Now shown on Channel 5: 'THE McCANNS AND THE CONMAN'

ShuBob wrote:Richard Desmond owns Channel 5.

Just saying.....

hmm very interesting.

I wonder if there will be any news as to whether KG are thinking of pressing criminal charges?????????

margaret wrote:

How is the programme being approached, do you know Tony?

Is it 'Poor McCanns got scammed' or 'questioning their use of a conman'?

I'm awfully sorry, margaret, I have absolutely no knowledge about that, it's fairly obvious, though, that Halligen's not going to come out of it well.

There is a clue in the title: 'The McCanns and the Conman', so it's not just going to be a demolition job on Halligen, nor is it going to be majoring on Halligen's dodgy and equally unhelpful role in the Trafigura tragedy - it looks like it will be about why the McCanns chose Halligen.

You'll be aware that Halligen got a brief mention in Dr Kate McCann's book 'madeleine' (pp. 283-4).

She claims that "The first and second phases of the contract [with Halligen] ran fairly smoothly. Oakley put in place systems to gather, collate, prioritise and follow up the information coming in as a result of appeals Gerry and I made around the first anniversary of Madeleine's abduction".

Kennedy and Halligen contracted out the response to 'phone calls to their 'Investigation Hotline' to Virginia, U.S.-based company, iJet.

The McCanns' catchy slogan ran:

"Pick up the 'phone  - and bring Madeleine home".

But a Mail on Sunday article back in 2009 flatly contradicted the claim made in Kate's book:


The headline ran: “iJet Director claims that the McCanns never followed up calls to their telephone hot-line - Madeleine McCann investigator didn't listen to ANY tip-offs given to hotline”.

“Perhaps of most concern about Halligen is the lack of attention paid to the hundreds of phone calls received by the Madeleine hotline. Halligen and Oakley International, based in Washington, failed to listen to a single call received on the hotline set up for potential informants by Kate and Gerry McCann last year. Johan Selle, the Director of Operations at iJet revealed that for a year nobody even asked his company if they could listen to any of the calls received. He said his operators, in Annapolis, Virginia, had answered 'hundreds of calls', but the information seemed wasted - possibly squandering valuable leads.

Thanks for explanation Chatelaine/NFWTD. Sounds like it's worth looking for on the net. With all the whooshing, you'd think we'd learn lessons by now and record/keep everything, but it happens. Reminds me of the complaints we make about customer service reps who don't bother updating your call.

And who am I speaking to please?

I don't give my name for security reasons.

So you have a company code or reference or pseudonym?

What?

(Weeks later)

I'd like to complain about my complaint not being updated. I called 2 weeks ago.

There's no record here. Who did you speak to?

(So many times I wished I'd made a better log record, and still I sometimes don't get a name and sometimes I feel as though I'm asking for the earth. Those are the ones you definitely need the names of)

ultimaThule wrote:

Tony Bennett wrote:Several years ago, an anonymous poster put up this allegation on one of the many Madeleine McCann discussion forums (and it wasn't me):


"The Madeleines Fund cheque [for Kevin Halligen] was placed in one of Kennedys holding companies and transferred the following day to another of Kennedy's holding companies".

Now, this may be true or false.

If true, one wonders if the then Madeleine's Fund Directors specifically authorised this unusual series of payments?

As I'm at loss to understand how a cheque made payable to, say, John Smith can be cleared by being placed in the account of, say, Bill Bloggs, I can't fathom why a cheque made out to Kevin Halligen should be placed in one non-uncle  Brian's companies,, holding or otherwise, and moved to another the following day unless, of course, one of those companies coincidentally trades under the name of K Halligen and has a subsidiary of similar name, but any such transaction would be irregular if not improper, would it not?

Perhaps the forthcoming documentary will provide enlightenment?

Maybe, in the words of the great Father Ted, it was just "resting in his account"...

Does seem to be some momentum gathering... Not sure to what end though.  Dare I hope the proverbial is about to hit the fan?

One of the many people 'ripped off' by Kevin Halligen set up a blog called:

Where is Kevin Halligen?

It was written in 2009 when Halligen was still on the run - before a sharp-eyed lady spotted him relaxing in a £700-a-night Oxfordshire hotel, whereupon he was shipped direct to Belmarsh top security prison.

There is a link here:

https://www.blogger.com/profile/10486529878129545815

...but I don't think the actual blog has been updated for sometime

plebgate wrote:

ShuBob wrote:Richard Desmond owns Channel 5.

Just saying.....

hmm very interesting.

I wonder if there will be any news as to whether KG are thinking of pressing criminal charges?????????

against whom?

NOT Halligen.

C Mitchell and the 'fund' said they were quite 'happy with his work'.

IIRC,

The mccanns and the con man.? would that be Halligen or Kennedy?birds of a feather stick together comes to mind.

the mccanns & the conman... Perhaps the pinkest conman will get a mention.

If Halligen was not responding to any phone calls/leads, then he can have had nothing to report.How on earth did Halligen  manage to stay in the employ of the fund when he was allegedly not delivering any leads at all? How often did the directors meet?

worriedmum wrote:If Halligen was not responding to any phone calls/leads, then he can have had nothing to report. How on earth did Halligen manage to stay in the employ of the fund when he was allegedly not delivering any leads at all? How often did the directors meet?

Every single Director of 'Madeleine's Fund - Leaving No Stone Unturned', at the time Halligen was appointed (my assessment is that this was in the month of March 2008) is legally responsible and accountable for these decisions:

1. To employ Halligen (and Exton)

2. To agree the terms of his contract

3. To decide how much he should be paid, and

4. To decide into which bank account any funds to him / Oakley International should be paid.


I read somewhere that the Directors meet about 4 to 6 times a year.

Have moved this post (about Sky) to the other thread.

02/12/09 22:37"

Anon 22 what has Halligen done to MBM? He is wanted by the FBI for wire fraud and money laundering. He is not wanted by the FBI or the UK Police for anything associated to the situation MBM finds herself in or anything to do with the Family Fund. The McC's spokesperson said Halligen was paid £300k for work they were happy with. It is reported the McC's have not contacted the police about anything regarding Halligen. He was paid £300k for work they were happy with. They supposedly did not renew his contract because they had suspicions he was a conman! If they had suspicions hmm why did they not contact someone in authority?
Meanwhile, Clarence Mitchell has now declared the matter closed:

Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for Mr and Mrs McCann, said: "Due diligence was carried out before Oakley were employed on behalf of the Madeleine fund. Money was paid for work satisfactorily carried out in the early months but questions were raised later on and the contract was terminated. The matter is considered closed."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...ith-fraud.html
23rd of August 2008,
However, the company's contract will now not be renewed. The Mail on Sunday has learned that double-glazing tycoon Brian Kennedy, who has been underwriting the fund's search for Madeleine, has conducted a review of the agency's work and has become unhappy with the progress it was making.

The deal was abruptly ended following a meeting last week after the fund brought in independent monitors to assess how the money was spent.

The cost of employing the agency - run by a Briton, Kevin Halligen - has drained the Madeleine fund and there is now less than £500,000 left.

This article drew a PROMPT response from the McCanns on their official website

Quote:
Date Released: 26/08/2008

In the light of articles in some UK Sunday newspapers this weekend, we feel it is appropriate to comment briefly on our relationship with the investigation company Oakley International.

We appointed them several months ago to investigate the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. We continue to work with them to this end. The working relationship is managed by Brian Kennedy, who also confirms the relationship with Oakley International continues to be good and that it remains entirely focused on the search for Madeleine.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: Did the 'fund' pay Halligen or did NON Brian Kennedy?

the way i read it is that Halligen (Oakley Int) had a contract with NON Brian Kennedy who was NOT a board member of the 'fund'.

It was for £500,000 but was 'terminated' at £300,000.

With the 'fund' and CM saying ""Due diligence was carried out before Oakley were employed on behalf of the Madeleine fund. Money was paid for work satisfactorily carried out in the early months but questions were raised later on and the contract was terminated. The matter is considered closed."

CLARENCE MITCHELL, McCann SPOKESMAN said "£300,000 was paid to Halligen (Oakley Int) for work satisfactorily carried out. THE MATTER IS CONSIDERED CLOSED."

NO 'FRAUD'

IF it was NON board member Brian Kennedy 'spending/allocating' Madeleine 'fund' money, to Oakley Int , then THAT needs seriously to be 'investigated'

Tony Bennett said 

'.........  You'll be aware that Halligen got a brief mention in Dr Kate McCann's book 'madeleine' (pp. 283-4).

She claims that "The first and second phases of the contract [with Halligen] ran fairly smoothly. Oakley put in place systems to gather, collate, prioritise and follow up the information coming in as a result of appeals Gerry and I made around the first anniversary of Madeleine's abduction"........'




------------------------


It will be interesting to see if the Exton efits get a mention in this programme

jeanmonroe wrote:02/12/09 22:37"

Anon 22 what has Halligen done to MBM? He is wanted by the FBI for wire fraud and money laundering. He is not wanted by the FBI or the UK Police for anything associated to the situation MBM finds herself in or anything to do with the Family Fund. The McC's spokesperson said Halligen was paid £300k for work they were happy with. It is reported the McC's have not contacted the police about anything regarding Halligen. He was paid £300k for work they were happy with. They supposedly did not renew his contract because they had suspicions he was a conman! If they had suspicions hmm why did they not contact someone in authority?

Meanwhile, Clarence Mitchell has now declared the matter closed:

Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for Mr and Mrs McCann, said: "Due diligence was carried out before Oakley were employed on behalf of the Madeleine fund. Money was paid for work satisfactorily carried out in the early months but questions were raised later on and the contract was terminated. The matter is considered closed."

Not by Channel 5, it isn't!

For the first time in ages it feels like something might be aired that could start the ball rolling to the truth.  Maybe not the truth about that night, but to what has happened after and how it has managed to slip under the radar of the public.

Stewie wrote:

ultimaThule wrote:

Tony Bennett wrote:Several years ago, an anonymous poster put up this allegation on one of the many Madeleine McCann discussion forums (and it wasn't me):


"The Madeleines Fund cheque [for Kevin Halligen] was placed in one of Kennedys holding companies and transferred the following day to another of Kennedy's holding companies".

Now, this may be true or false.

If true, one wonders if the then Madeleine's Fund Directors specifically authorised this unusual series of payments?

As I'm at loss to understand how a cheque made payable to, say, John Smith can be cleared by being placed in the account of, say, Bill Bloggs, I can't fathom why a cheque made out to Kevin Halligen should be placed in one non-uncle  Brian's companies,, holding or otherwise, and moved to another the following day unless, of course, one of those companies coincidentally trades under the name of K Halligen and has a subsidiary of similar name, but any such transaction would be irregular if not improper, would it not?

Perhaps the forthcoming documentary will provide enlightenment?

Maybe, in the words of the great Father Ted, it was just "resting in his account"...

Does seem to be some momentum gathering... Not sure to what end though.  Dare I hope the proverbial is about to hit the fan?

Now you've quoted  Father Ted, I can see how a weighty cheque may need to refresh itself in a high interest paying account in the Isle of Man with further rest breaks in Jersey and Lichtenstein to help it gather momentum for its onward journey to the Caymans, Stewie  

Imo the merde collided with the ventilateur years ago and the devil is in the detail of retrieving the particles and bringing those responsible for polluting the atmosophere to account, at which time they'll find themselves neck deep in effluent. .  

The link takes me to Netflix which I have a fully paid account.  It doesn't exist other than the description, am I doing something wrong?

Are you seeing this, Pershing?:
The McCanns and the Conman
This documentary explores the story of 'Operation Omega' in which a man named Kevin Halligen convinced the parents of missing Madeleine McCann, he was a secret agent. It soon transpired he had actually been conning the family the whole time, however, evidence he had gathered has since been used in the Scotland Yard case. In this film, ex-FBI agents, ex-military officers and ex-MI5 personnel discuss the con and the subsequent use of evidence.

If so, as far as I'm aware, at the present time this is all that's known about the forthcoming documentary which will be shown on Channel 5 at 9pm on 3rd June.

ultimaThule wrote:Are you seeing this, Pershing?:

The McCanns and the Conman

This documentary explores the story of 'Operation Omega' in which a man named Kevin Halligen convinced the parents of missing Madeleine McCann, he was a secret agent. It soon transpired he had actually been conning the family the whole time, however, evidence he had gathered has since been used in the Scotland Yard case. In this film, ex-FBI agents, ex-military officers and ex-MI5 personnel discuss the con and the subsequent use of evidence.

If so, as far as I'm aware, at the present time this is all that's known about the forthcoming documentary which will be shown on Channel 5 at 9pm on 3rd June.

It looks, then, as this will be a re-working of the McCann Team's lame explantion for hiring Halligen: "He was such a clever conman, he royally deceived us".

As for "evidence he had gathered has since been used by Scotland Yard", I'm not buying that either.

This is an echo of the claim by the McCanns in Kate's book: "Oakley had put in place systems to gather, collate, prioritise and follow up information blah blah.

I can be certain that Halligen found nothing of value about what really happened to Madeleine.

I wonder if Scotland Yard have interrogated Brian Kennedy about Mark Hollingsworth's claim (Evening Standard, 24 August 2009) that Kennedy's men intimidated some witnesses connected to Madeleine's disapperance so aggressively that they were cowed into sillence and not making statements.

That, if substantiated, amounts in law to the serious criminal offence of perverting the course of justice 

 

Tony Bennett wrote:

jeanmonroe wrote:02/12/09 22:37"

Anon 22 what has Halligen done to MBM? He is wanted by the FBI for wire fraud and money laundering. He is not wanted by the FBI or the UK Police for anything associated to the situation MBM finds herself in or anything to do with the Family Fund. The McC's spokesperson said Halligen was paid £300k for work they were happy with. It is reported the McC's have not contacted the police about anything regarding Halligen. He was paid £300k for work they were happy with. They supposedly did not renew his contract because they had suspicions he was a conman! If they had suspicions hmm why did they not contact someone in authority?

Meanwhile, Clarence Mitchell has now declared the matter closed:

Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for Mr and Mrs McCann, said: "Due diligence was carried out before Oakley were employed on behalf of the Madeleine fund. Money was paid for work satisfactorily carried out in the early months but questions were raised later on and the contract was terminated. The matter is considered closed."

Not by Channel 5, it isn't!

Thank you Tony.

Perhaps i should of 'paraphrased' Mitchell and written:

"We would LIKE the 'investigations' and 'fund matters' to be considered CLOSED........AGAIN!"

I wonder if we'll see a BBC CW 'Maddie Special' broadcast on say, June 3rd 2014, at, say 9pm    

Tony Bennett wrote:Being trailed now -

http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-42673]http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-42673

To be shown on Channel 5 on Tuesday 3 June

There is more information on the link now, including the naming of Kevin Halligen.

I can get to it now, but only via a proxy.  Almost like somebody is trying to block it.

ultimaThule wrote:As I'm at loss to understand how a cheque made payable to, say, John Smith can be cleared by being placed in the account of, say, Bill Bloggs

I think all that needs to happen is for John Smith to write "Payable to Bill Bloggs" on the cheque and sign it

I have a feeling that you used to be able to endorse cheques in that way to allow a third party to cash them but I don't think you can now.