CARL AND DEB LAU ARE LIVING THEIR DREAM!!!

Dear Airleaf Victims Friends,

It's been a while since I've been in touch with you because there was not much new to report. I wrote to you last year when I found that Carl Lau and his wife Debbie Lau were working for a real estate company in Florida selling homes. According to Carl's profile, he states:

I love living my dream.  My business is built around honesty, integrity, and ethics, and I work hard for my customers.

I found it so ironic that this couple could recreate themselves as respectable business people in Florida. On Lau's profile he continues:

 I have 25 years of corporate financial experience. I am detail oriented in helping you with your decisions, and I love real estate.

Well, Carl, you really can write your own fiction novel based on that lie!

Anyway, since I last revealed Carl's first dream job in Florida last year, he left the original company he and his wife worked for and found a new home at a company called Florida's Realty, LLC. I found this out when his former employer called to tell me how she had been "screwed" by them. I always find it an "ironic twist of fate" when people call and tell me, "You were right" after I've warned them they could also be "screwed" when they choose to ignore my information about working with a crook.

In Florida, both Carl and his wife "Deb" are realtors. So now that they are both living their dream on our misfortune, I contacted their new boss several months ago. After no response, I wrote him this letter a few days ago. Since he refused to respond to me, I am sharing this letter as I promised him with you and on my blog:

Dear Larry Maas,

I reached out to you once before with no response, but I wanted to give you one more chance before I take this to the public since I don't know you. I am writing to you at the request of our board of directors of Airleaf Victims. I am the organizer of the group. Our website is at www.AirleafVictims.com. We are a group of over 600 authors who were scammed out of substantial money by Carl Lau. There is a judgment against him by the State of Indiana for a small cohort of our group for nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

Now they have reinvented themselves after declaring bankruptcy to avoid paying us back the money the courts ordered. I am letting you know that our battle will continue. We have people who were left with severe health conditions including a heart attack after being robbed of their life savings by this fraudulent man. You can read my blog on the website which will document my weekly updates during our battle.

If you want to continue to employ the Lau's, that is your choice. Just be aware that I will be taking this to the media and the State Attorney's Office. I will be posting it on my blog so that people will know what is going on here.

If I don't hear from you within 48 hours, I will understand that you have no compassion for people who got screwed so badly--including me. However, I wonder how much faith your potential customers will have when they learn that two of your agents defrauded over 1,000 people out of nearly 2 million dollars, declared bankruptcy to avoid paying us back, was sued by Authorhouse for stealing their business, and other offenses that I won't go into here. How much faith do you think they'll have in your company when we tell the truth?

Best regards,

Bonnie Kaye 

Organizer

Airleaf Victims 

Now that 48 hours came and went with no response, I am carrying through with taking this to the next step of (1) informing you, (2) posting it on my Airleaf Victims blog, and (3) making a complaint to the Attorney General of Florida. I will also be notifying the government of Indiana who had placed the judgment against Lau to start with.

Some of you may wonder why I am pursuing this after seven years. When I think about the suffering of so many of our authors who lost so much, I feel the need for justice. I need to believe that when good people are hurt, those who hurt them should not be allowed to go unpunished and recreate themselves to hurt others based on lies and deception.

Some of our wonderful authors in this group are no longer with us. Others faced extreme financial suffering due to the fraudulence and deceit. My dear friend Frederick Martin del Campo who lost his home from had a stroke and is in horrible shape from the events that happened to him as a result of losing his life savings to Carl Lau's idea of a joke. For those who are gone or who can't keep up the fight, I will keep it up. Maybe someday we'll see justice.

If you would like to be removed from my mailing list, just let me know by hitting "Reply" and asking to be removed. If not, I will keep you updated.

By the way, if you would like to be on my weekly Books of Excellence radio show, please let me know. I would be happy to have you as a guest to promote your book.

Love, Bonnie :)

CARL LAU RECREATED IN FLORIDA

Airleaf Victims Update
Dear Airleaf Victims and Friends, I know it's been a while since I last contacted you. That was when I shared with you the good news that Brien Jones was out of business sometime last year. I was ready to send a note to all of you at Christmas time saying that I'm closing up the Airleaf Victims case because I believed I had gone as far as I can go. Something stopped me from saying that final goodbye, and in fact, I renewed my annual fee for keeping www.Airleafvictims.com website for another year. I always feel you never know about where con-men will pop up next, and I wanted people to know about Carl Lau and Brien Jones.
Sure enough, last week, I received a confidential email informing me that Carl and Debbie (his wife) Lau were now selling real estate in Florida. At first, I thought that would be impossible. I did some research and found out it is absolutely true. Actually, when I found their information it made me ill because after robbing so many of us for so long, this is what they state in their profiles on the website: http://www.zillow.com/profile/Deb-and-Carl-Lau/ I bolded the line that I thought you would be shocked by most of all. Deb and Carl Lau
About Deb and Carl Lau Southwest Florida is paradise, and I love living my dream. My business is built around honesty, integrity, and ethics, and I work hard for my customers. I am a people person, I'm easy to get along with, and I understand the client's anxiety and need for receiving prompt, accurate and honest feedback from an agent. I really love working directly with people. I think it shows when I help a customer because I really care about their needs, and I want my customer to get the "best".
My schedule is centered around my customer's needs. I have 25 years of corporate financial experience. I am detail oriented in helping you with your decisions, and I love real estate. (anonymous) Realty is located in the southwest Cape area. We are small, but our size allows us to give you the quick response and attention that you need. All real estate companies have access to the same multiple listing service resources; it's the management and people interaction that make your transaction smooth, accurate, and a success! Call me for a private showing on any home in Cape Coral and Fort Myers, Florida.
Needless to say, I was sickened and appalled. I know this is one group of people I don't have to explain that to. So first I checked out the company where they are working. It is called the company he is working for.
The owner actually sounded very shocked and disbelieving. As she stated, "I think you have the wrong people. These people are so nice!"
I explained these were the right people--and they were very nice. That's how so many of our authors were taken for their money. She didn't seem very concerned about it because she never acknowledged my follow-up email to her. Next I called the Florida department of licensing of real estate agents in Orlando. I had been told during my first initial investigative calls that in order to be a real estate agent in Florida, you must get clearance and approval by a board of seven people. I tracked down the assistant director of the agency who was very nice and told me that the Carl and Debbie Lau passed the initial background check which includes a fingerprint check. She did assure me that if I could send her documentation of the judgment handed down by the government of Indiana against him, the board would review it. Of course no promises--other than a review. She did tell me if Carl and Deb Lau misrepresented any of their investigation, they could lose their agent license.
So now I come to you seven years after starting our battle to ask for your support. Sadly, some of our finest fighters have passed away in recent years. But I am hoping there are still some of you who would be willing to join me in this attempt to stop the insanity. I don't want us to feel like victims once again. When we put Airleaf/Jones Harvest out of business, we were victors. Now, the man who took our money, hopes, and dreams and used it to buy a plane and a boat and declared bankruptcy rather than pay us our money--is living his dream in Florida selling real estate. I am not looking for revenge--I am just looking for justice. Joining me may mean you sign a petition or letter with me. Please let me know if I can count on you. Love, Bonnie

Dear Airleaf/Jones Harvest Victims and Friends,

First, allow me to wish all of you a happy, healthy, and peaceful holiday. I wanted to share some important news with you as I continue to seek justice for our group.

1. Some of you have written to me over the years to tell me that your books were still listed on places like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I couldn’t understand that since Airleaf has been out of business since 2006. Of course, Amazon doesn’t feel the need to answer this question from anyone—including me. I’ve contacted their legal department in the past with no response. So when another author recently contacted me about the dilemma, I decided to check it out.

Here is what my research showed. Some of the books published by Airleaf are still listed on Amazon and other outlets as available for order. One such book posted on Amazon said that 3 of the Airleaf copies were still available. The author never republished after Airleaf. Out of curiosity, I ordered one copy and the author ordered one copy. Now one copy was listed as remaining on the Amazon site. We both received our copies from Amazon several days after the order was made. Now the question is this: Who gets the royalties from the sales? To the best of my knowledge, I believe that Carl Lau is getting the royalties.

Why? My publisher, Paul Rabinovitch from CCB Publishing, explained that publishers have contracts with printers, distributors, retailers, etc., including Amazon and/or one of their subsidiaries. Just because Airleaf is out of business doesn’t necessarily mean that the contract with Amazon or the other outlets like Barnes and Noble was ever broken with Carl Lau, as long as Airleaf’s accounts are in good standing with these companies.

Some of you sent me your concerns that Amazon is reprinting your book and selling it. I don’t believe this to be true. I think that any of the few copies that are listed as “available” are the copies Airleaf provided them that were stored in their inventory. Two of our authors worked on this experiment with me. Once we bought the few available copies on Amazon, no more were listed. In fact, at the suggestion of my publisher, Paul from CCB, I called Amazon on two different occasions trying to reorder eight copies of those specific books for a book club meeting. Amazon’s Customer Service tried their best to reorder the books, but by the end of their research, they told me that the books would not be available any time in the near future. They stated if they would become available, they would notify me. So it appears that the last of the Airleaf inventory is being sold off and then the books will be unavailable unless you republish them.

Even so, I am really trying to get a handle on this because something is wrong. Here’s what I am asking you to do if you published with Airleaf or Bookman, Airleaf’s previous name. Please go to Amazon.com and check whether or not you are able to buy a copy of your book. If you haven’t republished, check if Amazon has any copies available for purchase. Even if you have republished, check and see if the original Airleaf version is still listed and available for sale. Unless you notify Amazon that you want the Airleaf or Bookman version removed from their website, chances are it is still listed by both Airleaf and your new publisher. If any of your Airleaf or Bookman books are available through Amazon, please order one copy and see if it arrives. As soon as you get confirmation, please forward the message to me or email me when you receive the book so I can begin a paper trail to see if Airleaf books are still selling. If they are, someone is getting the royalties—and it is not you.

I don’t believe there are many Airleaf books left in stock, but even if there is one, the money should not be going to Carl Lau. I have asked a lawyer friend of mine to contact Amazon once I compile this information, and he has agreed to do that on our behalf. Hopefully we will finally be able to find out who is getting your royalties. Please write to me at Bonkaye@aol.com after you check your book and if it is still listed on Amazon. I’m hoping we can resolve this before the spring.

2. It really does bother me that crooks who stole so much money from us are able to keep going through life without any real accountability. For instance, Carl Lau destroyed the so many of our authors through his fraudulence, and yet he goes unpunished. In fact, he is working in a Finance Company in Indiana called Royal United Mortgage. A Finance Company—playing with people’s money. Can you believe it?

When I learned this information several months ago from one of Lau’s relatives who contacted me in disgust after reading my website, I sent a letter to his boss. This is what it said:

To: Craig.Royal@royalunitedmortgage.com

Dear Mr. Royal,
It recently came to my attention that you are employing Carl Lau, former owner and operator of Airleaf Publishing in Martinsville, Indiana. As the leader of over 600 members of our group, Airleaf Victims, who were defrauded in figures reaching nearly three million dollars in one of the largest publishing scams in this country, I find it disturbing that your organization that uses the word "Integrity" in your advertising would allow Mr. Lau to be part of its team.

In fact, I find it very frightening to think that you would have a man handling your mortgages in view of the attention that predatory lending has received in recent years. I would like to think that employees in this position actually did have "integrity."

Mr. Royal, please read my site at www.AirleafVictims.com. If you do a minimal amount of research, you will find the judgment from two years ago that the government of Indiana handed down on behalf of the claims of a small segment of our authors for over $325,000.00. Because of the immense number of victims, the government had to set a window to limit the claims, so less than 15% of those who requested a refund were part of the judgment. Sadly, none of us who were rewarded compensation by the Attorney General’s office received one penny because Mr. Lau declared bankruptcy to avoid paying us the money he took from us for fraudulent services and book royalties. Even after the judgment was handed down, Mr. Lau continued to receive royalties from our hard work and kept it for himself.

This also leads us to wonder if your organization did a basic background check of Mr. Lau. If you did, you would have found that he was in bankruptcy in addition to having a government judgment against him. If you wish, you can contact the Assistant Attorney General's office and ask for Tom Irons who spearheaded the case. After I hear back from you, I will notify him of Mr. Lau's employment. You can reach him at Tom.Irons@atg.in.gov in case you have any doubts.
I am surprised that a company that has "integrity" would allow a crook of this magnitude to work for it.

My organization would appreciate a response from you as to why your company thinks that a man who has robbed the most vulnerable of vulnerable--elderly, disabled, religious leaders, and poor people who invested every penny they saved for a dream that turned into a nightmare--should be trusted to work with other people, many who are in the same position as we were. I would to give you an opportunity to respond before making this public.

Sincerely,
Bonnie Kaye, M.Ed.
Organizer, Airleaf Victims
www.AirleafVictims.com

I did send the letter twice. And of course, I received no response. However, at least you can now know where Carl Lau is working. And if you’d like to speak to him directly, feel free to call him there. The phone number is: (317) 664-7700 x7941. I’m sure he’d be happy to hear from you. Or you can feel free to email the director of the company who hired him, Craig Royal, at: Craig.Royal@royalunitedmortgage.com. Maybe if Mr. Royal hears from enough of our members about his employee, he’ll do something about it.

3. How is it when con-men in this business like Brien Jones go out of business, he can still continue to cheat his authors? Unbelievable, isn’t it? Well, it seems like con men always find partners, especially in the state of Indiana where government views “fraudulence” as “bad business practices” rather than a crime.

Authors first were sent a letter by Brien Jones several weeks ago bemoaning his “hard luck” in the publishing industry. To special “friends,” he sent this letter, making each of them think they were getting some special personalized letter—which they weren’t. Everyone I know who had any contact with Jones has received this with the name and the book title being the only thing that is “personalized.” Here it goes:

Dear _________________,

Enclosed is the letter we sent to all of Jones Harvest Publishing authors and vendors. Unlike some of those folks you were always a friend and supporter, and you deserve an explanation as well as my advice on where to go from here.

Six months before we closed I sent a long letter explaining the huge challenges we faced selling books and asking for suggestions.

The short version is bookstores didn’t pay when they ordered our books. JHP had to pay to ship books with an invoice. That was after we paid to print the books. If a store ordered a copy of _________________, they paid nothing. But I had to pay to print and ship the book.

If the bookstore ever paid they sent a check of 50%, but didn’t send that check to us. They sent that check to Baker & Taylor. Later B&T would send us a check for 40%. That was the best case scenario. More often we just received the front cover (stripped off to prove the book was unsold) often over a year later. I didn’t receive any suggestions.

That was with a Jones Harvest Publishing book. Getting even that far with a book from Authorhouse, Infinity or Vantage Press was impossible. When I said Xlibris I heard ‘click.’ Yet even against those odds, I tried to sell __________________ and the rest every way possible—more ways than you ever heard about. As with 99% of our titles I failed. It’s hard. And if you ever try selling somebody else’s book (or even your own) to bookstores you’ll find it’s also unpleasant.

By 2010 I spent half my day listening to bookstores hang up on me and the other half listening to authors that paid $950 to publish (usually less than we spent on the print run) complain about lack of sales. I have to admit I don’t feel very bad about giving up on some of those clients.

I do feel bad about you. You were one of the few that even acknowledged our website was free of vanity publishing information or that we had a bookstore. Most of our clients never noticed. I kept on trying anyway. The in 2011Borders closed 275 stores. Limping along and hoping was no longer possible.

To be a success in the self-publishing industry I would have to change everything. To survive I would have to be like all the rest and focus on selling authors their own books. That’s when I made an important discovery. I don’t want to be a success in vanity publishing.

I wish I could suggest another publisher that’s selling books, has a bookstore or even a website designed for that purpose. There aren’t any. The only subsidy, self or print-on-demand publishing companies with any promotion services are the same ones we’ve all known for years. They’re now offering “publicity” and “promotions” at appalling prices.

However, in my own search for a publisher, I concluded the best choice for you is Accurance, a company I’ve known about for a long time. I sent my books to them because:
1. They aren’t going out of business. They’ve been around since 1999 and growing.
2. Amost all books they produce are for other publishing companies—you’ve heard of most of them. It’s likely the publisher you choose uses Accurance for their production work (editing, book covers, typesetting/formatting, and conversion to eBook). Therefore you can cut out the middle man which takes us to price.
3. JHP could not survive charging $950 to publish because we were never POD. We always did print runs. Yet Accurance offers everything (for publishers) for $899. This is possible because of volume. They actually have a program for authors left in a lurch, because their publisher closed. (It’s not just JHP, there are many more with others to follow.) They have agreed to publish our books for $850.
4. They also answer the phone, or call you back quickly. They answer emails usually within minutes, at most hours. Most of the other companies I called answered electronically and sent me to someone’s voicemail.

There are plenty of companies out there promising the moon for $999 (but calling you from overseas.) I wanted the whole package including Kindle and REAL BOOKS with no surprises. My recommendation is Accurance. THE JHP bookselling plan didn’t work. But I would feel much better knowing you are receiving real books with good pricing, integrity, and stability.

To your books as fast as possible and at wholesale prices call Bill Earle, Author Partner Project Manager at Accurance at 1-727-550-6258. I have already transferred files for my books to them and can do the same for you.

I hope you have no hard feelings. I’m not walking away with a boat or an airplane (or even our house) and I truly tried. I hope you keep writing and trying to.

Sincerely,
Brien Jones

Let me say I found this letter—well—hysterical and pathetic and somewhat sociopathic as Brien Jones truly is. It was filled with lies and gross exaggerations for sure. But I will discuss that in my next update in the near future. For now, this is a WARNING to anyone who actually might be foolish enough to get burned one more time by the master of con.

But first, let me share with you the follow up letter that most of you have received by now from Accurance, the only company that Brien Jones trusts which has “republished” his books about the scary pumpkin and the crooked Vanity Publisher based on his own life story.

Accurance’s Bill Earle sent this letter to the list of Jones authors:

Hello! I wanted to touch base and introduce myself, Bill Earle if Accurance, Inc., since I was mentioned in the letter you should have received from Brien Jones. We are happy to be able to step in and offer our years of expertise to you for your current book that was published and future books. We have been around a long time and we aren't going anywhere.

Right now, we are concentrating everything on the Jones authors who were published with Jones. Those ISBNs are dead now so those books are no longer for sale. Even if sales were poor in the past for whatever reason, you don't have a chance at even one now.

Our Jones Publishing Package, is fast, high quality, as affordable as is possible, and most importantly - complete. Right now, the book you had published with Jones is no longer valid. The ISBN from Jones for your book is a dead account. We are honored to be able to offer you the fastest way back to the market for just $849 as Brien's letter stated:

1. We will revise your cover and interior - and that means as many revisions as you want or as few as changing the "Published by"
2. set up a new publishing account with Lulu.com
3. purchase your new ISBN
4. upload your new files
5. order and ship a proof copy to you
6. purchase and set up your new GlobalReach distribution to the Ingram database of all titles for sale - fresh to the market with a new ISBN and a new look in some cases.

We will also purchase and ship to you 9 more copies of your book at the end of the process before we turn over your new POD publishing account to you to monitor future sales and always order as few or as many copies of your own book at cost. It also all comes with expanded free revision cycles and unlimited email and phone support.

This package is not available on our website for obvious reasons. To purchase now simply go to our Misc. Services web page at :
http://accurance.com/index.php?go=services&goto=author&gotogo=authmiscservice and add to cart 849 units - they will be billed to your credit card of PayPal at $1 per unit. As soon as the purchase (always completely guaranteed) is made you will receive an introductory email from me with everything you need to know. Then, you can sit back and let us get you back in the book selling business the best way in the world we know how, at a price only available to you.

I will of course get back to calling you back as well.

Thanks!

Bill Earle
your author partner
Accurance, Inc.
(727) 550-6268

With the directions from Bill Earle, I did go to the link in his letter which led me to the Accurance website page where you can purchase the 849 units for $849.00. But then I took a moment to explore the rest of the website which led me to the page called “Author Services.” It was quite interesting seeing the pricing for authors who weren’t getting the special Jones Harvest deal.

Here is the irony of the special “Jones Harvest” pack.
Here are the the prices for the non-Jones Harvest author services:

Publishing Set Up Package $249
For the author who has viable, print-ready PDF files who needs set up with a POD publisher for worldwide print distribution (includes ISBN & Proof Copy). Your files will be uploaded, your ISBN will be purchased, you will receive a proof copy for final approval, and be distributed on the worldwide database serving potential buyers at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and many others.

Book Cover Creation - $199
For the author who needs just the book cover (front/back/spin) designed. You will received a print-ready PDF cover file. Package includes three (3) revision cycles until your cover is perfect for you.

There is even this deluxe package:
The Whole Nine Yards Package - $799
Mechanical Editing/Interior Formatting/Custom Cover Design/Print Publishing/Distribution

Wow—editing your book and the rest of the whole nine yards. And here’s another great deal:

Ready-To-Sell Package & eCombo Package - $799
Interior Formatting/Custom Cover Design/Print Publishing/Distribution/eBook Conversion & Distribution

So let me see if I understand this. Accurance is getting the “viable, print-ready PDF files” from Brien Jones. According to their website, this is the Publishing Set-up Package they are offering for $249.00. If you decide to use them to redesign your book cover, the Book Cover Creation would cost $199.00. And that’s only if you want to have your cover redesigned. Otherwise, you can take off that charge. Okay—even if you want the book cover, that adds up to $448.00. Now, add in 9 additional copies at print cost—that’s approximately $36.00. So now we’re looking at less than $500.00 for the same services that Jones customers are charged $849.00. Hmmmm….

It gets even better. If you want the Ready-to-Sell Package & eCombo Package according to their website, this will cost $799.00. And that includes all the wonderful services of the Publishing Set-Up package, the Cover Design package, and the eBook package—all for less than the Jones Harvest Package. And even if you throw in the 9 extra books for $36.00, you’re still spending less than that special rate for the Jones Harvest package.

And guess what—if you take this route, you don’t have a publisher. Accurance isn’t a publisher—it’s a set-up company that brokers you out to companies like Lulu where you are your own publisher.

Anyway, even before I did the math when I first learned of this new alliance between Accurance and King Con, I wrote Bill Earle a note:

wearle@accurance.com
December 9, 2011

Dear Mr. Earle,
Since we haven't met before, I did want to let you know that if you have developed any type of positive reputation for your company, you should think about how it will be affected now that you are working with Brien Jones. In case you’re not aware, Mr. Jones is under criminal investigation by various government agencies for fraudulent practices against authors. Since it didn’t faze him about screwing hundreds of people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, I’m not quite sure why you would want your name tarnished by being associated with him, but that’s your decision.

Please be aware that when I send out my update to over 600 Airleaf Victims and over 100 Jones Harvest victims, I will be mentioning your connection. Don’t expect great things to happen for you or your company because of that. I would really reconsider your relationship with him because it will really be a losing one for you and your company.

Best regards,
Bonnie Kaye, M.Ed.
www.Jonesharvestfraudvictims.com
www.Airleafvictims.com

To date, I have received no response. Please, do not allow yourselves to become a victim one more time. For some of you, it has happened more than once. Remember—anything associated with Brien Jones will take bring you to a dark place where you don’t want to go. Don’t fall into this pit hole again.

Well, you will be hearing from me soon again with updated news. We are not done yet. With your help, we will continue to be VICTORS and not VICTIMS!

I wish you all the happiest and healthiest of all New Years.
Love, Bonnie

Airleaf Victims Update September 13, 2009

Dear Airleaf Friends,

Some news has recently transpired, and I wanted to update you about this information.
On August 21, 2009, a letter was sent out to the 120 of our authors who part of the cohort of the judgment filed by the Indiana Attorney General against Airleaf last year. This is what it stated:

Dear Consumer,
As most of you know, on June 30, 2008 the Office of the Indiana Attorney General entered into a Consent Judgment with Airleaf and its owner, Carl Lau. Among other things, the judgment contained a provision regarding restitution for your particular loss. For those of you who do not already have a copy of the judgment, please feel free to access a PDF version via www.IndianaConsumer.com. Our ongoing investigation since that filing was made revealed that Airleaf and its owner are insolvent and any attempt at formal collection activity would therefore be fruitless.

On August 3, 2009 Carl Lau and his wife filed a join ‘no asset’ Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana, under Case Number 09-11308-AJM-7. The filing again confirms our conclusion that further attempts to secure restitution are inadvisable.

Enclosed you will find a Notice of Bankruptcy Filing the Bankruptcy Court recently sent to my Office. Please note that the due date for “objections to discharge” is November 20, 2009. Bankruptcy law allows creditors (which you are by virtue of the Consent Judgment) to file a lawsuit within the bankruptcy proceeding to prevent discharge of the debt at issued if the creditor can prove fraud.

The State has concluded that such a lawsuit, even if prosecuted successfully, will not be collectable. Therefore, we will be unable to obtain restitution for your loss. If you believe you might wish to pursue such a lawsuit on your own, please consult a private attorney.

Sincerely,
Tom Irons, Deputy Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division

Okay, I wasn’t surprised—and I’m not quite sure why I felt upset. I expected the bankruptcy to be filed a long time ago because I heard it was in the process last year. But yet, I still felt a sense of anger because I know that Carl Lau has been collecting unemployment compensation benefits since going out of business. I also know that he did have some assets that were never really checked into like his yacht. Proof of those assets came the following week after I contacted our reporter friend Ron Hawkins at the Martinsville Reporter who dug up some interesting information. Here is a copy of his article:

August 29, 2009
By Ronald Hawkins
rhawkins@reporter-times.com

MARTINSVILLE

The Indiana Attorney General’s Office has ended its efforts to collect money from Carl Lau, the owner of the now defunct Airleaf Publishing and Book Selling, following his filing for bankruptcy.

A Martinsville-based marketing and self-publishing firm, Airleaf shut its doors in December 2007 following multiple complaints to the state attorney general, the Martinsville Police Department and Better Business Bureau of Central Indiana alleging that the company failed to pay royalties, publish books and deliver other promised services.

In May 2008, Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter announced the state had filed a lawsuit against Airleaf alleging it had taken money without providing the promised services in return. The lawsuit sought consumer restitution for at least 120 customers.

In June 2008, the state announced it had reached a consent judgment with Lau that provided for restitutions to the consumers.

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition, however, filed by Carl and Deborah Lau — who list a Carmel address as their home — in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis, has led the state to believe that further efforts to collect money from Lau would “be fruitless,” according to a letter sent by Tom Irons, deputy attorney general, to the consumers.

“Our ongoing investigation since that filing was made,” Irons wrote in a letter dated Aug. 21, “has revealed that Airleaf and its owner are clearly insolvent and any attempt at formal collection activity would be fruitless.”

The individual consumers, however, if they can prove fraud may file a lawsuit within the bankruptcy before the Nov. 20 due date to prevent the discharge of the debt, Irons wrote.

When contacted about the letter, Irons confirmed that it was his letter and “my signature.”

Bonnie Kaye, a Philadelphia-based counselor who organized an Airleaf victims group, said she wasn’t surprised by the state’s action, but that it reinforces her displeasure with the state’s efforts. She said her organization has more than 600 members.

“This is just another example of how the government of Indiana allowed a tragedy to happen to our authors whose lives have been shattered by the fraudulence of this company,” she said. “While Airleaf was alive and prospering, the AG’s office turned a blind eye when the complaints started pouring in.

“It was only after our actions forced Airleaf to close down that the judgment was handed down six months after the fact.”

Bankruptcy filing details

In the bankruptcy filing dated Aug. 3, the document lists $1,594,771 in total claims against Lau and $160,217 in assets.

Of that debt, the filing claims that $1,472,588 is in unsecured, non-priority claims.

The largest secured claim is $25,125 owed to Citizens Bank of Cumberland County in Burkesville, Ky., although there are several larger, unsecured claims.

The Lau’s debt list includes $74,445.81 owed to the Internal Revenue Service in employment taxes, $16,601 in state employment taxes plus $2,152 in state sales taxes and a $69,100 debt to the state for violations of the deceptive consumer sales act.

In addition to the dozens of debts to consumers listed in the 134-page document, the debts range from an American Express debt of $116 to $230,62 to Premier Capital Corp. of Indianapolis and $273,825 owed to CIT Lending Services of Livingston, N.J.

The bankruptcy also includes $19,999 owed to Author House of Bloomington, a self-publishing firm, and $4,600 to the Morgan County treasurer.

The filing states Carl Lau has no average monthly income, but Deborah Lau has an average income of $3,537 per month. He, however, has received $3,308 in unemployment compensation this year and received $13,192 in 2008.

Their monthly expenses, the document states, are $4,700 including $1,500 in taxes, but they have no rent or home mortgage payments.

Ronald Hawkins
News editor

My frustration comes from seeing that there is still over $160,000 in assets that could have been sought on our behalf. Also, the fact that Carl Lau owes the IRS and the State of Indiana payroll taxes really upsets me because he has received over $16,000.00 in unemployment compensation in spite of his criminal actions. Go figure! Also, as you see in the article, the Lau’s have no rent or home mortgage payments. This is because they moved in with Deborah Lau’s parents. While I used to feel somewhat sympathetic to Mrs. Lau, I don’t anymore. I would tell her the same thing I tell my women that I counsel—“If you don’t know the truth about your husband and he is doing the wrong thing, then you are a victim. But once you learn the truth and you choose to stay there, you are a volunteer.” And I don’t feel sympathy for volunteers.

The article states that Carl Lau owes money to Authorhouse. He owes it to them for stealing their database when he left there to start his own company. He had to make a payoff agreement with them out of court which of course was never paid off. So that shows Deborah Lau that her husband had a lack of scruples before she even knew about any of us. In addition, Carl Lau was forced to pay money for a sexual harassment suit that one of his former female employees contacted me about to let me know about her settlement. It was general information from all of the previous Airleaf employees that spoke with me that Lau was a sleazy guy watching porn on his computer and making sexual overtures to a number of the female employees or even groping them. And yet, his wife still remains with him. So now she is a volunteer, aiding a criminal. No, I don’t feel sorry for her at all. Deborah Lau is helping him avoid his responsibility of standing up and making amends to his victims. She obviously has no concern for us.

Don’t think that our efforts have been for nothing. Carl Lau will have a legacy that will follow him forever. Every time he goes for a job and someone looks up his name on the Internet, they will know what a crook he is—and this has already happened. His road will never be an easy one again thanks to our standing up and fighting back.

I called the Bankruptcy Trustee, Mr. Elliott Levin in Indiana, and spoke to him about our options late last week. There is a hearing for Carl Lau’s bankruptcy on Monday, September 21 at 1:30 p.m. in Indianapolis. Mr. Levin said any of us could show up at the hearing, but without an attorney, it’s hard to do much because an “objection to discharge” has to be filed. However, if any of you would like to go there to stake your claim, I encourage you to do just that. The hearing will only last 15 minutes, so it won’t be very long. But at least you can have a say. If you would like to go, or you would like more information, feel free to call Mr. Levin at 317-634-0300.

Although you know that I don’t have faith in the State of Indiana, I would like to thank Mr. Tom Irons for taking the Jones Harvest fraud seriously. This past week, at least five authors who were victims of Brien Jones in his scamming of authors received back money from the Indiana Attorney General’s office, and there may be more who haven’t contacted me yet. I have tracked 72 complaints from authors who were taken in by this company. If you have been scammed by Brien Jones in his new publishing company, Jones Harvest et. al, there is still hope for you to retrieve some compensation before he goes bankrupt. If you need help with this, just let me know. I will be glad to send you the information on how to file a complaint form or call you to walk you through with it.

I just wanted to give you an update. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

One last announcement—we are accepting new authors for our Books of Excellence Coop. Visit our site at www.BooksofExcellence.com to see how nice the site is. This year, we will be starting Blog Radio for our group with lots of advertising and marketing. We have a monthly newsletter where we provide marketing and publishing tips to help our authors. Write to me if you are interested.

Love, Bonnie Kaye
Organizer, www.Airleaf Victims.com

WRAPPING UP THE AIRLEAF BATTLE

August 9, 2009

Dear Airleaf Victims and Friends,

I am writing this last correspondence to you to let you know that I am wrapping up my efforts on the Airleaf case. At this point of time, I have gone as far as I can go, and it’s time to let go. All of the petitions that many of you were kind enough to sign will be sent to the U.S. Attorney Timothy Morrison this week. If by some miracle he changes his mind after reading them, I will notify you immediately.

I wanted to make sure that I explored every possible course of action, but I have to accept that I have come to a dead end. As so many of you have told me, it’s time to let go. From my point of view, there has been no justice for the Airleaf Victims. The fact that Airleaf closed down was due to our efforts in stopping their cash flow—not government efforts to stop the fraudulence. Airleaf was run by con men. They were experts in making people believe that we could become famous authors through a series of publicity efforts, which in almost every case, never happened. There were no European book fairs, no Bowker reviews, no Carnival cruise, or no Hollywood movies. There was just continued scamming of good people who worked long and hard at becoming authors.

Should you be angry? Of course you should. Most of you were taken for your hard work and hard earned money while others profited off of your innocence with airplanes, boats, trips to Hollywood where sordid affairs took place, and a plush life style built off of your suffering. In addition to the thieves who took your money so willingly but refused to provide you with the promised services, we had the State of Indiana to contend with. Its lack of concern for thieves in their State will always be my greatest reminder of how government doesn’t care about its people.

This has been a wonderful experience for me because it has given me the unique opportunity to get to know so many of you. I have developed life-time friendships with some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. I have read the words of some of the most prolific and profound writers imaginable. I had the fortune of meeting a number of you in my travels and in yours. So every moment that I put into this effort was well rewarded with new friendships that have enriched my life.

Although most of you don’t know much about me, I will share some things with you at this time. In the 1970’s, I spent nearly ten years of my life as an activist for a cause I believed in. I learned a lot in those days about organizing people and using the media to our advantage. I tried to take those skills and use them in our Airleaf campaign. Now with the advent of the Internet, it was easier in many ways. It allowed me to put up websites to alert people, send out press releases to the media, and stay in touch with many of you via email. In the past when I was in my 20’s, I went up against some of the most worthy opponents—and won--including the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in my battle to have Nazi War Criminals removed from this country, the New York Federal Court who did not allow people to view the deportation of a Nazi War Criminal, the City of Chicago (stopping neo-Nazi marches in Skokie, Illinois), the Russian government demanding the release of Russian Jews, and many others who were quite offensive to many people. I may not have won the war, but I certainly did win many battles.

Because of my younger years as an activist, I thought the Airleaf battle would be a piece of cake. It seemed so easy—people being robbed of their money. This was criminal—or so I thought. Little did I know that it wasn’t a crime to take people’s money under false pretenses in the State of Indiana. Silly me. I thought that robbing hundreds if not thousands of people would truly be against the law in any state in this country. It seemed so very cut and clear.

Sadly, at this point of time, I have come to realize that robbing people of millions of dollars is not a crime in Indiana—rather it is what they call “bad business.” Wow, I wish I was a crook. I know where I would relocate to. Indiana would be calling my name loud and clear. As I have told all of the officials that I have tried to convince to be on our side, I could set up a business selling dreams to people at $500.00 a shot, and if they didn’t come true, well, I could say at least I tried. Ha ha. No one there seemed to disagree with me.

The real culprits here are not just Carl Lau and Brien Jones. It’s the government of Indiana. In May of 2007, Airleaf was given an order through the Attorney General’s office stating that they would not conduct any more bad business with customers after having to pay out $12,000.00 to two authors and being issued an AVC order. When our first complaints started going to the AG’s office back in August when I sent the first of hundreds to come, nothing happened. Well, almost nothing. Actually, the Assistant AG at that time, Terry Tolliver, went with our police detective Jeff Buskirk to raid the Airleaf computers in October. This made me feel optimistic. But that was the end of the road. Nothing more came from that. When the new assistant AG took over, Tom Irons, he went to battle for us and a judgment was handed down five months after Airleaf closed. The problem was that the case stopped there. It was a “good will” gesture with no results. Carl Lau lost his home to the IRS, and supposedly his boat wasn’t worth going after. His partial ownership in the airplane wasn’t worth it either I suppose.

I believe that if anyone is guilty, it’s the government of Indiana that could have acted months before Airleaf shut down to demand that our money be returned, but they didn’t. And the final blow was when the U.S. Attorney, Timothy Morrison, refused to consider our case “criminal.”

I have pursued every possible course of action including writing to government officials in Washington, the President, every state representative and state senator in Indiana, the congressmen of the state, and the senators of the state. Heck, I even wrote to the governor’s wife pleading for help. Only one in over 80 representatives that I wrote to responded telling me that it wasn’t a State issue. So what’s new? I already figured that out with the overwhelming mounds of rejection that came my way in the form of silence.

I recently spoke to the lawyer of one of our victims who said we could pursue the case if we put up money. It would take lots of money—thousands of dollars. Then there is no guarantee that we would see anything. After all, Carl Lau lost his home and his business. What will we be able to take from? However, if a group of you would like to spend money pursuing this, please let me know.

So let me share some final thoughts with you.

Last year, a group of us began an author’s co-op, Books of Excellence. It’s a way for people to have a site they can refer people to if they don’t have their own website. We were overly ambitious in hoping people would buy five books a year from other authors. Some did; others did not. The majority of us decided this year just to pay yearly due for upkeep and publicity. I will be starting a new internet radio show in September with our authors one hour a week. This way, authors can promote their books via the computer radio stations and generate some business. We would be happy to have you join us. The cost to join is $60.00 for the first year which gives you a place on the front page of the website as well as your own page where you can advertise you and your books. After the first year, the dues are $25.00 a year. You can visit our site at www.BooksOfExcellence.com.

Many of you came to me with questions about republishing. There are three publishers that I feel confident in recommending to you. The first is my own publisher, CCB Publishing. Several dozen of us have republished there. You can read our testimonials on the website at www.CCBPublishing.com. The price is excellent, the service superb, and in a few weeks, your book is out in the market. Paul Rabinowitz, my publishing hero, works closely with each and every author day and night. He has all books distributed through not only local channels including Amazon and Barnes and Noble, but also the European channels, e-books, and his newest venture, The Expresso Book Machine. Here is some information about EBM:

CCB Publishing is pleased to announce a new distribution channel for its authors’ books. Placed primarily in bookstores and libraries, the Espresso Book Machine® (the “EBM”), a Time Magazine “Best Invention of 2007,” is essentially an ATM for books. The EBM automatically prints, binds and trims on demand at point of sale perfect-bound library-quality paperback books with full-color covers that are indistinguishable from most books on a bookstore shelf. The EBM can manufacture a 300-page book in less than 4 minutes while the customer waits. Books with black and white interiors will be universally available, while books with color interiors will only be available from certain sites. In addition to Time Magazine, this revolutionary new technology has been featured by The New York Times, Newsweek, Fortune, CNN and NPR.

Other participating publishers of note include John Wiley & Sons, Hachette Book Group, McGraw-Hill, Simon & Schuster, Clements Publishing, Information Age Publishing, Macmillan, University of California Press and W.W. Norton.

In addition to being featured at the Book Fair in London, England and at BookExpo America in New York City, there have been 16 EBM installations to date with many more planned. In addition to the following locations, current plans for 2009 include new installations in the United Kingdom through the Blackwell Ltd. chain of bookstores, in Australia through the Angus & Robertson chain and related bookstores, as well as in multiple locations at universities, bookstores and other retailers in North America and around the world.

Current locations:
• World Bank InfoShop, Washington, D.C., USA
• New York Public Library, New York, NY, USA
• New Orleans Public Library, New Orleans, LA, USA
• Internet Archive, San Francisco, CA, USA
• University of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
• Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT, USA
• Brigham Young University Bookstore, Provo, UT, USA
• University of Alberta Bookstore, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
• McMaster University Bookstore, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• University of Waterloo Bookstore, Ontario, Canada
• McGill University Library, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
• Newsstand UK, London, England
• Blackwell’s Bookstore, London, England
• Angus & Robertson Bookstore, Melbourne, Australia
• University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
• Library of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt

Paul delivers what he promises—and everything is included in his one price of $750.00. This also includes 20 FREE BOOKS. If you would like to have your book listed as “returnable” for book store book signings, CCB can do this for the low cost of $100.00 for one year. If you check with other companies like Authorhouse, you’ll see that they charge $599.00 for this service. (Of course they are located in Indiana too, so don’t try to fight it!) You can also buy your books from Paul at $2.00 over the cost of printing plus shipping and handling.

The second publisher that I would like to recommend is Mountain Valley Publishing, owned by Bob Denton. I have come to know, care about, and appreciate Bob over the past year and a half. I wasn’t very nice to him in our early days, accusing him of working with Airleaf to hurt writers. I was wrong, and I know I’ve said it before—and I’ll say it again. Bob was used and manipulated by Airleaf as many other well-meaning employees were, and he did quit when he realized that there was no hope and authors were being screwed two months before the closing of Airleaf. He did try hard for authors, especially once Airleaf closed down. Bob was able—and is still able and willing-- to retrieve authors’ disks, and for many of them before the flood, their books that were sitting in the Airleaf offices. Sadly, once the flood came, Airleaf was flooded out along with nearly 50,000 books—and of course, no flood insurance.

Bob has republished books for many Airleaf authors. I have spoken with a number of them and they are always thrilled by his quickness, quality, and customer service. I have not heard one complaint yet from anyone using Mountain Valley Publishing—only words of praise. Bob does everything for authors from cover design, ISBN number, and bar code to Internet distribution. He has a special deal for Airleaf authors to republish your Airleaf book for $750.00 which includes 25 copies for free. If you want to buy your books, he only charges for the cost of printing plus shipping and handling which is an excellent deal. If authors have a new book, Bob will publish that for $995.00 and give authors 25 copies of the book which is still an excellent deal. You can write to Bob at bdenton308@comcast.net. You will find his contact information if you want to chat with him. You can also see his website at: www.MoutainValleyPublishing.com. Please read his list of testimonials from happy authors if you would like to become one of them.

One other publisher that I have heard wonderful things about is Helen Compton from Artship Publishing. Helen is a sponsor at our Books of Excellence co-op. Several of our victims are republishing with her and have the kindest words to say about their experiences with Helen. She gives tremendous thought and help with putting books together, designing the covers, and taking it through the publishing process. You can feel free to visit her site and get her contact information by visiting: http://www.galleryartship.com/ebook.html

On a side issue, I received a letter last week from a woman in Indiana. She wrote:

Bonnie,



My name is Linda and I have been following the Airleaf story with your group. I think you have a great group of writers there and I wondered if they would want to participate in a fundraiser to help raise money for cancer research. My relay for life team is going to have a celebrity auction and we're looking for writers willing to donate an autograph book or photo. If anyone would want to participate they can send them to



Linda Williams

309 E South St

Martinsville, IN 46151



This auction is in memory of two friends who lost their own battles with cancer; Rita Greenwood and Brenda Wisman. Thank you for your time.

Linda



If you would be willing to donate a book or two to this worthy cause, know that it will go for something positive in life. Please send your books to Linda at the above address.

Finally, I would like to thank all of you who put your faith in me. The battle of Airleaf Victims started for me during the year that I lost my beloved son, Jason, at the age of 23 due to his rare illness that was misdiagnosed in his final battle to live. Three years earlier, I had lost my daughter, Jennifer, age 22. My life was in a dark place when this battle began. I felt that life had robbed me of my greatest treasures, and now, once again, I was being robbed. I knew I couldn’t save my children—that was out of my control. But I didn’t want to feel like a victim. I always taught my children to stand up for something you believe in. I taught them that there are always hands reaching out to you—some to pull you up; other to drag you down. It’s my “Misery loves Company” theory of why people look to drag you down. I extended my hand with kindness in the hopes of pulling all of us out of the darkness that entered our lives when men with dishonorable intentions were lurking in our midst. Nearly 600 of you reached back and made this battle your battle so that you wouldn’t remain a victim—but rather a victor.

As I said earlier, I have met some of the finest people imaginable through this battle. I have relived your horrors story after story of how you were fooled and tricked into throwing your hard earned money out the window. There were many nights I cried myself to sleep thinking about your pain, and I made it my pain. Then I went through this horror all over again when some of our victims told me how they were being “re-victimized” by Brien Jones in his new company, Jones Harvest. Again I sent out notices to people to stop paying for services that will never happen. I gave Mr. Jones a run for his money, but he runs faster than me. I have over 80 letters from victims of his, but once again, the government of Indiana is impotent about making this a crime. At this point, I’m ending my battle against him as well. Too much negative energy is being wasted on one pathetic man. If authors aren’t willing to believe all the warnings put in front of them, well, so be it. Let their money be taken from them once again.

I would like to thank my predatory publishing guru Victoria Strauss for helping me through this maze and mess. Victoria was a constant source of inspiration, who helped me during some of my darkest moments when I kept feeling like throwing in the towel. Victoria and her partner, Ann Crispin, are the true fighters for the cause of predatory publishing. They have made this their life’s mission through their website Writer Beware. You can view their site at http://www.sfwa.org/beware/. Put that site in your favorites to keep referring back to because it will be a continued source of inspiration. Anytime you’re not sure about a company, check there first. Ask the experts who keep on top of this daily.

I would also like to thank Detective Jeff Buskirk from the Martinsville, Indiana police department. He made a hero’s effort to put this case together for us. He worked diligently day and night—and there were many nights—helping us present our proof of criminal action. Sadly, all of his efforts were also ignored. Jeff Buskirk helped me believe in the kindness of strangers. He could have said this wasn’t a case for him, but he never did that. He really needs to be commended for his good deeds in trying his best to “do the right thing.” I wish he lived in Philadelphia near me. He would truly be recognized for his good work.

Know that in moving ahead, I am always here for anyone who wants advice or for me to check out something for you. Please email me anytime at Bonkaye@aol.com. Many of you are my friends; some of you have become my extended family. We will always be linked through our tragedy, but we are survivors and have put life back together in spite of this.

Learn from this lesson, and hold your heads up high. You are receiving this email because you refused to walk away and chose to stand up and fight. For that reason alone, you are no longer a victim, but a victor.

Love, Bonnie Kaye

Animal Farm Revisited

ANIMAL FARM REVISITED

When I was in high school, one of the books that left its profoundly affected me was Animal Farm by George Orwell. This was an expose of communism and how proclaimed “equality” led to slavery. It’s a story where the animals took over the farm seeking justice and equal rights for all animals, but in the end, the pigs outsmarted the rest of the animals and treated them worse than their human masters.

At this stage of my life, I can finally identify with one of the main characters of the book named Snowball. Snowball was one of the revolutionaries who believed in justice for the animals. He helped teach the other animals how to read and stand up for themselves. But this didn’t work for the greedy pig Napoleon. He wanted to live with special privileges at the expense of the other animals who were doing all the work. He knew that Snowball, the voice of sanity and reason, would circumvent his efforts to lead the animals back into slavery.

Napoleon started spreading lies about Snowball blaming him for everything that went wrong on the farm. When the other animals would question this, they were put down and isolated from the group until they agreed to believe the lies. Eventually, a pack of wild dogs attacked Snowball and drove him away once and for all. From that day forth, when anything broke on the farm or the benefits weren’t trickling down to the animals, it was blamed on Snowball. He was still creating havoc to ruin everything—or so the animals were told.

Brien Jones is a fraud. He has deceived so many people that I’ve even lost count. And when he fails, rather than accept responsibility, whose fault is it? Bonnie Kaye’s. Yep, it is all my fault. I have become his modern day Snowball.

Here’s an example of what Jones wrote to several complaining authors:

"The last time I sent out bookstore contacts, the author gave the list to Bonnie Kaye and she proceeded to call each and every one of them. Many of our books were returned. Now that list is proprietary. We should have kept it confidential from the start."

That’s pretty funny. No author has ever given me a bookstore contact. The ONLY bookstore I ever called was the one that Jones has pictured on his site. It is called Books N’ More an Indianapolis bookstore. It is there for anyone to view, so I called the store to see if the books were still being displayed. The owner told me they were taken down last July. It had nothing to do with Bonnie Kaye, but rather that the books weren’t selling and it was a temporary display.

One thing that should have kept confidential was the list of authors that Brien Jones provided me with to start the Airleaf Victims campaign. On his recent blog, he states:

"Everyone exalts Bonnie Kaye for putting together 600 Airleaf clients and closing the place down. In the teeny tiny world of untalented writers turned watchdogs and their blogs she reigns supreme. (Hey Lee, I knew you were a guy! It was an insult dumbass.) I wouldn’t include any further insults that could be used against you."

"However, there is another side to the Airleaf story, one never told. At the end of 2006 and the end of my time in Martinsville there were 3000 clients. I have no idea how many authors bought services from Airleaf in 2007 and 2008, I wasn’t there. So we’ll be conservative and add ZERO new clients after I left."

"Subtract out Bonnie’s 600 victims (and I believe they were victims) and that leaves 2400 Airleaf authors.Out of those estimated 2400 Airleaf non-victim authors, how many paid just for publishing? How many received their books and didn’t sign up for anything else?"

The truth is that Brien Jones provided me with the original list of approximately 500authors and their email addresses claiming these were “angry authors” who felt they were screwed by Airleaf. That’s how I started contacting authors in the beginning—with Brien’s list. I’ll be able to produce that for court when he someday takes me there as he keeps promising. Now it may be true that Airleaf had 3,000 clients—but I didn’t have access to the rest of that list like Brien had when he stole the data base from Airleaf to open his new company. And yes, I can prove that too because now I have the list. It’s with another list of his Jones Harvest clients with little notes he writes about each person next to their name so he doesn’t forget the stories he’s making up along the way along with some derogatory notes about some of his authors. That list was given to me courtesy of several of his ex-employees who felt that by giving it to me, it would be in good hands. I’ll be showing those in court as evidence as well. And also one more lie that Brien keeps stating over and over—Airleaf closed on December 21, 2007, not 2008. Brien had been out of there just about a year.

The funniest thing is that in the beginning of my Airleaf Victims campaign when I sent my letters to authors about being cheated by Airleaf, at least 80% of them were complaining about Brien Jones and not about Airleaf. He was the salesman who made promises to take their book to fame and fortune as he happily took their money but somehow ignored them after he drained them. In those days, I defended him to the hilt because I didn’t know any better. I believed his lies that he was a victim of Airleaf just like me. But getting back to the point, I didn’t have the list of 3,000 so there was no way for me to contact the other potential victims until recently. At this time, it would serve no purpose to contact authors because Airleaf is closed.

One last thought--even if his assumption was correct that there were 2,400 happy authors, does that negate the hardship, pain, and loss of money of the 600 who were scammed? Jones's logic would think so because that's how he conducts his business. It doesn't matter if over 80 people are accusing him of taking their money--he'll have a few dozen state they love him and that makes it okay.

And now for the update on the “Sue Bonnie Kaye” case. Brien is sending this letter to authors:

"Jones Harvest Publishing along with 230 (so far) plus SIX OTHER COMPANIES is finally filing suit against Bonnie Kaye. I already paid the Miller Law Group in West Lawn PA for the whole thing, so I don't need any money from you or anyone.
I have decided to include clients like you in the suit at no charge. Please believe me when I tell you her attacks on my company have hurt you and your books. You deserve compensation too."

"You don't have to do anything, or say anything, or pay anything, or go anywhere. You'll just get a share of whatever we get back.If you want a share of the settlement, all you have to do is say "Yes" and I'll add you to the list.
I would love it if you stood with us."

This is quite interesting because Brien doesn’t have 230 authors. According to his Amazon reports, he has approximately 150 authors who have published with him. And the funny thing is I have over 80 reports from authors who have been scammed by him who came to me for help, so somehow, these numbers just don’t add up.

But let’s say that Brien could find 5000 people to join a law suit against me. What is it he is suing me for? Telling the truth? Revealing that he has been deceiving authors and taking their money without providing services? Is this a crime? Are we all living on that Animal Farm where truth becomes lies and lies become the law?

By the way, in an effort to find a new way to make some money, since selling books isn’t what Brien is good at according to Brien when he tells authors:

"I hope you have noticed that you haven't received any letters about new bookselling packages. It's not because we ran out of stamps. We decided to make it or not, with the books and authors we have. We're still trying to find a way to sell books, when I come up with something I'll call."

Now that’s finally something that IS true! They are clueless in finding ways to sell books and they refuse to do what they have authors pay them for—like contacting every media outlet and bookstore within a 100 mile area of their homes.

So now here’s the Jones Harvest new letters sent to all the former Airleaf mailing list:

You don't need to send money or books.

I'll put your book on our websites. No charge, no obligation. I'll even make a few calls. If you want to send me books, I’ll try to put them in stores. (Again, no charge, no obligation.)

I worked at Airleaf Publishing through 2006, (they closed in 2008) and I just want to help out if I can.
http://www.jonesharvest.com/

http://www.authorgifts.com/

http://www.bookwheat.com/

http://www.myauthorprofile.com/

http://www.myperfectheart.com/

If you don’t pay anything and you don’t have to send me books, how can you become a “victim”?

Brien Jones
Author Celebrity Assoc.
Jones Harvest Publishing
Toll-Free 877-400-0075

Then when you say "yes" to this free offer agreeing to let Jones sell your book, here’s the next letter you get:

We have 800 books for sale on http://www.jonesharvest.com/ including yours. However, there are only 25 spots for book covers on the home page.

I can offer you one of those powerful places for 3 months for just $400. I can put your book on the top row for just $600! No one will have to type your name or title into the search box, your book is RIGHT THERE! That means any bookstore owner that looks at our site will see your cover!

I have one spot left on the top row, two on the second row and eleven more total. Whoever gets them first gets them!

Brien Jones
Author Celebrity Assoc.
Jones Harvest Publishing
Toll-Free 877-400-0075

The first book on the top prime row is “The Stone” by David Welden. According to the synopsis of the book:

The author reveals firsthand accounts of people who have been aboard alien ships. He also provides a detailed timeline of the chronology of Earth from 450,000 B.C. to 2023 B.C. Welden goes on to explain the genetics behind it all, including a discussion of mitochondrial DNA and the role of the Y chromosome.

This book was published by Jones Harvest in 2008 and the ranking on Amazon is #3,894,935. So if this is the first book on the first line giving it “prime time viewing,” you can imagine how well the others are selling—NOT. And yet, people are PAYING for those SPOTS?

I don’t understand how some people are still so suckered in. I have so many letters of people feeling ashamed for throwing their money into the bargain basement of the Jones Family Home, where their publishing company is located. Lots of people are spending lots of money, but who besides Jones is making lots of money?

There is no shame in being conned. It happens to decent, hard-working people who believe in the goodness of people. The shame is to allow it to keep happening or refusing to stop it when it happens again.

You don’t have to be a victim—you can be a victor. All you have to do is “Just Say No” when you receive an offer from Jones Harvest. If you want to give money to charity, make it a worthwhile one that you can at least use as a tax write-off.
Love, Bonnie Kaye

Getting Ready for Court

GETTING READY FOR COURT
I’m blowing the dust off of all of my legal courtroom dramas that I’ve accumulated over the years and trying to “brush up” on defense tips before I go to court. From what I’ve read from some of the Jones Harvest authors who keep me posted on this fraudster’s shenanigans, Brien Jones, owner of Jones Harvest Publishing in Bloomington, Indiana, has gathered “196 of his authors, 3 of his ex-employees, and 6 companies” to join together in a lawsuit against me.

Actually, the numbers change from day to day, but here is the basic letter to authors:

I hope you have noticed that you haven't received any letters about new bookselling packages. It's not because we ran out of stamps. We decided to make it or not, with the books and authors we have. We're still trying to find a way to sell books, when I come up with something I'll call.

In the mean time, this is free.

Jones Harvest Publishing along with 190 authors (so far) plus SIX OTHER COMPANIES is finally filing suit against Bonnie Kaye. I already paid the Miller Law Group in West Lawn PA for the whole thing, so I don't need any money from you or anyone.

I have decided to include clients like you in the suit at no charge. Please believe me when I tell you her attacks on my company have hurt you and your books. You deserve compensation too.

You don't have to do anything, or say anything, or pay anything, or go anywhere. You'll just get a share of whatever we get back.

If you want a share of the settlement, all you have to do is say "Yes" and I'll add you to the list.

I would love it if you stood with us.

Brien Jones
Author Celebrity Assoc.
Jones Harvest Publishing
Toll-Free 877-400-0075

Since I know that Jones has written some compelling fiction in his day, such as his “The Scariest Pumpkin of Them All,” where he later took his company logo of a scary pumpkin from, I started wondering, “How do I start providing a defense against someone who can’t distinguish truth from fiction, or more to the point, from someone whose truth is fiction?”

Let’s start with 196 of his authors….or 190…or whatever the number is. As I read the Amazon quarterly sales reports that one of his authors forwarded to me, I counted 160 titles that are part of his publishing company. And guess what one of the 160 titles is? Yep, his book “The Scariest Pumpkin of Them All.” And as I examined the Amazon list further, guess what another title was? “The Year the Reindeer Went on Strike,” another Brien Jones creation. It seems like a prophetic book before it’s time when I read the synopsis: "Santa Claus searches for a new way to power his sleigh when his reindeer go on strike. First using penguins, then polar bears, Santa learns just how much he needs his reindeer. Can he work out a compromise in time?" This sounds similar to the real story of his employees all quitting due to his fraudulence and he needs to figure out how to get a book published before the legal authorities get to him. I don’t know how that book ended, but I do know from his ex-employees that they would never return. And then there is the third Jones book, his novel “The Manuscript” which according to Jones’s write up on his Starred Review website (page 4) will really make you think:

As the President of Jones Harvest Publishing, author Brien Jones draws on his experience in the industry for parodying the world of publishing in The Manuscript. Through his coruscating wit and wry observations, he takes off on subsidy publishers, aspiring writers, poetry, thrillers, and romance novels, as well as Indiana town.

Lee Goodwin is an author consultant at an Indiana-based print-on-demand publisher, Myownbook.com, where by paying $1000 aspiring authors can make their dreams come true and get their manuscripts turned into books. To be published by this company, a book has to conform to three rigid standards - it cannot be pornographic, dangerous, or racially prejudiced. But this applies for just the first three pages, since they are the only ones read by the publisher during the supposedly stringent screening process! Even though Lee has to sometimes contend with eccentric writers, insufferable poets ("I am not a big fan of poetry. I figure life is tough enough, why rhyme about it?"), and strange conversations (like when an author claims, "My dog is possessed by Hitler's ghost."), it is a job the forty-one-year-old divorcee enjoys.

Like I mentioned, his fiction is sometimes indistinguishable from his truths. But more to the point, 3 of the books listed on the Amazon list of 160 were his. And for a guy who is supposed to be such an expert on book selling, how come his books haven’t sold any? Actually, for that matter, of the 160 titles on the Amazon report for that quarter, I saw sales for 21 books.

Now let’s be logical. Am I, Bonnie Kaye, the cause for the lack of book sales for the Jones Harvest authors on Amazon? I think not. My attacks on not on Jones Harvest authors—they are on the publishing and publicity fraud of Brien Jones and Jones Harvest. What this means is that by exposing this company, new unsuspecting authors have a chance to read the truth before throwing out their money, and current victims of his fraudulence realize they have a way to fight back through my help.

I’m not sure what anyone can sue me for. I have heard from nearly 80 authors as of today who have sent me complaints about being scammed by Jones Harvest. I think it will be much easier for me to find them to testify then it is for Brien Jones to find authors who want to sue me for…..what exactly is it they are suing me for?

I know the wheels of justice turn very slowly, but in my heart, I do believe that honesty will always win out over dishonesty. Constantly trying to defend a lie is not only difficult, but exhausting as well. Remembering lie after lie is a full time job. But then again, Brien Jones has plenty of time on his hands. As he said in his letter, he’s not soliciting new authors and he doesn’t know how to sell the books of his old ones. But he has paid in full for a law suit against me. Maybe that’s why none of his authors have received their royalties this year.

I think I better start taping some of the Law and Order episodes I may have missed to brush up on some legal strategies. I promise to keep you posted!

AIRLEAF VICTIMS UPDATE APRIL 19, 2009

AIRLEAF VICTIMS UPDATE APRIL 18, 2009

Dear Airleaf Victims, JH Victims, and Author Friends,

First, let me thank all of you who have responded with your support of willingness to sign petitions for the U.S. Attorney Tim Morrison. In addition to our group, we had 29 people respond with their kind offers of support to sign petitions after they read about us on Victoria Strauss’ blog on Writer Beware! I will be speaking in Connecticut on May 9 at the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association on the issue of Predatory Publishing. I will take petitions with me to the event to get them signed as well. This is an issue that affects every independent author and needs to be heard.

I had sent a letter to the Attorney General in Washington. On Monday, I received this response:

Dear Ms. Kaye:
This responds to your of March 11, 2009, letter to Kenneth E. Melson, Director, Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA), seeking to have the owner of a private company criminal charges with fraud. Because of the nature of your request, your letter was referred to the General Counsel’s Office, EOUSA, Department of Justice (DOJ) for a response.
United States Attorneys, and their offices, represent the United States and prosecute violators of Federal law. By law, they have considerable discretion in determining whom to investigate or prosecute and what charges, if any to bring. EOUSA is not a supervisory agency for the United States Attorneys’ Offices (USAO’s). We provide general executive assistance, policy development, administrative management direction and oversight, and operational support for the 93 United States Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs). Accordingly, EOUSA does not have the authority to require a United States Attorney to investigate alleged criminal activity. This is a matter solely within the discretion of the U.S. Attorney and his office.
We appreciate the confidence which prompted your letter.
Sincerely,
Jay Macklin
General Counsel
I think that Mr. Macklin misinterpreted my request of “desperation” by describing it as “confidence,” of which I have none at this point. In other words, this office will not help us.
This week, I received two notes of passive-aggressive--bordering on antagonistic-- communication from Timothy Morrison, the U.S. Attorney in Indiana. I am sending you a copy of my original letter, his response to me, my response back, and his latest letter to me on Friday, April 17. Mr. Morrison is “picking” at my words and trying to deflect from the reality of our situation. After you read them, you’ll realize that we are going nowhere fast. However, that should make us much more determined to make this into a national matter.

In Mr. Morrison’s last email to me, as you’ll read later on, he states:

Few lawyers worth their salt are prepared to ignore new facts. When you e-mailed you were bringing “petitions from our victims with their stories,” I would certainly read those regardless of what was previously submitted to investigators.

I can’t imagine what “new facts” we could submit to Mr. Morrison unless the federal investigators were withholding information from him. This case is becoming more bizarre by the moment, but we cannot let this discourage us. I’m sure the government of Indiana would like us to go away, but we won’t. One author commented that “Bernie Madoff stole from millionaires and that was a crime, but a man who steals from hard working average people is ignored.”

I have attached a copy of our petition which is a Microsoft word document. You can either type in the information or print it out and write it in. Don’t worry if it goes into a second or third page. Just tell factually what has happened to you. If you have a printer, I’d appreciate it if you could print it out and sign it and send it to me. If you don’t have a printer, you can type in an X at the end where you give verify that you have filled this out and give me permission to deliver your letter to Mr. Morrison’s office.

Please be specific in describing what you paid for. If you would like to send me any back up or copies of information for me to submit such as promotional fliers of services you bought, feel free to do so.

Here is the correspondence this week:

From: BonKaye@aol.com [mailto:BonKaye@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 6:47 PM
To: USAINS-Webmaster

Subject: From Bonnie Kaye, Organizer, Airleaf Victims

Dear Mr. Morrison,
I was informed by the Indiana FBI today that you will not be following through with our case of fraud against Airleaf Publishing. I want you to know that I and the members of group find this totally unacceptable. I have provided the federal authorities with more than enough evidence proving criminal fraud. We have nearly 600 members who are part of our group from the United States and other parts of the world who have been robbed of our money, hopes, dreams, materials, and dignity. There are hundreds of more victims of this company that haven't found their way to us yet. Just within our group, the money stolen is in excess of TWO MILLION DOLLARS. We want justice against Airleaf Publishing and Carl Lau, the owner who not only took our money while he was in business, but continued to steal our royalties after he closed his company for many months to come.
By allowing this crime to go unpunished, you are sending out a message to the other predatory publishers that continue stealing money from unsuspecting authors that it is okay to perpetrate fraud in Indiana without getting punished.
We are committed to finding justice against this fraudulence. I will be coming to visit you in Indiana in June to present you with petitions from our victims with their stories. We will contact every government agency in your state asking them to intercede on our behalf. We will also contact your local media and the national media to bring attention to this injustice. We have been patiently waiting for a year and a half for justice, but now you have decided not to help us find it.
This is a true disgrace, Mr. Morrison.
Bonnie Kaye, M.Ed., Organizer, Airleaf Victims

In a message dated 4/13/2009 2:43:40 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, USAINS.Webmaster@usdoj.gov writes:

Dear Ms. Kaye:
I would be pleased to meet with you sometime in June to receive written accounts from persons who have lost money in the Airleaf transactions. Please contact me when your schedule firms up so that we can arrange a mutually convenient time.
Also feel free to contact the national and local media and “every government agency” in Indiana. However, that may duplicate, in part, what you have already done. You wrote me on February 16, 2008, that you were “very distraught at the response of the Indiana government agencies, including the Attorney General’s office, the Governor’s office and the two State Senator offices.”
Nonetheless, on June 25, 2008, you wrote that the Indiana Attorney General had, in fact, filed civil suit against Lau and Airleaf and that you had identified 450 victims. A copy of the Consent Judgment dated July 8, 2008 is attached in a .pdf file. This judgment lists 117 victims and a $317,881.96 loss. Could you send me a copy of the supplemental judgments that include the rest of your people? Thanks.
I look forward to seeing you in June.
Tim Morrison, United States Attorney

Dear Mr. Morrison,
I feel as if we are living in two different worlds. You stated that you'd be pleased to meet with me to receive written accounts from persons who lost money from Airleaf. I have spent the past 18 months working with Rob Simpson from the FBI providing him with case after case of criminal action. Rob called me a week ago on Friday telling me that he and the postal authority presented the case to your office, and your office turned us down for criminal charges stating that you didn't feel that the cases met the criminal statutes of Indiana. He stated he wanted to call me personally because he felt bad that this decision was made. He told me he believed we had a case. I have spent hundreds of hours making sure that our group has sent in information and documentation about their cases to the FBI and postal inspector's office. Please explain how, after all of this time, you don't seem to know about these cases.

If Rob Simpson has given me incorrect information about your decision, this needs to be addressed. If you are saying you didn't say you won't prosecute the case, then please tell me.

At that point, I will apologize to you and let our members and supporters know that you are reviewing the case. Since the FBI and postal authorities have collected all of the information including interviews with ex-employees, why can't you ask them for the information? The police captain of Martinsville, Jeff Buskirk, spent over six months meticulously putting together all of our files. Would you like me to ask him to send them to you as well?

I would prefer not to come to Indiana if I don't need to. It would be a costly trip for me. I would prefer not to have to spend endless more hours getting petitions from our victims and supporters. I would be willing to stop all action if you are telling me that you will review the cases that have been collected by your agencies and the Martinsville police. Somehow, there seems to be a large disconnect here, and I would like to know what it is.

As far as the AG's office, the fact that a civil judgment was handed down means nothing to me. It was symbolic only. The cases that were part of the judgment were a small number of the total number of authors because the AG's office felt they would file the judgment based on of a two-year cohort. That's why there are so many more complaints than what the AG has in the judgment. There is no money to be recovered from the owner as I knew there wouldn't be from the beginning. This is why criminal charges are so important to us. The AG's office should have put a stop to Airleaf months before they went out of business since there was an AVC order issued in May of 2007. When the first complaints started flowing into their office, that should have been cause enough to close Airleaf down. But there was nothing done, allowing Airleaf to continue stealing money from people until my campaign forced them to close by cutting off the cash flow.

There is another crook in your state, Brien Jones, of Jones Harvest Publishing in Bloomington, who picked up the slack where Airleaf left off. He was the Executive Vice President of Airleaf who started his own "publishing" company in January of 2007. He laughs to people that Indiana government doesn't do anything while he continues to rob people of thousands of dollars. I have over 70 complaints from his new victims. I am working hard to end his business the same way I did Airleaf's.

Complaints were sent to the federal authorities as early as August 2007 when they started investigating it. Something should have been done then--but nothing was.
So, as far as I see it, nothing was done to bring justice to the criminals who stole our money. I am sure you have been reading the letters sent to you by some of our victims. It's not that just money was lost. For some people, it was their life savings. I have loads of elderly and handicapped people whose lives were shattered from this criminal action. We want justice, and this is in your hands. Martinsville couldn't handle the case because they don't have the resources. The AG's office handed down a judgment that didn't help us--it was too late to claim anything. Therefore, we are seeking, as we have from the beginning, criminal charges against the owner, Carl Lau, for what he has done to us.
Please advise me of what you are willing to do. Also please advise me if the FBI gave me incorrect information because that would really be discouraging.
Thank you for your response.
Bonnie Kaye

April 18, 2009
Dear Ms. Kaye:
You e-mailed that “I will be coming to visit you in Indiana in June to present you with petitions from our victims with their stories.” I willingly accepted a meeting upon my assumption that you planned to come to Indiana in June. Now you e-mail that “I would prefer not to come to Indiana if I don't need to. It would be a costly trip for me. I would prefer not to have to spend endless more hours getting petitions from our victims and supporters.” There is no obligation for you to come to Indiana. I am directing you to do nothing. I obviously misinterpreted “I will be coming to visit you in Indiana in June.”
Few lawyers worth their salt are prepared to ignore new facts. When you e-mailed you were bringing “petitions from our victims with their stories,” I would certainly read those regardless of what was previously submitted to investigators. The e-mails your people sent me contain sparse facts about their situation. Fewer than half were listed on the civil judgment obtained by the Indiana Attorney General and most e-mails contained neither a loss figure nor “note stating your story” as you also requested. Most did follow your explicit e-mail directions to advise me they were victims of criminal fraud and express outrage. “.. (Y)ou are simply either lazy or a coward--or perhaps both” or “you are incompetent and impotent and negligent” were unfortunately representative. Many cited the “facts” that the FBI and the laws of Indiana were on their side.
These cited “facts” are not determinative, but they are wrong. For instance, Rob Simpson works on an FBI-sponsored task force in his capacity as an Indiana State Police detective. He is not a Special Agent of the FBI. “I received a phone call from our FBI agent who was investigating the case,” you e-mailed your people. “The FBI agent was on our side.” I assume that was a misunderstanding. There must have been a misunderstanding, too, when Mr. Simpson told you that my office “didn’t feel the cases met the criminal statutes of Indiana.” My office is without jurisdiction to enforce the criminal statutes of Indiana. We enforce federal criminal law.
The Indiana Attorney General’s civil judgment may be “symbolic” and “mean nothing” to you, as you e-mailed me, but you are one of only 117 persons included, while the majority of your people are not. Restitution orders in criminal cases, just as judgments in civil cases, are frequently not collectable. That is unfortunately true. However, they are not without value, since a defendant who inherits money, wins on a lottery ticket or at a state casino can have that money attached on this outstanding judgment. I have seen it happen. And if it does, fundamental fairness demands each name and loss amount appear on an existing judgment. You e-mailed that the AG filed on your behalf and the others based upon “a two-year cohort.” I am unfamiliar with that term. What does it mean?
I remain prepared to meet with you, but impose no duty on you to travel here or collect further information.
Tim Morrison
United States Attorney

And so, group members, this summer I will be visiting Indiana. Maybe I’ll even meet with U.S. Attorney Timothy Morrison. At least I’ll make sure he receives our petitions to review the case.
For the next few weeks, I’ll be asking you to take a few moments to send emails to the leaders of Indiana to try to push them to move forward with our case. We cannot get discouraged because this is what people who should be doing their jobs are hoping for.

With love, hope, and determination,
Bonnie Kaye