MLS of AV123 indicted in Colorado for charity fraud.
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Silver Member Username: QuinnPost Number: 179 Registered: Aug-05 | Erica Meltzer Posted: 02/26/2010 07:30:55 PM MST A 53-year-old Longmont man has been indicted on charges of running a charitable fraud scheme over the Internet that took in more than $180,000 from at least 707 victims. According to a state grand jury indictment, Mark L. Schifter used the Web site of his company, Perpetual Technologies, which sells high-end audio and stereo equipment, to advertise numerous charity raffles. The Web site, www.AV123.com, has an active users forum with hundreds of members around the country. The indictment says Schifter ran at least 27 known charity raffles between October 2004 and August 2009. He would offer desirable stereo equipment as prizes and a write emotional appeals for charities ranging from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to the American Red Cross to The Children's Hospital of Denver. Sometimes he would solicit donations for real people who were actually sick. According to the indictment, only $29,500 was given to the charities. Schicter kept $150,534 for himself..... ....Schifter was arrested on Friday afternoon and booked into the Boulder County Jail. httphttp://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14478154#ixzz0girJjmCg:// |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12249 Registered: Feb-05 | Another happy day for Ascend. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 837 Registered: Jul-07 | This is AV123 Art, not Ascend. Two different dudes altogether. |
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Silver Member Username: Unbridled_idChicagoUsa Post Number: 543 Registered: Mar-04 | I have heard some rumblings about MLS and his charitable activities. But, he is innocent until proven guilty as far as I am concerned. |
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Silver Member Username: NmytreePost Number: 428 Registered: Aug-04 | There's a ton of unhappy people piled a mile high, who have spoken out and told of their horrid experiences with this guy. It's difficult to imagine all these allegations and accusations being made for the last two years; to be all false or some kind of conspiracy.; I highly doubt he would have been arrested if there wasn't enough evidence. Yes I know. In the eye's of the law, he's innocent till proven guilty. But the frieght train is bearing down quickly, on Mark L. Schifter. Now it's only a matter of time, now. |
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Silver Member Username: Unbridled_idChicagoUsa Post Number: 544 Registered: Mar-04 | I agree where there is smoke there is more often than not fire NMT. I don't know what happened with that company, seems like he had a good thing going and then last year in particular was a disaster. Purchased an onix cdp for $650 and it is very good (gave it to my brother). Onix cd-2 upsamples and weights about 18lbs. Also purchased the ETR tweeters but returned them and had no issues with a refund. But that was before the company seemed to lose it's foucs. I think perhaps MLS tried to too too much. When he was selling speakers he seemed to be ok but he branched out too far too fast. His subs have been malfunctioning for years now. Then the much anticipated release of the x-amps and their overall build quality and performance left much to be desired. I am inclined to stick with established companies and stay away from the new internet stores. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12254 Registered: Feb-05 | "This is AV123 Art, not Ascend. Two different dudes altogether." You didn't get it Chris. Quinn is the guy with nothing but bad news about all of Ascends competition, and is the first to arrive when anything disparaging is said about Ascend. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 14652 Registered: Dec-04 | Like the sonic nightmare that is the 170 speaker. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 838 Registered: Jul-07 | Ah, I see. Not sure why AV123 would be any more "competition" than any other speaker manufacturer.....but I won't spend any time thinking about it. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12255 Registered: Feb-05 | Online direct sales only...unlike say B&W. At one time that was quite the contentious issue here. |
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Gold Member Username: GavdawgAlbany, New York Post Number: 1445 Registered: Nov-06 | Have to agree nuck I would rather listen to a cat in heat. One of the most uninteresting, sterile, and bland speakers I have ever heard. I tried to like them, and the only redeeming quality that mom could think of was that the bass is tight. Kind of a moot point because they have no bass to speak of. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3686 Registered: Feb-07 | There's lots and lots of disparaging anecdotes out there about AV123 already. Seems more reason to give them a wide berth. |
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Silver Member Username: KbearCanada Post Number: 541 Registered: Dec-06 | Perhaps Ascend and the other competition benefits, but then again perhaps this tarnishes the internet direct companies. For all I know companies like Ascend, Axiom, and Aperion have proven themselves as ethical businesses, but then again if as a consumer I do not know that and I read about the AV123 story I may instead decide to buy a well known name that I know I can trust, or just go to a b&m store. I have no reason to doubt the above mentioned companies (save AV123) are all stand up people, but other than a website for each and a few positive reviews (which AV123 had as well) and Internet chatter scattered about there isn't a lot to be found, is there? |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3698 Registered: Feb-07 | Reputation goes a long way in the internet-direct business, and a shady or incompetent business will eventually garner too much negative publicity (case in point). I can mention another.... But, there's other out there that are good too. I guess you just have to do your due diligence as far as research goes, and take that leap of faith. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 841 Registered: Jul-07 | "....but then again perhaps this tarnishes the internet direct companies." One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole barrel. There are many companies out there doing business via the internet direct route and a number of them have developed excellent reputations for a quality product and great Customer Satisfaction. I have gear from a few of them....Channel Islands Audio, Ascend Acoustics, and Vista Audio (although they have a couple of shops where you can buy locally). I received top knotch service from all of them. I personally like the fact you can pick up the phone and talk to not only the owner, but the designer of the product you purchased. There is a long list of "established" brands that are no longer in business as well, so there is always some element of risk. |
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New member Username: BlueshiftaudioPost Number: 1 Registered: Mar-10 | Greetings, I just wanted to point out that AV123 has not been an Authorized Onix dealer for quite some time. I also want to make it clear that AV123 was only a dealer and NOT the manufacturer of any Onix products. Therefore Onix quality has never been in question. I am one of the few authorized Onix dealers in the United States and we are diligently trying to separate the Onix brand from AV123 and Mark Schifter. Please help us by spreading the word. Thanks, Derek Wayland Authorized Onix Dealer in the Southeastern United States |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 12276 Registered: Feb-05 | "I am one of the few authorized Onix dealers in the United States and we are diligently trying to separate the Onix brand from AV123 and Mark Schifter." I'll bet that's true. |
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New member Username: BlueshiftaudioNC Post Number: 2 Registered: Mar-10 | Indeed it is. Quite an uphill battle. |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3195 Registered: Oct-04 | I've met Mark, seemed like a nice enough guy when I met him, but this goes to show that you can't judge a book by it's cover. I suspect his disastrous venture to open a manufacturing facility in Columbia played a role in his efforts to defraud the public. I say throw the book at him! On a side note, He said he was the grandson of Saul Marantz, now I even question that? |
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New member Username: WetfishcakeWet fish land England Post Number: 2 Registered: Jan-10 | I have a new name for Mark Schifter its Mark Shiter! Who craps on his customers! Give him 20 to 40 years in jail. I hate fraudsters. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3716 Registered: Feb-07 | I guess this isn't the local chapter of the Mark Schifter fan club? |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 14694 Registered: Dec-04 | Line to the left... You rip off a charity and you are a POS. Rip-off a rich guy and, well... there is a song written about you. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3717 Registered: Feb-07 | agreed. |
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New member Username: WetfishcakeWet fish land England Post Number: 3 Registered: Jan-10 |  |
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Silver Member Username: KbearCanada Post Number: 768 Registered: Dec-06 | I'm sure everyone saw this coming: August 16, 2010 Dear Friends: It is with profound sadness that we are announcing the closing of AV123/Perpetual Technologies effective today. We join in sending all of you our sincerest thanks and deepest appreciation for your support through these last 11+ years. Our history is rich with wonderful products and happy moments, all in the name of making great music affordable for all of you. Sadly, recent events have cast a very unfavorable light on AV123 and have effectively sealed our collective fate. We hope that over time, we will be able to offer more information. No amount of thanks on our part would ever be adequate enough in exchange for your past support. Shortly we hope to be able to offer you more information about how to obtain MFW15 amplifiers should you require one. Please stay tuned to this page for updates. We hope to have this in place within the next few weeks. In the meantime while we orderly wind down our business -- allow us to once again thank you for your patronage and support through all of the times... both good and bad. Respectfully yours, The Team at AV123 http://www.av123.com/ |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3293 Registered: Oct-04 | |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3294 Registered: Oct-04 | Very interesting... http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=84989.msg825833#msg825833 Might be some very nice deals to be had. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 4227 Registered: Feb-07 | Good deals. I wonder what the odds are of the order showing up at your door? |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3295 Registered: Oct-04 | I think Danny Richie of GR Research is on the up & up, so I wouldn't have problems doing business with him. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 4228 Registered: Feb-07 | The X-Statik speakers look interesting, although "static" anything is a terrible name for a speaker. |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3296 Registered: Oct-04 | The X-LS Encore has always caught my eye...  |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 4229 Registered: Feb-07 | Definitely very nice, but at these prices you'd have to be have some handy woodworking skills, which I don't have. |
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New member Username: PentaxPost Number: 1 Registered: Aug-10 | Sadly MLS and AV123 products are produced like junk and perform like junk. I know MLS very well and was there firsthand when the XStatic, XEncore and M whatever 15 sub was built. They are pieced to together with a cheap veneer that ALWAYS had problems. If you stand back 5 feet you can still see the flaws. Sure they performed OK given the price. I remember hearing the XStatic for the first time. I literally thought to myself, "Is this what Home audiophiles think sounds good?" My factory system in our BMW sounds better. I couldnt believe he was trying to push this CHINESE/COLUMBIAN made junk for quality. Mark is a shady @ss business man. Hearing him talk and bullsh!t his way through sales while leaving the crap for all his HARD WORKING employees (including his WIFE, DAUGHTER.. cmon). I am glad hes in jail. Makes sane people have a little more confidence spending their hard earned cash on something worth it. I was a customer, an employee, a friend, and now a hater of AV123 and MLS. Glad their gone! |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3307 Registered: Oct-04 | Thanks for the insights & welcome to eCoustics. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 15374 Registered: Dec-04 | yup! |
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Silver Member Username: QuinnPost Number: 181 Registered: Aug-05 | MLS plead guilty to 2 of 5 felony charges and will be sentenced on Oct, 8th. |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3308 Registered: Oct-04 | Bill, MLS mentioned more than once that he was Saul Marantz' grandson or something to that effect, was that BS too? |
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New member Username: PentaxPost Number: 2 Registered: Aug-10 | 2 of 5 charges is bullsh!t. Surely there will be many stepping forward with lawyers cause he didnt just target the $299'ers, it was the 10k'ers too. Guess time will tell.. but he will be fucked. Ty Chris for the friendly welcome . As for Saul Marantz, I think that was probably another wine filled dream lol. I dont think he has ever mentioned anything of that nature. He was definately a big bragger but not sure I recall that one. In his dreams he was his grandson.. much like in my dreams, Im Jessica Alba. Guess we guys like to DREAM BIG lol. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 3193 Registered: Jun-07 | LOL! Welcome Bill. AV123 has always sucked. Glad his dream is over. |
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Silver Member Username: NmytreePost Number: 479 Registered: Aug-04 | Heard one of their speaker models many years ago. Couldn't leave the room quick enough. I was counting the seconds till I could come up with a reasonable excuse to run screaming out the door. Reminded me a worse, lower end B & W speaker model, with a tortured goose in the cabinet. In the spirit of the upcoming football season...... A......V...dirtbag left...hut...A .....V 123.....hut...hut....Hiiiiiike.... Ooooh.......AV123 sacked for a loss! |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 4240 Registered: Feb-07 | On 4th down no less. 3rd down here in Canada. |
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