Anthony Phillips
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[edit] Association with Casey
Phillips came onto the talkcast to discuss his association with Casey and his firms' offerings. Casey initially described PrePaid as a "sponsor," and used the term frequently throughout the early part of the call, leading some to believe that either Phillips or his parent company were paying for the exposure via Casey's various internet properties, which at the time included daily video streams and talkcasts as well as promises of a soon-to-be-reinstated Island2012 blog.
Under strong questioning by Modestogirl, Phillips corrected Casey's statement and noted that in fact he was not a sponsor, nor was the parent company. Casey justified his previous statments by claiming that he had "misused" the terminology and began intermittently calling himself an "associate," while at times lapsing into the use of the term "sponsor." Under additional questioning by Modestogirl and others, Phillips admitted that in fact he was nothing but part of Casey's "upline" in the Pre-Paid Legal Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) sales scheme. Phillips stated that he was the second level above Casey in the MLM pyramid, with an individual named "Max" as Casey's immediate sponsor. Ultimately the two scammers clarified the situation, admitting that Casey, through the AbleBuyer corporation, had become a PrePaid affiliate, at a cost of approximately $60 per month on top of an initial $300 payment. [Editors note: On a talkcast that took place on September 24, 2009, Serin and Phillips denied that there was an initial $300 payment. Information available from various sources on the internet suggest that the startup payment of $299 is normal and required for associates, but it is possible that in Casey's case the payment was waived or not applicable.]
Haterz™ quickly identifed Maksim (Max) Boyko[2], a friend to both Casey and Phillips on various social networking services, as most likely being the "Max" who comes between the two of them in the MLM pyramid. Boyko is also a fellow investor in Goldspring who, along with his girlfriend, participated in one of the investor days at the mine.[3]
Phillips and Casey defended his purchase of the affiliation, despite the fact that AbleBuyer was insolvent at the time, using a variety of excuses. Phillips said that it was effectively free because the cost was tax-deductible, and Casey said that details were yet to be worked out but that it would all become clear when the corporation began operating transparently. As usual, he failed to provide a date by which he expected this transparancy to emerge.
[edit] Background
Phillips has left a years-long trail of sleaze across the internet, rivaling some of the greatest characters of the Casey saga for the sheer volume of questionable business activity and other dealings he has been involved in. He has been banned from the securities industry, engaged in numerous MLM schemes and even operated a business importing Russian mail-order brides to the United States. His MySpace page states that he is divorced and has two daughters. Postings on the MySpace page suggest that he may be a recent grandfather as well.
Known email addresses include anthonyaphillips@aol.com, corab37@msn.com, phillips85@prepaidlegal.com and anthonyaphillips@yahoo.com. Known phone numbers include 916-391-4022 and 916-437-8907
Phillips LinkedIn page[4] states that he is:
- Owner at Perfect Timing @ Work LLC
- Independent Representative at CORAB
- CEO/Head of Security at CORAB Inc
- Independent Associate Group Certified at Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
He does not attempt to reconcile his status as an independent representative and the CEO at the same company at the same time.
[edit] CORAB and Affiliated Organizations
On the same page, CORAB is described as being in the business of "Sales of Memberships to purchase and save precious metals in the form of fresh minted Gold and Silver American Eagle Un-circulated Coins," a dubious business because fresh-minted US gold and silver coins are available with no fees or commissions directly from the US Mint. CORAB Inc, on the other hand, is described as being an "International Pharmaceutical Import and Export Company that does outside company investigative work and negotiations of business contracts in the Russian Federation." However, Phillips' work summary states that "We focus mostly on international business relations and investigations of the connection from U.S. to Russia be it person, business, and or Corporate to verify the validity of business relationships and personal ones."
To further complicate things, a CORAB page on goSmallBiz.com provides yet more obfuscation about the actual activities of the company. It states that
- "CORAB Inc and it's partners are an aggressive company that focuses on global resources and needs through out the world. With offices located in Sierra Leone Africa, Volgograd, Russia, China (GTH LLC) and the United States, CORAB Inc. and CORAB Russia, LLC engage in diversifying resources to a company’s needs and growth requirements. Our huge networks Investigate, Negotiate and procure industrial and manufacturing contracting abilities to encompass the demands of products, and goods deliverable to all over the world. The company’s focus is to procure natural (refined & unrefined) resources, recyclable materials, machinery parts, pharmaceuticals and agricultural supply."[6]
It is unclear what any of the above actually means. BelowTheCrowd commented that "Next time I need a somebody to engage in diversifying resources to my needs and growth requirements I'll give them a call."[7]
Adding even more confusion, a 2008 listing for CORAB on Alibaba.com[8] includes a link to http://www.productgroupfinancial.com/corab, which in turn forwards to a MySpace page for the Product Group Financial. This company claims to be in the business of repairing credit, obtaining credit lines, investing money obtained by credit, and providing superior returns even after financing costs. Unsurprisingly, PGF has a strategy of investments that include "Forex, Precious Metals, Real Estate, Private Placements, and other turnkey systems that generate passive income and profits for our members."[9]
Evidence of some actual associations with Russia include a listing of a trailer for sale in Moscow that includes one of Phillips' phone numbers[10], and numerous photos of him on MySpace[11] and elsewhere that are clearly taken there.
The vast amount of conflicting information about CORAB has left Haterz™ wondering what, if anything, the company actually does. It is, in fact, not clear what Phillips does other than hawk PrePaid Legal memberships.
The name CORAB is apparently an Anagram for the word "Cobra," with which Phillips has identified himself at times. Several internet postings have been located in which he identifies himself at the "Black Cobra."[12]
[edit] Other Businesses
Perfect Timing @ Work, LLC received a small business loan in the amount of $15,000 in February 2008[13]. The company is not registered with the California Secretary of State, usually a requirement for doing business or receiving an SBA loan in California, it does not appear to have a web presence it is not clear what it does or is intended to do.
Phillips is also associated with Synergy Worldwide, "a world leader in health and anti-aging products."[14] Like virtually all of Phillips' associations, Synergy is organized around a MLM distribution scheme. Max Boyko is also associated with Synergy.
On his Synergy website, his company name is noted as Anthony A Phillips COMMONSENSE RETAIL APPRAISER BUSINESS. The latter also spelling out CORAB, but unfortunately not making any sense.
From 1997 through 2000, Phillips held a restricted real estate salesperson license. He petitioned to be upgraded to an unrestricted salesperson in 2000 and held the license through November 2008, when it expired. It is unclear why his initial license was restricted.[15]
[edit] Banned for Life from the Securities Business
In September 2003, Phillips was banned for life from the Securities Industry[16], due to his failure to provide all material information on the form U4 required of all employees and other affiliates of any National Association of Securities Dealers member firm. The NASD stated that not only did he fail to divulge all material information, but he also failed to respond to requests for information. It is unclear what material information about his past was not adequately disclosed, or why he was not able to correct the oversight. Haterz speculated that the likely reason is that the ommission was a major item that would have prevented him from being licensed/employed.
[edit] The Mail Order Bride Biz
Corab Tours has posted a number of advertisements over the years for "meet a bride" tours of Russia.[17] Phillips' phone number and emails are included in these advertisements. It is unclear whether the tours actually took place, but these online solicitations are the only evidence that the Corab entities have ever engaged in any sort of actual business transactions.
Phillips' profile on WAYN[18] indicates that he has visited Russia several times. During these trips he spent the bulk of his time in small backwaters rather than in any of the normal business centers. Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), a relatively small and unimportant city, is apparently his base of operations. The areas of Russia through which he has traveled are primarily in the poorer east and south, where in recent years women have been recruited as wives or prostitutes. Ironically, he has spent significant amounts of time near the Kazakh and Uzbeki regions around the Caspian Sea, the ancestral home of Casey Serin and his female relatives, though there is no evidence that Phillips ever attempted to recruit any member of the Serin clan.
[edit] Interesting Facts
Phillips has an interesting life outside his business ventures:
[edit] Martial Arts
Phillips claims on his LinkedIn page to have been educated and also employed at King of Kings Martial Arts, where he claims the title of "Warlord Natural Healer/Instructor of Instructors in Black Cobra Martial Arts." No internet references are found for "Black Cobra Martial Arts" or for the company. During the September 22 talkcast, Phillips gave a longwinded and confusing explanation of what these particular martial arts are that clarified nothing:
- If you go into Black Cobra Martial Arts; that's an extension of Chinatown Martial Arts that was actually founded by Krisha Dashemi [blah something] Venkata Shaolin whose father was of the bloodline of the monk known as Buddhi Dharma, who name was later changed to Lord Tamil, head monk of Shaolin Temple.[19]
[edit] Education
Phillips lists his only education as being "USA Real Estate Schools" from 1992-1986. He graduated from High School in 1985. He describes his previous work history: "I worked in the Sales industry from Cellular in the mid 80's to Car Sales in the 90 into Real Estate and Mortgage Lending up until 2003." His departure from the mortgage industry occured at roughly the same time as he was banned from any work for or with an NASD firm. He claims on LinkedIn that "I left the industry to pursue a career in World Travel and understanding," a career that apparently includes low-level pimping and hawking MLM associations.
[edit] Possible Criminal Record
An Anthony Allen Phillips was convicted of misdemeanor battery and was sentenced to 3 years of conditional release and 43 days in the Humboldt County Jail starting sometime in late July, 2009.[22] It is unclear if it is the same individual.
[edit] Other
A photo on one of his webpages suggests that Phillips shares Casey's preference for cars with Sweet Rimz™.
Like Casey, Phillips describes himself as a Christian.
[edit] References
- ↑ Talkshow with Anthony about PrePaid Legal, on Ustream, Sepetmber 22, 2009
- ↑ Max Bokyo, on MySpace.com
- ↑ Maksim Boyko and "special friend" at the Goldspring mine, from Casey Serin's flickr photostream, October 11, 2008
- ↑ Anthony Allen Phillips on LinkedIn
- ↑ Corab Inc/Anthony Phillips on PrePaidLegal.com
- ↑ CORAB Inc. powered by goSmallBiz
- ↑ comment on CH.C, September 22, 2009
- ↑ CORAB Inc. on Alibaba.com
- ↑ Product Group Financial on Myspace.com
- ↑ Expired listing on Auto.ru captured September 8, 2009
- ↑ KingofKingsMartialArts (Anthony Allen Phillips) on MySpace.com
- ↑ Post on SFproject.com, September 13, 2008
- ↑ 2008 Business Loan Detail for California on SBA.gov
- ↑ About Synergy, on mysynergy.com
- ↑ License information for Phillips, Anthony Allen, California Department of Real Estate
- ↑ Disciplinary and Other NASD Actions, September 2003, page D9
- ↑ Adult Tours for Marriage, on AdToAd, November, 2006
- ↑ Anthony Phillips' Trips on WAYN.com
- ↑ Talkshow with Anthony about PrePaid Legal, on Ustream, Sepetmber 22, 2009
- ↑ Anthony Allen Phillips record at the Sacramento Superior Court
- ↑ Class of 1985 directory, Encina High School, Sacramento
- ↑ On the Record July 26, 2009, Times Standard, Eureka, CA (published July 27, 2009)
