1855: Why does Jean-Pierre Meyers support a company labelled by France2 as an 'arnaque'?

13 Heures item on 1855 is clearly labelled 'Arnaque (fraud)
See screen in background  

Having arrived in France early this morning and the Loire by early afternoon, I have now been able to review the news item of 1855 that was broadcast on France2 on Friday afternoon.

The link is here. The item on 1855 can be found around 17.45 minutes into the broadcast. It features a customer (Gilles Rémy) who ordered some 60 bottles of Bordeaux en primeur (2000 euros worth) from 1855 that should have arrived in 2007. In March 2012 he received judgment in his favour. Despite this he still has not received his wine nor has he been reimbursed. He and his lawyer have started legal action to close down the 1855 internet site. The case will be heard in late September and the result will surely be eagerly awaited by many. 

 I find that Fabien Hyon, md of the 1855 group, has a considerable physical likeness to the celebrated Charles Ponzi

 Fabien Hyon starring on 13 heures France2: Friday 3rd August 2012

Fabien Hyon claims as he and Emeric Sauty de Chalon have done on a number of occasions in the past that yes the company has had financial problems but these will now be sorted as they have just had a new injection of capital. France2 clearly were not convinced by M. Hyon's assurance.

The France2 broadcast has arnaque (fraud) as a clear background title. I have to wonder what Jean-Pierre Meyers, a director of L'Oréal and Nestlé and one of the main shareholders of 1855 thinks of his association with a company that has now been so publicly labelled as fraudulent?   

1855 – can't pay €2750 or won't pay or trading while insolvent?

Charles Ponzi signing cheques – did he pay by instalments, too? 

Here is another extraordinary chapter in the 1855 saga. In 2009 TF ordered some 2008 Mouton-Rothschild en primeur from 1855 and then later also ordered some other 2009 Bordeaux en primeur. As is their practice 1855 failed to deliver the Mouton-Rothschild, so TF took his case to a Paris court. He was given judgment in his favour with 1855 ordered to pay €2750. TF instructed a bailiff (l'huissier) to collect the debt.

Amazingly the bailiff came back to TF and told him that 1855 was in financial difficulties, so could not pay €2750 and could they pay by instalments?!!

TF has told the bailiff that instalments are not acceptable. The bailiff has undertaken to seize assets to the value of €2750 if the debt isn't paid by the end of this week. 

If 1855 cannot pay the relatively trifling sum of €2750, does this indicate that they are trading while insolvent?


What I wonder does Jean-Pierre Meyers make of this?

Also small wonder that 1855 is no longer a member of La FEVAD

Message from TF (26.7.2012)

Jim

I thought that you would be interested in the email exchange below.

I have a judgment and have instructed a huissier who tells me that 1855.com is unable to settle the €2,750 judgment debt unless it pays by instalments.

It’s beyond a joke.

Regards

TF

The email correspondence:  

---

From: f.rodriguez@nocquet.org [mailto:f.rodriguez@nocquet.org] On Behalf Of huissiers@nocquet.org
Sent: 26 July 2012 10:23
To:  TF

Subject: Tr : Réf : Tr : RE: S005350/RG NO 91-11-137/ SA 1855

 

----- Réacheminé par Francisco RODRIGUES/noc le 26/07/2012 11:25 -----

Emma Martineau/noc 26/07/2012 11:10

A huissiers/noc@noc cc Objet Réf : Tr : RE: S005350/RG NO 91-11-137/ SA 1855Lien

Monsieur,

Je fais suite à votre courrier.

La société rencontre des difficultés financières, elle ne peut régler la totalité de la dette en une seule fois.

Si à la fin de la semaine je n'ai reçu aucun acompte, je diligente un procès verbal de saisie vente.

Je ne manquerai pas de vous tenir informé.


Mlle MARTINEAU Emmanuelle
SCP NOCQUET SALOMON FLUTRE
Huissiers de Justice Associés
10 avenue de l'Opéra
75001 Paris
Tel: 01 42 60 33 24
Fax: 01 49 27 06 67

huissiers/noc Envoyé par : Francisco RODRIGUES/noc 19/07/2012 14:04

A Emma Martineau/noc@noc cc Objet Tr : RE: S005350/RG NO 91-11-137/ SA 1855

----- Réacheminé par Francisco RODRIGUES/noc le 19/07/2012 14:06 -----

"TF" <*******.com> 19/07/2012 14:02

A SCP Nocquet Salomon Flutre 10 av. de l'Opéra 75001 PARIS cc Objet RE: S005350/RG NO 91-11-137/ SA 1855

Cher Monsieur

Ce n'est pas acceptable.

La dette jugement doit être payé en entier en un seul versement.

La société est commercial et possède des actifs qui pourraient être saisis et vendus afin d'effectuer le paiement.

Cordialement

TF



-----Original Message-----
From: SCP Nocquet Salomon Flutre 10 av. de l'Opéra 75001 PARIS [mailto:huissiers@nocquet.org]
Sent: 17 July 2012 17:25
To: TF
Subject: DR:S005350/RG NO 91-11-137/ SA 1855

                                            
 Le 17/07/2012


 REF. à rappeler :
 S00535  /0 / S
 TF
 SA 1855

       EF : RG NO 91-11-137




              Monsieur le Directeur,



              Je fais suite à votre courrier.

              Le commandement de payer aux fins de saisie vente a été
              signifié à la société débitrice.

              Cette dernière vient de me soumettre une proposition
              d'échéancier de paiement sans en indiquer les mensualités.

              A réception de la proposition modifiée je ne manquerai pas
              de vous tenir informé.

              Je vous prie de me croire,

              Votre bien dévoué.

1855: Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon: not people to do business with ...

'Fraudeur': Fabien Hyon, Directeur Général en charge des opération: Not someone to do business with 
(another photo on 1855 site)

Charles Ponzi – the inspiration for 1855?

'Fraudeur': Emeric Sauty de Chalon: Président de 1855: Not someone to do business with.

Plus video of Emeric Sauty de Chalon explaining how the internet is a wondrous tool for trousering clients money and not delivering wares ordered. I would be surprised if L'Express were not now a little queasy at this video of Emeric Sauty de Chalon as a 'Who's Who in France!

The saga of this 1855 arnarque (fraud) continues without interruption and increasingly includes the associated companies: Cave Privée and ChâteauOnline.

Cave Privée from La Passion du Vin forum

J'ai recu aujourd'hui (28.6.2012) un mail d'un ami vigneron champenois réputé: 

"Chers Amis, Chers confrères vignerons et négociants,Vous trouverez en copie ci-après, l’e-mail envoyé à la société C... P..... en fin de semaine dernière,… resté sans réponse à ce jour ! Vous pourrez vous rendre compte de l’attention que ses dirigeants portent à leurs fournisseurs en ne répondant à aucune de nos sollicitation. La société C... P..... nous doit en effet 4248.79€ dont la majeure partie depuis plus d’un an, sans qu’il nous soit possible de joindre une personne décisionnaire pour en obtenir le règlement. Je vous invite à redoubler de méfiance à leur égard, ou mieux encore à boycoter cette société qui depuis son rachat, a adopté les mêmes méthodes de gestion que celles de sa nouvelle maison mère : 1..5.com. Je vous autorise bien évidemment à transmettre ce courrier à vos amis vignerons et négociants, membres de vos associations, susceptibles d’être en relation avec eux. Pour plus d’informations, n’hésitez-pas à nous contacter. Bien à vous." ......

http://lapassionduvin.com/phorum/read.php?18,179053,683576#msg-683576

There is also a recent post on this thread by a client of Cave Privée who has ordered some of Guy Bossard's fine Muscadet. The order has been placed by Cave Privée but has not been dispatched because the wine has not been paid for. 

ChâteauOnline 

Only this week Decanter magazine asked me to write a response to a client of ChâteauOnline. The client, who is based in the UK, had ordered some 2008 Bordeaux en primeur. Now ChâteauOnline are refusing to deliver his 2008 en primeurs to the UK and he is finding it impossible to contact them.

1855 (two messages today)

One:        

Un nouveau commentaire (29.6.2012) vient d'être posté sur la note "http://hlalau.skynetblogs.be/archive/2010/12/14/www-1855-com.html" du weblog "Chroniques Vineuses" :

"Bonjour,

N'arrivant à joindre personne via telephone et mail, je laisse ce message.

Je suis toujours en attente d une commande de 12 bouteilles primeur 2008 de Chasse Spleen, commande nº 363489862867.

Two:

Un nouveau commentaire vient d'être posté sur la note "http://hlalau.skynetblogs.be/archive/2010/12/14/www-1855-com.html" du weblog "Chroniques Vineuses" :

www.1855.com :

"Bonjour, J'ai envoyé un message le 12 juin, j'ai reçu une réponse lapidaire par mail, mais toujours rien reçu de ma commande de vin primeur 2009!! Entre temps, l'assemblée a eu lieu, les administrateurs ont reçu leur 30 000 € de cachet voté par les actionnaires! Nous les acheteurs, nous attendons le bon vouloir de 1855 de livrer les commandes payées!!! Amis lecteurs, avez vous une association de défense avec avocat? merci pour vos réponses."

Ce commentaire a été posté par Bacchus.

 ***

The first clear lesson here is not to buy from 1855, Cave Privée or ChateauOnline.

The second lesson is that if your wine does not turn up in reasonable time to take legal action in France or, if you have paid by credit card, to get a refund from your credit card company. 

1855 Assemblée Générale (AG): how long will Jean-Pierre Meyers continue to support these crooks?

The spirit of Charles Ponzi will be at 1855's Assemblée Générale today

1855 will hold its AGM for its shareholders today at the Hotel Ibis Ledru Rollin  close to the Gare du Lyon in Paris – starting time 10.30h.

It would be good to think that they will take this opportunity to demand that Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon start running 1855 and its associated companies – Cavée Privée and Châteauonline – as proper businesses and cease to defraud their customers by failing to supply the wines, especially Bordeaux en primeur, ordered. That they will also ask how many hundreds of court cases 1855 is currently facing. 

Will they ask about the latest mention of 1855 in La Revue du Vin de France?

They might also ask these internet geniuses why share information for investors isn't updated. They manage to change to the date but not the share price nor the company valuation nor the number of shares. Come Fabien Hyon get yourself organised!

1855's version of their share price etc 0.07€ a share

 The reality: 0.04€ a share

I fancy the chances of the investors asking pressing questions are as probably as slim as the Bordelais, apart from a few honorable exceptions, having the courage to condemn 1855 and warn people not to deal with them. 

No my guess is that the most pressing concern for Emeric Sauty de Chalon, Fabien Hyon and the investors is how much longer will Jean-Pierre Meyers be prepared to support this scam. When will he decide that the damage his association with 1855  does to his reputation as one of France's most prominent businessmen is too great? What I wonder do Jean-Pierre Meyers' fellow directors at L'Oréal and Nestlé make of his support for 1855?    

**

Emeric Sauty de Chalon's amended invitation to 1855 investors: 

'Batir la première arnaque mondiale dans la vente de grands vins' 

1855: Assemblée Générale (AGM) this Friday@Ibis, Gare du Lyon

Charles Ponzi will be at 1855's AGM this Friday in spirit

Diary date this Friday for the many friends and supporters of 1855, Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon – the company's assemblée générale at 10.30 at L'Hôtel Ibis, Paris Gare de Lyon Ledru Rollin, 41/43 avenue Ledru Rollin, 75012 Paris. 

This is a great opportunity for those customers who happen to be in the vicinity of the Gare de Lyon to go to the Ibis and ask Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon when they can expect to get their long overdue wine. A few placards denouncing the 1855 scam would also I am sure be appreciated by de Chalon and Hyon. It also might be an opportunity to ask Jean-Pierre Meyers how long he will continue to bankroll this scam assuming that he attends the shareholders' meeting.   

1855's notice of the meeting: 

'Le Conseil d'Administration décide de convoquer les actionnaires en Assemblée Générale Ordinaire le 22 juin 2012 à 10h30, à l'Hôtel Ibis Paris Gare de Lyon Ledru Rollin, 41/43 avenue Ledru Rollin, 75012 PARIS, à l'effet de délibérer sur l'ordre du jour suivant :'


Further details here. There are no less than seven resolutions concerned with raising further capital. Shares in 1855 closed at 0.04€ today.

1855: an April bonjour from Charles Ponzi

Charles Ponzi in 1920

From Charles Ponzi
1.4.2012


Dear Fabien Hyon,

You may be surprised to hear from me – after all I moved onto a new  entrepreneurial sector in January 1949. 

However, I have been so impressed by the way that you and Emeric Sauty de Chalon have managed 1855 maintaining with considerable élan the fundamental principles of a Charles Ponzi business. The fact that you and Emeric have managed to both keep the business afloat paying off creditors and customers at the last moment reflects great credit on you both, despite an increasing number of legal cases. I'm equally impressed that you have managed to keep Jean-Pierre Meyers on side, willing to splash the cash to keep 1855.com afloat. You, two, are indeed my worthy successors. 

Fabien, on a personal note, I also feel impelled to contact you because of the remarkable similarities in our physical appearance. When I saw your photo here I did a double take before realising that this is you and not me as a younger man!   

I trust you will continue to fleece your 'customers' for many years to come.


In awe, messieurs! 


Charles Ponzi

1855: RVF reacts to flood of criticism but digs a deeper hole

Interesting to see that Denis Saverot, directeur de la redaction of RVF, reacted this evening to the barrage criticism that the Revue du Vins de France bench test on the best internet retailer has understandably provoked.

See here

Unfortunately Monsieur Saverot has forgotten the first principle of how to deal with bad publicity – when in a hole stop digging.

Instead M. Saverot has made his extraordinary decision to promote 1855 as one of the RVF’s prize winning sites and one of the 'most reliable' which is even more inexplicable.

In his response Saverot points out that RVF has criticised and exposed the business practices of 1855 since December 2005 ‘nous avons été les premiers à mettre en doute son modèle économique’.

Also: ‘Comme l’a démontré notre collaborateur Jérôme Baudouin, l’argent des nouveaux clients de 1855.com sert en réalité à acheter les vins commandés en primeurs dans les millésimes précédents…’ Baudouin describes a system perfected by Charles Ponzi back in the 1920s.

Knowing this shocking history how could a responsible and long established magazine such as Revue du Vins de France trumpet 1855 as among the 'most reliable' and 'best internet retail merchant sites'?