Good Tapes from Michael

I just received this email and have permission to share:

I first became acquainted with MS after buying one of his cassettes in a gas station for $5.

Good information. I'm a real listener of audiotapes on business, but I didn't buy his expensive packages.

Anyhow, a few years later, all the tape disappeared and I thought I had heard the last of MS, slightly pissed that I didn't buy his tapes. (Like I said, I like tapes)

Let me restate: His info on his tapes (The Missing Link, and Proactive Differentiation) were excellent.

Anyhow. YEARS later, at a garage sale, I see a set of his Proactive tapes for $2.50.

I scoop 'em.

Great info there too.

I track Michael down as he's doing "pay tribute" and buy some more tapes from him at the Duncan Mills Rd location. $50, if I recall, for his DV series.

Spoke to Michael on the phone for about 2 minutes. He wanted to know why I was interested. He seemed distracted. I never meet him, just some really thin sales guy.

Makes you wonder where Michael went wrong...

The Man Who Conned the World...

Even the rich can be taken in by a good scam. Bernard Madoff ran what may be the largest Ponzi scheme ever.



I'm curious if any of Michael's Smythe's "businesses" were Ponzi schemes? That would mean that he took money from later investors to pay early investors. I know he took money to pay himself, but I'm not sure if any early investors were paid.

If you are one of those early investors and were paid a healthy return on your investment, then please email me to let me know. I know several of the people I worked with invested money and ended up working for free (the paychecks Michael wrote bounced).

Great Job Lara

Lara's run on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE ended tonight. From all accounts she did a great job and has a bright future ahead.

Michael Smythe's only successful startup...

Guess who's starring on the Canadian version of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE.

Michael's daughter Lara.

I am glad to see a Lara Smythe is legitimately successful and not following in her father's footsteps.



Official Bio at SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA website

Wiki entry for SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA

CTV News Article

This blog's previous mention of Lara Smythe - 7/7/06

Is he still what you say?

Yesterday I received and email from Mr. Phelan. He finds it odd/interesting that there's been little news about Michael for the last year and wonders why I maintain this site. I found Mr. Phelan's Linked In profile, so he's not a Michael Smythe alias.

I knew Michael Smythe well in his College Pro days, he always strived to do very well! In retrospect he may of hurt himself more than others in his quest for success. I ask you this: with so little new info/concerns in the last year, why do you keep the site? Please Post.

James Phelan
VP - College Pro Painters Limited
Ontario & Eastern Canada/ '80's.

James, Michael has hurt a countless number of people much more than he's hurt himself.

I like to think that the reason there is so little info/concerns about Michael is that he cannot operate as usual BECAUSE this site exists.

I made a promise to Michael that if he did not find a way to fund Glenmount Captial USA I would do whatever I could to make sure he does not have another shot at the US Market. Part of that "funding" was the salaries he owed several people, including the $20,000 owed to me.

http://smythefraud.blogspot.com/2006/07/email-from-me-to-michael-on-62906.html

Unlike Michael, I am a man of my word...and that is why I "keep the site". I have a long-standing offer to Michael to buy this site and do with it as he likes.... but I also know that Michael doesn't have the money to buy it.

I encourage new visitors to read this ENTIRE blog and you'll see that history provides insight. Once a Michael Smythe, always a Michael Smythe.

This site is a constant reminder to those potential "investors" in one of Michael's "opportunities". INVESTOR BEWARE.

Recent Email

Readers, I received this email a few days ago and have received permission from the author to post.

Hi there:
I used his services when he was running the PAMM operation and became an investor in the MyKidsBenefit scheme (it had a different name when I invested but I can’t remember what it was) and visited Michael several times at his PayTribute office. We remained on good terms despite the loss I suffered, but I certainly wouldn’t invest any more money with him. What I don’t understand is that Michael always seemed to be a very with it guy, smart, convincing, full of vision. I still like his DVxQ=W concept. Why couldn’t he make something happen? New companies are set up every day, and a small proportion go on to be very successful – why not him? Anyway, I am curious to know what he is up to now. I tried to click on the new concept on your blog but it needs a user ID and password.

Reading this makes you wonder why Micheal continues to be unsuccessful.

Angel Investors

How many of you readers who've "invested" in Michael Smythe's many companies consider yourself an Angel Investor?

Click for definition of ANGEL INVESTOR

Finding angel investors. . .

September 2, 2008

Lots of people ask me, “How do I find angel investors?” I don’t have a great answer, but perhaps I can help some of you think about who angels are and as a result perhaps you will be able to find them more easily. To start, I think it is important to classify angels in a few classes:

Type 1: Novice angels with financial objectives
Type 2: Experienced angels with financial objectives
Type 3: Novice angels with subject matter expertise
Type 4: Experienced angels with subject matter expertise
Type 5: Family, friends and colleagues

You will find lots of Type 1 and 2 angels at angel investment groups. The main problem with this group is that they have usually have a very limited understanding of your space and as a result require more information about your startup than you will be able to provide. They want to be convinced that the IRR is going to be sufficient, but you aren’t even sure what the product or service will end up looking like. Type 1 investors have NEVER made an angel investment and it is unlikely that they will invest in your deal unless they know a Type 2 investor who has already agreed to invest. As a result, you might as well avoid Type 1 guys completely. Type 2 guys are fine, but only if they have clear and provable access to professional investors. Their relationship with professional investors (i.e. VCs) needs to be vetted prior to spending a tremendous amount of time with them (i.e. ask them for references to CEOs they funded and ultimately introduced to real VCs). Talk to CEOs they funded and get an understanding of what it was like working with them. Make sure there is value beyond the money.

Type 3 and 4 angels are the best, but they are hard to find (they almost NEVER join angel investment groups). They are people who have previously made lots of money in and around your space. They have subject matter expertise around your idea and can often provide a lot more than money. In many cases they will know the ultimate customer that will ensure your success and insure their investment. Novice angels in this space are almost as good as experienced angels, both groups will be able to understand your idea very quickly and will be able to evaluate your idea without lots of bogus financial models. Start by talking to your lawyer, your friends, your colleagues, your competitors - anyone who might know people who had prior success in and around your space. Check out LinkedIn and Facebook, use their advanced search functions. Type 3 and 4 angels will be able to act on their own, investing without the ‘buy-in’ a Type 1 or 2 angel might need.

Type 5 angels are good and bad. They are your family, friends and colleagues. They will invest in YOU, not necessarily your idea. This is a good thing until and unless your idea fails and YOU fail them. They won’t understand that angel investing is risky and they they are likely to lose 100% of the their money 90% of the time. No matter whether or not you explain this prior to their investment, they won’t understand - EVER. You may lose relationships with family members, friends and colleagues.

My advice? Focus on Type 3 and 4 angels. Otherwise use your savings, borrow against your 401K, borrow against your home equity, get an SBA loan until your idea is ready for real investment dollars.

Time Flies

Readers, I'm so sorry....I let the two year anniversary of this blog just blow by.... without any recognition. I'm grateful to those of you who help me by keeping your eyes and ears out for Michael Smythe's latest attempts at business.

Many of the Michael Smythe supporters thought this blog would die off after a couple months. Rest assured, I will continue to keep it running continue to warn all of Michael's endless get-rich-quick opportunities.

GlenCapUSA.com is going away...

Hey readers, I've decided after two years I'm not going to renew the domain "glencapusa.com". I'm in the process of updating all the links in this blog to documents that were stored at the glencapusa.com domain. If I've missed one somewhere, please let me know by sending me an email.

Michael, feel free to buy that domain...it's only $10.

Detective Gumbo - Episode 3 - Finale

Dear Rob,

As was the case with the first two installments, this is the third and final. Once again, the report is exactly the way I received it.

Eric

NOTES TO THE FILE BY DETECTIVE GUMBO, WEEK THREE RE: MICKEY SCYTHE

As the week has gone by I must admit that I am curious as to what is going on in Mickey Scythe’s mind.

Will Mickey Scythe take the pleasant “Good News” Option or will he be stubborn and hope for something better?

Did I get things reversed? Did I cross the “good news,” “bad news” envelopes? Has my client, Derrick Bailey gotten things reversed?

Will Mickey refuse to meet with me this time? He is under no obligation to meet with me. He has been more than patient with me thus far.

What is the quiet and restrained Mr. Bailey up to?

Let me reread that “good news” option again and commit it to my notes again. Mr. Bailey’s note requests Mickey Scythe to admit the following:

“I, Mickey Scythe, recognize the error of my ways and from now on I will:

• Stop creating companies that only raise investor money and create no sales or jobs
• Will stop trying to be perceived as wildly successful when I am not
• I will strive to get a regular real job and stop pretending I am an entrepreneur
• I will acknowledge I owe at least a half million dollars plus to the employees of GoodBye$Tribute.net and Horsemount and lay out a plan of restitution, even if it causes me great personal and family financial pain.”

Mickey at the former meeting found this unsatisfactory and did not respond. He made his personal choice at that time.

So now, after 7 days, as promised, I, Detective Gumbo, am back at Mickey’s doorstep.

NOTES TO THE FILE, FINAL SESSION RE: MICKEY SCYTHE

I knocked on the Scythe front door and Mickey Scythe came to see me. He opened the door quickly, and stepped back in a defiant pose.

Detective Gumbo: “I have with me the “Bad News” option, sir. The time has come.”

Mickey Scythe: “Well I am not listening to any more of this nonsense, half truths, non truths and any more of this silly satire. Good day to you sir! If others want to see the option then that is their choice. I am done with this affair!”

Scythe closed and locked the door noisily. He had made his final choice. I walked back to my car.

As I opened my unlocked door I noticed an envelope had been placed on the right front passenger seat.

It was addressed to me; “Detective Gumbo, in the event Mr. Scythe does not choose the ‘Good News’ option.”

Well as he had not taken that option, there was nothing to do but open the envelope and see what was in it.

The writing was clearly in Derrick Bailey’s handwriting. The script is distinctive, like a ten year old’s, the way we were all taught in grade five, but that none of us chose to use as we grew up.

There followed a kind of treasure hunt and since it was the most intriguing hunt in which I have ever been involved, I will take each and every one of you through my “notes to the file” step by step. I will give you the same options I was given and you may choose to follow along, or not. From here on you will make many choices, as did I.

First question: “Are you prepared to discover the “Bad News” option?”

Well I see you are still reading so let’s go through the steps.

First, I had to drive to an address Mr. Bailey gave me. I was not sure what to expect.

The address I was given was “55 Division.” Not being a Torontonian I did not understand its import.

Fifteen minutes later I was there.

The note instructed me to go to the back of the building. I don’t know Toronto that well. What was “55 Division?” I had the feeling I was definitely in a place in which I did not belong and by extension you do not belong. Are you sure you are up for this?

I can see you are still reading, so let us continue.

I next encountered a high security steel door. There was a hand pad. It opened to my touch.

Now you do not have to keep reading this. You can stop right now. If you continue to read you may be disappointed.

It was dark then and it was hard to find the lights.

I see you are still with me.

Good for you. Now let’s see. As an ex cop I sensed where the most important files were. To me they were in this file cabinet.

But it was locked and was not easy to open.

These are the files as I found and that you now find: Let’s see… Bonrad Tack… Sandy Bastow…Derry Key and Satchels Filling.

Detective Gumbo: “And here we have Mickey Scythe’s file. This is a sealed file. Are you sure that you want to open this, as I did?”

Blog Visitor, “Let me understand this. If I click on these connections I will now find what Detective Gumbo found. If I don’t want to know what is inside I can quit right now. If I click on these connections the envelopes will open and I will discover the contents.”

Detective Gumbo: “Quite so, sir or madame.”

Blog Visitor: “And I guess I can’t blame anyone else later because they made me do this, can I?”

Detective Gumbo: “No sir.”

Blog Visitor: “I chose to come for the drive with you, Gumbo. I opened the steel door with my palm. I turned on the lights. I opened the file drawer and now I am about to open the file envelopes with my own hands and the letter opener. That is a lot of personal decisions I have made, no? I fully “engaged” as they say.”

Detective Gumbo: “Yes, you have made a lot of personal decisions. Why do you want to know what is there?”

Blog Visitor: “Because I am curious. This is a fascinating tale. What do you think is there?”

Detective Gumbo: “I didn’t know then. Nor do you now, but I suspected it would be important.”

Blog Visitor: “How will we know if it is real or just more of the spoof?”

Detective Gumbo: “We won’t know for sure, but it may or may not have a feel of authenticity to your own eyes.”

Blog Visitor: Let’s look and see.

Inside there are 3 envelopes, numbered 1 to 3.

The first is simple and says:

To Mickey Scythe: This is a Gift Certificate to the first year of the old TV Series, Fantasy Island. The show featured people who came to the island to live out their greatest fantasy, but they nearly always found that their dream was hollow and they desired something else instead that was real.

There is one show in particular where a man wants to be rich, famous, loved and respected. On Fantasy Island he is. But he learns that these desires are not important and he leaves the island desiring to work at a modest job and strive to be a good person in his heart as opposed to being a big shot in other people’s eyes.

Mickey, if you miss this point, then you can keep watching the series and continue to stay in your Fantasy Island world for a very long time.

Blog Visitor: “Gumbo, this is more of the spoof and satire! Is that all there is in the file? Some of the blog is satire and some real. It is so hard to tell the boundaries, no?”

Detective Gumbo: “I don’t know for sure. I have seen the file and am still studying it. You be the judge. Let’s see what is in the second envelope.

CLICK TO SEE WHAT IS INSIDE THE SECOND ENVELOPE

Detective Gumbo: “This is addressed to the Metro Toronto Fraud Squad, the Canada Customs and Revenue department, a branch of the Federal Government of Canada, the Bank of Montreal on Lawrence, the former bank of PayTribute.net and the Department of Labour for the Province of Ontario. There are file numbers for the 3 levels of government beside each addressee. If the file numbers are real it means they opened files on the subject and PayTribute.net and Michael Smythe a long time ago.”

Detective Gumbo: “To my eyes these documents have the look of authenticity with only a minimum of names blacked out for obvious reasons.”

CLICK TO SEE WHAT IS INSIDE THE THIRD ENVELOPE

Having opened all the files and studied them there seems to be a lot of hard information here.

Blog Visitor: “As I study these files I have but one question for you, Detective Gumbo.”

Detective Gumbo: “What is that?”

Blog Visitor: “With all this information so clearly laid out, why have no authourities apparently done anything?”

Detective Gumbo: “That is a puzzle to me. That is a puzzle to Mr. Bailey or Mr. Eric Daly, and many other people, too. That is why he hired me and these are the highlights of what I have found.”

“This is my final report.”

Signed,

Detective Gumbo

Detective Gumbo - Episode 2

Dear Rob,

This is Detective Gumbo's report of his most recent findings. As in the case of the first one, I have not edited his "notes to the file" in any way. You may post it on your web site for all to see. As you will see he meanders around just like his cousin did on the TV show, but I'm sure our Detective Gumbo will come to a fine conclusion in the next and final episode."

Regards,

Eric Daly

NOTES TO THE FILE BY DETECTIVE GUMBO, WEEK TWO RE: MICKEY SCYTHE

I enjoy working for Derrick Bailey, but he is almost too nice to be in business. And he tells all those old war stories and seems to think that a positive attitude will go a long way. He would have been no match for Mickey Scythe at all. Even I find matching wits with Mickey Scythe extremely difficult and this is what I do for a living! He always seems one step ahead.

But since we last met I have unearthed heretofore unbeknownst files.

In addition, the affable Derrick Bailey (my client) and his very able wife, Zaccharin Bailey have talked with me at length and Derrick Bailey has given me clear instructions about which he is most confident.

For the second time I knocked on Mickey’s door, fearing he would just turn me away.

Mickey Scythe opened the door cautiously and flashed the body language of a man in pained disbelief.

Mickey Scythe: “Detective Gumbo, what a pleasant surprise! I never would have thought…”

Detective Gumbo: “Well, forgive me sir…, but I was wondering if you might have another few moments of your time, sir…”

Mickey Scythe: “Well, Detective Gumbo, I don’t, really. I am setting up more companies in my wife’s name even as we speak. I can see a clear vision of Rockview now! But if this conversation can end your investigation, once and for all, please do come in.”

This time he showed me to a comfortable seat in his living room. As he settled into his own chair he displayed the confidence of a man who had bested me once and would do so again.

Detective Gumbo: “Thank you sir. I know that every minute of your time is valuable, so I will try to be brief, sir. Forgive me, sir I am a little breathless as I have come right from the Bailey’s. You are not a cross bow’s shot from their castle, sir. Did you know that?”

Mickey Scythe: “I did, Gumbo.”

Detective Gumbo: “I mean, what a coincidence! Here you have people spread out over a whole continent after your hide and your nemesis is that close at hand! Go figure!

“Any way, both you and I want to wrap this up, right?”

Mickey Scythe: “Indeed.”

Detective Gumbo, “Oh by the way, Mr. Scythe, someone may have messed with your car license plates.”

Mickey Scythe: “How so?”

Detective Gumbo: “Well when I ran a trace on the plates they show up as ‘Ghost Plates’. They do not match the vehicles’ registration numbers.”

Mickey Scythe: “No!”

Detective Gumbo: “Well sir, to cut to the chase, you apparently have 2 choices. One is a “Good News” scenario and one is a “Bad News” scenario.

Mickey Scythe: “Gumbo, you are wasting my time!”

Detective Gumbo: “Well then I will get to the point, but you must see the whole picture so that you can understand what you are dealing with, sir.”

Mickey Scythe: “Well go on then!”

Detective Gumbo: “I was just at the Bailey’s. Derrick Bailey made coffee and we went downstairs. You would know the basement as suite 001 in your own home, sir.

“Bailey was playing with his electric train and wanted to show me all about it. What a train set! He has 2 double reversing loops. 2 levels of trains, mountains, lakes and rivers and more engines than you have companies, which is a lot, sir. He has switches on top of switches and miniature people who look like they are going to get off the platforms and onto the trains.

“On the way to the train room we passed Zaccharin Bailey, who was working out in the training room, suite 002, sir. She was pumping iron, sir, and she looked stronger than the steel. She had already swum 1 K and run 10 K. She does Triathlons, you see. She is in better shape than we were in our 20’s before our football injuries. Crikey, it was just scary!

“Anyway, I looked at all the work Mr. Bailey had done on the train set, especially all the electrical wiring and I could not help but think, that maybe he is smarter than he looks?”

Mickey Scythe: “He is not. He is as dumb as 2 bags of hammers!”

Detective Gumbo: “Be that as it may. I left with 2 options for you sir.”

Mickey Scythe: “What would they be?”

Detective Gumbo: “I will get to that, sir. But first I want to tell you about my departure from the Bailey’s.”

Mickey Scythe: “Mercy to Heaven, Gumbo, what could your departure from the Bailey’s have to do with anything relevant to this legal case, I mean issue?”

Detective Gumbo: “Well, listen up, then. I was on the front door step, bidding my leave and drinking the last of Mr. Bailey’s coffee, and I heard a strange grinding sound, sir. Have you ever heard a sound and knew you knew it, but couldn’t place it? Anyway, the sound stopped. I gave a slurp or three and as I stepped outside, the air was filled with falling straw. There was straw here, straw there. There was straw everywhere. It was falling from the sky.

“I stepped away from the porch and backed towards my car. I looked up and I could see the source of the straw. There, on the parapets of the Bailey castle was Zaccharin, clutching a Battle Axe and cutting straw dummies to pieces. You would know a parapet for mailing purposes as Suite 1313 in your own castle, sir.

“Straw scarecrow heads and limbs and tiny body parts were flying everywhere. It was not a pretty sight. She was obviously practicing again, but this was not for the Triathlon. You might want to take care, sir. Maybe rent a suit of chain mail or steel armour and pay enough up front so that they don’t come when you need it and take it away?

“Then I placed the source of the grinding sound in my mind. Zaccharin had been grinding her Battle Axe and sharpening it to a fine edge. I kept on going to the car carefully, not wanting to disturb her concentration. She saw me and gave a big smile and waived. She balanced the Battle Axe on the parapet wall.

“Now I am getting on in years, sir, but as bad as these eyes are, I can still see some things clearly. And I am quite certain that as I looked up and saw the gleaming sharp edge of her sharpened Battle Axe I could make out the letters of “M.S.”, carved on the handle. The straw parts settled to the ground. The neighbours gasped.

“Mr. Bailey gave me 2 packages with a devilish smile on his face.

“Here is the first one. He said, “Detective Gumbo, this is the “Good News” file.”

Mickey Smythe: “Well I will play along then and open the “Good News” file. Here, Gumbo, read it to me.”

Detective Gumbo: “I, Mickey Scythe, recognize the error of my ways and from now on I will:

• Stop creating companies that only raise investor money and create no sales or jobs
• Will stop trying to be perceived as wildly successful when I am not
• I will strive to get a regular real job and stop pretending I am an entrepreneur
• I will acknowledge I owe at least a half million dollars plus to the employees of GoodBye$Tribute.net and Horsemount and lay out a plan of restitution, even if it causes me great personal and family financial pain.

“That is all for the “Good News,” sir.”

Mickey Scythe: “How dare you, Gumbo! That is an insult! You are a disgrace! You have read me the “Bad News” file by mistake, you idiot!”

Detective Gumbo: “I have not, sir. I swear.”

Mickey Scythe: “Well, then, what is the “Bad News” file?”

Detective Gumbo: “I do not know.”

Mickey Scythe: “Well then, give it to me.”

Detective Gumbo: “I can’t. It is sealed for several more days. You have a few more days to take this option or the “Bad News” file gets released.”

Mickey Scythe: “I will take my chances.”

Detective Gumbo: “I do not think that is wise, sir. Think of all that straw.”

Mickey Scythe: “I will see you later and take my chances as I always do.”

Detective Gumbo: “Very well, sir. We shall see you in due course.”


NOTES TO THE FILE BY DETECTIVE GUMBO, WEEK TWO CLOSING NOTES, RE: MICKEY SCYTHE

As Mr. Scythe showed me to the door his face was conflicted. A part of his visage bore the confidence of a man who had outsmarted my client, Derrick Bailey and his entire group for a very long time. It was the confidence of a man who knew he could fool the next group of investors and the group after that over and over and over again with never any repercusions.

He had the confidence of a man who knew the boundaries of what he could get away with down to a very fine line. He had held the authorities at bay for a long time and he would continue so to do.

And yet there was a twinge of doubt. He also had a look of curiosity about what the “Bad news file” might contain.

There was no doubt in my mind that the offer Mr. Bailey had put on the table was that classic real estate offer: “Your first offer is your best offer.” I had no idea what the other option would look like, but once shown the second offer in a few days, I felt sure Mr. Scythe would then regret he had not taken up the first proposal.

But I felt certain Mr. Scythe would ignore this offer and persevere in his normal pattern. He was so far into this he would think he could no longer go back to a real job and the real world. He would likely try to tough this out.

Swindling Investors

No, it's not Michael....but don't we wish it was !!!!


Boy band creator sentenced to 25 years in prison
By TRAVIS REED Associated Press Writer

Lou Pearlman, the man who created the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in federal prison for engineering a decades-long scam that bilked thousands of investors out of their life savings.

It was the maximum sentence the boy band mogul could receive for allegedly swindling some $300 million from investors and banks since the early 1980s.

He pleaded guilty in March to two counts of conspiracy and single counts of money laundering and presenting a false claim in bankruptcy court.

U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp noted that many victims were Pearlman's relatives, friends and retirees in their 70s or 80s who lost everything.

"The sympathy factor just doesn't run very high with the court," Sharp said.

However, the judge said he would reduce Pearlman's sentence by one month for every $1 million returned to investors. It wasn't clear how, or if, investors would ever be compensated.

"I want to say clearly that there's no pot of gold out there," defense attorney Fletcher Peacock said.

Prosecutors allege Pearlman scammed individuals out of an estimated $200 million, and banks out of another $100 million.

The courtroom was packed with victims, some of whom gave emotional testimony. Another two dozen or so waited outside.

"Over the past nine months since my arrest, I've come to realize the harm that's been done," Pearlman said in a short courtroom statement. "I'm truly sorry and I apologize for what's happened."

Peacock said Pearlman meant to pay back all the investors, and noted he had returned about $103 million.

He said Pearlman got caught up in lawsuits — also alleged fraudulent business practices — over his otherwise successful entertainment ventures in the 1990s that prevented him from returning the money.

Rob,

What a timely article and result. The similarities are uncanny between this man and Michael Smythe. Unfortunately, so far the results are quite different.

Hopefully Detective Gumbo will turn up some useful information from his ongoing investigation. As soon as I get his next report, I will pass it along to you for publication.

Eric Daly

Detective Gumbo - Episode 1

To; Rob David,

Rob, these are the notes and exact transcript I received thus far from Detective Gumbo, who, as you know, I hired to get to the bottom of Mr. Mickey Scythe’s shenanigans.

These notes and comments have not been edited in any manner.

You have my approval to post them on your web site in their entirety.

Eric Daly

NOTES TO PERSONAL FILE OF DETECTIVE GUMBO RE: CASE OF MICKEY SCYTHE, FIRST REPORT

This case started a few weeks ago when Derrick Bailey hired me to check out on some things that did not connect, stuff to do with a failed DVD company he had worked for, called GoodBye$Tribute.net. They were trying to make movies to celebrate great bank heists, but it seemed like the only money being relieved from peoples’ wallets was mostly belonging to the investors.

A lot of people had lost their investment money buying shares at random prices and many employees had not been paid and the sums of money were of consequence. After doing a great deal of work I contacted Mickey Scythe to see if he would talk with me personally.

I knocked on his door and asked politely if I could pose a few questions to him. He eyed me up and down carefully, took a look at my very modest car in his driveway and cautiously invited me into the hallway.

As is my method I kept meticulous notes which are hereby transcribed.

Detective Gumbo: “Mr. Scythe, as you know, you are under no obligation to answer any of my questions, but if you could make an effort and find the time, I would appreciate it very much.”

Mickey Scythe: “That’s OK. I’ll answer what I feel like. In any event, I am the smartest man in the room, including you, Detective Gumbo.”

Detective Gumbo: “Yes, thank you sir. You know sir, a number of people who worked at GoodBye$Tribute.net, believe that you owe them money.”

Mickey Scythe: “Well I can assure you that I don’t. And if I did, it is true that I have been working hard for a long time for no money to myself while trying to repay people if I do owe them.”

Detective Gumbo: “Sir, I have a list of names and amounts. Would you be so kind as to have a look? The total comes to $500,000 plus. A couple of these are court judgments. There is an amount of $90,000 or a hundred thousand to CBRC. Canada Bastums and Barbeque? Is that like our I$S in the United States?”

Mickey Scythe; “Pretty much, yes.”

Detective Gumbo: “Gosh, if we Americans had known we would get the I$S in the end, we never would have had the Boston Tea Party. Those folks are as tough as nails.

“And there is a judgment of an amount from the Department of Labour in the Province of Ontario. They usually don’t make that sort of thing up. They sent you a demand letter for full payment in Nov., 2005, and when you refused to pay, they sent it to a collection agency.”

Mickey Scythe: “I wouldn’t contest most of those amounts. But, I just don’t have any money. I’ll be paying a lot of people back very soon, though. I just need one more big fish, I mean investor, and I can pay everyone back, including myself, as you do know I have loaned the company, that is all my companies, a lot of money. You see, I make a loan. Then an investor invests. I repay the loan. Eh?”

Detective Gumbo: “Would a forensic audit prove what you just said?”

Mickey Scythe: “Gee, I like your car out there in the driveway. Of course it isn’t as good as the ones I have on lease, but it looks like the wheels turn.”

Detective Gumbo: “Yes, thank you, the wheels turn. My wife likes that.”

Mickey Scythe: “Good grief! I see Derrick Bailey’s name is on your list! He is a malingering dolt. I paid him far too much!”

Detective Gumbo: “Actually sir, you probably never paid anyone too much, as you usually did not pay them what you owed them.”

Mickey Scythe: “Next question.”

Detective Gumbo: “Sir, Mr. Bailey has a copy of the shareholder’s register. It looks authentic to these ex police eyes. It looks to me like over $2,000,000 was invested by people in GoodBy$Tribute.net. According to Mr. Bailey you said in Oct. of 2004 that the cash burn was $100,000 per month. But since that burn only occurred for a few months out of the mainly inactive period of June 2004 until May 2005, where did all the money go?”

Mickey Scythe: “It was legitimately expensed.”

Detective Gumbo: “I’m sure you believe that sir, but follow the numbers. Bear with me a moment. Let’s say it is 6 months at $100,000 and 8 months at $50,000. Then it adds up to, let’s see, I’m not very good at numbers, but it sure is a lot less than $2,000,000. Where did all the money go? Was your salary $80,000 per month or something? Oh, and I almost forgot. You really were not burning at $100,000 per month because all those people were not being paid. And where did the money to Canada Bastums go? I have seen the pay stubs of the employees of GoodBy$Tribute.net and it certainly looked like money was deducted from the employees, but not forwarded to the government. Where did that money go? No employees received T-4’s. Usually Canada Bastums gets pretty upset about that kind of thing, you know, not remitting withholding taxes.”

Mickey Scythe: “Remember I had to repay the loans to me and after that I had no money in GoodBye$Tribute.net.”

Detective Gumbo: “So, let me see, about a million is kind of unaccounted for, no? Would any of that money have found its way to the cottage repairs? It all happened at the same time.”

Mickey Scythe: “No, sir, that money came from other family sources. The cottage is in my wife Fisa’s name. It was her money. Some of it she inherited from distant relatives. Some she made from lottery winnings. The rest she earned from selling sewing baskets that she makes by hand.”

Detective Gumbo: “You know, what a coincidence! My house is in my wife’s name, too. So is Mr. Bailey’s. Zaccharrin Bailey, Mr. Bailey’s wife. Now there’s a tough cookie! I met her at the door. She looked in good enough shape to be playing Safety for the New York Giants!”

Mickey Scythe: “Amen, Gumbo, you’re not so bad after all. She wears the pants in that family, I can tell you. Now you and I are getting on the same page after all.”

Detective Gumbo: “Quite so, sir. Now on the cottage, Mr. Bailey thinks some GoodBye$Tribute.net money may have found its way into the cottage, sir.”

Mickey Scythe: “Why would he think that, Gumbo?”

Detective Gumbo: “Well, remember how the switch board was set up, sir? You were in 303 and the Switch Board was in G10, not to be confused with your suite 100 and suite 200 now located in your home office, sir?”

Mickey Scythe: “Yes.”

Detective Gumbo: “Well, did you know that Derrick Bailey answered all the over flow calls?”

Mickey Scythe: “So what? At least he was useful as the switchboard operator! He was useless at everything else!”

Detective Gumbo: “Well when you were not answering your phone, or not returning your many messages, people learned to press 0 and the phone rang on the switch board at G10 and Mr. Bailey answered most of those calls. He answered a lot of high stress calls looking for money, such as Bell Canada, Federal Express, you name it. On several occasions they were going to cut you and GoodBy$Tribute.net off.”

Mickey Scythe: “Well with all Mr. Bailey’s failed businesses, especially his water disaster, he certainly would have had good practice at handling people looking for money!”

Detective Gumbo: “Quite so, sir. But he also got a lot of calls from the contractor working on your cottage. Sometimes Mr. Baren phoned 3 times per day. Mr. Bailey noticed that when investor money came in that the next week the contractors’ calls suddenly stopped each and every series of times. This happened at least 5 times between September, 2004 and Feb. 2005. Mr. Phil Beet Tree answered a lot of those calls, too, and he would agree with that seeming connection. Mr. Bailey thought nothing of it at the time because he just thought you were refreshing a modest little cottage after the wind storm, like the one Mr. Bailey’s wife’s mother owns.”

Mickey Scythe: “Mere circumstantial evidence and hearsay, Detective Gumbo! And that little cottage of theirs is more like a “lean to!”

Detective Gumbo: “You sound like a lawyer in front of a judge, Mr. Scythe! Is something on your mind? Oh, I forgot, you know a lot about the law. It helps to know the boundaries between being merely on the bubble and in a ditch or even behind bars. Now Bonrad Stack and Sandy Bastow, I guess they lost track of the line, unlike you?

“So absolutely no money found its way from GoodBye$Tribute.net and into the cottage? Could you prove that? Because there was almost never a single dime made from movies, only investor money was taken in.”

Mickey Scythe: “I could prove it, but it won’t be necessary. Your questioning is hypothetical and the entries to the books, bank accounts and accounting details are private and mine. I’m not sure where the boxes are now. The GoodBye$Tribute.net account at the bank of Les Habitants CH is closed.”

Detective Gumbo: “Very well. Let’s look at the hard facts. If Fisa built the cottage with her own money, why did she mortgage it past the hilt immediately after building it?”

Mickey Scythe: “What do you mean?”

Detective Gumbo: “I present to you the charges against the cottage, formerly listed for sale at $1,300,000. I see there is a loan that went on for $300,000 on July 7, 2004. The same day another loan went on for $950,000, discharging an earlier loan of $750,000. Then on Oct 7, 2005, Mr. Looking Baren, the contractor, registered a lien for $189,564.

“Finally, in a very complicated transaction, 2 people appear to have put on another loan of $350,000, borrowed from the Habitant Bank CH and secured by other properties.

“So let’s see…, that makes the total, ahhhh, add the right column, carry the one and we have $1,790,000. So if the place sells for $1,300,000, you and Fisa will need over $500,000 cash to close it out and that is not allowing for real estate commissions of $56,000. Now, assuming you have managed your tax affairs here the same way as everywhere else, then there probably are taxes to be paid, too, and interest on the loans? So maybe several of the entities who think they have security on the cottage property are about to be soon managing their own disappointment?

“Now the question is this, Mr. Scythe, if you did not take any investor money coming into GoodBye$Tribute.net and put it into the cottage, then where did that money go? It’s about a million.

“And if Fisa had her own money and built the cottage with her own cash, why would such a prudent person slap $1.8 million of debt on it immediately after building it? Where did that money go? We are talking of large sums here. An audit might show things as they are and not as you say.

Mickey Scythe: “They won’t.”

Detective Gumbo: “Now if you could just bear with me for a moment and let me mumble a bit.”

Mickey Scythe: “You do that well Gumbo. Carry on. But hurry up. I have another company to start so I can repay Horse Mount, GoodBye$Tribute.net and My Grandparents Benefit.com. And I have a new venture to journey towards, the road to Rockview. I can see the facility, even as we speak. These new investors will finally have a “hard asset”. And I’ll have a “big house” after all.”

Detective Gumbo: “Yes, yes, yes. You see sir, I was just wondering that if say, a little money, maybe even by an innocent mistake, wandered over from GoodBye$Tribute.net to the cottage repairs. I mean, everyone knows you are an important person and no one would begrudge your earning $300,000 per year as a salary, but what if the books showed that you paid yourself a lot more than that, above and beyond your repaying all those loans you made to the company and that loans were not loans, but the shuffling of cheques. Well, you know the optics might look bad. People might think you took money from the company when you should not have and put it into the cottage. So you paid yourself and helped build the cottage with money at the same time you did not pay the employees or pay the taxes you withheld from the employees but did not forward to the Canada Bastums and BBQ people. I don’t know how the laws of Canada work in a situation like this, but they sure aren’t pretty in the States.

“But back to the point, might an authority strike down those transfers of money, and after arranging the sale of the cottage, send a lot of money back to GoodBye$Tribute.net in trust, thereafter to be repaid to the people who are owed money at GoodBy$Tribute.net? You know, the list I showed you before.

“But where would that leave the people who put up the debt on the cottage? Might they go from “managing their own disappointment” to “managing despair and anger?”

“Just some questions I was running around in my mind. No particular point. I was just kind of wondering.

“Mr. Scythe, it was a pleasure meeting with you today, sir. Thank you for your time. I’ll be back at a future time.”

Mickey Scythe: “That is too bad.”

Detective Gumbo: “I have to spend some more time with Mr. Bailey. I know he’s a bit of a panty waist, but he is funny. And he makes great cappuccino coffee. Did you know that, sir?”

Mickey Scythe: “I will grant you that he made good coffee at GoodBye$Tribute.net and his staff enjoyed his personality and management. But that is all I will grant!”

Detective Gumbo: “Is it true he won almost every contest you had on skits and fun and contests to win $50 cash certificates to the Keg restaurant?”

Mickey Scythe: “I hadn’t thought of it, but I guess he probably did. Yes, I guess he answered the phone and did skits well, and made great coffee, but apart from that, Bailey was useless.”

Detective Gumbo: “Well I was afraid you might say that, sir.”

Mickey Scythe: “Why so?”

Detective Gumbo: “Well I just find that the kind of person who can make people laugh like Mr. Bailey, you just never know what they’re going to be up to next. They look foolish and light weight to a lot of people, and no one takes them seriously, but sometimes that can be a disguise. Sometimes they bite you later.

“See you soon again. Good luck with your new companies and those fleecing, I mean investing opportunities.”

NOTES TO THE FILE BY DETECTIVE GUMBO, WEEK ONE RE: MICKEY SCYTHE

Mr. Scythe is a very clever man and much smarter than I. He deflects questions well and avoids answering anything honestly. It is a pity he did not apply those talents to gainful and productive endeavours, rather than this perpetual ponzi game. He managed to manipulate for his own purposes a large number of employees, investors and suppliers to his own needs.

But how can I prove it? That is the question.

Signed off as “notes to the file” by Detective Gumbo and given in person to Derrick Bailey as per my contract to be done with as he sees fit.

The SmytheFraud blog presents: Detective Gumbo...Reality Based Fiction

Well, since none of the legitimate Canadian authorities have bothered to do anything about Michael Smythe, let's see what information our fictional Detective Gumbo can uncover....stay tuned, because the paper trail that Detective Gumbo is about to uncover is very, very real.

Dear Rob,

A number of us have become quite frustrated over the fact that notwithstanding all the many points and issues we have raised in regard to Michael Smythe and his financial indescretions, not much of serious consequence seems to have happened to him.

Several people or companies have won in court, but we do not believe they have collected any money.

A number of us have reported Michael Smythe’s activities to the appropriate authorities, but apart from a Department of Labour serving of collection papers to him, nothing appears to have been done.

I hired a “Bounty Hunter” with a solid reputation for squeezing money out of delinquents, but Michael made short shrift of his efforts.

We know some people leave voice messages on his changing phone numbers reminding him of what they are owed, but to no good effect, as we understand the results to be.

A group of us debated about just giving up altogether when I was reminded by someone of the famous Detective Columbo of the TV series. What about soliciting his advice?

So I made some enquiries and learned that he no longer did that sort of thing, but that a cousin of his had modeled himself off the TV show and called himself “Detective Gumbo.”

I reached Detective Gumbo at his lodge in northern California and outlined the Michael Smythe situation of ongoing malfeasance without serious repercussion. He took great interest and offered to do 3 weeks of work at a most reasonable financial price.

However, I had to accept Detective Gumbo’s terms.

“I like to file a straightforward transcript of what I do and say and all my questions to the people and their exact responses. I carry a note pad and make careful entries so that if I am ever in court I can just read from my notes and not have to go by memory. I suffer some problems in addition to being a little slow at the top of my elevator shaft. I suffer from dyslexia so that I usually misspell proper names and once I have started I can’t stop. I have a sense of humour. I like to send my clients (in this case Eric Daly) ongoing reports in stages so that you know what I am doing. Also, if word gets out as I am doing my investigation it sometimes helps elicit more useful information. So you can publish my reports as I file them, but do not alter them. As you know, the client under investigation is under no compulsion to answer my questions, or even see me, so I can make no guarantees on results.”

These terms seemed reasonable to me, Rob. So, as we shall soon discover, Detective Gumbo’s first report is coming and I will forward it to you for publication on the Blog as soon as I have it.

Sincerely,

Eric Daly

90 Offices and $4995...it's a NO BRAINER

Value Differentiation has offices in Canada and the US. Michael, can you name ONE office in the US that you have????




And....what is the $4995 that you charge people to be part of VD?

Smythe World Headquarters

All three of Michael's current "opportunities" are run out of the same location:

Venture Captial Business Building Collective
Value Differentiation
Club Kindness
3930 14th AVENUE
PO BOX 3316 STN INDUSTRIAL PARK
TORONTO, ON L3R 6G6

Did PayTribute file Bankruptcy?

A Smythe investor contacted me for some help. If you have information please send me an email.

I invested in both Pay Tribute and RMD with a bunch of people (both Americans and Canadians) who had been involved with Y2 Marketing.  We were interviewing people to open stores in the states and Canada to make Pay Tribute movies.  We bought stock in Pay Tribute.  What I'm trying to find out is if Pay Tribute went officially bankrupt so that my accountant can take the loss off of my taxes.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Michael Smythe Day

While it's April Fools Day for the rest of the world, since my experience with Michael Smythe I've begun to recognize today as Michael Smythe Day. It serves as a reminder to me to always be aware of who you are working with/for.

Fool me once, shame on you....Fool me twice, shame on me.

Michael Smythe fooled me once. I know he's fooled a lot of people several times. It's time to stand up and contact the Toronto Fraud Squad about Mr. Smythe.

Face it people....you are NEVER getting your money back.

Michael Smythe has VD

Thanks to one of our readers for sending in this information. Two more websites that Michael is running:

Value Differentiation

and

Club Kindness

Michael Smythe now has three ways to get money from the public....

Venture Capital Business Building Collective



Value Differerentiation



Club Kindness


Thank you readers for all the tips....keep them coming so together we can warn the public about Michael Smythe!

Michael, I see all your sites carry an Ontario Copyright. Did you get permission from all those companies to use their logos? I'm sure you'll try to have me take down your webpage images because I did not get permission from you to use them. I'll be sure to contact each of the companies who's logo you are using after I comply with that legal Cease and Desist order.

UPDATE: As of Michael Smythe Day (4/1/08) the websites are password protected. Good thing someone I know made PDFs of the websites and downloaded the videos.

The Venture Capital & Business-Building Collective

Sorry for the long hiatus but I'm back with a doozie.

Michael is at it again. The VCBBC....blah blah blah.

It is the same story as Glenmount Capital and Rockview Capital and (fill in the blank). Bottom line is...Michael takes YOUR capital for his personal use (the truth would NOT make a good company name).

How do the authorities allow this man to continue to do what he does? I guess there are not enough brave people in Canada who have been Micheal's victims to band together and seek retribution?

Or, they are greedy and continue waiting for the "next" idea to pay off. Are you all waiting for VCBBC to be "the one" that generates enough cash to pay you back?

Think again! VCBBC can't even pay the bills. I received this email recently:

I have read with interest your blog on Michael Smythe and I thought you would be interested in his latest venture.

Although he did admit to some of his failures at the time, he neglected to mention Glenmount Capital or Rockview Capital.

His latest is a company called The Venture Capital & Business Building Collective. www.vccollective.com. He has been trying to get this going for over a year, unsuccessfully.

It looks very similar to his other ventures. I worked with him for about 4 months last year. He did pay me some of what he was supposed to but fell short with some bounced cheques and empty promises and lies.

At this time I prefer to remain anonymous. I hope this helps to keep him from scamming others.

You can reach THE COLLECTIVE at:

3930 14th AVENUE
PO BOX 3316 STN INDUSTRIAL PARK
TORONTO, ON L3R 6G6
ph: (416) 619-7846
info@VCcollective.com

Visit the website before Michael takes it down or puts a "password" on it. If he does, don't worry, I know someone who has already taken screen shots and made PDFs of the pages. Send me an email and I'll see about getting you a copy.

Michael, you or one of your aliases has not written me in so long...would love to hear from you, or Jim, or Barry, or whatever other name you make up.

New Acquisition

We have purchased a new domain....

www.distinctivevalue.com

I guess Michael could not afford the $10/year cost to keep it. His loss is our gain!

A Recent Email

On November 30th I received an email from someone who came across this blog. Today I received permission to post the content of that email. I've chosen to keep the author anoynomous.

Hello, you don’t know me. I read with fascination, your Blog. I worked for Smythe in 1998 for PIA (in Toronto), another company which operated out of his house. It too got nowhere, after $100,000’s but had it gone somewhere it would have been highly profitable. I lasted about a year. I actually received my pay while working for the company, but I know of many others who got stiffed including contributors to his programs, and many others. Is there any update on the demise of Smythe, given that your blog is so scathing and detailed? Investors must be drying up.

I would be curious to know if the cat has had it’s last life, …possibly the 9th? People get stiffed, mainly because Smythe is always behind, since any last group of hungry creditors is snapping at his heals with threatening lawsuits, so he funds them first. As such his capital is constantly being diverted away from the issue at hand. He possesses an almost herculean self-deceit…”this one will bail me out” attitude, not uncommon to gamblers. In a fashion, I feel a tinge of sympathy for Smythe, as he is desperately trying to get just one lasting success. Unfortunately he has been able to rely on his salesmanship to fund these adventures, and has relied less on sound business tactics, building from basics. He is akin to the homerun hitter, always taking the big swing but averaging a measly .168. Instead of growing in baby steps, he spends huge capital amounts on untested ideas. Kind of like building millions of ‘better’ mousetraps, and not being able to sell a single one. Or hiring a large organization instantly, without it having a thing to do that provides meaningful cash flow.

I know the author is not the only person with these observations...thanks for writing me and sharing your experience.

The Saga Continues...

The following is from Eric Daly:

RE: 2005 T-4 tax receipt and PayTribute.net

Recently my accountant received a request from Canada Revenue in regard to my tax filing for 2005. “The government says there is a discrepancy in your T-4. Could you send them a copy of the T-4?”

This is the explanation I gave my accountant to forward to Canada Customs and Revenue or the Canada Revenue Agency:

“I worked for PayTribute.net and was paid on a payroll system from Jan. 1, 2005 until April, 2005. My salary was $60,000 per year."

“Michael Smythe was the owner."

“I attach copies of pay stubs issued by the payroll company. Several checks bounced and it was very difficult to receive even some of the money I was owed. I also include my Record of Employment issued when I resigned voluntarily."

“I had no job to go to at the time, but had grown weary of the poor business practices employed by Michael Smythe."

“You can see from the pay stubs that deductions to my salary were made, but no T-4 was issued. This also occurred to several other employees."

“We believe Michael Smythe pocketed all the withholding taxes (taxes, UIC, and CPP) personally or wasted this money in various ways, of which there were ample opportunities, given his inability to manage well."

“As I have mentioned to you before he wound up owing me $30,000 and this has complicated my life and filing of my own tax payments considerably."

“When it came to filing my taxes for 2005 I chose to declare this income properly, even though I was certain he had filed nothing with the government. It is possible that the payroll company actually filed a T-4 with their partial payments, but I did not receive a T-4 from them."

“The internal accountant prepared the spread sheet with me and we believe this to be entirely accurate, although the government is probably out the actual payments from PayTribute."

“Several of us believe the total amount withheld from all of us was in the order of $100,000, none of which was paid to Revenue Canada. I have attempted vigorously to bring this to the attention of Canada Customs and Revenue, thus far without success.”

On a worst case basis for me personally the government may now, upon review, accept my declaration of the almost $15,000 of income from PayTribute, but may ask me to pay the taxes owing, since the taxes were not actually forwarded to them. While this seems unlikely and unreasonable there are stranger tax stories.

So the damage continues to pile up with no end yet in sight.

Many of us continue to wonder, “Where is Michael now? What is he doing: real work or more of the same?”

I'm Michael E Smythe and I am HORRIFIED

I received and email from Michael E. Smythe...

Usually when I google myself the first few entries deal with work I've done for NetJak, RottenTomatoes and Boomtown.net. I was thinking of applying at 1up.com as a freelancer and when I googled my name your fraud website came up first.

My name is also Michael E Smythe and I feel sick that I share my official moniker (I'm known in gaming circles as ________, or THE ________) with such an apparent douchebag. Can you tell me what this dude's middle name is? Mine is '____', and if his is the same I'm afraid perhaps God is trying to tell me something.

x_The GOOD Mike Smythe

...okay, not the Micheal E. Smythe that this blog exposes...no, he doesn't have the courage to contact me.

"The Good Mike Smythe", all the best to you and thanks for contacting me!!!!

I've kept my promise

Let's revisit an email I sent Michael Smythe on June 29, 2006



Click to see original post

My closing line to Michael was:

"If you do not find a way to fund this operation quickly, you will never have another shot at the US market. I promise!"

Well, I've lived up to my end of the bargain Michael...and you thought I was bluffing. I don't know how many people have been spared the disappointment of "investing" money with you only to never see their money again....but if it's just been ONE person...this whole effort has been worthwhile.

Where's Michael?

One year removed from my working relationship with Michael Smythe....and I'm wondering what his latest scheme is. If you have information about Michael Smythe's latest adventure send me an email.

Flashback, June 2006

Here's a recruiting flyer that Michael Smythe wanted Glenmount Capital managers to hand out. Michael believed in them so much, he wouldn't pay to have them printed (actually, he couldn't pay because he didn't have any money). He wanted the managers to find local printers who would donate the printing in exchange for being "exclusive" printing partners....what a load of bull.

One Year Ago

One year ago this month I began working for the now defunct Glenmount Captial. I would argue it was defunct from the start. I remember sitting at a desk listening to Michael Smythe pontificate every day about Glenmount and how it was going to change the way business is done. One year later, and all that's left is the blog I started to document and warn all about Michael Smythe. I'm sure Michael is out there, thinking of a new plan, a new scheme to raise capital for a business that seems too good to be true. Well folks, it is....be weary of Michael Smythe.

To all those who were tricked into investing in one of Michael's many schemes...are you still hoping he will actually pay you back? Do you really think he will? How long has he promised, "this venture I am working on will revolutionize (fill in the blank) and your patience and trust will be rewarded". When will you seek justice for what Michael has done to you and your family? When will you realize that you will never get your investments back? When Michael approaches you for more money, please remember this old adage, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

Oh yeah, Jess...ever get that paycheck Michael Smythe personally promised you? I never heard back from you regarding that. Feel free to contact me at the email listed above and chime in.

Michael Smythe is paying everyone back...

April Fools.

Happy Michael Smythe Day!!!!

Online Business Bank looking for Reps

One of my fellow unpaid Smythe employees tipped me off to this Careerbuilder.com listing. Is this Michael Smythe? It's hard to tell since the job application process takes you through several hoops and after you submit your email address a couple times, you have to wait for them to contact you. I'm sure this is to protect their website from onlookers.



Click here to download a PDF of the Careerbuilder.com listing.

If this is Michael Smythe and if you decide to apply, be sure you to request your salary and car allowance in cash. Michael Smythe and his companies issue checks that bounce.

(Hey Mikey, if The Online Business Bank is NOT you, email me and let me know.)

If it's not Michael Smythe, it has all the trademarks of an ad he would put out (then again, all these "get rich quick" ads look the same):

-- Large Income Range
-- Part time/Full time opportunity
-- Rapidly expanding across the U.S.
-- Training is offered

A new wrinkle is the "luxury car allowance" to QUALIFIED managers. I bet "qualified" means the manager bought shares of stock from Michael to the tune of $20,000 or more.

This ad sounds too good to be true, and it probably is. It states they need to hire 125 this month, and 525 across the country. Take out your calculator, and do the math on the revenues a company like this would need to make to pay all 525 an average of $50,000 per year (the ad says $65,000, but let's not hold them to that). Ads like this are designed to get the applicant to BUY a training program and "learn" how to find jobs like the one they are describing. If you read the ad it says,

We will connect you with the Perfect opportunity that you can start right away.

There will be plenty of people who click on this ad, pay the money, and hope.

Reunion ** Updated ** Jim Shaw is Michael Smythe

I was recently contacted by someone looking for Michael Smythe. At the author's request, I am posting his email because he is hoping Michael will read this blog and contact him.

Michael, since your last two companies (Glenmount Capital and Rockview Capital) have not produced any revenue, you might want to contact Jim. He may have a legitimate job for you to do.

Rob/RMD:

I came across your blog when trying to reconnect with Michael Smythe. I'm really surprised.

I was a client of Michael's for many years. He helped my company develop several powerful sources of DV (Distinctive Value) which have enabled us to dominate our market. In fact, conservatively, his contribution has been worth several million dollars to our bottom line over the past 10 years.

The Michael Smythe I know (knew) is very bright and cares deeply about others. I'm having a difficult time believing the individual you're writing about is the same person.

Do you have Michael Smythe's email address or phone number? I would really appreciate it.

Thank you.

J. Shaw
jshaw1952 at gmail dot com

Update *** 02/16/2007
Jim emailed me yesterday and said he has not been contacted by Michael yet. I'm curious as to what Jim's company does, and how Michael has helped him. You'd think in the current climate of Michael's numerous business failures, that Mikey would be eager to talk to a satisfied former client. If Michael Smythe had helped contribute millions of dollars to MY bottom line, I would have made sure to stay in touch with a money maker like that. Is Jim really a Michael Smythe alias? Is Jim a real person, but coercing with Michael to spin Michael as a good guy? We will never know.

Update *** 02/17/2007
Here is an email from "Jim". It is a CLASSIC Michael Smythe reply. BTW Michael, what happened to that threat of a libel lawsuit you issued six months ago?

----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Shaw
To: eric daly
Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2007 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: Saw your entry


You want information about my company? Some facts? RIGHT!

What makes you think you're entitled to anything from me?

Hire you?

Threatening me?

You are a COMPLETE fool.

Do NOT email me again.


On 2/16/07, eric daly wrote:

Jim,

I await your reply.

If you do not reply by Tuesday Feb, 20, at noon, I will expose you as another Michael Smythe fake and put this note up on the Blog.

I want to know your company name and some facts behind "millions to the bottom line."

Your company seems credible. I await your reply. If you are making millions you could hire both Michael and me.

Are you for real, sir?

Eric

Silent Majority

I am skeptical that any reports to Detective Smith and the Fraud Squad will produce results. They don't seem eager to investigate Michael. Perhaps he has connections there and those connections are protecting him.

Michael Smythe has been at this a long time and is very convincing. He seems to have people fooled into thinking that while his many other ventures have failed, his "next one" will be the one where he makes enough money to pay everyone back.

Don't be fooled, he has no intention of paying anyone back. If those of you who invested and lost all your money to Michael, would grow a backbone and contact the authorities, we can all see Michael brought to justice and suffer the same consequences as Adam Spencer and Conrad Black.

Michael has hurt far more people than he has helped. To all the Michael Smythe investors who are remaining silent, follow the example of those who have contacted me at this blog and shared their stories. Take action, contact the Fraud Squad and file a complaint.

It all starts with a "slick" website

Readers, take a look at Adam Spencer's EMEXIS website. Michael Smythe was never able to get his websites to look this good. If he had, I'm sure he would be more successful at "raising" money than he has been.

Perhaps when Michael Smythe launches his next "opportunity" he'll implement some web design ideas as seen on Adam's site. Combine Adam's professionalism and Michael's ability to remain above the law, and Michael Smythe might yet again raise millions of dollars for himself.

Update: Adam's site, EMEXIS, is now gone due to his prosecution.

Inspiring and Magical

Here is a copy of an email I received from one of our readers. DL, glad you found our blog and glad you had the courage to share your experience with us.

To Whom It May Concern,

My wife and I had met Michael Smythe back in 1996 when he started up his company Proof in Advance Education Corp. This was all about selling LAYD (Learn as You Drive) cassettes. The cassettes were to be featured at 65,000 high traffic retail stores throughout Canada and the United States. He had reportedly attracted a list of clients. He had put together a business plan that was nothing more than bullshit designed to “pull the wool over your eyes”. Unfortunately for us, we were taken in by his inspiring and magical speech of wealth to all those that invest in his company. I’m embarrassed to say that we invested a substantial amount of money into his company. Within 3 months of our investment, my wife and I started to figure out what this guy was all about and tried to retrieve our investment, but to no avail.

My purpose for writing this is twofold. First of all, I would like to advise anyone that is reading this to stay away from any of Michael Smythe’s companies as an employee and/or an investor, no matter how good it sounds. Michael Smythe is nothing more than a smooth talking scammer. Secondly, my wife and I welcome the opportunity to retrieve our investment money in the event that there is ever a class action law suit against Smythe. Please keep me posted if this ever develops in the future.

Regards,

DL

Again, if you've been contacted by Michael Smythe as one of his potential investors, employees, or clients, please continue reading this blog. Learn from our mistakes and stay away from Michael Smythe.

What do these three wise men have in common?

Toronto Fraud Squad

If you'd like to file a complaint about Michael Smythe, please do so directly with:

Detective Heather Clark Smith
Toronto Police Service
Fraud Squad - Intake office
40 College Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 2J3
Main: 416-808-7300
Direct: 416-808-7310
Fax: 416-808-7302

Mom and Dad bail out Adam Spencer

Spencer was released from jail and ordered to live with his parents after they posted $500,000 bail on his behalf.

Go to the story

Download the story

This goes to show that with enough persistence, those who perpetrate fraud upon the public can be brought to answer for their actions. If you feel Michael Smythe misrepresented himself and his investment opportunities to you, please contact:

Toronto Fraud Squad
40 College St., Toronto, ON , M5G 2J3
Phone: 416-808-7300
Fax: 416-808-7302
Unit Commander: Staff Inspector Stephen Harris
fraudsquad@torontopolice.on.ca

CEO on the Run

Today's Toronto Star has an article about ADAM SPENCER, a 25 year old CEO of an upstart information technology company that fleeced investors of $8 million dollars.

Too bad Mr. Spencer did not consult with Michael Smythe on how NOT to get caught.

Go to the story.

Download the story.

Before Greed

Here is a posting from a former MKB employee who actually received every penny they were owed. Perhaps this is a glimpse of what Michael Smythe was like before greed took over his soul.

Current investors and former employees who are still owed monies can only hope that Michael Smythe one day becomes this person again.

Hi,

I stumbled across your blog today, and found it especially interesting - given that I am a former MKB employee (channel editor).

To be fair, I haven't had any contact with Michael since the MKB collapse, so everything you are saying may be true.

However, I was one of the last four employees to survive until the end of MKB - and in Michael’s defense, I received every single paycheck, and every penny owed (my last cheque was a personal check written to me on my last day).

Again, I know nothing of any events that took place after MKB, and know nothing of these new companies that your are referencing (I will confess that it does seem a little "iffy" that there are so many of them).

Obviously, I lost my job at MKB along with everyone else - but I knew the risks when I moved from print to an internet startup - sometimes bad things happen, it's the nature of entrepreneurship.

Just another perspective. And no, this is not a "fake" post from any current employee. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Obviously everyone's experience is different, but I didn't leave MKB feeling "ripped off" in the slightest - perhaps I'm unique in that regard.

All the best

T

Psychopathy

Much thanks to the reader who sent me this article.

The Predator's Gaze

Is Michael Smythe a psychopath?

Download article here

Company Shares

This is an interesting article about how Google is giving their employees a chance to benefit from Google's ever increasing share price by allowing the employees to "auction" their vested stock options to institutional investors.

I'm sure the current shareholders of Michael Smythe's various companies wish they could get ANY money for their shares.

Before you buy shares of one of Michael's companies or before you agree to receive shares in lieu of wages, understand that Michael sells shares at different prices depending on the cashflow he needs that week.

If you proceed, be prepared for your shares to suffer the same fate as MyKidsBenefit.com shares, PayTribute.net shares, and Glenmount Captial shares.

Business Cards: $50
Handouts/Flyers: $1,000
Physical Office Lease: $2,500
Purchase of Shares in Michael Smythe's Companies: $20,000
What are those shares today: Worthless

Buyer Beware!

What comes around goes around

There was a comment posted yesterday that is worth front page status. You can click here to see the comment in it's original form.

Great blog!
Not to get too specific but Michael contacted me appox a year ago numerous times inquiring about a service I provide for businesses for both his scams. I wasted a bunch of time with this loser but after reading this blog I feel fortunate is was only time wasted. Funny thing is the deal always fell apart because he was unwilling to sign as a guarantor or could not provide the necessary business documents...now I know why.

All I can say at this point is good luck to all of you who have been screwed by this loser. What comes around...goes around. He'll have his day.

Nice work!

Tom McKee, Michael Smythe's latest lackey

My post yesterday must have really ticked off Michael Smythe. A person named Tom McKee posted my address, home phone, and cell phone number as a comment to my main post.

How do I know this was the work of Mr. Smythe? We'll, I know this because the cell number I gave Mr. Smythe was a special number I use and used it specifically during my employment with Glenmount Capital. The only way Tom McKee could know it was to get it directly from Michael Smythe.

Here is Tom/Michael's deleted posting:

Anyone needing to get in touch with Rob M. David, the creator of this ridiculous blog, can reach him at xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xx
xxxx, xx xxxxx-xxxx

(xxx) xxx-xxxx

Or, on his cell at (xxx) xxx-xxxx

Many Pro-Michael supporters (are their many?) will say, "Rob you are a hypocrite because you posted all of Michael's private information and omitted your own."

If I repeatedly take investor money, repeatedly don't pay employees, repeatedly bounce checks to employees, repeatedly don't pay vendors, and repeatedly shut down those companies leaving my investors with worthless shares of stock, then I expect someone to create a blog and post my information.

What's funny is that Michael & Co. think this blog is ridiculous, but Mikey reads it every day. He is also keeping www.rockviewcaptial.com and all his other websites hidden from general public view because of this blog. Now that's ridiculous?

Michael, stop wasting time creating new alias or calling your friends to have them post comments on this blog. I encourage you to create your own blog where you can comment on what I've said in this one. Give your future investors, future employees, and future clients a place to go to get your side of the story.

When you do, email me the link and I'll be sure put a place on this blog for people to click and go to yours. If you want credibilty, start by refuting all I've said on this blog. I'm sure your supporters want you to...so what are you waiting for...it's free so you won't have to bounce a check to start blogging.

Smythe Family Foundation

Today's post serves as a history lesson. When Michael Smythe decides to make www.RockviewCapital.com public there will be many themes that he will use to bring legitimacy to the company.

1. Enhancing the quality of people's lives.
2. Charitable contributions.
3. Distinctively valuable services.

Never forget the true motivation for starting all these companies. They are funding vehicles for the Smythe Family Foundation.

Download your history lesson here

Will history repeat itself.....most likely.

Buh Bye Pro-Mikey Supporter

Michael Smythe, or one of his followers, made the following comment about my October 27th post:

You really seem to be the one trick pony. I keep checking in to see if there is anything new or whether you have finally given up the ghost, but you just keep recycling the old material. Mike should take lessons from you if he really is interested in reviving Glenmount. Congratulations on creating the most boring blog in history. I will be checking out and not bothering to waste any more of my time.

1. Mikey has NOT "given up the ghost" either. He is still trying to raise capital from investors with the same ideas he's been using for years. I will never stop warning the public about Michael Smythe.

2. Mikey keeps using the same material too. Did you see the screen shots of his two identical websites, Impact Revenue and Proactive Differentiation? Anyone who reads this "boring blog" can see how Mikey's ideas are just reincarnations of previously failed businesses.

3. Mikey took many lessons from me during my un-paid employment at Glenmount. In fact, in his latest company (Rockview Capital) he decided to assign his "employees" according to Zip Codes. At Glenmount, Mikey's original idea was to divide "employees " by CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS. I told Michael that Zip Codes would be an easier way to divide territories and I produced a plan on how to educate Regional and District Managers.

4. Mikey has to read this blog every day in order to "reflect" on what I've said and formulate answers for the questions that I raise. Any future investor, employee, or client, that does any sort of due-diligence will come across this blog. Mikey doesn't consider reading my blog a waste of time, he has to do it every day for the rest of his life...because I'm not going away.

Can a Leopard change his spots?

Let's begin this posting with a often used quote from Jeremiah 13:23 (New International Version):

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.

Michael Smythe will recycle all his ideas and mix and match them to work with the audience he is in front of (potential investors, potential employees, potential clients). This is just one example of how he was going to recruit a massive amount of employees (524,000) to each give his company $699.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Michael Smythe is the founder of many companies and seems to be a success at none of them.

Here are two companies that Michael started years ago and is attempting to re-launch them, Impact Revenue and Proactive Differentiation. I enjoy reading his verbose testimonials.







If this link does not lead you to Michael Smythe's entry on ZoomInfo.com it's because he has deleted it. Again, that shows how this blog causes Micheal to be reactive.

One-Trick Pony

I want to lead off this entry with an observation sent to me from my friend Eric Daly:

I find it distressing to see that Michael Smythe just keeps coming back to the same lousy game he has been playing for 10 years. If any of us tried for 10 years to do the same thing without success we would surely try something else.

Michael is similar to a "One Trick Pony," except that in the case of the pony, he does have one trick that actually works and entertains people in a positive way.

As part of Michael Smythe's plan to "self capitalize" Glenmount Capital he required every "employee" of the company to enroll in a $699 Economic Excellence Program (EEP). Michael never delivered the training materials for the EEP and then shut the company down when people began to ask too many questions. None of my fellow co-workers received the $10,000 a month compensation they were promised. The day after I resigned Michael promised one person a paycheck. To my knowledge, that check never showed up.

As you will soon discover, Glenmount is NOT defunct. And, Glenmount will be ensuring that each and every "SR" who paid for the Economic Excellent Program will receive their money back.

Click to see original comment by Michael Smythe using the alias RMAC

Now Michael is trying to start a new company, Rockview Capital. I know many of Michael's investors are hoping this one works out....but deep down, they know it will fail just like all the others.

Help Wanted

When Michael Smythe launches is next "opportunity" he'll flood the internet with job ads. He and his recruited staff of "employees" will use every "free" employment website they can find. He may use Monster or CareerBuilder if he's found enough employees to pay for it themselves.

Just remember, when you see an ad similar to the one below, found on CareerBuilder, you will be interviewing for a volunteer position. Michael Smythe has a hard time making payroll.



If you are going to volunteer for a non-profit, why don't you work for one that is enhancing others lives, rather than, lining Michael Smythe's pockets.

$900,000 Per Year Potential

Read for yourself, a webpage crafted by Michael Smythe. The Google timestamp on this page is from March 2006. For Michael, words speak louder than actions.

GLENMOUNT REALTY DISTRICT MANAGER

Click on the ads below to see examples of how Michael makes things so confusing that his employees have no choice but to "trust" him regarding the details. He makes empty promises to pay them for their hard work and always alludes to the "hope" that the business will take off. Unfortunately, for those people who quit legitimate jobs to work for Michael, the business never takes off.

GLENMOUNT CAPITAL MICRO MARKET SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

GLENMOUNT FINANCIAL DISTRICT MANAGER

Glenmount Capital (GC) was the company that I worked for. After this blog went public Michael had to cease operating Glenmount Capital and has been hard at work to reincarnate GC as Rockview Capital.

Beware, Michael Smythe will use the same tactics and verbage with Rockview Capital, or any other company he plans on launching. In this case, if you've seen one Michael Smythe company, you've seen them all.

Venture Capital

Google's recent purchase of YouTube is going to be a big payday for Sequoia Capital, the venture capital firm that helped fund YouTube.

This news started my brain thinking about Michael Smythe's desire to be a venture capitalist for the small/medium-sized business owner.

Below is a quote from another one of Michael Smythe's many companies. When you see "Glenmount" feel free to plug in whatever company name Michael is using now. Michael changes the names of his companies when his "self-capitalization" methods dry up.

As a result of the one-of-a-kind market-trialing & business-building infrastructure we are establishing, Glenmount will soon be a venture capital organization with a number of very unique and powerful economic capabilities.

-Michael Smythe

If you were going to choose a Toronto-based VC/Mentor consultant, would you choose Michael Smythe or a proven expert like Sean Wise?

To help you research, I've assembled a collection of links:

Wise Mentor Capital

Sean Wise Blog/About Sean

Wikipedia article on Sean Wise

Faulty Tower article on Michael Smythe

Death of a Dot Com article on Michael Smythe

Sean Wise's websites have a wealth of information while Michael's are still closed to the public as he changes them to look more credible. Seems like the choice is clear.

There is a sucker born every minute

...and Michael Smythe will take as many as he can find.

Michael Smythe has password protected his sites so I can no longer read and comment. He hides from the twin spotlights of truth and accountability that shine from this blog. That is how he has managed to go so long without repaying his investors. Those investors have not made him accountable for their money. They believe Mikey when he says his next venture will more than fully compensate them. "Oh, my new XYZ Company is doing great, wait and see, you'll be impressed with the results."

In actuality, all Michael is hoping is he will stumble upon enough suckers that will buy into his latest plan so his lifestyle won't have to change. Michael has NO plan for paying his investors, employees, and vendors.

If you have been given a USER ID and PASSWORD by Michael Smythe it is only because he considers you one of those suckers.

He won't let people who know how he operates, and have worked for him before, read his site. That's why he's put the password on the sites. Michael, if you have nothing to hide, open the site up to the public!

Here's an excerpt from Michael's own website:

Entrepreneurs will typically invest their own life savings and then raise as much money as they possibly can from their family and friends because they are absolutely convinced that they, their family members and their friends will realize a wonderful return on the money each invests.

Unfortunately, the majority of entrepreneurs fail to market-test their new products or services early-enough and extensively enough - in order to find out - BEFORE they waste years of their lives and a lot of their family and friend's money - whether or not their business concept is as terrific as THEY believe it IS.

Sadly, despite pouring their hearts and souls into their businesses, most will lose every penny which, they, their families and their friends have invested.

Michael Smythe knows first hand how it feels to "lose every penny..." as CEO of MyKidsBenefit.com he lost $10,000,000. Michael Smythe seems to know how to lose other people's money.

Another Employee Michael Smythe did not pay!

I invite all of you to read his comment. TimC, I'm glad you found this site too!

New Companies + New Shares = Same Outcome

Why does Michael Smythe "start" so many companies?
Is it so he can sell more shares to investors?
What are the total revenues of all these companies?
How much money have these shares made investors?
These are questions you should ask before you go to work or invest with Michael E. Smythe.

Michael sold shares to an individual for $500,000 as this Ontario Securities Commission report shows.

[Page 27 Paragraph 114 and Page 28 Paragraph 115-117]

Real people have given real money to buy real shares of a less-than-real opportunity.

Impact Revenue or Proactive Differentiation



More chances for investors to buy more shares, right Michael Smythe? Or, did you change the name because you don't know how to "impact revenue"?

** Update: Michael Smythe has put a password on the Impact Revenue site. Seems that he has something to hide there. Once again, this blog forces Michael to do something in response. I am shrinking the Smythe Kingdom, one website at at time.

Click here to see the Impact Revenue homepage BEFORE Michael decided to hide it from you.

What is in a Name?

The name Rockview makes total sense now. Great job on picking a name Michael Smythe!

SCI Rockview
Box A
Bellefonte, PA 16823-0820
(814) 355-4874

SCI Rockview (Centre County, five miles from Bellefonte) was begun in 1912 and opened in 1915. Originally planned to replace Eastern and Western Penitentiaries, it became instead the branch prison for Western Penitentiary, housing lesser security risk prisoners, most of whom were employed in Rockview's extensive farm program outside the gates. It now is a medium-security institution for men.

Duped

An excerpt from the Rockview Capital website:



Rockview Capital plans on:

1. Making a promotional video for a product that does not exist.
2. Accepting orders for that product.
3. Refunding people who ordered the fictional product and promising them a product "as soon as they are manufactured".

Rockview will market, and accept payment for, products that do not exist. Deja vu!

Sounds similar to the ECONOMIC EXCELLENCE PROGRAM (EEP) Michael Smythe sold to Glenmount Capital "employees" for $699. Michael Smythe wanted their money but had no EEP to deliver. The difference is, Michael Smythe never refunded the money when we, the employees, found out the EEP did not exist.

Michael Smythe, this blog has documented an associate of yours who said that you plan on paying all those Glenmount Capital people back. If history repeats itself like it usually does with you...they have no chance of seeing any money from Rockview Capital going to pay them back. In fact, neither does anyone from PayTribute, or anyone from Distinctive Value, or MyKidsBenefit have a chance of seeing any money.

** Update: Michael Smythe has changed the website as he does on a daily basis. Now the website says Rockview will "obviously NOT accept payment". I'm glad this blog is causing Michael to be more ethical. However, the screen print of what Michael Smythe ORIGINALLY said YESTERDAY, is clearly shown above. Once again, this blog causes Michael to change his message. If I could only get him to pay all of us to whom he owes money...but you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip.

Is Rockview Capital just another plan to bailout Michael Smythe?

This entry from Eric Daly:

Rob,

I was stunned to see the size of indebtedness on the cottage which, incidentally, is in Lisa Smythe's name. I can confirm that, so far as I can see, the numbers you quoted appear to be correct.

That being the case, the closing out of the sale will leave party #4 unpaid at all and party #2 incompletely paid.

See my attached table.

Or the Smythe's may need additional funds from elsewhere to close out the sale properly and neatly.

How could $1.8M get loaded onto a place now listed for $1.4M? I assume in my calculations that the place sells for the $1.4M.

I ask some pertinent questions at the bottom of the table.

This will leave the folks at PayTribute and elsewhere, who were hoping that the cottage might be in the name of PayTribute or Michael Smythe, out of luck on 2 points. It is owned by Lisa Smythe and it is mortgaged and indebted to well over the hilt.

-Eric Daly

Click Here to Download Eric's Table

33,000 Rockview Associates

Michael, how many of the 33,000 Rockview Associates have you hired? Do they have to pay anything? Do they "enroll" in an online educational program?

I remember with Glenmount Capital, your goal was 524,000 Neighborhood Service Representatives each paying $699 to join your company. You were also selling "shares" of the company for $20,000. Are you doing that with Rockview?

Are you recruiting "committees" for each ZIP CODE that will pay money to Rockview, and in return, earn a portion of the profits from each successful "market trial" product they find? So let me understand this, YOU (Michael Smythe) get their investment money FIRST and in a couple months YOU can say, "aw shucks, this didn't pan out like I thought it would, we have to shut down."

Is PAYTRIBUTE going to produce the "promotional videos" that Rockview Associates will show potential resellers? Isn't PAYTRIBUTE the company you started a couple years ago that has yet to be profitable...or have you RENAMED that company too? Did you ever produce those two videos for Houston-area real estate agents for which you collected $7,500 back in June 2006? I know the answer is no!

Click here to see a copy of the "distribution" plan as of this posting. Michael most likely will change the page as he usually does after I report it on this blog.

Home Sweet Home

HQ for Rockview Capital and Impact Revenue, Suite 100 and Suite 200...nice touch Michael Smythe. Are you working out of the house for the tax break? What happened to your offices at 101 Duncan Mill Road? Were you asked to vacate the premises? There is nothing wrong with working from your home. I do. However, I don't pretend my home is an office building and add suite numbers to my address. I have a PO Box for that.

Michael Smythe, you've probably already asked one of your employees, to whom you'll give a promotion, to find a local lawyer, draw up incorporation papers, and, have that employee sign a lease for office space. Your name will appear on no documents, just this employee, who will be the one left with all the liability when Michael decides to move on to his next "opportunity".

Now that we are going to have a new group of visitors, those researching Rockview Capital, I want to ask three Questions for Michael Smythe. I hope these questions cause potential investors and employees of Rockview Capital to ask questions. Michael has a way with words so don't make the same mistakes we have made. If he promises you money, make sure you get a wire transfer. His checks bounce (see examples in this blog).

1. How many successful market trials have you conducted in 2006 and where can I buy those products?

2. How much did your investors earn on their investments into your companies?

3. How much did you earn/take in compensation?

-------
MyKidsBeneft >>> PayTribute >>> GlenmountCapital >>> Rockview Capital >>> ???
-------

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!

Please visit Michael Smythe's latest "opportunity". The business address is his home and I'm wondering if Suite 100 is his living room, dining room, or den?

Rockview Capital

Michael picks company names that are similar to legitimate businesses. In this case, a small hedge fund based in NY. Michael had a NY business address along side the Toronto address, but once I posted this story, he removed the NY address. I wish I had taken a screen shot of that for all of you to see.

Please do as much research as you can before you decide to work with this company. If you listen to the audio it's Michael's voice slowed down.

I noticed that Michael is dividing areas by ZIP CODES. Hmmm, as I remember that was my idea and I have it documented as such. Not worth suing him because I doubt I'll be able to collect. Even if he sells the cottage, I have documents that show the total encumbrances exceed the reduced asking price of $1,400,000:

Owed Party #1: $300,000
Owed Party #2: $950,000
Owed Party #3: $189,564 (construction lien)
Owed Party #4: $350,000

Verify the data on this property yourself. The legal description of the property is: LOT 27, PLAN 13, TOWNSHIP OF RIDOUT

Special thanks to those of you helping to educate the public about Michael Smythe's business ethics. Keep the headlines coming!
--------------

Another case of libel, from Eric Daly

Rob’s latest note on fraud caught my attention.

Michael Smythe had called me at 10:30 AM August 9, 2006. It was the first time I had heard from him for a year. It's a shame we can't converse in more positive ways. We must both be missing our mutual invitations to garden parties. We exchanged pleasantries and got down to business.

Michael: “Have you seen the latest blog?” (of August 9, my entry)
Eric: “Yes, I wrote it.”
Michael: “Do you believe I owe you $30,000?"
Eric: "Yes, I do."
Michael: "Do you know the meaning of libel?"
Eric: "Yes, I do. Why don't you hire a lawyer and I'll see you in court?"
Click.

So both Rob and I now await the call from Mr. Smythe’s lawyer in regard to libel.

Libel

Mr. Michael Smythe,

You have been accusing different people, including myself, of libel with regards to this blog. In fact, when you first brought it up to me (through one of your aliases) you accused me of slander. I had to correct you since slander is spoken, and libel is published.

Well Mr. Smythe, if you think I am guilty of libel, then bring on a lawsuit. I welcome the free discovery of information that a lawsuit would require. I look forward to how you will discredit the comments I have made on this blog.

In a libel suit, you have much more to lose than I, since you are the one hiding things from your investors, shareholders, and former employees. Perhaps that is why all you do is accuse people of libel, yet don't have the guts to actually bring a lawsuit. Having completed law school, you know exactly what would happen if you did bring a suit. You are handcuffed by your own desire to keep things secret.

Fear is the favorite weapon of bullies and cowards. As of now, fear is your only weapon. I really don't understand why people are so afraid of you? Do you threaten them that you won't pay them back if they speak out? How many years have you kept them waiting for payback?

I hope your investors and shareholders who still fear you come to their senses and realize you have no legitimate plan for paying them back.

-Rob

Three's Company

After watching ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM for the third time, I still can't decide if Michael Smythe reminds me of Jeffery Skilling or Andy Fastow. Maybe, he reminds me of both? If you have an opinion please email me.

I'd especially like to hear from all the Pro-Michael supporters since I have not heard from any of you in quite some time. (Michael, if it saves you and your brother-in-law time, just send me all the Pro-Michael comments in one email and the alias you'd like the comment attributed to.)

Andy Fastow, CFO/ENRON



Jeffrey Skilling, CEO/ENRON


Michael Smythe, Founder/Chairman/CEO of MyKidsBenefit, PayTribute, Glenmount Capital

Frozen!

Exerpt from globeandmail.com:

"An Ontario judge has frozen Conrad Black's personal assets worldwide, the latest in a series of legal moves that have targeted the former media baron's finances.

As a result of the ruling, which he is expected to challenge, Lord Black would have very limited access to his cash and would have to seek court approval for virtually any expenditure.

Mr. Justice Colin Campbell of the Ontario Superior Court issued the asset freeze last week at the request of Hollinger Inc., a Toronto-based company Lord Black once controlled, a source confirmed. The order covers all assets held by Lord Black and his wife, Barbara Amiel Black, the source said."

Click here to download Wall Street Journal Story about Conrad Black.

Two Thumbs Up ®

While you're waiting for Michael to pay you the money he owes you, I suggest running down to your local video store and renting THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM.

Well, it's 2006...how's that $16,000,000 coming along?

I don't know how old this announcement is, but the interesting thing is the charitable donation projection of $16,000,000 by 2006.

Michael, how is that coming. I'd love to share it with my readers. Two quick questions:

1. How much has MyKidsBenefit, PayTribute, and Glenmount Capital given to charity?

2. Is the "Michael and Lisa Smythe Foundation" a significant beneficiary of past companies charity?

$ 1,595,000

Is Michael selling the cottage to pay back investors? For the investors of MyKidsBenefit.com and PayTribute, I hope Michael has at least six more cottages.



Click here to visit the realtor's page

Another $10,000 for Michael Smythe

I received this email from a victim of Michael Smythe:

Dear Smythefraud,

I was almost taken in by Michael a number of times, and finally I was taken for $10,000 by him. I have read the blogs and am sickened by them. All of his business numbers and websites are now shut down. Now he is impossible for me to trace. Can you please help me with an address/phone number for him?

If it walks like Michael Smythe, and talks like Michael Smythe...

This is an excerpt from a Pro-Michael supporter's posting on 8/09/2006. The poster, known as RMAC says the following:
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As you will soon discover, Glenmount is NOT defunct. And, Glenmount will be ensuring that each and every "SR" who paid for the Economic Excellent Program will receive their money back.
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I hope Glenmount, Michael Smythe, and RMAC pay back every SR ($700), every Exclusive Real Estate Professional ($5000), every Regional Manager ($10,000 per month of service), and every other employee (including myself) who should have been paid but hasn't been. Note to Michael, make payments via wire transfer since we all know your checks don't clear the bank.

I'd like to see Michael do the same for every failed business opportunity he's raised money for. Michael, start by selling your million-dollar Lake of Bays cottage. If they do (Glenmount, Smythe, RMAC, et al.), then this blog has been successful. If they don't, then we will continue to shadow Michael Smythe's future business efforts.

"As you will soon discover" is a classic Michael Smythe phrase that I've heard in his audio and video presentations about Glenmount Capital. Michael takes great pride in his linguistic capability.

Michael, stop posting under different names in an effort to show that other people support you. Take credit for what you want to say. I've never deleted any comment you've posted...problem is, you've never bothered to post any. I know you've told business associates that I'm not allowing you to post comments. But, as you can see, I let everyone post, including your aliases.

Will the real Michael Smythe please stand up? I don't think you will, but you may want to prove me wrong and I hope that you do. Nevertheless, "You have the right to remain silent" as the famous saying goes.

To Barry Lever (bl2th@rogers.com) from Eric Daly

Dear bl2th-

It would appear that Michael has raised from investors or owes to suppliers, contractors, employees or the Canadian Federal Government in the order of $12,000,000 for his last 3 endeavors, My Kids Benefit, PayTribute.net, and Glenmount Capital. The financial damage he has done to a large number of persons and businesses is quite considerable, from those who invested several hundred thousand of their retirement funds even down to students who worked all summer and were not paid their salaries to help them pay for school.

If we all had our money back (in my case it is $30,000, which would go dandy towards university tuition for my daughters and a holiday with my wife), no doubt some of that money would have found its way to some very worthy causes, maybe even New Orleans, or Beirut. The issue now is to help others avoid a contribution of another $12,000,000 to Mr. Smythe and his optimistic, but 'Aw shucks, it did not work out again,' enterprises.

As an entrepreneur Michael Smythe could not run a lemonade stand at the end of his driveway on a hot summer's day, even if his parents made the lemonade and carried it down to him.

Tell you what Barry, if you can leverage the $30,000 out of Mike that he owes me I will promise to give you 10% of it and you can spend it on yourself or give it away in any manner you choose. Here's hoping I can write you a substantial check that will clear.

Eric Daly

Few (adj) - Amounting to or consisting of a small number

In an email to a Regional Manager for Glenmount Capital, reposted here as a reminder to all, Michael Smythe told this employee that he would get him a paycheck, and to "give him a few days".

Michael, its been FOUR WEEKS...and BlameThemAll is still waiting for that elusive check. Glenmount's payroll department must be behind. If you work for Michael Smythe, don't expect bi-weekly paychecks to be regular.

Email from Barry Lever dated 8/03/2006

Pro-Michael comments are so few and far between, I thought I'd post this for all to read. I don't need to answer Barry's questions because the answers are in this blog.
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Don't you have a job or something better to do than to post all of this information about this guy? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should be careful about what you write about people. Save your energy and focus on what really counts in life. Perhaps you have a personal vendetta for Mike. Why don't you spend your energy and anger in a postive way on helping the people in New Orleans or perhaps the people in Beirut that have had loved ones killed! I am sure that you could use your talents and smarts in a much more positive manner.

-Barry Lever
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This is most likely a close friend of Michael (hence the reference to "Mike") or Michael himself. It really doesn't take much time to post information. In fact, this post took me less than three minutes.

If you're interested in what Barry's been doing for the people of New Orleans and Beirut, click here to send him an email.

Michael Smythe, the Face of Glenmount Capital, PayTribute, MyKidsBenefit, etal

This blog went public as a warning beacon to all who might work for any of Michael Smythe's companies. We will continue to shine as long as Michael continues to "reinvent" his companies and attempts to raise money for enterprises that don't have a chance of succeeding.

Michael, I know you want this blog to go away and I have a price for you -- but you can't afford it. Pay back every investor, pay every employee, and pay every vendor you've ever had.

1-888-429-1612

Earlier today I called the "main" number for Glenmount Capital. There is no longer a recorded greeting thanking you for calling. In fact, there is no greeting at all and no way to leave a voice mail (not that your call would ever be returned).

For those bill collectors in the US who need to get a hold of Michael I recommend sending a text message. Hurry, we don't know how long he'll have this cell number (if he wrote a check...well, you know the drill). Write down 416-816-8040 and click on the link:

Send a TXT to Michael Smythe

I hope you are able to collect!

What's Next for Michael Smythe?

The Glenmount Capital homepage is gone. Many of the links that I've embedded in this blog are no longer working. Thankfully, the Google "cache" allows these links to live on! I've changed most of them, but I've also left some as a reminder to all...webpages are easy to put up, and take down.

The missing GC homepage caused me to start thinking....I wonder if Michael bounced a check to the web-hosting company? Or, is Glenmount Capital being "reorganized" into yet another revolutionary idea?

Please be on the lookout for the next version of Michael Smythe's personal fundraising opportunity, oops, I mean "business opportunity".

Michael's re-emergence is just around the corner.

(Glenmount Capital's new homepage)

An Arrow through the Heart of Lisa-Catherine Cohen

"Digital" forward by Eric Daly, July 2006:

“I met Lisa-Catherine when I began my tenure at PayTribute in August of 2004. She had been there since the previous May as Michael Smythe’s Senior Writer; every word of corporate presence was either written or revised by her. I thought I was a pretty good editor — until I met her! I have come to truly appreciate her talent as a writer and editor, and her deep insight into the nature of things and people — even if only in retrospect.

“I will not bother to synopsize her story; she tells it rivettingly. I will, however, pull one quote from her story. Our short-lived senior accountant told her this: Confucius say: ‘When in hole, stop digging.’ He said it a year too late. She — and all of us – learned a very hard lesson. We wish only that you never have to. At least not twice.

“For those of you who’ve put your trust in someone who really looked like a person of high integrity and ethics — in business or personally — but turned out not to be, and you landed splat on your disappointed you-know-what, this is a must-read! If something like this has never happened to you (perhaps because you’re 12), heed these words. This story, a cautionary tale if ever there was one, just might save you from falling into some similar crater, with your life turned upside down, your finances in utter ruin, and your heart in shards. Learn to see the early clues of the charlatan. People will show you who they really are in the first five minutes. Become wiser from this story, so that you can see the signs more quickly the next time a smooth-talking con artist tries to lead you down the garden path. I urge you to read every word. It is a page-turner.”

Please click here to read Lisa-Catherine's story.

Glenmount Capital, a PayTribute Sequel

The following is a entry submitted to me from Bill Petrie, another former PayTribute employee. Bill and I spoke earlier this week and I know you'll find his story enlightening. I'm glad to have Bill, along with Eric Daly, as contributing writers. I look forward to highlighting more of their insider-insight.
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From Bill Petrie:

I saw the ad on a reputable Canadian internet job bank in regard to PayTribute in August 2004. I phoned in and met Eric Daly. I felt the interview went well and he basically hired me over the phone that night.

I pointed out to him that for family reasons I needed to be home at 3:00 PM each day to pick up our children from school. My commute was a long one. I felt like “high maintenance” when I asked.

“No problem,” said Eric. Why don’t you arrive at 6:00 AM and go home at 2:00 PM.?”

“Wow, I thought! This is perfect for me.”

So I started so motivated. I was excited about making the DVD movies for people. It made so much sense. The other people were great and all the big companies such as IBM, Hewlett Packard and SOROC were giving us such great support. Michael Smythe gave the illusion that it was due to him and his grand visions and schemes, but it might have had something to do with the fact that Eric Daly had purchased $30,000,000 of product from IBM when he was the VP of IS at Royal LePage a few years earlier. Other employees including, Bryan and Larisa, had lots of good ideas, too. We all presented well and worked so hard. The job had all the appearances of being legit.

After only a few weeks my suspicions were aroused. Michael seemed mostly interested in selling more PayTribute shares, rather than making sales of DVDs.

Michael wanted low end portable DELL computers for the movie making, when higher end IBMs or HP desk tops were required. Michael wanted to use Windows “Movie Maker” which was a joke, when comprehensive, but inexpensive software was required - ie. Adobe Premier elements. We found a company that retailed ‘Matrox’, an outstanding piece of hardware to convert all types of data to the right format, and after a company demo, got two of the units. They were never properly installed or utilized, as Michael Smythe didn’t allow for the appropriate computers to be obtained.

Worst of all, Michael knew nothing about song copyright and mechanical rights. From my many years in the music business, I know this inside and out. He pretended to know, but he did not. He panicked when he found out that Eric Daly and I were pursuing the proper avenue in dealing with this ‘sticky’ situation. He immediately shut us down. It took me a long time to explain to Michael that we were never going to get the rights on music for anything popular, such as the Beatles or the Rolling Stones from anyone. Michael kept saying that a law firm was handling this, but I knew that to be a lie. You can’t “handle” popular music rights. We found one good library, DeWolfe, but Michael could not afford $1,000 per office per year? He chose Westar, lame stuff at best, but even the latter company went unpaid.

One morning in the fourth quarter of 2004 I was quite agitated with all these thoughts and concerns so when Eric came in at 7:30 I said to him,

“I think all of this PayTribute business is just a Michael Smythe scam.

“Number one, Michael is more interested in raising money for himself than making movies.

“Number two, he knows almost nothing about computers and technology. He is wrong on the hardware and wrong on the software. And he is clueless on the conversion hardware required.

“Number three he is absolutely wrong on the music royalties.

“Number four, he has these arguments with Peter on real estate timing of openings and leasehold improvements when Peter knows more in his big toe about real estate while asleep than Michael knows in his head while awake. The closest Michael gets to understanding real estate is that he has relatives in the business.

“Number five, Michael pretends to know a lot about management and executive leadership when he can’t carry your bags or Carl Nanni’s to the rink. But Michael always thinks he is the smartest man in the room!

“Finally, my check just bounced again so Michael can’t even manage a bank account!

“Tell me, Eric, what is Michael Smythe really up to?” We both agreed that his mode of operation and ethics were now VERY QUESTIONABLE!

Because I was causing some consternation to him, Michael Smythe decided to elevate my job status to include my attendance in the daily morning meetings. At the first one, I questioned his cost effectiveness of placing a $10,000.00 camera in each of the ‘satellite offices’. I was immediately chastised and forced to leave the meeting.

From that moment onward I wended myself out of the company.

More bounced pay checks in January 2005 caused me terrible problems with my bank and people I was paying. It took me close to a year to repair the financial repercussions. Finally I got some satisfaction with the help of the Ontario Labour Board. As far as I know, many people later tried the same route to recovery, but were not successful, because after I was paid there was no money anywhere except, perhaps, in Michael’s own personal accounts or those of family members. He also relies on a ‘quick deposit and shuffle the money scheme’ so it is next to impossible to collect even for a certified cheque.

All the authorities in Canada have been quite disappointing in terms of helping people recover from Michael Smythe what they are owed. Hopefully the authorities in the US will be more helpful to Americans hurt by Michael Smythe and his business shenanigans.

17 months and still no office in Houston

Here is some information on Glenmount Capital's sibling, PayTribute. This ad was first posted 17 months ago. So Michael, how's the "international expansion and the huge explosion" going? If you want to succeed take some advice from one of your supporters. Be sure to say in your job postings that you are looking for "business savvy, entrepreneurial types."



I've lived in Houston 25 years and in all those years I've never been to an office in zip code 77001. That's because it's a PO Box.

Seven days and counting...

What a week its been! Knowing that many people are coming across this blog as part of their due-diligence on Michael Smythe/Glenmount Capital is worth the continued criticism from those who think this is vengeance against Michael Smythe. I knew that by starting this blog I would be bring myself under the microscope, but it is for the greater good.

To be fair, I'm posting a Pro-Michael entry.

This entry comes from someone who wishes to remain unnamed. Because I've signed my name to this blog, and I'm going to give you prime-time space, you should have confidence in your statements to sign your name to them. He disagreed, so at his request I removed his name and email address.

This unnamed contributor implies that I, and any of you who worked at Glenmount expecting to be paid, are not a "truly smart business" people. Because I didn't discern what...that Glenmount Capital bounces checks? Statements like this are easy to make when you don't have to put your name to them.

Nevertheless, I think showing the other side is more important than my rules, so I'm posting it anyway. Seems that none of the Defend Michael blogs are getting the amount of traffic this one is, so I'd like to help them out. I've also added links to those blogs on the right side of the page.

If you are in the Defend Michael camp, please comment on this entry and add your two cents. I'm sure that Michael has a computer at his Lake of Bays mansion that he'll lend you while you're there for the weekend.

--------------------------------
Alot of this seems both harsh and misguided. Does anyone here really understand the concept of self-financed? The whole business plan is full of evidence for anyone digging. Did anyone actually read "base salary" in their job description? I agree no one likes being mislead. Having said that, this website is just a big band wagon party, where nothing constructive is being accomplished. Save for maybe the fact that a terrific, revolutionary business idea might get ruined. Who joins an entrepreneurial venture without either having gone down this road before or knowing its for you? Truly smart business people should be able to discern the fact that it is a many hands with light capital create a Venture Capital & business building organization. NOT a huge well of money writes cheques to corporates while they act as good employees. For both Regional and District Managers how did you fail to see your role was to be a fellow entreprenuer partnering with another to build something great collectively? We cannot judge from the outside whether or not Michael has PURPOSEFULLY mislead anyone. The ONLY thing that is clear in my view is that Michael's real failure was in his hiring practices!!! If he hired more business savvy, entrepreneurial types this BS site wouldn't f****n exist!

Signed: Business Savvy Entrepreneur with MBA who has actually met Michael and family!
--------------------------------

BSEw/MBA, you believe in Michael Smythe/Glenmount Capital enough to talk about it, but NOT enough to take a chance and work for Michael? Why don't you put YOUR money (or time) where HIS mouth is.

I suspect many in the Pro-Michael camp are hoping Glenmount Capital succeeds so they can be paid back on investments they made to previous failed companies (MyKidsBenefit.com, PayTribute.net). To them I say...no worries, your money is now invested in Michael and Lisa's real estate.

Let's Roll

A hearty "thank you" to all of you who have emailed me with words of encouragement and a big "you're welcome" to all those who have thanked me for sharing the truth about my time at Glenmount Capital.

Contrary to one, this blog is not my attempt to "spin" my actions. I have posted my actions for the world to see. I won't hide from them and I won't justify them. They are what they are.

I was lulled by Michael Smythe's calm demeanor on the phone. I was entranced by his revolutionary ideas and the way he is able to paint a picture of the future. I overlooked certain things with hope that they were not true. In the end, I should have followed my inner witness. I didn't. And why? Simple...I wanted to be paid for my two months of work and if I blew the whistle on Michael Smythe, I new I was kissing my paycheck buh-bye. Had I known that my paycheck was Michael's carrot that I would never catch, I would have left weeks ago. Michael has quite a way of leading people on.

"This is how he makes his living" by Eric Daly

Eric, thank you for your continued emails and comments. I appreciate you standing side by side with me in this effort. Now, on to your posting...

"I see some people are making a point over what you guys did or did not do over 3 or 4 months. Oh we are all so smart after the fact. He sure fooled me for 3 or 4 months. Take courage and wear your asbestos suits. Everyone must remember Smythe is a professional at parting people from their money as investors and people from their time and labour for little or nothing in return as employees, contractors or suppliers. He does not even forward to the government the withholdings taxes on a payroll. Now that is cheek. This is how he makes his living. Let us treat him with respect. He has done this for over a decade without a single person being able to out smart him so far. He has raised over $20 in investment money for every $1 in sales or revenue going back 3 companies. So why blame any one for not being able to see the pattern, whether it was in 10 minutes or 10 months? More than 10 months? Well then you do have a problem. I know of 2 people who saw through him in less than 10 minutes. However, there are dozens of investors who are hoping to see their money back at some point. Some folks even now are expecting great things out Glenmount. Give the man his due. As a talker he is most persuasive. He could talk the legs off a donkey."

The Check is in the Mail...

BlameThemAll, get your draw yet?

This is an excerpt from a 07/09/2006 email sent out by BlameThemAll. At BlameThemAll's request, his entire email is posted in the "comments" section below. In the interest of fairness, I'd like to report if Michael does send out a draw check to BlameThemAll. I guess paying 1 out of 10 people is a start. One phone call from Michael to payroll and that check should be on the way! Wasn't it supposed to be direct deposit? Wait a minute, you can't WIRE TRANSFER or ACH unless you HAVE the money.

BlameThemAll, you're posting a lot of comments and pointing your finger at me (while three are pointing back at you). Please be sure to post on this entry when you get that check, and when it clears the bank.

Michael enjoys "an attractive passive income" when people pay to be part of his companies.

Again, just another example of how Michael Smythe's business plans all depend on someone paying money to be a part of it. How in the world is this NOT a multi-level-markeing-pyramid-ponzi-scheme? Smythe is the world's greatest recycler and he caters to those souls with a dream of a better life. In Smythe's world, the upside is only $500 away (or in the case of Glenmount Capital, $699).

I am glad to say that in my time with Glenmount Capital, Todd and I abolished the $699 fee. Countless dreamers saved from heartache. I know Smythe would have eventually pulled the plug on Glenmount Capital and left those dreamers $699 poorer. Michael never could explain the full plan of Glenmount Capital. That's because he didn't need one.

Behind the scenes at PayTribute.net

If Michael Smythe wasn't concerned about paying royalties to artists who deserve them, why would he be concerned about paying salaries to employees who deserved them?

The following is published with the permission of Eric Daly, former Executive Vice President of PayTribute
------------------------------
Eric Daly, Executive Vice President, PayTribute.net, August 2004 to March 2005.

I had joined PayTribute.net in August of 2004 as the Executive Vice President (the most senior person to that point, aside from Michael Smythe). In the second week of employment, I discovered that you can not take the music of any popular piece, merge it with the short movies we were making and even screen it, albeit not for paid admission, let alone sell it to a client. You cannot even pay a royalty to any composer/author of said music or to his or her publisher, who will allow you to use it. I tried every avenue, short of the real one: paying a music library for use of the music in its catalogue, which Smythe said he was unable to afford, to no avail. As I have a close personal friend who is a composer and lives by his royalties, I determined that this was a most serious issue.

Smythe said, “Don’t worry about it. It is taken care of. Cassels Brock is taking care of the music licensing.” So I left it alone for awhile. When I hired an expert, because of what he knew about production of CDs, and when combined with PayTribute’s avowed desire to do things right, the issue reared its ugly head again.

By December of 2004, Smythe acknowledged the music licensing problem and put the expert in the role of solving it. But a series of bounced pay checks to that employee and an angry discussion between that employee and Smythe caused that employee to quit suddenly.

I then took over the music licensing, did my homework, and recommended the deWolfe library of music, based on its quality and its ease of organization. I had delightful chats with the North American representative in New York and she gave us a most competitive royalty quote. They were most anxious to have our business.

I had already left the company in early 2005 when Smythe made the decision to go with Westar, a vastly inferior music library with no “hit’” popular songs in its catalogue. That company had still not been paid by mid 2005, so there was still no music that could be legitimately used.

Music is so important to the business of creating DVD’s. Without it, it’s like having no wheels on a car. Eighteen months later, still having no wheels on the auto, and PayTribute was still asking new investors for money? I wonder if Cassels Brock ever really did anything on music licensing issues.

For $15,000 at VISTEK, any company can buy all the equipment (computers, cameras, lighting, sound, projection equipment) it needs to make the kinds of DVDs PayTribute makes. And for that same price, it can have the rights to use a lot of music, the licensing for which has already been paid for.

For Michael Smythe to have misunderstood or misconstrued this extraordinarily important music rights issue, casts doubt on his ever being able to get something right and sound strategically. There is always a gigantic gap or gaps between his dreams and the realities of the business world.



Download Eric's Original Document

History Repeats Itself - The Hardship of Accounting

This blog has reached farther and quicker than I envisioned it would. For those of you who think mine are are the isolated rantings of one "disgruntled" employee, I give you this adaptation of a Robert Frost poem submitted to me via email by Mr. Eric Daly:

Never ask of money spent
Where Michael Smythe thinks it went.
Michael Smythe was not meant
To remember or invent
What he did with your last cent.

Deja Vu all over again

Glenmount Capital by Michael Smythe. It's the same story...second (third, fourth, or fifth) verse.

Who's Reputation is on the Line?

I think there is enough information on this page to balance the "hope and optimism" Michael Smythe exudes with the reality of his day-to-day actions. I caution all those who have been invited to "work" at Glenmount Capital, or to become a "partner" of Glenmount Capital.

As a Regional Manager, District Manager, or Neighborhood Service Representative, YOU are putting YOUR reputations on the line. The people you talk to will never meet Michael Smythe. YOU are Glenmount Capital in their eyes. You must be prepared to look them in the eye when Michael Smythe lets them down.

Contrary to what Michael Smythe has told others, his comments are encouraged and are not "moderated" for any reason. Any post he makes will show in its entirety. If Michael Smythe makes a comment don't judge my lack of a reply as Michael being correct. To the contrary, I think the information I posted on the main blog does sufficient talking. Michael, I invite you to comment and "spin" any of this information as you see fit.

Hindsight 20/10

Michael Smythe, what is your definition of "won't take much longer"?

As of July 7, my resignation date, I had not seen a brochure, not even a digital file of a brouchure. No training manuals, no training CDs or DVDs. Nothing! The only printed material I saw was a flyer for SR recruiting, that Glenmount could not afford to print so we had to pay for them ourselves.

DD-MM-YYYY

Michael has told his new people in charge at Glenmount Capital that this check was not supposed to be deposited until August. Michael, this is check number 25. How did you write the previous 24 checks? What date format did you use on those? Using this logic, was Kathy Walker's check supposed to be deposited in November 2006?

I guess a highly educated law school grad (he's got more letters after his name than I do) like Michael could not figure the date out. Perhaps the paint fumes from Michael's only successful venture has affected his brain?

Who needs tools?

Michael does not believe in training because training and training materials cost money. The limited training materials that exist were created by me....and seems like those cost nothing since Michael has never paid me a dime.

Michael Smythe produced NO business plan

Some RMs who still think Michael will succeed blame those in management at the time for never forwarding a business plan. Well, we took our lead from the Chairman who doesn't have a business plan either.

Michael Smythe delays on the $40k

Credibility Lacking, and so is money.

How's the House Hunting Michael Smythe?

Boing!

Jackie, you're fired!

Wire transfers can be so unpredictable.

7-4-2006 Email

7-3-2006 Email

5-23-2006 Email

Michael Smythe, checks from you are worthless.

I had to make a separate entry for this one. The comment was posted as you can see, but it's important for people to be warned!!!!! I feel so foolish for having believed Michael Smythe. Please let everyone know about this blog.
------------------------------
HeHadNoMoney has left a new comment on your post "Where to call Michael":

I call it stealing. It took about 3 to 4 weeks for my check to come back as bounced, so if anyone has recieved a check from Glenmount, be aware that it may still bounce. One can always call the branch of the bank in Canada and ask if their check will clear. It is no guarantee, but it will let you know where you stand if you hold a Glenmount check from Canada. Already deposited your check?.......get the info from the check posted here in the forum.

Goal Congruency - Your Goals need to fund Michael's

Below are Michael Smythe's written goals. As great and detailed as they are it surprises me that the man who wrote them is the same man who's inconsistencies I heard on a daily basis. While Michael has a great vision for what a company could be, his last great vision cost his friends and family $10,000,000.

Makes you wonder why?

In my opinion it's becuase his goals change as the situation changes. On a daily basis, Michael would come up with new "cash flow" strategies for Glenmount Capital. I soon realized it was because there was NO capital at all. At one point he was going to charge the people he was hiring $699 to "work" for Glenmount. He even asks for a "voided" check along with the application. As of today, there is NO payroll processor or even a HR department at Glenmount Capital. So, the "voided check" is all smoke and mirrors.

Emails were sent promising funding then never materialized. The one check he sent bounced. It has been over four weeks since a Exclusive Real Estate Partner has paid $4995 for a Selling Movie and as of today that partner does not have the movie. Furthermore, the Glenmount Capital website talks about an Economic Excellence Program (that includes training for the thousands of SRs that Michael wants to hire) that does not exist. Michael instructs his lead executives to hire people for $10,000 per month that he knows he has no money to pay for. With a written offer letter, people leave jobs and start working for him unknowing that there is no money to pay them for work they do. When it comes down to the wire, he looks for excuses to fire those people based on their lack of results (he provided no written guidelines to base performance). Michael will always find a way to skirt the blame and responsibility.

As you read his goals, keep all of the above in mind.
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1. My GP&Ps as a Father: I will empower Lara, Vanessa, Melinda and Wesley. I will spend time with them. I will reinforce their capability and their ability to make good decisions. I will be patient with them. I will make a point of catching them doing things right. I will be highly empathetic. I will be approachable and trustworthy. I will seek first to understand before seeking to be understood. I will rephrase the content of what they say to me and reflect it back to them with feeling. I will refrain from evaluating, interpreting, probing or advising them. I will actively listen to them. I will love them unconditionally. I will help them be clear on and reach their goals. I will be a good teacher. I will ensure that portions of their lives are captured on film & video. I will teach them how to manage money properly. I will help them develop excellent communication and organizational skills. I will ensure that they are involved in at least one extracurricular activity that requires a significant investment of their time and effort. I will encourage them to search for and pursue their passion. I will teach them the importance of contributing distinctive value to others. I will be an excellent role model for them. I will read them stories often. I will regularly tell them - and show them - how I feel about them. I will help them truly understand DV x Q = W so that they will be able to create financial abundance for themselves and others.

2. My GP&Ps as a Husband: I will be patient with Lisa. I will rephrase the content of what she says to me and reflect it back to her with feeling. I will respond this way rather than evaluate, interpret or probe her based on what she says. I will also refrain from giving her advice. I will let her know that I care about how she feels. I will help Lisa be clear on her goals & then help her reach them. I will be imaginative, and make our relationship fun. I will ensure we enjoy activities together. I will communicate openly with Lisa. I will be supportive, loving & caring. I will do my best NOT to raise my voice with her. Instead, I will take 3 deep breaths when ever I feel myself becoming angry. I will remind myself she is doing what she is doing for a good reason. I don't have to agree with it, but I will try to understand her just the same. I will spend time with Lisa. I will regularly tell her and show her how I feel about her. Together, we will build or buy homes on Lake of Bays, in the Bridle Path, on Lake Ontario, in Scottsdale, Vancouver, Whistler, Naples and New York City.

3. My GP&Ps with respect to RRI: I will engage in a minimum of 120 minutes of Review, Reflection and Innovation – before exercising each day. I will regularly review my GP&Ps and my trunk goals. I will form a clear mental picture of my trunk goals. I will design & contemplate the questions to which I want answers. I will be patiently confident. I will not allow myself to feel any doubt. I will have complete faith that I will attract the answers I seek. I will maintain a balanced approach to life. I will develop at least one new capability every 30 days. I will expose myself often to tremendous RRI stimulus. I will appreciate and live each day as if it was one of only a hundred I had left. I will contribute distinctive value to others. I will practice the “simple disciplines” every day. I will regularly benefit from inspiration & coaching.

4. My GP&Ps with respect to my Health: I will exercise for strength and muscle tone - 3 or more times per week. I will run a minimum of 30 kms per week. I will do abdominal work at least 5 times per week, to keep my stomach flat and my back strong. And, I will stretch at least 3 times per week. When we travel, we will stay only in hotels that have good fitness facilities. I will do my best to eat nutritious foods. I will limit my daily fat intake to reasonable maximums. I will consume plenty of healthy fluids, particularly water - each day. I will give my body the rest and sleep it needs. I will treat my body with the care and respect required to keep it in good working order.

5. My GP&Ps with respect to my Family: I will be loyal, especially in their absence. I will be patient with them - even when they do or say something that irritates me. I will be thoughtful and appreciative. I will be supportive and giving. I will refrain from giving them advice or judging them. I will deliver what I promise. I will help support those in financial need. I will send notes and thank you cards. I will do innovative, fun and thoughtful things to express my love.

6. My GP&Ps with respect to my Friends: I will be loyal, thoughtful and supportive. I will seek to enhance their lives in fun, imaginative ways. I will share the wealth. I will be proactive about my friendships. I will help them reach their goals and fulfill their dreams. I will be there for them in times of need. I will not take my friends for granted. I will make the time to enjoy things together. I will send notes, pictures, movies and thank you cards.

7. My GP&Ps with respect to my Financial Health: I will create and enjoy financial abundance by contributing distinctive value to a great many people - in a highly leveraged fashion. I will pay myself first by investing at least 10 % of my income each month. I will allow my investments to grow untouched in Glenmount’s Secure Mortgage Fund, George Bailey Home Ownership Fund and Glenmount Venture Fund. I will be a master of, not a slave to compound interest. 10% of my income will go to charity. I will utilize professional accounting expertise. Whenever I feel uninspired, I will seek inspiration. I will share my wealth with those whom I love.

8. My GP&Ps with respect to Learning: I will regularly read and consume great content to expand my knowledge. I will capture the key points that I learn. I will try to learn from every individual I meet. I will take lessons and courses in areas of interest. I will maintain a “Velcro-like” perspective. I will do my best to learn from all of life’s experiences - including the good and the seemingly, not so good. I will spend more time reading than watching television.

9. My GP&Ps with respect to Society: I will be charitable. I will help those in need. I will make a lasting, positive impact thorough excellence in my written, oral and multimedia communications. I will do my best to inspire others. I will encourage others to explore and fulfill their true potential. I will do my utmost to promptly pay my fair share. I will pursue worthwhile purposes. I will be compassionate, patient and understanding.

10. My GP&Ps with respect to Golf & Tennis: I will take lessons to improve my proficiency. I will make time to enjoy these activities with people I like, particularly Lisa. I will play golf & tennis at some of the world’s finest locations. I will maintain a positive, sportsmanlike attitude. Above all, I will remember to have fun.

11. My GP&Ps with respect to Travel & Entertainment: I will enjoy dinners out with Lisa, the kids, friends and family. We will eat fine foods and enjoy wonderful wines. We will travel regularly. We will visit interesting, relaxing and memorable locations. We will experience the finest in music, theater and motion pictures. We will enjoy the latest in technology. We will entertain others in fun imaginative ways. We will delegate much of the preparation and clean up to hired help - so we can enjoy entertaining to the fullest. We will capture our travel and entertainment memories with pictures and video - so we may enjoy them for years to come.

12. My GP&Ps with respect to Legacy: I will build a legacy of which I am proud. I will capture our lives digitally - with an abundance of pictures and video. I will then document our lives by producing entertaining multimedia movies – which can then be enjoyed for generations.

13. My GP&Ps with respect to Glenmount Capital: I will build a team comprised of 524,520 Micro-Market Service Representatives situated throughout the United States and Canada. Glenmount will enhance the quality of people’s lives by making our economy much more efficient AND compassionate. Glenmount will provide 9 distinctively valuable services to consumers; as well as 9 distinctively valuable services to businesses. We will enable businesses to establish – in only weeks or a few short months – the widespread distribution that, before Glenmount Capital, would have taken them approximately 10 years or longer to establish.

14. My GP&Ps with respect to Glenmount’s 11-Point Social Agenda: Glenmount’s revolutionary economic platform and private company status will enable me to pursue our “beyond-the-mere-profit-motive” 11-point social agenda which includes: (i) subsidizing the investment returns we provide to investors in order to help them reach their retirement savings goals with greatly reduced risk; (ii) greatly accelerating the creation of new higher-paying jobs; (iii) making it possible for recent college grads to acquire their own homes - with no down payment – to enable them to get off to an “economic fast-start” so that they need not waste their money paying rent while trying to save a sufficient sized down payment; (v) enabling many “renters” to become home owners or condominium owners; (vi) teaching our young people about Glenmount’s new “Low-Risk Entrepreneurialism” and giving them the supervised opportunity to operate a “Turnkey Micro-Business” while attending school; (vii) enabling high school seniors to begin investing $500 per month and contributing to charity; (viii) confidentially “partnering” with our consumer clients to help ensure that they maintain the economic wherewithal to comfortably manage their financial affairs; (viii) greatly increasing our economy’s Entrepreneurial Success Rate, from its dismal present level of 5%; (ix) making it much easier for Entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals to “qualify” for the mortgages and car loans they require; (x) confidentially providing debt-relief and temporary financial aid to selected individuals and families who are experiencing financial hardship; and (xi) generously funding the quest to find a prevention and cure for cancer.

15. My GP&Ps with respect to my Communications Excellence: I will seek out opportunities to improve my oral and written prowess. I will communicate in an interesting, informative, entertaining, and easy to follow fashion. I will utilize the latest in multi-media technology. I will continue to improve my proficiency in front of the camera.

16. My GP&Ps with respect to my Messes: Messes are distracting and negative. They compromise clarity and energy; often subtly – at very deep levels. Therefore, I will maintain a confidential list of the ‘messes’ in my life. Each month I will focus on eliminating at least one of them - until such time that none exist.

Michael Smythe Can't Afford Airfare

Michael is assembling his management team for Glenmount Capital by telephone. He's gone from MKB.com's "world class management team" to phone interviews and the "draw" of a paycheck. I've heard that some employees actually received ONE paycheck although I never received any in my two months. For those employees who are fortunate enough to get a check, have your bank call and verify funds before you deposit it! I'm sure the Regional and District Managers in Canada receive regular paychecks. Call Michael and ask him how many people work for Glenmount Capital in Canada. Better yet, send Michael Smythe an email.

Show Michael Smythe the Money!

On a conference call last Monday, July 3, 2006, Michael revealed that MyKidsBenefit.com and PayTribute will be Glenmount Capital's FIRST clients. So, the mechanism to make the "SELLING MOVIES" for Exclusive Real Estate Partners, and any other business wanting a "SELLING MOVIE" is not in place. Michael Smythe instructs his Regional Managers to take the money anyway!

He's got to pay back that $10,000,000 he blew on MKB.com somehow! Investors, be sure when he pays you that you request a WIRE TRANSFER since the checks he promises will come, never do. If a check does show up, it bounces.

Destroy a company one year, build a lakehouse the next

One year after the demise of MyKidsBenefit.com, Michael is in front of the Township of Lake of Bays discussing the construction of his lakehouse. (Read Section #7)

Is this where Michael funnels all the money raised from investors in his failed companies?

The husband and father of four says he sank $400,000 of his own cash into the company and is now living off his savings--"but I can't do that indefinitely." MKB, he says, is insolvent and can't even afford to file for bankruptcy.

DV gone?

For those of you who don't know, Michael writes all the content on the website. It's funny to read and see Michael refer to himself in the third person. Such a humble man.

PayTribute's CEO - Michael Smythe

Remember, PayTribute is going to do all the "Selling Movies" for Glenmount Capital. PayTribute will finally make money! Go Michael Go!

Revamped "About Us" Page

It's good to see that this blog is having an effect. I noticed that Michael has revamped the front page and referenced the two articles that we have exposed.

I'm glad Michael is now forthcoming. I hope everyone does more research and makes him accountable for anything he promises to do. But be warned, history repeats itself.

Made in September 2004

If this Re/Max Selling Movie, that you made for this agent (and shareholder of the company that makes the movies, PayTribute), was as successful as you both claim, then I have two questions:

(1) How many OTHER agents in Toronto have commissioned a selling movie?
(2) And, why is the video NOT on the agent's own personal website?

Email Michael Mealia with your questions about the success of his Selling Movie and if he'd do one w/o having been a shareholder.

Someone else was always to blame.

"We have regional managers out there who in past lives have acheived great success and when we hire them as a regional manager they are under the impression that they will sit back and manage. We need people to get out there and make this happen. We've got the wrong people." - Michael Smythe

In this letter it was the NASDAQ's fault.

Letter from MYEMAG.COM to their users:

We are an 18 month-old ‘dot com’ company with more than 120 full-time employees. To date, we have financed our own growth by raising more than $10 million - exclusively from friends, family and close business associates. During the early days of our pre-launch subscription and referral program, we engaged the services of one of the country’s preeminent underwriting firms to complete a ‘private placement’ financing - a portion of which was to be used to pay you. At the time we entered into the engagement, the firm expressed to us a very high level of confidence that our funding would be in place by April 15. Neither they nor our company anticipated the recent
free-fall in the value of high-tech stocks. The ensuing investor caution is delaying our receiving the expected funding (which is the primary reason why it is taking us much longer than we had planned to pay all of our subscribers).

The good news is that this is not affecting our plans to send you your first Entirely Customized Electronic Magazine in the next 6 weeks. We hope you’ll enjoy the terrific articles it will contain (exclusively in your areas of particular interest) and that you will be able to start taking advantage of the many ‘Kids Cash-Back’ opportunities featured.

We truly appreciate your patience with us and you can be sure that we are working very hard to see that you receive your payment by September. We encourage you to share your comments with us at customercare@home.mykidsbenefit.com.

More Cheerleader than CEO

My experience at Glenmount Capital was similar. The Chairman, the uber-intellectual, never understood why people out there didn't "get it" like he got it.

Download article
--------------------------
(Excerpt)

Led by a motivational speaker with a law degree--a Tony Robbins for the dot-com age--MKB paid more attention to pep-talk theory than its bottom line, and we all paid the price.

At the weekly meeting an employee lobs the question: "Are we going to get paid this week?" Smythe answers, "I'm absolutely hopeful."

(Excerpts)

Cheque 2: Give it back?
Smythe is promoting a "We Own It" initiative. MKB has about 25 outside investors, and Smythe is asking employees to invest in MKB--the minimum is $5,000. A few of us wonder if investing would just be funding our own paycheques, but 10 others take the risk.

Cheque 3: Will it bounce?
A new round of cuts in July eliminates the sales department. The commuter who invested her retirement savings gets the boot, but manages to cancel her investment. A disgruntled ex-employee sends a bitter e-mail to all staff.

Cheque 4: Dot-bombed
Productivity plummets. We come into work late, gossip and try to confirm rumors, then leave early. At the weekly meeting an employee lobs the question: "Are we going to get paid this week?" Smythe answers, "I'm absolutely hopeful."

Download article

$10MM - $16MM = ($6MM)

Once again, people (subscribers in this case) were promised $20 and many of them did not get it. How could they? When you raise $10,000,000 and you've got to pay out $16,000,000 in just referral fees...that's not good business.

-----------------------
We don't know it, but the meetings are to fund next month's paycheques. Smythe expected the investment arm of a major bank to come through with $40 million a month earlier. It didn't, and MKB is still drawing on $10 million Smythe and senior managers raised from friends and family.

We acquired 415,000 subscribers through "viral marketing." (Each new subscriber was promised US$20 for every other they signed up.)

"I don't believe in doing harm to other people. It's the antithesis of contributing to the DV principles." - Michael Smythe

Download the article

Postscript: Insolvency
Back at the now-silent MKB offices, row upon row of cubicles stand like an empty honeycomb, 10 weeks after I left. Smythe and the nine other drones that survived the MKB collapse are working for free and hoping to populate the hive anew. Smythe, a little puffy under the eyes, is in his office. The husband and father of four says he sank $400,000 of his own cash into the company and is now living off his savings--"but I can't do that indefinitely." MKB, he says, is insolvent and can't even afford to file for bankruptcy.

Of the 50 disgruntled ex-employees who didn't get their final week's pay, one has filed a complaint with Ontario's Ministry of Labour; others are holding onto company laptops until they get their money. But with millions owed to MKB's secured creditors--one of whom is Smythe--ex-employees will be waiting in a long line for any cash.

Smythe has a new dot-com dream now. He brandishes a brochure from Deloitte Consulting and, as he pushes it forward on the desk, he reads from it: "Create. Reinvent. Defend. We're in the reinvention phase." In Smythe's mind, he never really failed--he just hired and then fired a lot of people. His next company will be an application service provider, he says, or maybe an advertising cooperative for "world-class" companies. He seems to be "reinventing" on the spot. Whatever his new company does, Smythe says that DV is sure to be a crucial part of it. He says he will launch a distinctivevalue.com Web site before the end of the year.

Smythe says he feels bad about the 130 layoffs at MKB. "Philosophically, I had a real problem with that," he says. "I don't believe in doing harm to other people. It's the antithesis of contributing to the DV principles." He goes on to complain that venture capitalists in Canada are too "conservative." And he's toying with the idea of taking his next venture south of the border.

Why did MKB really bomb? Certainly the US$20-a-head cost to acquire most customers created a monstrous debt. And bought readers aren't the same as earned readers; they tend to be more interested in the cash than the magazine. Another factor was that the business focus was ever-shifting, confusing potential advertisers and employees alike. But the biggest problem was likely the rush to hire so many so fast. Many had little or no appropriate experience. There was a kernel of a good idea, says Dave Watt, former editorial operations manager at MKB. "But the company tried to run before it could walk."

It sounds too good to be true...

Health insurance for 524,000 Service Representatives?
No down payment, no qualification home loans at PRIME?
Glenmount Capital Home Mortgage Fund subsidized returns of at least 10%?

Under Michael's plan, in order for 524,000 SRs to each make $50, 000 per year, Glenmount Capital would need revenues of $80,000,000,000.00 per year. I believe in Michael's video it talks about a target of $90,000 per SR, per year.

Then again, who cares. Over promise and underdeliver, right Michael?

MKB offers generous benefits: full dental and medical, and a personal health account for leftover funds that we can access for things like gym memberships. Bonnie asks us for our thoughts on joining the MKB team. A guy from sales says,"It sounds too good to be true."

Download the article

Email from Me to Michael on 6/29/06

Disgruntled (adj) - Angry or Dissatisfied

Michael Smythe says this blog was created by two disgruntled employees who later begged for their jobs back. Michael, when coming up with stories, please try to be more creative. Let's review the facts:

1. Chairman of the company sends you a bad check (and sent another one to a printing vendor).
2. Chairman of the company says to fire all the employees before we have to pay them.
3. Chairman of the company NEVER paid you a dime in salary.
4. Chairman of the company wanted me fired because I sent him the email on 6/29/06, then when he found out I resigned, wondered how to get me back on board?

Yes Michael, I am disgruntled! I'm disgruntled about the TWO checks you bounced, the talented people to whom you over promised, the innocent people who paid for your Economic Excellence Program training that does not exist, and because I was insane to believe that you would actually do what you said you would do.

Chiropractic College Students, aka Fab Five.

The Fab Five as seen on Michael's video. Michael's daughter is still enrolled in college eventhough Michael's sure that the distribution of the Fab Five will work. Maybe Mrs. Smythe and his daughter are NOT so sure.

Fab Five

I'm sure you have heard about them if you've watched the website video. Did you know that one of the Fab Five is Michael's daughter. Yet another personal Smythe business that will succeed as Glenmount does. No wonder he looks happy!

Finally, Success...

The unrevealed purpose of Glenmount Capital is to make businesses that Michael and his friends own successful. They were not able to make them successful on their own, so they will become clients of Glenmount Capital.

Establishing a New Channel Example

PayTribute is development stage business which produces 100 different types of customized movies for families, teams and schools.

PayTribute utilizes a “warm market” distribution model, predominantly comprised of part-time women – who they refer to as “Movie Consultants” - who help their family and friends make and then enjoy these types of movies.

Movie Consultants help their clients design their movies by using the pictures and home video their family and friends already have, together with the on-camera interviews and professional narration PayTribute can add, to produce heart-stirring movies which virtually anyone can easily afford.

Each movie’s unedited content is then sent by FedEx to PayTribute’s central production facility for assembly according to the Project Plan prepared by the Movie Consultant. And, the finished movie and its professional packaging are then posted to the internet for previewing and approval by the client.

PayTribute has operated a successful local test market and now is looking to engage over 200,000 part-time Movie Consultants throughout the United States and Canada.

Enter Glenmount Capital.

To a subset of the individuals who confidentially apply to Glenmount Capital for debt relief and financial aid, Glenmount's Neighborhood Service Representatives can offer PayTribute's part-time Movie Consultant opportunity (as a condition for providing financial aid).

PayTribute could then train each of these part-time Movie Consultants via its own on-line training modules. The Movie Consultants could be taught how to make their family and friends aware of (with a Glenmount selling-movie!) the heart-stirring movies they – with PayTribute’s help – can quickly and inexpensively help them to create.

If each Movie Consultant then helped facilitate an average of just 6 movies per year for their families and friends, in total PayTribute would produce 1.2 million movies per year. If, on average each movie was produced for $750, PayTribute's gross revenues would total $900,000,000 per annum!

DV x Q = Hot Check

Michael's contribution to Glenmount Capital Corporation of America

Glenmount Capital?

Michael, you were asking people to invest $699 as a tuition for a program that you don't have? If you believe in Glenmount so much, why don't you sell your $1,500,000 lakehouse to fund it?

Why Selling Movies?

Ahhhh, that's simple. It's because Michael charges Glenmount Capital Corporation of America $1000 for PayTribute (his own company) to make the movies. I don't know if PayTribute has ever made any money but having a captive client is a way to guarantee profitablity. I should have known when I was told to set up my Glenmount email address with the paytribute mail server that something was fishy.

MyKidsBenefit.com

Faulty Tower

Author: Jessica Wong
Date: June, 2001

In May 2000, Mykidsbenefit.com set out to revolutionize publishing by putting out the "first-ever customized e-magazine." Two months and over $10 million later, the walls came tumbling down.

Who is Michael E. Smythe

This blog is dedicated to revealing the business practices of Michael E. Smythe from Toronto. If Michael Smythe has contacted you to invest, work, or be a client of any of his companies, please read all the information that is posted on this blog. Feel free to contact me at smythefraud@gmail.com with any questions you might have. Michael owes me $20,000 for two months of work and he owes many others much more.