DUNKIN CEO TRAVIS ATTEMPTS TO SELL MORE SHOPS IN MARKET WHERE FEW MAKE MONEY

Baskin Robbins franchisees, who've been thru 2+ years of hell from Allied Brands Ltd. (ABQ), were feted this week by Dunkin CEO Nigel Travis and interviewed by Smartcompany.com, the same internet news site that first confirmed the Korean and Indian visa scam being run by executives at ABQ.

Travis claims that the 80+ Baskin Robbins franchisees are relieved that he's come to the rescue. This is in conflict with information provided to this blog, where franchisees have said that the company has failed to address the high-cost legacy of Allied Brands, have failed to assist in the missing $1,000,000 of advertising funds that can't be found, have refused to cooperate with ASIC and ASX investigations into ABQ, and other serious issues.

And we have reports that shops are still closing, with two gone in the last two weeks.

Unless positive steps are taken to address the issues that drove this company into a ditch it's unlikely that new franchisee suckers are going to be found to invest in this brand.

ABQ administrator Vincents has yet to have the first creditors meeting, getting almost six months in extensions from the court in Brisbane with no discernible reason and no end in sight. When will the dudded and defrauded Baskin Robbins, Cookie Man, Awesome Water, Kenny's, and other franchisees see some of these crims charged??

FAILED MANAGEMENT FROM ALLIED BRANDS SHANE RADBONE AND JACK SAKALIS NOW REAPING HAVOC AT NEW UNSUSPECTING FRANCHISE COMPANIES!

Two of the key executives implicated in the Allied Brands Ltd. (ABQ) collapse are Shane Radbone and Jack Sakalis. Sakalis was appointed Baskin Robbins Brand Manager shortly after Radbone became CEO in July 2009.

It was under these two executives that the collapse of Allied Brands was instigated and managed. The "Baskin Robbins Visa Scam" occurred under the watch of these two executives. Both are being investigated by the Department of Migration for this fraud, that saw Korean and Indian families given phony 457 visas with the company claiming they were "marketing professionals". Instead they had just been sold known dud locations, stripped of several hundred thousand dollars, and ultimately deported by the Australian government.

It was also under these two executives administration that over $1,000,000 in advertising trust fund money has gone missing - a serious allegation that has the ACCC and ASIC investigations underway, with the Queensland Police Service fraud squad also engaged. Even diversion of advertising fund money to other corporate purposes can get these culprits years in jail.

And Shane Radbone as CEO gave himself and his wife a "gift" of a sweetheart $750K loan which has never been paid back to the company or receivers. All this while the debts continue to stack up.

So now we come to find Radbone has been made "Chief Operating Officer" of the Australian arm of 7/11. Boy, are these franchisees in for a treat! And what did Radbone take as his first management task? A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT to a group of government executives in South Australia that apparently have been duped by his lame story of why he was sacked at Allied Brands!

The seminar programme says about Radbone: "Recently he was terminated as a CEO of an ASX listed company, after a failed management buy out, (A COMPLETE LIE) but was recently appointed COO of 7-Eleven, the 3rd largest private company in Australia, after just completing the acquisition of Mobil. It all comes down to your attitude, and your willingness to pick yourself up after setbacks and respond. It is also about having balance in your life. Success is an attitude."

Let's see, Radbone sacked from now three companies where he FAILED at all of them leaving destruction and economic ruin in his wake. It would seem Radbone's "success" is only in fast-talking 7-Eleven and hope they wouldn't check his CV.

Sakalis on the other hand has taken a job with Business Development Company, a Melbourne-based franchisor consultancy. What are these franchisors going to learn from Sakalis? How to loot the franchise advertising funds? How to lie to potential franchise-investors about their soon to be lost life savings? Getting away with unpaid superannuation contributions?

The BDC website goes on to say "BDC represent some of Australians best brands including: Bakers Delight, Nanotek by Ecowash, Hudsons Coffee, Mortgage Choice, Cookie Man, Baskin Robbins, Star Shots Glamour Photography, Telstra T-Life, Pure Protect Mobile Hygiene, Sportsco, Healthy Habits and MBE Business Service Centres." It's known fact that BDC DOES NOT represent Cookie Man, nor Baskin Robbins, nor Telstra. Is everything about BDC made up horseshit?

These aren't the only people who are being criminally investigated in the Allied Brands Ltd. debacle. We're expecting arrests soon. . .

PPK GROUP LTD INVESTIGATION CONTINUES - DID DIRTY DIRECTORS USE COMPANY ASSETS TO PUSH PRIVATE INVESTMENTS?

The ACCC has confirmed that investigations into dirty dealings at PPK Group Ltd. (PPK) continue to unfold. The ACCC is now searching for documents concerning director's private investments in Allied Brands Ltd. (ABQ) that may or may not have been secured at 'full value', at the same time these directors were using PPK shareholder assets to invest in Allied Brands and prop up the failed company.

PPK director Jury Wowk was said to be outraged at the scheme after being enticed into an ABQ directorship what he was told was a "company restructuring". One board meeting and he quickly identified that criminal actions were likely underway and his very quick resignation from the ABQ board is one of the actions that began to focus ASX and ACCC attentions on this organised crime racket.

In a half-yearly report PPK has acknowledged a massive loss due to this and other bad investments in Frigrite (now in administration) and Intelligent Solar Ltd. (ISL). ISL, a company near-death, just had a massive investment of capital from an entity known as Contemplator Pty. Ltd. (ARG Pension Fund A/C). Suspiciously, this entity was also the second largest investor in Allied Brands at the time of their collapse! Who is controlling the pension fund, and why this Melbourne company is apparently around so much fraud and company carnage is just one of the items now being explored by the ACCC.

Finally, ex-company secretary James Fay and accountantcy firm Hacketts are also targeted for their actions in misleading investors and the ASX.

COLLAPSED ABQ NOW BEING LOOTED BY THE PROS

Allied Brands Ltd. administrator Vincents has filed notice for an ADDITIONAL six weeks of "convening period" after already getting one extension over the holidays.

It is unknown what this additional six weeks can accomplish - Vincents says "it is in the best interests of creditors and members of the company".

With charges by Vincents being made against the company of at least $80k/week, the only one who's interest is being looked after is the administrator, apparently.

Once the amateurs running a company like ABQ have stripped it of investor assets, then the pros come and and the real looting begins.

There is however still no sign of the missing Ad Trust Fund monies, nor the $750K "loaned" by failed and disgraced ex-CEO Shane Radbone TO Shane Radbone and his wife, Victoria Elise.

$1.5 MILLION MISSING - WHO STOLE THE BASKIN ROBBINS AD FUND MONEY?

It's been disclosed that the ACCC is investigating the apparent theft of over $1,500,000. in Baskin Robbins and other Allied Brands franchisee Ad Fund money by Allied Brands management over the last year.

As long noted by franchisees of many of the Allied Brands companies, promised advertising was not being done on behalf of any of the brands. All of the brands (Baskin Robbins, Cookie Man, Awesome Water, Kenny's Cards, etc) contributed large amounts to Ad Funds that are supposed to be held "In Trust" on behalf of the franchisees.

Administrators for Allied Brands, Vincents, have been asked by franchisees for the required audits of the Ad Fund contributions to be produced. To date they have not done so. As previously reported Peter Biazos, administrator at Vincents, was previously employed with ABQ CEO Lachlan McIntosh at Korda Mentha, a huge conflict of interest that the court has not yet ruled on.

Sources with the ACCC and ASIC both indicate that the criminal acts at ABQ are likely to result in up to nine indictments of Allied Brands management including current and former board members as well as general managers for several of the key brands. And this doesn't include the criminal charges that are going to result from the Korean Visa sale scam.

2010 CONGRATULATIONS! SHANE RADBONE, SEAN CORBIN, PETER ELLIGETT, PETER GRAHAM, AND LACHLAN MCINTOSH!! YOU'RE ALL WIENERS!

Esteemed Australian publication SMART COMPANY has named their "Best and Worst of 2010".

It is with great pride and humility that ALLIED BRANDS LTD. is awarded the coveted "WORST COMPANY OF THE YEAR".

In the words of Smart Company:

"The collapse of Allied Brands was one of the sorriest tales to come out of the franchising sector in years. This was a company that had it all – poor management, lax financial discipline, an uncanny ability to over-promise and under-deliver and even an immigration rort. While the company finally went into administration in late October, the jig was really up in late September, when the company’s Cookie Man chain was placed into liquidation by the NSW Supreme Court. Incredibly, Allied Brands claimed it didn’t even know about the liquidation until after it happened, and so wasn’t in court for the hearing."

While clearly this kind of achievement can't be accomplished alone, we must recognize the architects of such a prestigious achievement:

LACHLAN MCINTOSH: The Korda Mentha liquidator/director who was the principal architect of the plans that ran ABQ into the ground, Korda Mentha is so embarrassed and disgusted with his actions they've removed his CV from their website and disavow any knowledge of him. McIntosh is now busy driving other companies into a ditch - his management of the Eureka Group (EGH) is planning to embark on the same franchising strategy that was so successful at Allied Brands!

SEAN CORBIN: A CFO plucked from obscurity by the team in order to "take the fall". With his background of failed companies, he's the Lee Harvey Oswald of financial directors. His career should be well and truly over.

SHANE RADBONE: Ex-athletes are generally good for nothing in business. Radbone proved this time and time again, all the while relentlessly promoting his "successes". Just prior to ABQ he spent six months as CEO of VIP Home Services before the owners there figured out he was Trouble. He spent all his ABQ-paid time spruiking his overhyped CV and arranging "motivational speaking engagements". The ultimate in ABQ window dressing, most directors were stunned when Radbone give himself and wife Victoria Elise a sweetheart loan for shares that are now all but worthless. The Radbone's still refuse to pay up, over $750,000.00! Can someone get some dosh out of the Radbones?

PETER ELLIGETT: Selling Cookie Man to Allied Brands was supposed to be Elligett's cash-out of the Cookie Man business he had been running smoothly. However he's now considered a major player in the Korean/Indian 457 Visa Scam, with dud Cookie Man shops being involved and Elligett's grubby hands all over the dodgy deals.

PETER GRAHAM: Ex-motel owner has a brainstorm on a trip to the USA, let's get Baskin Robbins to give us the Aussie licence. Without even checking him and his slimy brother David out, they grabbed this potential goldmine and then spent 15 years doing what they thought best - screwing the franchisees, the people at the coalface. And let's not forget all the other Graham children who were educated in the "Graham Way" before becoming disgusted with their own parents for pissing away their planned million$$ in inheritance. The Grahams can't even show their faces around their tony Gold Coast friends anymore, they're outcasts and laughingstocks.

Finally, a prestigious award like this shouldn't forget the "little people" who made it all possible. Tony Cavanagh, fired from one ice cream company, his dodgy methods fit right in with the McIntosh/Graham management direction. And let's not forget the employees who've launched sexual harassment and other charges against the "little people". Then two victims of the scam that should have known better - Tom Krulis, formerly "Godfrey's CEO", and Barbara O'Brien, from the Breville family. No one knows what kind of lies these suckers fell for.

As we go into 2011, we're all hoping to start seeing charges lodged against these criminals thanks to the support of publications like Smart Company, Blue Mau Mau, and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. And let's say a prayer for the dozens, yes DOZENS of hard-working Australians, South Koreans, Indians, and others who had their life savings stolen by this company, and their dreams shattered. Many will never be the same. . . .

COOKIE MAN RESCUED BY AMERICAN MRS. FIELDS WITH ELLIGETT RUMOURED TO BE LIKELY PROSECUTION TARGET

To the relief of Cookie Man franchisees, the Australian arm of Mrs. Fields has assumed control of the Cookie Man group instead of the previously rumoured Indian Cookie Man company.

READ HERE

Peter Elligett, the owner of the Cookie Man brand prior to his sellout to Allied Brands, has been appointed Managing Director although insiders report this is only temporary. Elligett is said to have retained a criminal solicitor for likely defence of charges to be brought by the Department of Migration in the sale of visas and dud franchises to Koreans and Indians.

One of the documented cases of this fraud involved a Cookie Man location at the Sydney Central Train Station. Elligett as general manager for the brand, and Allied Brands director, likely was privy to the scam that was running to defraud migrants to Australia.