to "serve" their country instead of having the country serve them. In the infamous words of John F. Kennedy; "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country".
Now, having been a bit tough on you, I do understand the need for health care reform, particularly for people who are effectively denied insurance due to chronic and debilitating illnesses. I use the term “effectively denied" because insurance is available to anybody, for a price! Sometimes, the cost of health insurance for a person (or family) that has such a health issue is more than the national average annual household income. So, yes, we need health care reform, but we do not need social programs to fund the needs of those who choose to be irresponsible. Social health care simply does not work and cannot work, but that would the topic of another railing e-mail.
Regarding the military, if we in this country should choose to have a legitimate social program that is based both on need and obligation, perhaps it should be a program to fund certain needs of those families who have lost loved ones serving our country. While it would not be possible to measure our debt to such families in economic terms, I would support a program to provide for certain economic needs of families which can no longer be met due to the loss of a loved one while serving in the military.
I am sure that all of this sounds very “old school” to anyone reading this e-mail. And, I suppose that it is. But, the origin of our country, our present form of government, as well the enormous success of this incredible representative republic is based on the notion of personal responsibility. And, it is only through accepting the principles of personal responsibility and accountability that we can continue to survive as a nation.
So, I wish you the best of luck! If you ever get to read this e-mail I hope you really think about your situation in light of what I have written to you. It could change your life for the better and also improve the life and prospects of your child.
Anonymous
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