Category Archive: Land Banking

Mar
28
2012

Profitable Boron Gone Wrong

Yesterday, the three directors of Profitable Plots were charged in court for cheating over an investment scheme sold by their company.

Under the scheme, investors were promised a return of 12.5% in six months. The monies that investors put in were supposed to be used to finance the purchase of a chemical-based lubricant, Boron CLS Bond.

Once the lubricant was sold to commercial end-users, investors would be paid their capital and returns.

It is not known how many investors got their money back eventually.

The three directors have been granted bail at $400,000 and a hearing has been set for 10th April 2012.

Profitable Plots Directors Charged with Cheating (Straits Times)

Permanent link to this article: http://www.martinlee.sg/profitable-boron-gone-wrong/

Mar
09
2012

Profitable Plots Hearing Adjourned Again

In yesterday’s hearing against Profitable Plots, the Subordinate Court judge allowed for the case to be adjourned yet again.

This was to allow CAD more time to complete their investigations.

The next hearing has been set for 9th April 2012.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued on the website of Profitable Plots yesterday, it was announced that SIAS sub-committee “Victims of Profitable Plots” has been dissolved.

More delays for Profitable Plots investors (Property Guru)

Permanent link to this article: http://www.martinlee.sg/profitable-plots-hearing-adjourned-again/

Feb
22
2012

What Now for Edgeworth Properties Investors?

It was reported in the Business Times that CAD were investigating the company Edgeworth Properties, a land banking company that sold land in Canada.

About 4000 investors from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand had invested more than C$70 million with the company.

It is unknown when CAD started investigations but the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto had issued an order placing 16 of the company’s properties into receivership back in November 2011.

This Grant Thornton website shows all the correspondences and official letters related to Edgeworth Properties.

A steering committee comprising ten investors of Edgeworth Properties have been formed to liaise between individual investors and the Representative Counsel. Out of the ten members, four are from Singapore, two are from Malaysia, three are from Philippines and one is from Canada.

If you are an Edgeworth investor, you might want to contact one of the steering committee members to stay updated about the proceedings. Their contact details can be found in Annex A of this letter to Edgeworth investors.

Categorization of Edgeworth Properties in Receivership

1. Category I – Receivership Properties to be Liquidated

a. Edgeworth Properties – Derrick View Estates Inc.
b. Edgeworth Properties — Ellerslie Ridge Inc.
c. Edgeworth Estates at Manning Drive Phase I Inc.
d. Derrick View Estates Phase II Inc.
e. 1330433 Alberta Ltd.
f. Edgeworth Properties — Jasper Ridge Estates Inc.
g. Edgeworth Properties — Estates at Thompson Lake Inc.
h. Edgeworth Properties — Estates at Thompson Lake (Phase 2) Inc.

2. Category II — Receivership Properties to be Studied

a. Edgeworth Properties — Creekside Estates Inc.
b. Edgeworth Properties — Wolf Creek Estates Inc.
c. 1519560 Alberta ltd. — Blackfolds
d. 1253122 Alberta Ltd.

3. Category III — Construction

a. Edgeworth Place at Heartland Inc.
b. Edgeworth Properties — Heartland Ridge Inc.
c. Edgeworth Properties — Southpoint Landing Inc.
d. Edgeworth Place at Spruce Ridge Drive Inc.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.martinlee.sg/what-now-for-edgeworth-properties-investors/

Nov
09
2011

Twist in Profitable Plots Saga

And so the Profitable Plots saga drags on.

CAD has asked for more time to conclude it’s investigations into Profitable Plots. I have actually lost count of the number of times CAD has asked for more time to work on the case.

This time round, CAD has found an independent expert witness in the US, and would be able to compete its investigations within the next few months.

And so, the next hearing will be held on March 8 next year.

In a separate twist of events, Profitable Plots is now considering legal action against Securities Investors Association Singapore (SIAS) and its CEO, Mr David Gerald.

It had sent out legal letters alleging defamation based on a webcast that Mr Gerald made in May 2011 on the SIAS website.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.martinlee.sg/twist-in-profitable-plots-saga/

Aug
31
2011

Profitable Plots Directors Allowed to Leave Singapore

This is the kind of news that is stunning, even to a High Court Judge.

Geraldine and John Nordmann, husband and wife directors of land banking company Profitable Plots, were supposed to attend a verdict hearing but were not present as they were both allowed to leave the country.

High Court Judge Choo Han Teck said in disbelief: “Both sides had done something that ran counter to their original positions during the time that I was carefully considering the verdict. How do you expect me to deliver the verdict today?”

The story is that Geraldine Nordmann, one of the Directors of Profitable Plots, had initially submitted an application for the return of her passport on 18th May 2011 but the Attorney Generals’ Chambers (AGC) had objected to it.

The reason given by Geraldine then was that she had no money to stay in Singapore and wanted to move to her properties in Johor Bahru.

Investigations then had shown that Mrs Nordmann and her husband have already shipped three containers of personal belongings back to France from Johor Bahru. This indicated that they have intentions to move to France rather than stay in Johor Bahru.

However, Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) allowed the husband, John Nordmann, to leave the country. They believed that he would be unlikely to jump bail as long as his wife remained in Singapore.

It is therefore remarkable that Geraldine was subsequently allowed to leave Singapore. Geraldine’s lawyer Wendell Wong presented a case for the return of her passport by the CAD under “compassionate grounds” so that she could attend a wedding in Britain. She was allowed to do so.

The AGC said that they “will take note of the judge’s views and will consider it carefully in handling each individual case in the future.”

Singapore Law Watch : Judge stunned by AGC’s decision to return passport to female director before High Court verdict

Permanent link to this article: http://www.martinlee.sg/profitable-plots-directors-allowed-to-leave-singapore/

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