Liquid Synergy Designs Inc. -ASIC mining hardware

[silicont]

We need a rally.  Queue the cheerleaders.  See your BTC...

[ibuyltc]

I've done a little digging, and i think we are burned.

John K's agreement was to hold steamboats information up until the chips arrived.  After that, he would destroy his records of steamboat.  I think he Free and Clear!

[dmcdad]

I've done a little digging, and i think we are burned.

John K's agreement was to hold steamboats information up until the chips arrived.  After that, he would destroy his records of steamboat.  I think he Free and Clear!

Steamboat's identity is pretty widely known at this point, so John's escrow of his identity isn't really needed/useful from a legal standpoint.

I'm still hopeful that SB comes through with his promised refunds. He said it would take weeks, so I am/was willing to give him weeks. It has been about a month now, so I am anxious at this point to see the refund process get started.

-dmc

[Crindon]

I've found a picture of your scammer in case you're interested:

Unacceptable, can you confirm if this is really him?

[cp1]

Steamboat's been doing his best to deal with the situation.  There's no need for all the pitchforks.

[nightengale]

If his "best" is telling everyone that he's too busy to work on refunds, and going incommunicado for weeks at a time, then I disagree, its time for the pitchforks.

[Unacceptable]

I've found a picture of your scammer in case you're interested:

Unacceptable, can you confirm if this is really him?

That is not him...............

[ibuyltc]

Link here to post:  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=192916.msg2399953#msg2399953

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

I confirm the receipt of the documents below. Please note that I am not a professional nor trained in verifying documents given, so I cannot gurantee that they're 100% authentic or came from the original owner.

1. Scan of steamboat's driving license
2. Scan of steamboat's mail proving his residence
3. Photo of him with his ID and a sign (with my forum profile)
4. Scan of Federal EIN
5. Articles of incorporation

I promise the safe destruction of the data after the successful completion of the group buy/release of identity by steamboat himself. The data received may be divulged for litigation purposes if needed.

Thanks,
John
7 June 2013

Lets assume we do have his information, that is nothing compared to those 5 things that are listed above that John K has.  After all the reason we trust John K as the escrow is that if Steamboat fails to deliver, that info is on the internet... forever!

[paulthetafy]

So at what point do we get the info from John K?  Surely we have to be thinking about that soon.  I mean this has to be considered scam terratory now.  I don't think SB meant to scam us, far from it, but the lack of response and the fact that he's sitting on our hosted miners and mined coins means he's now ripping us off.

[msm595]

So at what point do we get the info from John K?  Surely we have to be thinking about that soon.  I mean this has to be considered scam terratory now.  I don't think SB meant to scam us, far from it, but the lack of response and the fact that he's sitting on our hosted miners and mined coins means he's now ripping us off.

I propose John K attempts to contact steamboat and elicit a real response and action from him. Without both, he reveals the info.

[Kapz786]

So at what point do we get the info from John K?  Surely we have to be thinking about that soon.  I mean this has to be considered scam terratory now.  I don't think SB meant to scam us, far from it, but the lack of response and the fact that he's sitting on our hosted miners and mined coins means he's now ripping us off.

I propose John K attempts to contact steamboat and elicit a real response and action from him. Without both, he reveals the info.

Lets get it done guys - who is gonna contact John K?

[cardcomm]

So at what point do we get the info from John K?  Surely we have to be thinking about that soon.  I mean this has to be considered scam terratory now.  I don't think SB meant to scam us, far from it, but the lack of response and the fact that he's sitting on our hosted miners and mined coins means he's now ripping us off.

I propose John K attempts to contact steamboat and elicit a real response and action from him. Without both, he reveals the info.

Lets get it done guys - who is gonna contact John K?

Unfortunately, John K seems to be missing in action for a while now:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=31288

Name:   John (John K.)
Custom Title:   Global Troll-buster and
Posts:   9129
Activity:   770
Position:   Staff
Date Registered:   June 30, 2011, 10:14:50 PM
Last Active:   November 29, 2013, 09:26:22 AM

[silicont]

What a shit deal....

[cardcomm]

I've found a picture of your scammer in case you're interested:

Unacceptable, can you confirm if this is really him?

That is not him...............

I'm confused. Are you saying that Steve Manos isn't Steamboat, or that this isn't a photo of Steve Manos?

For those still wondering who Steamboat is - start with a "Whois" on http://liquidsyndesigns.com/. After that, Google is your friend. The basic stuff is easy to find. In just a few minutes I located his name with middle initial, business address, a list of other businesses he's involved in, home address, etc.

[Crindon]

This photo corresponds to a Linkedin profile pic for Steven P Manos.


Liquid Synergy Designs Inc. appears to be registered to a Steve N Manos. However, it seems that Steven P Manos spm  spm@tsqm.us is responsible for shipping:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=192916.msg3907759#msg3907759

Are there two Steven Manoses associated with the same business address? Steven P Manos's business address matches that of Liquid Synergy Designs Inc.

Could it be that Steve N. Manos is in his thirties and is using his father's business address? Unacceptable, can you confirm if the Steve that you worked with is in his thirties?

[rocks]

Unfortunately, John K seems to be missing in action for a while now:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=31288

Name:   John (John K.)
Custom Title:   Global Troll-buster and
Posts:   9129
Activity:   770
Position:   Staff
Date Registered:   June 30, 2011, 10:14:50 PM
Last Active:   November 29, 2013, 09:26:22 AM

The bitcoin address from his profile has received 1,369 BTC over the years.

https://blockchain.info/address/1NB1KFnFqnP3WSDZQrWV3pfmph5fWRyadz

And that is just the one public one, John K has been active from early on.

Perhaps the guy got tired of intermidiating message board squabbles and finally retired, I'm sure he has the means to by now.

[trilogy456]

This photo corresponds to a Linkedin profile pic for Steven P Manos.


Liquid Synergy Designs Inc. appears to be registered to a Steve N Manos. However, it seems that Steven P Manos spm  spm@tsqm.us is responsible for shipping:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=192916.msg3907759#msg3907759

Are there two Steven Manoses associated with the same business address? Steven P Manos's business address matches that of Liquid Synergy Designs Inc.

Could it be that Steve N. Manos is in his thirties and is using his father's business address? Unacceptable, can you confirm if the Steve that you worked with is in his thirties?

The LinkedIn profile above (http://www.linkedin.com/in/spmanos) shows http://liquidsyndesigns.com/shop/ as his site.  Look under Websites>Current.

Does someone have an alternate way to contact John K, such as an email? (Maybe we can leave him a message on his BTC address. It received funds on Jan 1, 2014.)

[cardcomm]

This photo corresponds to a Linkedin profile pic for Steven P Manos.


Liquid Synergy Designs Inc. appears to be registered to a Steve N Manos. However, it seems that Steven P Manos spm  spm@tsqm.us is responsible for shipping:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=192916.msg3907759#msg3907759

Are there two Steven Manoses associated with the same business address? Steven P Manos's business address matches that of Liquid Synergy Designs Inc.

Could it be that Steve N. Manos is in his thirties and is using his father's business address? Unacceptable, can you confirm if the Steve that you worked with is in his thirties?

Someone that "wishes to remain anonymous" has stated to me via PM that Steamboat is the son (presumably Steve N. Manos) and that the person in the photograph is "the father" (presumably Steven P Manos).

Google seems to think that the email address spm@tsqm.us belongs to Steven P Manos. The business physically located at the address specified in the domain registration is a tile business that also appears to belong to Mr. Steven P Manos.
( Recall that some of the photos of supplies posted by Steamboat seem to show the items being stored in a tile shop of some kind.
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=192916.1400 )

At this point it isn't entirely clear to me if Steamboat is Steven P Manos, Steven N Manos, or both. My initial reaction is that given the email and physical address sharing that has been done, it's going to be tough to legally separate either of them from this mess… Personally I think they are in it together. Almost certainly they both know the situation.

EDIT: Here is an interesting link with a lot of info on the Federal Trade Commission requirements governing online sellers:

http://www.business.ftc.gov/documents/bus02-business-guide-mail-and-telephone-order-merchandise-rule

A couple of snippets:

What Does the Rule Cover?
It applies to most goods a customer orders from the seller by mail, telephone, fax, or on the Internet. It does not matter how the merchandise is advertised, how the customer pays, or who initiates the contact.

What is the Mail or Telephone Order Rule?
The Rule requires that when you advertise merchandise, you must have a reasonable basis for stating or implying that you can ship within a certain time. If you make no shipment statement, you must have a reasonable basis for believing that you can ship within 30 days. That is why direct marketers sometimes call this the "30-day Rule."

If, after taking the customer’s order, you learn that you cannot ship within the time you stated or within 30 days, you must seek the customer’s consent to the delayed shipment. If you cannot obtain the customer’s consent to the delay -- either because it is not a situation in which you are permitted to treat the customer’s silence as consent and the customer has not expressly consented to the delay, or because the customer has expressly refused to consent -- you must, without being asked, promptly refund all the money the customer paid you for the unshipped merchandise.

[silicont]

A short trip to the BFL thread(s) should yield plenty of links and information on this situation.  Funny enough, all the BS from these group buys and pre-orders has resulted in thousands of people know what the laws are. 

[intense]

Not a wise decision to screw over or piss off a group of people who are becoming increasingly wealthy. Eventually the cost of legal action will be substantially less than what is owed to an individual in this group buy. I'm sure those who ordered large orders already have the means to pursue legal action. The whole "I'm too busy organizing things" line has lost all meaning as you've had more than enough time to sort things out by now.