It is quite difficult to identify the extent to which individuals were involved in this, so we will simply give a factual account of what we know, and let you make your own mind up about culpability.
The directors of the final version of Churchills, CIS, were:
- Karl Goldthorpe (MD)
- Dale Pilkington (Sales), previously worked for Perfect Day (see earlier post).
- Paul Wade (Finance), left CIS in February 2008
Other people involved:
- Andrew Jonathan Kemp Goldthorpe, salesman and younger brother of Karl
- Gary Smith, KGs right hand man and salesman
- Charlie Pritchard, salesman
- Naren Cox, who tells us he was a "self employed salesman who resigned from CIS December 2007 on his discovery of the directors of Churchills fraudulent activity."
- Stuart D'Costa, salesman and brother in law of Karl and Andrew. Left CPO and now works for the Isle of Wight Police
Churchill OU: The Estonian company that was meant to build the developments
Directors:
- Karl Goldthorpe
- Lee Williams
Others involved:
- Harriet Saunders (step daughter of Lee Williams)
- Jordie Williams (son of Lee Williams)
Frinteel: The Estonian company that owns the land in Estonia
Directors:
- Karl Goldthorpe
- Katherine D'Costa (KGs sister)
- Andrew Jonathan Kemp Goldthorpe
Shareholders:
- Walter Goldthorpe (KGs father)
- Karl Goldthorpe
- Katherine D'Costa
- Andrew Jonathan Kemp Goldthorpe
- Elizabeth Goldthorpe (KGs mother)
Balti Paradiis: Estonian Company that fronted the Valgeranna Golf development (that never happened)
Directors:
Director:
More Details
Karl Goldthorpe
He is the central figure to this whole affair. He owns seven properties (that we know of), six of which are on the Isle of Wight and one is in Cyprus, and is clearly a very rich man. Some of his property is co-owned by other members of his family - his parents, sister and brother. In fact the whole family seems to be closely intertwined in the business. Some of the land in Estonia was co-owned by the whole family. The directors of Frinteel are Karl Goldthorpe, Katherine D'Costa (his sister) and Andrew, his brother. The shareholders are KG, his parents, brother and sister.
Directors:
- Lee Williams
- Chris Tonkinson
Director:
- Ryan Braganza
More Details
Karl Goldthorpe
He is the central figure to this whole affair. He owns seven properties (that we know of), six of which are on the Isle of Wight and one is in Cyprus, and is clearly a very rich man. Some of his property is co-owned by other members of his family - his parents, sister and brother. In fact the whole family seems to be closely intertwined in the business. Some of the land in Estonia was co-owned by the whole family. The directors of Frinteel are Karl Goldthorpe, Katherine D'Costa (his sister) and Andrew, his brother. The shareholders are KG, his parents, brother and sister.
Paul Wade
The finance director of the Churchills operation. He left CIS in February 2008. He was subsequently accused of defrauding CIS out of £23K. After a Police investigation no charges have been brought. His current company is Churchill Financial Solutions
(it is startling that Wade thinks that the name "Churchill" on the Isle of Wight is anything other than a label of deceit and fraud).
Dale Pilkington
Worked as a Director at Perfect Day. In early 2006 he was reported to have been recruited as a consultant by Churchills, and payed £5.500 monthly. It is not clear whether he continued to work for PD at this point. Eventually he became sales director of CIS, a position he presumably still holds.
Gary Smith
According to those who know the Churchill company setup Gary Smith is Karl Goldthorpe's right hand man. We have seen more stories of lies and deceit relating to Mr Smith than any other person involved. In fact he appears to be almost completely incapable of telling the truth to his clients. It was to our great ill fortune to come up against him and his cronies.
Lee Williams
Williams appears to be a very shady character who before his involvement with Churchills had already been involved in dubious activities in Spain. Here is the story of Dieter who worked with Wiilaims in Estonia:
"In 2005 I owned and started the project on the Valgeranna Golf Course in Pärnu. When I first met Williams, he had not even money to buy a Computer, except to pay the rent for his apartment on Tallinna Mnt.which was owned by a friend of mine. We kicked him out after the second month unpaid rent.
I have had planning permission for 62 Apartments on this site, but the Finnish and Estonian clients where shocked from my prices. One day Chris Tonkinson offered me help, he told me he has hundreds of investors in England because the pound is so strong and every one want to invest on the golf course. I believed him, because I worked 20 years in the golf business in the Algarve. I offered 5% commission to him. Several days later he invited me for a beer in City Pub in Pärnu to discuss all. Later Williams joined and apologized to me about the rent and so on. Williams offered me to sell about 5 to 10 units per month and he showed me a list of clients visiting Estonian soon, but he want 10% Commission...after a view beers I agreed.2 days later he told me the first clients arriving soon, he need some documentation, I gave him a copy of the permission, building specifications and many more. ( Now everyone could see it was no fake) Next day he called me and told that we need to make a notary agreement to guaranty his commissions. In the notary I was just over rolled from his Lawyer (Andrus Viilver) Tonkinson and Williams to sign all this Documents. It was the biggest mistake in my live, because I made Williams a Member of board in my Company Balti Paradiis. Williams was registered after 3 days in the Äriregister and with this document he went straight away to the bank and blocked all my company accounts and credit cards. I was lucky this day, because it was nearly 5 pm and the bank woman called me and explained what's up. She told him it’s too late and to come back next day with all this bank papers signed. For this reason I had the chance to transfer about 60.000 Euros to my private account, otherwise it was gone. next morning Williams went at first to the Car Leasing Company and told them that he is a Member of Board now and he want his car back.( my Car ) a view month old Grand Cherokee Jeep. After this I went around Pärnu found him and I knocked him down. I had a with the Bank Director the next day to explain, because there was a loan on one half of the land. Now I could not act anymore without Williams’s permission. I informed the entire official in construction department, architects, etc.etc.and everyone was shocked, because it was a fabulous project and welcome from the government site is well. One English guy, Russell Thompson was his buddy, but they had a fight at this time and he told me to contact someone in Spain, because Williams is wanted from the police there. I did ask around in the Malaga Aeria and got info from an English newspaper (the trading post Spain) that Williams has cheated many customers for the deposits down there, and he was in Malage Prison for a long weekend but got out on a deposit,because he was resident.he went to Gibraltar and disapeared from there. I informed Tonkinson about it and told him that he can buy more 40% or I close the site and go back to Portugal. This stupid idiot really believed it and he found 4 Investors to pay me 60.000GBP for 40%.now it was: 10% Williams, 40%Tonkinson, and 50% myself. after I received the money, I informed this "Investors" about the process, they have paid 80.000GBP,but only 60.000GBP have arrived at me (20.000GBP cash for Tonkinson).I wished them good luck, many thanks for the money and not to forget to pay the loan every month to the bank, because I move back to Portugal and the Land will be a Potato field soon, OR TO BUY THE REST50% IS WELL.However,in the next view month Tonkinson found the Money to buy me out and I got rid of the loan contract and had even some profit in the box. After this procedure Williams and Tonkinson started to take deposits on this land, and until today, there is not one brick in the ground, the same as on all other developments from Tonks and Williams."
I have had planning permission for 62 Apartments on this site, but the Finnish and Estonian clients where shocked from my prices. One day Chris Tonkinson offered me help, he told me he has hundreds of investors in England because the pound is so strong and every one want to invest on the golf course. I believed him, because I worked 20 years in the golf business in the Algarve. I offered 5% commission to him. Several days later he invited me for a beer in City Pub in Pärnu to discuss all. Later Williams joined and apologized to me about the rent and so on. Williams offered me to sell about 5 to 10 units per month and he showed me a list of clients visiting Estonian soon, but he want 10% Commission...after a view beers I agreed.2 days later he told me the first clients arriving soon, he need some documentation, I gave him a copy of the permission, building specifications and many more. ( Now everyone could see it was no fake) Next day he called me and told that we need to make a notary agreement to guaranty his commissions. In the notary I was just over rolled from his Lawyer (Andrus Viilver) Tonkinson and Williams to sign all this Documents. It was the biggest mistake in my live, because I made Williams a Member of board in my Company Balti Paradiis. Williams was registered after 3 days in the Äriregister and with this document he went straight away to the bank and blocked all my company accounts and credit cards. I was lucky this day, because it was nearly 5 pm and the bank woman called me and explained what's up. She told him it’s too late and to come back next day with all this bank papers signed. For this reason I had the chance to transfer about 60.000 Euros to my private account, otherwise it was gone. next morning Williams went at first to the Car Leasing Company and told them that he is a Member of Board now and he want his car back.( my Car ) a view month old Grand Cherokee Jeep. After this I went around Pärnu found him and I knocked him down. I had a with the Bank Director the next day to explain, because there was a loan on one half of the land. Now I could not act anymore without Williams’s permission. I informed the entire official in construction department, architects, etc.etc.and everyone was shocked, because it was a fabulous project and welcome from the government site is well. One English guy, Russell Thompson was his buddy, but they had a fight at this time and he told me to contact someone in Spain, because Williams is wanted from the police there. I did ask around in the Malaga Aeria and got info from an English newspaper (the trading post Spain) that Williams has cheated many customers for the deposits down there, and he was in Malage Prison for a long weekend but got out on a deposit,because he was resident.he went to Gibraltar and disapeared from there. I informed Tonkinson about it and told him that he can buy more 40% or I close the site and go back to Portugal. This stupid idiot really believed it and he found 4 Investors to pay me 60.000GBP for 40%.now it was: 10% Williams, 40%Tonkinson, and 50% myself. after I received the money, I informed this "Investors" about the process, they have paid 80.000GBP,but only 60.000GBP have arrived at me (20.000GBP cash for Tonkinson).I wished them good luck, many thanks for the money and not to forget to pay the loan every month to the bank, because I move back to Portugal and the Land will be a Potato field soon, OR TO BUY THE REST50% IS WELL.However,in the next view month Tonkinson found the Money to buy me out and I got rid of the loan contract and had even some profit in the box. After this procedure Williams and Tonkinson started to take deposits on this land, and until today, there is not one brick in the ground, the same as on all other developments from Tonks and Williams."
Below is a story that appeared in a Spanish magazine:
