Financial Mines

News and notes from the business reporters for the Connecticut Media Group.

Archive for February, 2012

Hamlet’s philosophy fails New Canaan man facing 10 years for tax evasion

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The U.S. Attorney for the State of Connecticut announced Wednesday, New Canaanite Sherwood Schaub, 70, pleaded guilty to charges of evading taxes for a decade.

One of the things Schaub, also known as Andy Sherwood, allegedly did was not pay the IRS taxes he was withholding from employee paychecks. The IRS did catch on and fined him, but claims Schaub ignored the fines.

It’s a strategy reminescent of Hamlet’s philosophy, “Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so,” or of that old advice your mom used to give you, “If you ignore them, they’ll go away.”

Either way, it doesn’t work with the IRS.

Ye be warned! It’s tax season.

Here’s a full story on Schaub’s predicament from our sister publication in New Canaan.

http://bit.ly/wZWRpE

Derecktor’s New York yard files for bankruptcy

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A little more than a month after its Connecticut yard filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection, Robert E. Derecktor’s New York shipyard filed a Chapter 11 case of its own on Monday.

R.E. Derecktor said it has assets of $50,000 or less and liabilities between $1 million and $10 million. In documents filed in bankruptcy court in New York, the yacht maker said it owes the Connecticut Development Authority on a $2.7 million loan to its Derecktor’s Bridgeport shipyard.

The CDA tells Financial Mines the outstanding balance is $1.77 million.

E. Paul Derecktor, president of the the parent company Derecktor Holdings, said in an affidavit that the CDA obligation will most likely be paid off either by a liquidation of assets of the Connecticut yard, or through an injection of capital from private equity.

The latest filing blames the trouble at the yards on a down economy and two lawsuits. The first from New York Water Taxi, for whom Derecktor built six vessels and later was sued over alleged defects. The settlement required Derecktor to service the taxis for free, and Derecktor says it can’t afford to do that in this economy.

The second lawsuit involves the two Alaskan ferries Derekctor built. Alaska is suing Derecktor and a German engine maker over issues involving the engines. Derecktor said in the court document that it doesn’t expect the courts to hold it liable for the engine problems, but must operate as though it might.

GE announces $100 million Arizona solar investment

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GE continues to bet big on solar.

GE said Wednesday it’s latest solar power deal is a $100 million investment in a 127-megawatt project that will be built in Arizona. GE Energy Financial Services announced at the Infocast Solar Power Finance & Investment Summit in San Diego that its one-gigawatt portfolio spans 48 solar power plants – including 24 San Diego school rooftops — in six countries: Australia, Canada, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United States.

Shelton resident pleads guilty to $300,000 securities fraud

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The U.S. Attorney’s office for the State of Connecticut said John H. Goldsmith, 57 of Shelton, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to one count of securities fraud involving a $300,000 investment fraud scheme.

Goldsmith was arrested in December and was facing charges on two counts of fraud. He initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty this month.

The scam, according to prosecutors and the FBI, evolved over a five year period. At first, Goldsmith told an investor he was starting a magazine geared to teens and was arranging for a deal to market it at schools. Then he told the investor, the magazine idea was acquired by a company and now it was going to be a video sharing service in which teens would compete against each other. The final allegation came after Goldsmith allegedly told investors Sallie Mae bought his company through a subsidiary and that Goldsmith could now buy shares of Sallie Mae at deep discounts and was taking money to buy the shares from those investors.

He used the money to pay bills, buy toys and even made a donation to Little League with it.

Goldsmith met his alleged victims through personal friendships and work on a Trumbull election. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $5 million. Goldsmith will be sentenced on May 21.

People’s buys 56 Citizen’s branches for $3.25 million

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People’s United agreed to buy the branches from the RBS-owned bank in an all cash transaction.

The branches are  in Long Island and New York City as well as certain locations in New York state’s Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess and Ulster Counties. The sale includes 52 Stop & Shop branches in New York.

Bridgeport-based People’s already operates 87 branches in Stop & Shop’s in Connecticut.

Citizens did not sell any Connecticut branches and still has more than 1,500 branches.

Shares of People’s were up 4 cents to $12.64 while RBS shares in New York were off 4 cents to $8.85 just before 10 a.m.

Feds say former Latex CEO embezzled $1.7 M

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The U.S.Attorney for Connecticut said Monday that Kevin Coleman, former CEO of mattress maker Latex International, pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement and tax evasion.
Coleman worked for the Shelton-based company from 2005 to 2010 as CEO. He and a former HR director, who has also pleaded guilty, allegedly took a total of $3.4 million for their personal use from the company. Coleman also collected $1.5 million in salary over four years and pleaded guilty to not paying taxes on it.
The Feds said the scheme was conducted over several years and Coleman and his partner in it charged personal expenses to corp. credit cards.
Coleman faces up to 25 years in jail, fines and restitution. Sentencing is set for May.
David Fisher, Latex president and CEO, thanked investigators for their work and for helping the company recover some of its money. He noted the embezzlement was uncovered by an internal investigation and referred to law enforcement.
Fisher said this sad chapter of betrayal is now over.

Aquarion makes a $38 million deal

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Aquarion Water Co. has cut a deal to buy United Water’s regulated business for $38 million. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter.

GE Foundation library grants intercepted by alleged embezzler

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The Boston Globe revealed an alleged embezzler at a Mass. library intercepted $450,000 of GE Foundation matching grant donations.

It’s a sad story about betrayal of trust at a library where retired GE workers were sending donations. In all the library worker is accused to taking $800,000. Imagine all the good a library could do with $800,000. GE says it will still match donations to the library.

Here’s a link to the story, give it a read.

http://bo.st/AfCmr1

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