1855.com: a snippet of news from France's favourite Ponzi scheme

Château Pichon-Longueville – RP is waiting for a case of 2008

I received a message today from RP (not their real name) that having got through to 1855 on the phone – many try but few succeed – he was told:

"Sorry your wine will be delivered at the beginning of September we do not deliver in summer time ...."

As 1855 regularly fail to deliver wine to their customers, despite endless promises, it is hardly surprising that they don't deliver during the summer. 

However, RP who is awaiting a case of 2008 Pichon-Longueville, had paid the TVA and transport cost due on the wine in early July and been assured that two weeks after payment he would receive his wine. Flying pigs are much more likely and so it proved. I presume Messieurs Fabien Hyon, Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Thierry Maincent needed their customers' TVA in early to finance their summer beach holidays. 

This fraudulent trader is a provisional member of La FEVAD (Fédération e-commerce et vente à distance).

Jim's Loire passes 250,000 milestone

Part of Château de Chenonceau on the Cher

I'm delighted to see that Jim's Loire has attracted just over 250,000 visits since September 2008. Our thanks to all of our readers, in particular those who visit these pages regularly.

As well as passing a significant milestone – next up 500,000! – today has seen the sentencing of Paul Craven and Oseghale Hayble for their part in defrauding investors who believed they were buying First Growth Bordeaux. Instead they were fuelling the fraudsters' coke-driven spending splurge.

See report on sentencing here.

Following today's stage in the Tour de France I have updated the list of all-time stage wins here.

The Bordeaux Wine Trading Company: Paul Craven guilty of fraud

There are a number of reasons why I'm delighted that Paul Craven, 'managing director' of the Bordeaux Wine Trading Company Ltd (BWTC) was found guilty of fraudulent trading on Monday at the second time of asking. 

The guilty verdict shows that you can't just take investors' money on the pretence that you are buying Bordeaux en primeur, and instead blow it on a succession of cars, expensive watches, almost continuous holidays, a flat and £100 a week cocaine habit.

Read the rest of the post here on my investdrinks' blog.

The Bordeaux Wine Trading Company: fraud trial 30th June + 1st July 2011

Report (part finished) on investdrinks blog here of Paul Craven's evidence at St Albans Crown Court (30th June and 1st July).

1855: the saga of a rogue company continues

Château Pape-Clément: clients of 1855 still awaiting their 2005s

The 1855 saga continues: here are two messages I received yesterday. Unfortunately they are not exceptional I have received many similar tales of 1855’s failure to deliver wines ordered and paid for with a delivery date continuously pushed into the future.  

Message from Client 1:

I like your blog and appreciate your support of the 1855.com victims, this company is a big fraud. (Fabien Hyon you may feel that this is a bit strong from one of your clients. I would be happy to tone this down if you could show evidence that this claim is untrue.)

I am still waiting for delivery of 14 bottles from 2005, their shipment service is also crap, they don't call in advance. The courier sent me a notice that they would like to deliver 8 of the 14 bottles, then I call the courier service and they tell me that 2 bottles have been shipped back to 1855 and that the 6 they still have will not be released, the shipment agent said that they will not deliver any 1855 wines and I can't come and pick up the wine, I asked why and they said that they have blocked the 1855 account, so it seems to me that 1855 does not pay its suppliers as well.

Message from Client 2:

Bonjour,

Je me permets de m'adresser à vous car je désespère de recevoir un jour du vin commandé (et payé) auprès de la société 1855.

Avec plus de UN AN de retard dans la livraison de ma commande Primeurs 2007, et après plusieurs coups de téléphone et email, toujours rien.

 
Au mois de février lorsque j'ai écrit un courrier eléctronique pour savoir quand je pourrais attendre la livraison on m'a répondu qu'il y avait eu des problémes et qu'ils me recontacteraient dés qu'ils avaient une date de livraison.

Au mois de mars/avril, j'ai appelé le "Service Client" (la notion de service est inexistante), et l'on m'a assuré que je serais livrée au plus tard fin mai, car l’également, ils étaient obligés de solder leurs commandes de Primeurs 2007 avant de distrbuter la livraison des primeurs 2008. Aujourd'hui j'ai encore appelé le Service Client, et on m'a informé que "ma commande n'était pas encore sur la plate-forme" et qu'il fallait "compter sur une livraison fin juillet"! Lorsque j'ai demandé parler au supérieur hiérarchique de la personne, on me transféré vers une messagerie vocale.

Comble de tout, je vois que le même vin que j'ai commandé se trouve sur leur site internet à un prix deux fois plus cher que celui auquel j'ai commandé avec une indication de livraison sous 10 jours!

Cette situation a assez duré je veux mon vin sans plus de délai.

Je crains également pour des commandes de Primeurs 2008 + 2009.......’

Jim's comment:

Unfortunately it is no surprise that the service client is ‘inexistante’. A few months ago I exchanged a number of emails with Matthieu Ortalda, chargé de relation client 1855 (1855.com). It was very soon apparent that Matthieu Ortalda had nothing but contempt for the clients of 1855, their problems and that 1855's shocking trading record had nothing to do with him as he was just doing his job.

1855: 2008 en primeurs due this month – have they arrived yet?

 Château Montrose

Following the fraudulent trading case yesterday at St Albans reminds me that 1855 are due to deliver the 2008 Bordeaux en primeurs to their customers this month. I would be very interested to heart whether anyone has received their wines as ordered. Equally has anyone had profuse apologies and a lame excuse that the wine won't be delivered until next month...?

Fraud trial@St Albans Crown Court – Bordeaux Wine Trading Company

Château Lafite and other first growths: clients ordered, paid but company didn't place orders

Long day@St Albans Crown Court with three witnesses appearing on the third day of the trial of Paul Craven and Oseghale Hayble accused of fraudulent trading with respect to the Bordeaux Wine Trading Company. The crown prosecutor is Ann Evans, Samantha Cohen is defending Paul Craven and John Femi-Ola is the defence for Oseghale Hayble. His Honour Judge John Plumstead is hearing the case. 

Among those giving evidence today was Frederick Achom, who testified that he was the owner of the Bordeaux Wine Company. The trial started last Thursday.