Johnson, Kenneth Dale: One of the four original partners in GGC. Through a series of fraudulent maneuvers, he was able to gain 100% ownership and control of the project and defrauded 73 investor families of US $10.45 million.
Berwick, Jeff: Canadian businessman, self-identified anarchist, owner of the website and newsletter, The Dollar Vigilante, and one of the original four partners in GGC.
Cobin, John: American who has lived in Chile for over 20 years, Cobin is an academic, a libertarian, and one of the four original partners in GGC.
Eyzaguirre, Germán: Chilean businessman, Cobin’s business partner and one of the four original partners in GGC.
Del Real, Mario: “Businessman” who entered into GGC affairs by offering his services to Johnson as a “fixer.”
Del Real told Johnson that the corporate establishment and structure of GGC were improper and he would correct the errors. He offered the use of his daughter’s bank account for IGG. He also told Johnson that to use that bank account, she had to be the general manager of IGG. Registered legal documents in Chile confirm that Del Real and his family are the officers and management of IGG, as well as the majority shareholders, although Johnson disputes the authenticity of those documents. The Del Reals, very predictably, misappropriated upwards of $1 million of GGC investors’ money.
Del Real owns shares of Rio Colorado, a corporation that holds title to land in the Andes with large water rights. The ownership of that land has been disputed for many years. Del Real convinced Johnson that Rio Colorado would make them both rich and the two engineered a swap of stock, 51% Rio Colorado for 50% of GGC, which was never completed. Del Real was able to use a partial execution of the swap to take ownership and control of 99% of IGG stock.
Del Real, Pamela: Daughter of Mario Del Real, accountant and the general manager of IGG at the tender age of 26.
Sarrazin, René: Seller of El Peñon, the first parcel purchased for GGC.
Ramirez, Guillermo: Retired Chilean businessman and former owner of El Lepe/Las Casas, the second parcel. Ramirez must have known that Johnson was desperate to buy a property near El Peñon to cover up his incompetence and fraud concerning that purchase. Ramirez allegedly gouged Johnson to the tune of $6.8 million with the purchase price, and may have misrepresented the water and zoning on the property. The deal he struck included an aggressive payment schedule with crippling late penalties. Further, the purchase agreement allowed Ramirez to maintain ownership of the water rights until the final payment.
Here is Ramirez (left) allowing himself and his lawyer, Hector Riccardi (right), to be trotted out as a props in an idiotic dog and pony show video supporting Johnson’s continuing scam. You’d think a man like this would have more dignity. Apparently, you would be wrong.
Ramirez conspires with the alleged GGC criminals. He, apparently along with swindlers Del Real and Johnson, is plotting to block the investors from gaining control of GGC’s assets as can be seen in the above video. Recently, he colluded with Del Real in violating a court injunction on the disposition of Lepe water rights which is a felony offense.
Wehrhahn, Mónica: Politically connected business woman, Johnson considered her a “fixer.” She was contracted to Agricola y Comercial GG for US $100,000. She allowed Johnson to use her bank account to receive investor funds. He has accused her of withholding US $170,000 from him, but doesn’t acknowledge the validity of the contract between them. Wehrhahn said that she forwarded all investor funds to Johnson with the exception of the money she was owed and supplied The GGC Recovery Team with scans of the checks as proof.
Kirley, Josh: GGC investor, founder and president of The Kirley Group, commodity futures traders. Josh was instrumental in spearheading and funding the investigation and litigation in Chile of the GGC/Johnson fraud.
Folta, Jerry: GGC investor, the only one actively supporting Johnson. Despite substantial–we think overwhelming–evidence of Johnson’s fraud, Folta backed Johnson through email announcements to GGC investors, strategizing to thwart The GGC Recovery Team efforts and purportedly funding Johnson through buying 30% of the shares of IGG for $250,000, allegedly becoming an accessory after the fact. Folta has hired a Chilean lawyer and is pursuing various legal challenges to Del Real’s ownership and control of IGG, as yet without success.
Baker, Thomas: Lt Col USMC, GGC investor, member of the GGC Recovery Team.
Cuthbert, Cathy: GGC investor, member of the GGC Recovery Team.
Lackington, Francis: Partner in the law firm Labbé, Ovalle, Guglielmetti & Lackington Abogados, Investors’ attorney in Chile. He is also licensed to practice law in the US.
Guerrero, Rodrigo: GGC accountant at the firm, Spasa. Spasa is owed approximately $8,000 in fees by Johnson.
Vila, Martin and Jorge Cordova: Berwick and Johnson’s first attorneys in Chile. They established IGG and Asesorias y Servicios GG. They turned over all the shares of IGG to Johnson.
Chirgwin, Andrés: Former lawyer to GGC. His law firm is currently suing IGG for non-payment of US $54,000 in fees.
Chittock, Jeff: Johnson’s lawyer at Chile Lawyers. Chile Lawyers is currently suing Johnson for non-payment of over US $100,000 in fees.
Carpenter, Ken: The most successful salesman for GGC. He finally realized mid-2014 that the problems at GGC were not due to Johnson’s incompetence but his dishonesty. He left GGC, but tried to alert and help the investors to recover their assets, and returned to manage The GGC Recovery Team efforts on the farm from October 2014 to April 2015.
Thornton, Ian: Chilean laborer, friend of Johnson who acts as his interpreter, translator and co-conspirator. He is the thug who attacked a GGC Recovery Team member in October 2014 and who hired Mafiosi to terrorize the investors’ employees at gun point, ousting them from the farm in April 2015.
Hermosilla, Manuel: Chilean environmental engineer and brother of one of the GGC neighbors. He trespassed on the GGC grounds and when confronted made a death threat on April 17 2015. Earlier, he attempted to swindle the investors by asking for money, misrepresenting that he was owed by Johnson. He is also the incompetent contractor that cause water rights violations on the Lepe property.
Tolley, Josh: Libertarian radio personality, he was paid a speaking fee to appear at GGC marketing events, where attendees interpreted his involvement as his endorsement of the project. He also had Johnson as a guest on his radio show, giving Johnson access to a libertarian audience.
Swann, Ben: Libertarian TV journalist turned online journalist, he was paid a speaking fee to appear at a GGC marketing event, where attendees interpreted his involvement as his endorsement of the project.
Rudkowski, Luke: minor “libertarian” activist. He was hired to attend a GGC marketing event and was paid $2,500 to produce a series of videos about the project. He pocketed the bucks and produced nothing. Hey, Rudkowski, that’s called theft. He refuses to communicate with The GGC Recovery Team to help us or to refund the money. How’s that for solidarity?
(Click on picture to enlarge.)
Screen cap from GGC’s Facebook page showing the responsibility-shirking Rudkowski at the spring marketing event. The text at right lists the lib celebs who attended, where unsuspecting libertarian attendees interpreted their involvement as an endorsement. This is how an affinity scam works, yet few want to talk about it. Tatiana Moroz had the integrity and courage to come forward. (See our post “Tatiana Tells Her Story.”) Josh Tolley addressed GGC here, and by having Berwick on his program. Some of the others seem to act as if the GGC affinity scam never happened. See more GGC celebration announcements, for Oct 2013 here and Apr 2014 here.
McElroy, Wendy: GGC promesa purchaser and long-time libertarian author, she wrote an article that exposed the GGC “debacle” on the libertarian website, The Daily Bell. She was paid a speaking fee to appear at a GGC marketing event, where attendees interpreted her involvement as her endorsement of the project.