The Berkbridge Foundation - Questions Regarding Legitimacy 8 8

[greggy]

On 4/10/2020 at 7:13 PM, Buzzetta said:

I knew something was up when I called Fed Ex today and I swear, the guy was outside on his cell phone.  I am guessing a lot of CSR centers are using a call forwarding service and their CSRs are also working from home. 

eBay CSR is based in the Philippines.  Anyone know where FedEd CSR is based?

They have them all over.  Sometimes I get local agensts but sometimes, I'll get people from Mexico or elsewhere who don't understand it when I try to explain local landmarks to them.  I think it's more likely you'll get someone local during the regular working hours. 

[Buzzetta]

Just now, greggy said:

They have them all over.  Sometimes I get local agensts but sometimes, I'll get people from Mexico or elsewhere who don't understand it when I try to explain local landmarks to them.  I think it's more likely you'll get someone local during the regular working hours. 

I did not know that.  At the time I thought that this was due to social distancing.  That's actually very good to know. 

 

[greggy]

Just now, Buzzetta said:

I did not know that.  At the time I thought that this was due to social distancing.  That's actually very good to know. 

 

I asked my regular delivery driver once and that's what she told me and it appears to be my experience.  If not totally local, I generally get CSR from Canada during the regular hours. 

[alexgross.com]

On 4/18/2022 at 4:49 PM, Green Hell said:

Is this guy legit now or is it the same-old same-old?

https://www.ebay.com/sch/berkbridge/m.html?item=284762769995&mkcid=16&var=&ssspo=MsVkbZGWQ32&ssuid=HdBgNsKoSwq&media=COPY&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&widget_ver=artemis&sssrc=2349624&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

see @Sweet Lou 14's posts on the previous page. the guy's a real seller, has good books, knows how to ship, apparently, it's just the charity part of it that appears highly suspect. which is kind of a big deal. i personally wouldn't buy from him.

[kav]

On 7/30/2020 at 10:11 AM, greggy said:

I asked my regular delivery driver once and that's what she told me and it appears to be my experience.  If not totally local, I generally get CSR from Canada during the regular hours. 

[comix4fun]

Just a quick update. 
Berkbridge Comics is into Comic Art...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285135303181?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l1120&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=06b088a5aa4745b2b02e422829a7c05a&bu=43188547830&ut=RU&exe=0&ext=0&osub=-1~1&crd=20230206024110&segname=11021

 

The mechanics of this seem to be, they sell the item as "Berkbridge Comics" and then "donate" the "net proceeds" to "The Berkbridge Foundation"

 

This accomplishes, per eBay's site, FULL eBay fee avoidance (given the "all net proceeds" line). 



However, since the "seller" isn't the "charity" (sorry need the quotes A LOT on this post) the eBay buyer doesn't get the deduction if one is taken, the seller would, along with no fees from eBay. 
Think that through for a minute. And remember, you're NOT donating money DIRECTLY to any charity through these purchases. 
The cash goes to the foundation, the deduction and fee waiver goes to seller account, you just get the item. Like you would with any other seller. 
If it were the charity itself running the auction the buyer would get the item AND the deduction (if any, after value calculation of value above FMV).

Just something to keep in mind. 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by comix4fun
typo

[comix4fun]

Well, this is interesting. Not sure what to make of all this, so I am just going to lay it out there. 
Sometime after the events of this original thread, the Berkbridge Foundation changed their "Principal Officer" from "Robert Jalali" to "Robert Marino". (There have been no 990-N's posted since 2020.)

That can happen, right? Organizations change leadership all the time. Different people take over all the time. That's not suspicious on its face. 

Weird thing is on Berkbridge Foundation's YouTube Page there are several videos about Ukraine. 

One of those details the leader of "SAVEUA.ORG" whose name is Robert Marino. That's not the Berkbridge that was helping single mothers with child care. This is a Ukrainian aid site/org, a timely issue people are paying attention to now. 

If you remember Robert Jalali was a "finance professor, spoke several languages" and Robert Marino is a "finance professor, speaks several languages, is a firearms instructor, and BOUNTY HUNTER" who's gone to Ukraine to teach people how to shoot among other things, I guess. Similar resume lines but for the lines that add legitimacy to teaching civilians in a war zone how to use guns. 

So, the new leader of Berkbridge is also the leader of SaveUA.org. 

Here are 2 pics of Robert Jalali from this thread and his previous online presence (8-10 year old pics I believe):


Here are two pics of "Robert Marino" from the Berkbridge YouTube Page's videos (2022 Videos). 

 

When people go to "SaveUA.org" there's a donate button you click this if you want to donate to SAVEUA.ORG


And it takes you here: 


One of the videos if you'd like to see some of it for yourself.  Their channel has several more videos where you can clearly see who Robert Marino is. 
Always be informed when considering donating to an organization. 
 

 

 

[thehumantorch]

On 2/6/2023 at 8:47 AM, comix4fun said:

Just a quick update. 
Berkbridge Comics is into Comic Art...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285135303181?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l1120&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=06b088a5aa4745b2b02e422829a7c05a&bu=43188547830&ut=RU&exe=0&ext=0&osub=-1~1&crd=20230206024110&segname=11021

 

The mechanics of this seem to be, they sell the item as "Berkbridge Comics" and then "donate" the "net proceeds" to "The Berkbridge Foundation"

 

This accomplishes, per eBay's site, FULL eBay fee avoidance (given the "all net proceeds" line). 



However, since the "seller" isn't the "charity" (sorry need the quotes A LOT on this post) the eBay buyer doesn't get the deduction if one is taken, the seller would, along with no fees from eBay. 
Think that through for a minute. And remember, you're NOT donating money DIRECTLY to any charity through these purchases. 
The cash goes to the foundation, the deduction and fee waiver goes to seller account, you just get the item. Like you would with any other seller. 
If it were the charity itself running the auction the buyer would get the item AND the deduction (if any, after value calculation of value above FMV).

Just something to keep in mind. 

 

 

Sure doesn't sound kosher 

[Sweet Lou 14]

Can't be 100% sure, but that does look like it could be the same guy.

The whole thing is so sketchy.

[comix4fun]

On 2/6/2023 at 11:54 AM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

Can't be 100% sure, but that does look like it could be the same guy.

The whole thing is so sketchy.

I was able to confirm this is the same person.

Check your PMs. 

Edited February 6, 2023 by comix4fun
more detail.

[seanfingh]

{Rubs hands}    Dis gon be good . . .

[bluehorseshoe]

Why is this still a thing?  If you buy from this group, your name ends up, at one point or another, on a transaction list.  When whatever they have going on cracks open, your name is somewhere on whatever data gets recovered from some investigation.  Is that worth it?  Especially because I don't really see them selling anything eye-popping in the first place.

[comix4fun]

On 2/6/2023 at 12:32 PM, seanfingh said:

{Rubs hands}    Dis gon be good . . .

 

An older thread, but the issues still seem current and in need of answers. These latest revelations, I'm afraid, to little to ease the worries of those unsure of the banner of "charity" is being used properly. 

It would be easier to discern to whom the funds donated to this foundation wound up if any of the public disclosures for the last several years had been made by the organization or its principal. 
 

 

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 2/6/2023 at 1:33 PM, bluehorseshoe said:

Why is this still a thing?  If you buy from this group, your name ends up, at one point or another, on a transaction list.  When whatever they have going on cracks open, your name is somewhere on whatever data gets recovered from some investigation.  Is that worth it?  Especially because I don't really see them selling anything eye-popping in the first place.

My perspective on it is simply that the whole "charity" angle is very shady and an obvious ploy to get past eBay fees.

If you can get past that, Berkbridge / Jalali / Marino is just another comic book dealer.  Like many dealers on eBay, their prices are usually too high.  But on those occasions in the past where I found something I wanted and worked out a deal, there were no surprises and everything went smoothly.  They've been trustworthy by the narrow definition of delivering the book(s) you're buying quickly and safely.

The one wrinkle that makes them different from a typical eBay seller is that you never actually deal (or appear to be dealing) with Jalali/Marino himself, you are always dealing with "Nicole" or "Sophie."  Whether those are real people or not, who knows.

[comix4fun]

On 2/6/2023 at 3:44 PM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

My perspective on it is simply that the whole "charity" angle is very shady and an obvious ploy to get past eBay fees.

If you can get past that, Berkbridge / Jalali / Marino is just another comic book dealer.  Like many dealers on eBay, their prices are usually too high.  But on those occasions in the past where I found something I wanted and worked out a deal, there were no surprises and everything went smoothly.  They've been trustworthy by the narrow definition of delivering the book(s) you're buying quickly and safely.

The one wrinkle that makes them different from a typical eBay seller is that you never actually deal (or appear to be dealing) with Jalali/Marino himself, you are always dealing with "Nicole" or "Sophie."  Whether those are real people or not, who knows.

And, with the way their listings work, your payment is going directly to the "Charity" and not to the eBay seller, that's how they avoid eBay fees...but I am unsure in how it impacts payments/refunds/chargebacks/disputes when you're buying from entity A, paying entity B. The Ebay seller gets the donation receipt and the deduction though. 

That's before we get to the reality that people can and do overpay when they believe their dollars are going entirely to a charitable enterprise. The constructs in these auctions would create just such a scenario without any true disclosure of where the funds go, who've they've been used by, and whether you're helping the "single mother's charity" they were when this thread began or the "Ukraine aid" charity that's been launched since, or for some other purpose. 

So, people will get their books, but the clarity of with whom they are dealing, where the money's going, who it is or isn't helping, etc. is a cloud. It can feel to people coming across these entities that there's an artifice in play for some purpose beyond comics or charity, and there have been no public disclosures made regarding charitable income or disbursements to clarify anything. 

The timing of the principle head of Berkbridge changing his name within months of this thread's discussion and the subsequent threats to some members when they simply requested the disclosures mandated by law of all IRS-recognized charities, is timing that could probably lead a reasonable person to believe they were connected. 

[bluehorseshoe]

On 2/6/2023 at 4:44 PM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

My perspective on it is simply that the whole "charity" angle is very shady and an obvious ploy to get past eBay fees.

If you can get past that, Berkbridge / Jalali / Marino is just another comic book dealer.  Like many dealers on eBay, their prices are usually too high.  But on those occasions in the past where I found something I wanted and worked out a deal, there were no surprises and everything went smoothly.  They've been trustworthy by the narrow definition of delivering the book(s) you're buying quickly and safely.

The one wrinkle that makes them different from a typical eBay seller is that you never actually deal (or appear to be dealing) with Jalali/Marino himself, you are always dealing with "Nicole" or "Sophie."  Whether those are real people or not, who knows.

So, yeah, I’m suggesting that it’s not worth the effort, despite your vouching for Berkbridge because they ship in a safe manner.

The fact that you have to ask yourself “I know I’m not dealing with the guy that I know changed his name for reasons unknown to me, but am I dealing with Nicole or Sophie and are they real or not,” pretty much is Reason 1 as to why it’s probably not a good idea to have anything to do with them.  

But you do you.

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 2/6/2023 at 9:25 PM, bluehorseshoe said:

So, yeah, I’m suggesting that it’s not worth the effort, despite your vouching for Berkbridge because they ship in a safe manner.

The fact that you have to ask yourself “I know I’m not dealing with the guy that I know changed his name for reasons unknown to me, but am I dealing with Nicole or Sophie and are they real or not,” pretty much is Reason 1 as to why it’s probably not a good idea to have anything to do with them.  

But you do you.

I am not "vouching for Berkbridge" in any way -- if you look at my posts from way earlier in the thread, my viewpoint should be pretty clear.

I'm just telling you the experiences I had before all of us caught on that something was fishy.

To be fair, I think I misunderstood your last post because I thought "Why is this a thing?" was you saying "Why does anyone still care about outing them?"  So I was just trying to give a straight, sober analysis that the only thing we 100% know is crooked for sure is what they're doing behind the scenes.

Edited February 7, 2023 by Sweet Lou 14

[Sweet Lou 14]

I'll just add that when this thread was much more active back in 2019, I was really hoping there might be some kind of "justice" in the form of discipline from eBay.  But that never happened so I was left with the hope that the relatively small number of people paying attention to this thread would at least be better informed.

As I recall, Jalali/Marino himself replied at least once or twice to this thread, proving that he was aware of the scrutiny.  Not long after, he revamped his web site ... and it looks like he changed his name as well.  It seems obvious that he's been trying to avoid fees and taxes ... and let's face it, preying on people's charitable inclinations adds an extra layer of fraud to the whole thing.

The only point I was trying to make earlier today, which I don't think I did a very good job of, is that I never saw any fraud specifically related to the actual books being sold -- things like undisclosed restoration or any of the other shenanigans other dealers have attempted.  I realize that's very faint praise and I apologize if that came across as "vouching."  Definitely not my intent.

[Buzzetta]

On 2/6/2023 at 1:04 PM, comix4fun said:

I was able to confirm this is the same person.

Check your PMs. 

 

On 2/6/2023 at 1:32 PM, seanfingh said:

{Rubs hands}    Dis gon be good . . .

Back when this thread was originally created one of the people mentioned in this thread "allegedly" called CGC and then complained and they in turn "allegedly" reached out to several people. 

I forget what was pulled on him at the time.  I think that they found a shuffling of property or something under a few of the names mentioned along with some other things.   Either way, one of the people who might be the focus "allegedly" threatened to sue and spooked enough people that I heard about it at NYCC that one of the people in this thread was "allegedly" going to come after a few people.

 

 

[namisgr]

No more sugarcoating:

This Berkbridge has no public documentation demonstrating it is currently registered or has ever functioned as a legitimate charity.  In all likelihood, it's committing tax fraud.

Edited February 7, 2023 by namisgr