Mr George Chelekis This is Me

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1. 1. Occupied Clearwater - Curious George Chelekis

   www.xenu-city.net/chelekis.htm - [Cached]

   Published on: 2/4/2003   Last Visited: 2/4/2003

   "George Chelekis was making money and making headlines in downtown Clearwater. He was the successful businessman who employed 100 workers and claimed his company pulled in $1-million a month. He was the brash publisher who embarrassed government bureaucrats, showing how they sometimes gave away surplus property at ridiculous, fire-sale prices. But now the one-time president of Rex Publishing Co. has taken on a new persona: The missing person. At least six companies are chasing Chelekis or Rex Publishing and demanding a total of more than half a million dollars. In Hillsborough County, a judge ordered him to spend five days in jail for contempt of court. They haven't found him.
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   Chelekis, the seemingly successful businessman and the brash publisher, appears to be in hiding."
   
   Ex-publisher sought by creditors St. Petersburg Times, Jul. 8, 1991
   
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   Chelekis gets nailed by the SEC for false claims in his Hot Stocks Review, and loses the one of the largests libel cases in Canadian history.
   
   Rex Publishing Chelekis is investigated for credit card fraud and false advertising claims, and is ordered to jail by a Hillsborough County judge.
   
   Loose Ends Curious George, whither goest thou?
   
   More Links Adrian du Plessis' "corporate carnival", books and essays by Chelekis, and How To Report Fraud to state and federal agencies.
   
   Now you see him, now you don't...
   
   Twice now, George Chelekis has made a lot of noise with ventures based in or near Clearwater, only to fall silent and drop out of sight when finally busted by regulatory or law enforcement agencies. Once a Scientology publicist in New York, Chelekis has become internationally infamous for his business escapades and subsequent disappearing acts.
   
   The first fiasco was Rex Publishing, which was in the business of hawking Chelekis's Action Guide to Government Auctions and Real Estate, and was reportedly pulling in $1 million each month. Consumer complaints about refunds and unauthorized credit card usage sparked investigations by the Clearwater Police Department and the Florida Attorney General's Office. The state Department of Revenue hit the company with warrants for failure to pay sales taxes, and Rex's creditors were filing and winning lawsuits. But by 1991 Chelekis had vanished, and couldn't be located by authorities or process servers, even after a Hillsborough County judge ordered him to jail for contempt of court.
   
   Chelekis surfaced in 1993, this time as a financial "journalist", writing for The Bull & Bear, and later for his Hot Stocks Review tip sheet. In 1994, for reasons which are still unclear, he picked a nasty fight with Vancouver Sun journalist David Baines and financial investigator Adrian du Plessis, accusing them of a short-selling conspiracy. Ironically, though, it was Chelekis who was nailed by regulators in 1997 when the SEC accused him of publishing false and misleading statements, and failing to fully disclose the money that he was receiving from the companies that he was writing about. He also lost the lawsuit filed by Baines, who was awarded one of the largest libel judgments in Canadian history. Chelekis's failure to appear in British Columbia Supreme Court couldn't have helped his case, but his second disappearance has helped him avoid collection efforts so far.
   
   Chelekis's current whereabouts are generally unknown, as is his status, if any, in the Church of Scientology. Once a "Patron with Honors" of the International Association of Scientologists ($100,000+ donation), his name does not appear on the Flag Commendations directive, although two other Chelekis's do.
   
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   George Chelekis - Former New York-based publicist for the Church of Scientology; self-proclaimed "money wizard" of Hot Stocks Review and such titles as The Action Guide to Government Auctions and Real Estate and The Magic of Credit; achieved at least Patron with Honors status in the International Association of Scientologists; whereabouts unknown.
   
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   Maaret Schnier - Chelekis's partner in Rex Publishing; status in Scientology, if any, is unknown, but the agreement between Schnier and Chelekis includes a clause regarding WISE arbitration.
   
   David Baines - Award-winning financial columnist for the Vancouver Sun, primarily covering the notoriously scam-infested Vancouver Stock Exchange; was repeatedly libeled and slandered by Chelekis, and subsequently won one of the largest libel awards in Canadian history.
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   Adrian du Plessis - Award-winning financial investigator who worked with Baines; expert consultant to Time Warner during the libel suit over the "Thriving Cult of Greed and Power" article; was also libeled and slandered by Chelekis.
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   So far, however, no government agency has made any move to censure Chelekis."
   
   Internet financial columnist has "hot" advice Tampa Tribune, July 22, 1995 "Chelekis is the child of a Greek family from New York City and he was trained in journalism reading the city's tabloids. He is plenty loud, he admits. Few things quiet him. One is an association with the Church of Scientology in Clearwater. He once admitted to being an adherent, and is listed as a $100,000-plus donor in Impact Magazine, the magazine of the International Association of Scientologists."
   
   Beginning Investors Beware
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   "After getting slapped by the SEC, stock promoter George Chelekis, editor of Hot Stocks Review, visited New York City with his latest ploy-a penny stock 'workshop' attracting many ignorant investors, including elderly retired widows. He may be coming to a town near you soon. Protect your mother."
   
   SEC v. George Chelekis, KGC Inc., Hot Stocks Review, Inc.
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   "The complaint alleges that from at least January 1995 through August 1995, Chelekis, a publisher who distributes various investment newsletters, known as the 'Hot Stocks' publications, over the Internet and in print format, knowingly or recklessly made materially false and misleading statements concerning six publicly-traded companies. The complaint further alleges that from April 1994 through September 1995, Chelekis failed to disclose in the Hot Stocks publications that he and entities that he controls, defendants KGC, Inc. and Hot Stocks Review, Inc., received at least $1.1 million from more than 150 issuers, and 275,500 shares of stock from 10 issuers, as payment for recommending securities of such issuers in the Hot Stocks publications."
   
   Enforcement Activities - Internet Cases SEC 1997 Annual Report The Commission filed a complaint against George Chelekis and two companies that he controlled, KGC, Inc., and Hot Stocks Review, Inc. (SEC v. George Chelekis, et al.3). Chelekis published and distributed internet and print versions of investment newsletters known as the Hot Stocks publications. Chelekis failed to disclose that he and the other defendants received at least $1.1 million from more than 150 issuers, and 275,500 shares of stock from ten issuers, as payment for recommending those issuers' securities. The defendants consented to the entry of an injunction and orders requiring them to pay a total of $162,727, representing $75,050 in disgorgement, $12,627 in prejudgment interest, and a $75,050 civil penalty.
   
   Internet newsletter author settles SEC charges St. Petersburg Times, Feb. 26, 1997 "The author of several popular intemet newsletters on investing settled federal charges Tuesday that he had misled investors by making false claims about several companies and failing to disclose that he was getting paid to promote more than 150 stocks. George Chelekis, who publishes the Hot Stocks newsletters in Tampa, agreed to pay $163,000 to settle a civil case brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission in U.S. District Court in Washington. Without admitting or denying the commission's charges, Chelekis agreed to a permanent injunction barring him from violating securities laws."
   
   Internet stock newsletter settles SEC charges National Fraud Information Center, Feb. 27, 1997 "George Chelekis, owner and operator of KGC, Inc., and Hot Stocks Review, Inc., has settled charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission that he and his companies distributed over the Internet and in print format 'materially false and misleading statements concerning six publicly-traded companies.' ... The SEC complaint alleged that Chelekis failed to disclose in his Hot Stock publications that he and his companies had received $1.1 million from more than 100 issuers and 275,500 shares of stock from 10 issuers as payment for recommending the stock of those issuers."
   
   Red Face at Hot Stocks Review
   
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   Wannabe financial journalist, Hot Stocks Review editor George Chelekis, has been on a bitter personal campaign criticizing conventional financial jou

2. 2. BusinessLawyer

   www.johnreedstark.com/ClassMat - [Cached]

   Last Visited: 11/7/2007

   George Chelekis, KGC, Inc., and Hot Stocks Review, Inc. n130
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   On February 25, 1997, the Commission filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against George Chelekis (Chelekis), KGC, Inc., and Hot Stocks Review, Inc. The complaint alleged that from at least January 1995 through August 1995, Chelekis, a publisher who distributes various investment newsletters, known as the "Hot Stocks" publications, over the Internet and in print format, knowingly or recklessly made materially false and misleading statements concerning six publicly traded companies. The complaint further alleged that from April 1994 through September 1995, Chelekis failed to disclose in the Hot Stocks publications that he, and entities under his control, defendants KGC, Inc. and Hot Stocks Review, Inc., received at least $ 1.1 million from more than 150 issuers and 275,000 shares of stock from ten issuers, as payment for recommending securities of such issuers in the Hot Stocks publications. Without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, Chelekis, KGC, Inc., and Hot Stocks Review, Inc., consented to the entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining them from violating section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and section 17(b) of the Securities Act. n131 The final judgment ordered the defendants to pay a total of $ 162,727, representing $ 75,050 in disgorgement, $ 12,627 in prejudgment interest and a $ 75,050 civil penalty. n132

3. 3. www.johnreedstark.com

   www.johnreedstark.com/ClassMat - [Cached]

   Published on: 8/1/1995   Last Visited: 11/7/2007

   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION v. GEORGE CHELEKIS, KGC, INC.,
   ...
   against George Chelekis ("Chelekis"), KGC, Inc. and Hot Stocks Review, Inc. The complaint alleges that from at least January 1995 through August 1995, Chelekis, a publisher who distributes various investment newsletters, known as the "Hot Stocks" publications, over the Internet and in print format, knowingly or recklessly made materially false and misleading statements concerning six publicly-traded companies. The complaint further alleges that from April 1994 through September 1995, Chelekis failed to disclose in the Hot Stocks publications that he and entities that he controls, defendants KGC, Inc. and Hot Stocks