Workers, comment about your experiences with Le Nature's now.
Note: If you'd like some background and history on how this whole thing got started, see here -- Le Nature's stands AGAINST FREE SPEECH
My condolences to the people who's sweat and labor held up this company while it crumbled from the top down. Some of your fellow coworkers have already spoken up about their experiences. Whether you worked for Le Nature's or with Le Nature's, I invite you, as a worker, to express yourself here. You can do so anonymously. Whether you have good or bad things to say, you can speak up here without fearing.
Some workers have already said:
"if you only knew what went on there - they have just scratched the surface""What Podlucky did with fraud was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to his employees. Constant email threats and abusing his authority to make it clear his political choice was your choice. Even as far as having his secretary call homes of his employees anonymously to see who they were voting for. I do feel bad for the workers under the upper management who slaved under him to make a living, but this is a long deserving end to him. I hope he sees time." "your an asshole..you know this leaves 200 families with out an income..all your doing is getting your rocks off about podlucky"
"these are mean spirited people who took pleasure in making the people in their employ by constantly threatining to fire them and going out of their way to be mean""It was a very bizarre work environment""I worked in their IT Dept (i.e Computer Fag Dept)""From day one, we knew something was strange about the way they conducted themselves."Note: emphasis added by author
Please add your own comments, and invite your coworkers to do the same. If you're not a worker but still want to make a comment please
go here.
646 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 400 of 646 Newer› Newest»It was a very good product that was produced, just a terribly managed company with executives that had no sense of making it profitable. Their failure rained down upon the workers in threats and demeanings that killed morale. If they had any logic and legal business saavy in way they dealt with their vendors, this would have never happened.
response to 1/3 9:23 am, about fred, brittany, barry.
I worked at LNI also,you need to remember when writing blogs. it tells people about you. people that worked there can tell who you are!and how you are (immature).
I'm sure most of us are tired of them! I haven't seen a response from these three. that's because they have integrity! you need to get some! I did'nt write this to throw shots at you.I'm hoping you grow up!I'm sure you will write something nasty to me,but remember this, greg&gang used to threaten us and acted like they were better than us! How can you treat those three like that? you should be ashamed of yourself!
I'm just reading the paper now.i'don't understand how the attorneys are arguing over an $80.000thousand dollar bill.justifying there staying there.seems a waste of money and time.i'm all for them staying if it brings charges..i'm sure there bill for another month costs more then 80 thousand .judge McCULLOUGH said it right a month ago.how long do you beat a dead horse
I'm answering about fred, brittney and barry.hope this is the last time to.barry defended podluckys earlier in these blogs.quoting his words podlucky started the company with his blood sweat and tears.as far a brittney goes.what did she do to deserve staying there?.she knew nothing .people are mad that a girl with the least time of anyone there is still working.which afterwards she will be able to collect unemployment .were done in march.justify that?
In response to 1/4 11:01am
I don't think many of these blogs can be justified that's why they are anonymous!as for brittany,maybe she made the least money or she did her job instead of worring about other people's business! the people that are there still get to wonder when their last day is.at least we know when the end was! their no better off than we are!
Come on now.I justed asked what was her job.snooping in mannys desk at night .or in freds office all night.she bragged about how she had keys to his office.or the gift card to victoryia sece ts.she showed that off to.but what was or even better yet her job now?.lots of luck defending that.
response to 12:20pm 1/4
come on guys,enough of this highschool garbage,none of it pertains to anything that went on at LNI!
You should read 1/4 9:44am!
I think it was ment for you?
I'm reading this stuff that's being written .looks like you should of had a union there.then no one could complain.it would of went to the oldest worker on down.not to favoritism .just a thought.
We were there everyday because we were paid to be. The added incentive was that we got along with our co-workers for the most-part and that the product was actually pretty good.
I started in Phoenix before the walls were even completed, literally, and I stayed until they shut the doors on November 6th. I have a new job down the street and drive by on occasion just to see what they are going to do with that huge beautiful building. I took pride in the company, I was a very dedicated and enthusiastic employee and I feel that I have a right to be pissed off at Greg. Not for the stupid asenine e-mails but because I put everything into that job and because of his fraud and forgery, I don't have anything to show for it, per-say. I didn't have any problems finding a new job but I did have to start all over again as the new kid on the block, low-man on the totum pole I have to re-form working relationships, I have to wait out another 90-day probabtion, I have to wait another year to get vacation, I have to worry about my kid getting sick and having to take the day off. All of the stupid shit that tenure relieves.
Jobs come and go, it's the people and the enviroment we're all pissed off about!
Le-Nature's, absent of Greg Podlucky, wasn't really that bad. Don't let one bad apple spoil the bunch!
Janeen can't write a policy that stops us now! Go for it, get it out, screw Greg Podlucky - We're not the bad-guys here, we never were.
Shall I put it into scripture for you, Greg? How about this one... an eye for an eye. Your day of reckoning is comming and I , for one, believe in both reeping what you sow and Karma. You're screwed buddy! I don't wish you to die... that would only hurt me. I wish nothing but what you deserve.
here is a small part of what was in the newspaper today what is black market currency?????
More than $120 million is missing from bankrupt LeNature's Inc. in Latrobe and may have been converted into "black market currency" -- expensive gems and gold watches -- so it could be hidden from creditors, says an attorney involved in the case
How can you talk about BRITTANY, when you can talk about Glenda, and Big Red, I mean fat ass, oops, I mean Kathy. First off Glenda brought on the sexual harrasment case herself, and never did anything at Le-Natures but play on her cell phone or with Chris. In other words they were having an affair. Kathy was the lazest two faced bitch, that always cried about everthing she had to do, and it was never done right anyways. Not only was lazy but she was an easy piece of ass for anyone who worked there and she let them all know it.
Please brittney .we all know its you.so just quit.seems like it stops at 3 o'clock.time your leaving Le'natures.notice I didn't say work.you never did any to consider it work.
Why on earth are you attacking each other!?!?! Remember who the real "enemy" is. You may not have liked Brittany or Kathy but now is the time to concentrate your efforts on the real fat ass that put us all in this position!
this is brittany
To all former co-workers i am shocked that you guys are writing some of the things that you are. I would like to say that the things written about kathy were not done by me, she is a friend of mine and i would not say anything to harm her reputation. but as far as glenda goes i didn't write anything about her but I don't disagree with some of it. I was picked to stay b-c i did do my job and did it well! 90% of you put your heart and soul into that place and the treatment that you recieved was not justifiable by any means. I understand that you guys are mad at me but i did not ask to be kept. I feel bad that all of you are out of a job b-c greg& jon took a giant shit on all our efforts. you can say whatever you want about me but I to, will be in the same boat as all of you in the near future. also I ask that fred be left out of the comments about me. he has a family that he loves very much and they don't need to hear false information or accusations. He didn't ask to be put in the position that he was put in either and was just as upset as all the rest of you.
I'don't dislike brittany.but I am upset the way they picked her.I worked better then 6 years.times I could of called off for weather it was that bad and I lived far away.but I still made it in.and that's the thanks I got.i'm bitter about it.but they never did treat people far as long as I can rember.so take care all and good luck
To Brit
You made a choice when you followed Fred around like a lovesick school girl.What did you expect? You reep what you sow.
Thank you for the entertainment, especially you Greg.....I've never laughed so hard in my entire life. There's so much funny stuff to say about LNI, So much funny stuff, So little time! Some brief highlights......The armed security guards in place....guarding the Fortress of Trains, Watches and Sex Toys.......just so "NOBODY SEE'S THE WIZARD"..... Yes, just like in the Wizard of OZ......Nobody gets to see the Wizard......No wonder, that's a great way to hide from your creditors. A chip off the Ole Block most people would say about the "Wizard" and his Bankrupt Old Man.....he too did a fine job with Stonies.......Yes, a chip off the old block, one would say. Jonathan must have been adopted...... "Christliness is like Godliness".....another oldie but goodie.........sad, how very sad.....how does a mentally unbalanced, bulley who did major "Steriods" all through Ligonier High School, bullied all his classmates, professed to become a "Professional Wrestler", or more like "Studio Wrestler" end up years later, still mentally deranged, but now is a "Thief". So much to add to your "Resume" G.P., so much to add......Bubba in Cellblock will be waiting patiently to get his new "Prison B**ch! It only took 1-2 days of employment at the "Water Park" to easily see, there were extreme unethical practices going on. Shame on Wachovia....telling a "Thief" not to touch the bank account, well that's just like putting a kid alone in a candy store and telling him not to touch any candy. Oh, here's another oldie but goodie....."any one caught or seen being unproductive during the upcoming "Evil Days" (Christmas)since people tend to get "lax" during the "Evil Days" will cause everybody in the plant to have to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas Days"........What kind of religion calls Christmas the "Evil Days".....must be some new Cult, ole G.P. dreamed up during his Steriod days!
To the casual observer, it seems that the only thing that went on at Le Nature's was sexual liaisons. I mean this secretary was screwing so and so or the midnight supervisor was having an affair with so and so. How was there any time for any production?
Or was the plant just a front? Maybe the employees were there just to test the new vibrators and dildoes that Greg developed. I mean somebody had to see if the sex toys worked right before Greg used them on Drew.
Now I feel so dumb.a few of us were always busting our ass.while the rest were using theres.could only happen at LE'NATURE'S
1/5 8:20 PM, you are so very right. Your comments are an inspiration to all of those who suffered under the "Mighty Rath" of the "Great Wizard". You are the greatest, I so love your insight. This is probably, by far, some of the most constructive comments I've seen that make 100% sense. After all he is a sexual deviate, as well as his son is. Check the public records for the evil spawn, (J. Jr.), he too has quite the laundry list in the Westmoreland County Courthouse of public record with regards to PFA's, stalking, wrecking the Hummer(s) late at night, police chases, drug induced violence
spree(s) at the Latrobe Hospital. It's all a matter of Public Record. But remember, it's all in the name of the religious cult that he's tring to develop. That's right, he's The Great and Powerful Wizard is building his own "Cult". One that most likely worships the "Devil" by the likes of his actions. You know what they say........It's all in the Family". The apple(s) never fall too far from the tree. (;-)
Jay -
Can you create a new blog to capture the alleged wild adventures of Fred & Brittany?
99.9% of us could give a crap about what did or did not go on between them and are solely interested in gaining FACTUAL information about the liquidation of the company and/or the judgment falling upon its executive committee.
All of the stupid postings regarding which employees were unprofessional are boring and irrelevant....No one cares...
1/05/2007 8:20 PM :
To state that 'Maybe the employees were there just to test the new vibrators and dildoes that Greg developed' is disparaging and wrong.
There were so many good people who worked so hard for this company - they don't deserve to be lumped in the same pool of ethics as their management. Why even go there?
hey ,whats up with this unemployment,did you get this letter,about taking 2.3%.i know they have been taking 3%out of us which is bull shit,we payed all this money in,we should not have to pay any more.sounds like there like podluckies,they must all be in it together.i think we should get together,talk about lawer,this just isn't right,we are not even getting what we made in two week's.haven't we been though enough.can we ever be able to live.guess not just starve.lets stick together.this is not right.how do you feel?we need to all gather.
To 1/05/07 at 11.45.this blog started with you telling your experiences there.and your opinions.ok.its not a law forum.so if you if your not comfortable reading it don't .start your own or read a news paper.
Quit your crying brittany.it's a little to late.you made your bed so sleep in it.or did you forget the way you treated people once you hooked up with fred.rember how you said he was going to make you a boss.so don't pretend now how much you care.your only there now because of fred.don't sugar coat it now.by the way.they already made the song stand by your man.
to all of you narrow minded trash talking fuckheads. Dont you think that it is time to give up on trying to make each other look bad. You shitheads have completely forgot that you all busted your nuts in that place. And everyone knows it. It is a shame that you guys lost your jobs. But it is definately time to grow up and fucking move on with your lives. Quit trying to make yourselves feel better by making shit up. Oh and I almost forgot. GO FUCK YOURSELF GREG. Drop the alter boy act. You are a fucking crook. And you are the reason this shit happened in the first place!!!!!
AARON you can take off your little green suit now.the position of LEPRECHAUN with lucky charms is taken.
Looks like he's up to his same tricks .while you argue among yourself he's getting a 56 million dollar loan on his property from two of his teenage boys.apparently not one's watching him after all.anythoughts how this could happen?
Iwould like to know if anyone has heard anything about buyers for LNI. I heard there was supposed to be people looking at place lastweek. Also I really like how they keep all updated on everything,we do have a right know.The only ones that know aer the people still there and doesn't do us any good.We need to have a meeting and see if anyone knows anything. I miss my job and the people .
Read the article in the Trib today. It gives a clear explanation. It's just a ploy to try to avoid having to sell his home to pay creditors. It doesn't appear that the "mortgage" will hold up in court.
Looks like he wasn't sleeping when they taught that part of his class in accounting.to bad he didn't put it to better use.they must have the funds.why 56.7million?..and not 10-20-or even 30..it must be out there.
Glad to see the latest articles in the newspapers are showing Greg's true colors to the local community, though I doubt he is even the least bit embarrassed, ashamed, or regretful of his random acts of destruction. I heard it through the grapevine that little boy Jesse is still hanging out at Sharky's drinking with his rich-bitch friends. Also heard that Bobby Lynn had connections at Dellallo's that got him a job right away--no income lost in "his" little piggy bank! Heard he also got jobs for a handful of business office employees, though why anyone would follow someone who is potentially facing jail time is beyond me! And hey, if anyone is looking to buy a Toyota, word on the street is that Tammy is working in their accounting department these days (are they crazy?!!)
Congrats to the Podlucky sons!
They must have had one hell of a Lemonade Stand!
Greg your really leaving your kids some kind of legacy .greed,dishonesty,shame.some kind of life they have to look forward too.
Another thing, I hope people aren't buying into this artificial feud between g.p. and the Trib. A Recently, he was seen with scaife probably planning the next move to get any potential trial out of town due to overexposed media coverage. Check out the property records, the big ass house he's building is on scaife's mother's property. Rumor has it g.p. was honoring scaife by building a big ass house on the property. What a joke!!!
If that's the case why was he having his kids loan him money to save the property he never owned.doesn't make sense to Build on property you never had.
to1/06/07;12:40.they said they won't take anything out now,but down the road might have to.not to worry now.
Take Greg's and his families livelihood please. He or any of his family deserve to benefit from this mess. With the $54M mortgage, they are trying to minimize what they can take away for the creditors and this is wrong. Their assets should be frozen and such moves should be approved by a lawyer. What does a house need with an "auditorium" and who is he trying to fool when he would call it the "training facility"? It is obvious that this masion was going to be used for the benefit of Le Natures or was being built with money loaned to Le Natures.
If they cannot stop this, please make sure Greg, Jesse, and John all go away for a long enough time to not enjoy any benefit from it. Jesse and his other sons should be put away for aiding Greg in this circus.
I would just like to know why they can't stop this man.obviously he's out of control .he's making a mockery out of this whole process .any reason why?
As long as there doesn't come a day that officals say, no violations were found. Then I would start to question how deep his roots went. I sure it reaches into Re"plump"lican committees, law enforcement, and maybe to the point to influence certain offices to turn a blind eye.
I'm hoping that this investigation reached outside his jurisdiction.
I'm an outsider as far as employment goes, I never worked there. I knew Greg briefly from his "Stoney" days and multiple brand faluires. Not sure how much he had to do with the decisions there but his father ruined many business relationships of "Stoney" distributors. Years of hard work and support of the brewerey by distributors were thrown away as Stoney's started selling direct to whoever would buy it (unlike any other brewery in the world that I know of). Stoney's was in the perfect place at the perfect time when micro's took off and it was driven into the ground because nobody was left to support their efforts at the distributor level that they destroyed.
I have been following LeNature's story and found this blog. Have some patience, the law will catch up with Greg. They aren't going to make any moves until everything is in order and they can be assured legally it is correct. No matter what moves he makes with land or finances, they will be investigated and seen for their real value and offer no protection if done for that reason.
Good luck for all the job seekers, something will break through for you, it always does. I wouldn't be waiting for the plant to re-open (don't get me wrong, great, if it does) but you might be looking at a few years of fueding amonst creditors and lawyers.
greg,what are you going to have the kids buy next the training center?
maybe they could buy you a brain? everyone knows you're trying to hide you're money from the creditors! maybe you should try building another secret room!
you're kids are so lucky,not only do they get to learn first hand from you,they get to be involved to! I'll bet they grow up to be upstanding citizens!
NOPE NO OUTSTANDING CITIZENS IN THAT CREW! EVEN THE OLD LADY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT WORK IS-----THAT WOMAN IS IN HER OWN WORLD FOR THAT MATTER!!!! ANYWAYS THE BODYGUARDS, THAT IS ANOTHER STORY---ESPECIALLY THE ONE WHO IS NEXT TO SET HIM UP----BET HE WON'T SEE THAT COMING!!!!
I guess blogger 12/21/06 2:10 pm, had it right when he/she wrote that we will see and hear things that we would never think of.
Wondering if old greg and johnathn podlucky is in phoenix watching the BCS CHAMPIONSHIP ON LE'Natures MONEY.sure they would welcome them there now.
Greg you johnathn ,drew and bob lynn take Rick Santorum on a tour of your half finished mansion like the one you put on at the plant .sure he would like to know what his long time crook of a friend is up too.
i don't know about anyone else, but that company was about who you knew and who you were doing. i'm sorry, i did like brit, but i still think some of why she's still working is because she was so close knit with fred. i mean, come on. the girl was so young, and she wasn't any better than some of the other people in her position. so whatever. i'm not going to slam her for anything though, there was all kinds of shit going on during work hours, she wasn't the only one running around after some guy at work. what about glenda and CC? or QC running around with forrest gump? all the same kind of shit. unfortunately for the other two women, they picked the wrong man. brit got lucky so she kept her job. i'm just calling it like it is.
No your not wrong.if anyone rembers how Lindsy was freds favorite girls before brittany.once she got married she got fired by fred.because she was off limits.brittany must be good at something .but it has nothing to do with work.there a 100 people there that could and did out work her.
Oh my God!
Who cares about Brittany!
You people need a life!
Why has Brittany's alleged affair with Fred become more important than the reason this blog was started?
All of this Britanny bullshit is just because the workers who were released are jealous that she is still there. She will be shitcanned just like everyone else mid-February.
Fred Drummond was not the person who made the call on who stayed or who went on 11.13....maybe you dumbasses should investigate and blame the person who did...maybe he/she was having an affair with Brittany, too....
You all sound so pathetic...
Move on with your lives.
In response to earlier blogs about dumping product.
The product was not dumped because they wanted to make room for more.
The real reason is apparent by recent blogs.
(Some)People who had the responsibility to make sure the product was good enough to drink were not doing their jobs. Instead, they were worried about who was sleeping with who? I think the maturity level of the people on this site has gone way down!
I hope the few mature people left stay on to break up the retard bloggers! In response to earlier
If you read.itsaid.your opinions and experiences at LE'NATURES.favoritism was very prevalent there and as you see still does.you bet your ass i'm mad.you tell me what quality did she possess that no one there had?WHOYOU FOOLING THAT fred didn't have a hand in her staying.thruth hurts when your reading about yourself
Rember.the product started in the filling room!
You're opinions and experiances have been heard! AGAIN&AGAIN&AGAIN!
maybe you don't get it, people are tired of you're crying!!!!!!!!
you're opinions&exp. are supposed to be about people who worked! You think it is about the non workers(you),and their social scene!!!!!
All this crying...Move on and get on with your life.There is "Life After LeNature's!"
Who the fuck you think you are.still trying to give orders.you don't have to log on here.but you must be looking to see what there writing about you.so get use to it.ha ha ha
did any one read the article in todays Post gazette - The salary just greg & jon got is to unreal I cant find the words for. But something tells me there still not hurting for money.
$772.000 for greg,$261.000 for johnathan.and that was the year before this started.then he couldn't give you a decent raise at review time.or held them.he will rot in hell.
1/10/07 Pitts Post Gazette
Bankruptcy expert put in charge of Le-Nature's
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
By Len Boselovic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A forensic accountant and former FBI agent who investigated claims in Allegheny Health, Education and Research Foundation, Adelphia Communications and other high-profile bankruptcies has been named trustee of Le-Nature's, the bankrupt Latrobe beverage producer debilitated by allegations of fraud.
R. Todd Neilson of LECG, an Emeryville, Calif., consulting firm, was appointed yesterday by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Chief Judge M. Bruce McCullough. Mr. Neilson was recommended this week by the U.S. Trustee's office in Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, a showdown between creditors eager to launch a full-fledged investigation of how millions of dollars of their money disappeared and Wachovia Bank, Le-Nature's financial adviser, was put on hold.
Lenders who hold about 70 percent of Le-Nature's $285 million secured debt have subpoenaed former officers and directors, Le-Nature's accountants and Wachovia in order to determine what happened. Other creditors support the efforts but it is opposed by Wachovia. The bank said untangling Le-Nature's mangled books is the job of the trustee, not creditors bent on going after the bank.
Judge McCullough said yesterday that he would delay a decision on whether to allow the subpoenas for three weeks. That will give Mr. Neilson time to decide whether he will conduct the investigation or let creditors proceed with their own probe.
Creditors dragged Le-Nature's into bankruptcy Nov. 3 after the company's minority shareholders persuaded a Delaware state judge to oust Chairman Gregory J. Podlucky and other executives and put the company in the care of Kroll Zolfo Cooper. The New York firm subsequently found evidence of a massive accounting fraud implicating Mr. Podlucky and others.
The U.S. Attorney's office and postal inspectors are conducting a criminal investigation.
Kroll filed an assessment of Le-Nature's financial plight this week, listing assets of $40.1 million and liabilities of $453.3 million. Secured creditors hold $281 million of the claims against the company. Because the assets cover less than 10 cents of every $1 creditors are owed, creditors could try to seek damages from Wachovia, Le-Nature's accountant and other firms over their failure to uncover the fraud.
Kroll cautioned that the estimates, filed with the court on Monday, might not be reliable because evidence was destroyed and what documents remain, including two sets of books, couldn't be trusted.
The documents show Gregory Podlucky was paid $772,000 and his brother, former executive vice president Jonathan E. Podlucky, received $269,000 in the year before creditors initiated bankruptcy proceedings.
Wachovia acted as Le-Nature's financial adviser and investment banker, arranging the $285 million in secured debt and underwriting a $150 million offering of unsecured notes in 2003. Menachem Zelmanovitz, an attorney for Wachovia, said the bank was not trying to thwart an investigation.
"We're looking for a full and fair investigation," he said.
Mr. Zelmanovitz said creditors should first question former officers and directors, as well as accountants who prepared Le-Nature's financial statements.
But secured lenders say those people and the company's records are of little help. They cited allegations that former management destroyed evidence before Kroll took over, obtained more than $20 million by forging documents, and might have converted lender financing into precious gems and expensive watches recovered at the Latrobe headquarters.
One former officer has already invoked his Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate himself and others are expected to do the same, said James G. McLean, a Pittsburgh attorney representing some of the secured lenders.
In addition to Wachovia and two affiliates, the secured lenders subpoenaed Gregory Podlucky; Jonathan Podlucky; former president Robert B. Lynn; former executive vice president Andrew Murin Jr.; former chief financial officer David E. Getzik; BDO Seidman, the company's current accountant; and Ernst & Young, the previous auditor.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Len Boselovic can be reached at lboselovic@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1941. )
1/7/07 Tribune Review
Sons give Podlucky $56M mortgage
By Richard Gazarik
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, January 7, 2007
As federal investigators continue to unravel LeNature's Inc.'s tangled finances, the bankrupt company's reclusive chief executive has received a new line of credit -- from his children.
Gregory Podlucky's three sons -- two of them teenagers -- have given their father a $56.7 million mortgage on property the elder Podlucky owns in Ligonier Township, according to records filed in the Westmoreland County Recorder of Deeds Office.
The 4.7-acre property contains the family home and an elaborate, 250,000-square-foot unfinished mansion Podlucky was building a short distance from his residence.
The market value of his residence would be about $341,000 according to Barbara Moffe, chairwoman of the Westmoreland County Tax Assessment Board.
The mansion's cost was $15 million, according to Greg Coldwell, former construction manager for the building project.
Podlucky's sons, Jesse, 25, who worked at LeNature's, and his teenage brothers, Jordan and Jared, signed the mortgage three days before Christmas. Under the agreement, Podlucky used his property as collateral to receive the mortgage from his sons.
The agreement does not explain how Podlucky will use funds obtained through the mortgage.
When contacted by phone, neither Jesse nor Gregory Podlucky would comment on the deal.
Attorney Robert O. Lampl, of Pittsburgh, who represents LeNature's, could not be reached for comment after repeated attempts by phone. When contacted, Thomas Ceraso, of New Kensington, who represents Podlucky, said he had no comment on the matter.
But local bankruptcy law experts familiar with the case said the deal raises myriad questions and could be nullified in court.
"If no money actually changed hands between the father and his sons, a judge would likely consider the deal a sham transaction," said Mark D. Yokum, a bankruptcy specialist at the Duquesne University School of Law who has followed the LeNature's case.
"It's likely the loan will be voided," Yokum said. "Any court would disregard the loan. The court can say the loan is not bona fide."
Yokum said it is not unusual in bankruptcy cases for people to shield property from creditors who might want it to be seized and sold.
Under the federal sham transaction doctrine, a bankruptcy judge or trustee can invalidate real estate transfers, such as a mortgage, if they believe the transactions were a "fraudulent conveyance" done to skirt paying taxes or creditors.
Yokum said the validity of this mortgage will hinge on whether Podlucky's sons actually have that much in assets and if they can produce supporting financial records. He said minors can't legally engage in making loans, so the teenage sons would have to prove the money came from a trust in their names that was overseen by an independent trustee.
Yokum said he believes it is unlikely the sons would foreclose on their father's property.
Professor Harry M. Flechtner, who teaches bankruptcy law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law , said the transaction could be "perfectly legal" as long as the loan did not come out of LeNature's assets.
"It may seem suspicious and, in fact, be improper and manipulative," Flechtner said. "But as long as the assets are separate from the business, there's nothing illegal."
When it was forced into bankruptcy by angry creditors last year, LeNature's, maker of flavored waters, teas and juice drinks, was nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars in debt. Its plants in Latrobe and Phoenix were shuttered in November. Court documents allege Podlucky, who founded the company in 1989, dramatically inflated sales figures and used those numbers to obtain a large part of that credit.
When federal officials descended on Podlucky's Latrobe plant, they found a hidden room with safes containing millions of dollars in jewelry, guns, videotapes and toy trains, according to court records. Accountants have searched for other hidden assets that may be sold off to pay creditors, court records show.
Investigators told a bankruptcy judge they have found evidence of fraud, perjury, forgery, destruction of documents and other financial crimes at the plant.
The mortgage agreement was notarized and filed Dec. 22 with the Westmoreland County Recorder of Deeds. No attorney was involved in the transaction, a fact that also surprised Yokum, who said prudence dictates that a lawyer or accountant review a deal of this magnitude.
Yokum said this kind of move is not unheard of in bankruptcy cases.
"This is what bankruptcy is all about," he said. "It's fighting among creditors. It's creditors fighting over some point. Who owns the house would be the question here."
Westmoreland County records show that the property is owned by Podlucky and his wife, Karla, according to a deed.
The Podluckys and their children live in a four-bedroom home on the property. Construction on the nearby mansion was halted last summer when financial problems began to mount at LeNature's.
The unfinished structure is being eyed by creditors in bankruptcy court seeking to recoup $728 million in debt through bank loans, junk bonds and equipment leases the company accumulated while Podlucky ran the company. A bankruptcy trustee will have to determine whether the property is owned by Podlucky or LeNature's.
The mansion is a sprawling structure with seven limestone fireplaces, custom-made cabinets, an auditorium equipped with state-of-the-art sound and video systems, a guest house and five-car garage. An outdoor hockey rink and a swimming pool also were planned.
Richard Gazarik can be reached at rgazarik@tribweb.com or (724) 830-6292
1/10/07 Tribune Review
Ex-FBI agent appointed trustee in LeNature's case
By Richard Gazarik
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
A former FBI agent has been appointed trustee in the LeNature's Inc. bankruptcy case to oversee the financial investigation into the bankrupt Latrobe company.
R. Todd Neilson, a certified public accountant from Los Angeles, was named to the post Monday by Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge M. Bruce McCullough.
McCullough refused to dismiss a subpoena for records from Wachovia Bank, but delayed enforcing the subpoena for three weeks until creditors have a chance to meet with Neilson.
"Let him make the decision on what he wants to do," McCullough said. "We'll come back in three weeks and find out where he is in all of this."
As an FBI agent, Neilson has worked on complex financial investigations, white collar and organized crime cases. As an accountant, he worked on the bankruptcies of the Allegheny Health, Education and Research Foundation in Pittsburgh and Adelphia Communications Corp of Coudersport.
Wachovia Bank, the accounting firms of Ernst & Young and BDO Seidman, and former officers of LeNature's have been subpoenaed to give testimony and provide financial documents in an effort to determine the beverage company's assets and liabilities.
A 190-page filing Monday listed LeNature's liabilities at more than $453.1 million with $40 million in assets, although those figures likely will change as the investigation continues.
Attorney Menachem O. Zelmanovitz, of New York, asked McCullough to dismiss the subpoena issued by the secured creditors because the bank already has voluntarily provided records. He charged the creditors have a "clear bias" and are trying to supplant Neilson's role "to further their own private purposes."
Wachovia is concerned that the information obtained from the subpoena could be used against the bank in future lawsuits alleging the bank didn't properly check the company's finances before issuing $278 million in loans and another $150 million in junk bonds.
Zelmanovitz also said the information the creditors need should come from the accounting firms, not the bank.
Attorney James McLean, who represents the secured creditors, said the collapse of LeNature's was caused by "massive fraud" and because there were two sets of financial records, none of the information retrieved from the company may be accurate. A number of financial records reportedly were destroyed.
McLean said Wachovia has "important, relevant and critical information and we ask that it be turned over."
Attorney Douglas Campbell, who represents LeNature's, said Wachovia has the "best information" because of its close financial relationship with the firm.
Richard Gazarik can be reached at rgazarik@tribweb.com or (724) 830-6292
does anyone have any kind of idea what the penalty for these crimes are??
Why don't those of you who continue to bash each other admit that if you were offered a chance to stay on like the others, you would have stayed too! Then those who are out here blogging, would be hammering on you as well. The ones that are there now are ones that have information and insight to what the guardians' of the company need to know. They don't need a labor force because there is no product needed for production and so on down the line.
Someday you are going to have to wake up and realize that this company did not have the business that it purported to have and that the debts far exceed the assets and that the only way this would not have happened is that if proper management ran the company as a legitimate business. If that was to occur, then most of you wouldn't have had a job because the company would have been much much smaller than it is now in order to be profitable. The growth would have been much much slower. Look at it this way, Rolling Rock Brewery was there since the late 1800's and was only sold for $82 million. So Lenatures' incurred around $750 million in debt and is only 17 years old. Do the math. Realize that the company was allegedly set up to be fraudulent for the gain of it's founders. Allegedly, in essence you had "jobs" that were manufactured to appear as though the company was larger than it was, not because the company needed a labor force to meet the demand.
I completely agree with previous comment. This company had no plans on being a legitimate business. They wanted to take the shortcut to success and greed got the best of them.
I worked there for less than a year and was miserable because I wasn't being challenged. I dreaded everyday because I had no purpose. Luckily I found another job before the bankruptcy occurred. I hope that those hurt by this will be able to find jobs and let go of the anger and frustration that mess thishas caused. Many years of work for nothing for a lot of you, i'm sure, but the only way to feel better is to move on.
Those who deserve punishment will get it.
To the last two that wrote.i'm sorry i don't get your analogy between Rollingrock and Le'Natures.one Rollingrock sold a name and recipe for $82 million.What connection with theft is that?thats bussiness.the $720 million was stolen.and the people of rollingrock will be going back..also they were working at rollingrock 6 days a week 24 hours..do the math.they'll be getting $17 an hour and insurance.granted he maybe never intended it to succeed.but i'll bet you this.if you needed a job..you never would of questioned his practices.you would of been happy just to work..and what kind of challenge were you looking for?.its a factory.like many before it and many more to come.please you make these people out to be idiots.they were far from it.but before you needed a challenge you needed a job.that's why you applied there in the first place..challenges don't pay the bills..if the bankers got duped then i don't feel so bad.sure they were smarter then me or you.
Interesting, GP's Teenage sons and Jesse give the old man a loan for 56 Mil.....could it be that the Evil Spawn of the Crazy Man found all that money in their little piggy banks. Probably was donated into their piggy banks from "Guess Who".........as a result of the "Theivery" "Fraud" and down right "Raping" of Le-Nature's and Wachovia Bank (among others). Hey, think about it perhaps Greg thinks he's Robinhood.......He steals from the rich "Wachovia" and gives to the poor, his son's piggy banks, only to receive back, the money he stole. Why didn't anyone else ever think of that???? Oh that's right, Greg thinks he's "Christ likeness". In Heaven he will find his prize, or maybe in "Cell Block C", Greg will find his prize. Wonder where he's hiding at now?
Wonder what the FDA is going to think about the 17 truckloads of "flood damaged tea bags" from the Jacks Run Flood of September, 2005 that Greg Podlucky collected Insurance Money for, and shipped off to the Phoenix Plant to be used for Flavored Teas? Bet there were some serious cases of Heppatitis in Phoenix last year.
And, Jay, you thought "Ass" tasted bad, wonder how that tea tasted?
Hey everybody...take it easy, not much you can do now. This asshole thought he was building an empire. Most deranged pricks in this position think the same way. He was a big fish in a small pond and easily druged by his power. History has presented us with many of these dangerous creeps. Let them make an example of him as they did with the other assholes before him. This will not get back what you lost but it might bring some commfort. He thought he was big shit....he's just small, very small and stupid.
hello everyone who worked for le-natures.We all know g.p was a prick,who shit on all of us who worked there ass off to make him money.Nobody can change that now,but we can hope the man who loves fat ass "big bubba" is his cell mate.
love to everyone on blowmold side "who bent over with no K-Y" to help the plant run...... not saying filling side did not do the same thing. May we all find happyness in our future!!!
love for all
Rich
To 1/11/2007 7:38 PM.
Jobs should be challenging or else it wouldn't be called work. That's why I sought other opportunity when I realized that I was doing about 15 minutes of work throughout the course of an entire day. And I didn't apply for the job at lenatures. They called me.
Why would you accuse of me "making these people out to be idiots"?? I don't think that at all. The management took advantage of everyone who wasn't "in the know" about what was really going on. The first day I was there, one of the managers was boasting about the profitability of the company. Even during my interview I was told things that in retrospect were complete lies.
All i'm saying is that you have to put it behind you.
well it looks like the Greg and Karla gave a house deed over to Washington Mutual Bank, filed Jan. 12, according to the recorder of deeds.
I would love to know how You got a job that you only worked 15 minutes at..got paid for 8.and never applied.was interviewed for a job again you never apllied for.did you happen to ask Miss Cleo where you can get a job that stimulates your creative mind?.think we all would love to get a job that we don't work at but get paid..i only know of one that requires only 15 minutes of your time get $100.but it does stimutlates one body part and its not your mind.Manny must of given you the interview.most of us if not all on the floor had to sweep, pick labels up 'clean machines' all while running a machine..didn't leave much time for creative thinking.as far as the idiot statement.i'm just saying we can read how it was a paper company.and were aware of the fact we have to move on..but i liked each and everyone of the men and women i worked with..ok..i just don't need it jammed down my throat how much of an ass i must of been not to know it..
To poster To 1/11/2007 7:38 PM., I agree and understand your comments however those bent smashing us and on reliving this mess can't seem to move on, nor can they accept the apparent fraud that went on. The analogy with Latrobe Brewing was meant to open the eyes of those still in denial about their circumstance as well as the belief that if the company was run right that it would still be running as it was when they left. Again, a legitimate company that was over 100 years old and nationally know only brought $82 mill. So what if it was only the recipe, it also included what's known as blue sky, which means it had worth. The recipe and the name Rolling Rock was actually being retailed to the public and that a purchaser foun that it's value was $82 mill. Translate that into Lenatures which was only 17 years old, not really a nationally known brand and did not hold anywhere near the brand loyalty that Rolling Rock did, yet Lenatures itself purported to be so succesful that it experienced unheard of growth in it's market that it was able to procure loans and investors that would rival that of a dot com company. To sum up, a 100 year old company is sold for less than 11% of the debt that a young company was able to acquire in it's short life based on bogus profit claims of a net of $54 mill in six months and statements released to investors. Hence 2+2 does not equal 5.
Had the company been run properly, then it would not have needed the amount of staffing that it had recently, therefore most of those employeed would not have been there at all.
That is not to say that those left unemployed should not be angry, hurt, and upset because they should! They need to put it into perspective and realize the apparent fraud they were allegedly sold.
Well rollingrock beer became rollingrock in 33..hence the one theory about 33..but it was know nationally only about 10 or 12 years ago when they started to ship to other cities.there was a time not long ago you couldn't get it in ohio.but a strong marketing plan in those years boosted the company name..but compared to other breweries it was still one of the smallest.i'm not an accoutant but i'm sure they were buying it for the name and not the number in the sales.i understand your thinking.but you still have to produce the product to sale the product to make the money.and there size at rollingrock just couldn't do that.they couldn't produce the number of bottles that budwiser could on the larger scale.thus sell the name and run.Lablatz could of just started making it in canada if it was worth making.they decided it wasn't.plus the only ones i see being smashed are the ones still there.????????????..making mainly water there..$20 million in sales just for latrobe seems like a lot of work..at 4 dollars a case.thats alot of water.
$20 mill, was found to be incorrect also, truth is no one knows the real wholesale figures, but $20 mill would not support almost a billion dollars in debt. As to Rolling Rock, you don't seem to get the point and I can't break it down too much further except for this, A real business versus a bogus one. Rolling Rock was known widely across the States specifically the East coast and considering your argument of National exposure being only 10-12 years, you made my point. Nonetheless, you can try to justify the numbers, but you just can't.
You sure are something else..give you that.your here argueing a mute point.sending false numbers by your own account out to the public.now i'm not sure what to believe.i beg to differ on the widely known up and down the east coast..it was the college kids that made it a beer of choise.just like yeangling now.it has to start some where.i'm sure you didn't have an idea of the numbers before your investion..how we're we to know?.if you read back i also agree with the fact that its a scam..but you tell the workers they weren't putting a quality product with there sweat and tears.if only one thing comes out of this is the closeness of the workers and friends that were made..then i'll be a happy man..ok.no need to keep up the paper company bit to boost your ego.
Whitey, Fran, Rich, Barry, Dave, Patty, Joyce and everyone I may have forgotten (sorry)...hello to everyone also on the blowmold side. Miss everyone and hope all is well. It was a pleasure to work with so many hardworking, team-oriented, and just damn nice people. We employees on blowmold side busted our asses off 6+ days/wk and took our job seriously. All I want to say is keep your chin up everyone and keep a positive attitude. Good things will come to those who wait..it may take a little searching but God only gives you what he believes you can handle. Hang in there and stay in touch everyone!
I don't have an ego, I simply state my position as I see it. As for the paper company, I didn't write those posts but I am sure the person that did is glad to see that they got through to you. Maybe I should tell you that I was affiliated with the brewery and it's sales and marketing department, then again, maybe I shouldn't. Either way, I was simply trying to show those who can't come to grips with certain things, the value of a longterm company versus a company that had longevity. Nothing more, nothing less. I believe it was you who tried to refute my assesment and challenge my points. Whatever the case may be I agree with you that the point is now mute.
Another thing, I hope people aren't buying into this artificial feud between g.p. and the Trib. A Recently, he was seen with scaife probably planning the next move to get any potential trial out of town due to overexposed media coverage. Check out the property records, the big ass house he's building is on scaife's mother's property. Rumor has it g.p. was honoring scaife by building a big ass house on the property. What a joke!!!
TO 1/13/07 AT 12:14..LET ME GET THIS RIGHT OK..if you look at what you wrote 1:09 the 12th..you state ''HOWERVER THOSE BENT ON SMASHING US AND RELIVING THIS MESS CAN'T SEEM TO MOVE ON''this doesn't sound like a person that Was Working for rollingrock at all..Can you explain this to me? rather sounds like someone working at the corrupted Le'natures..and not just the voice of reason..
What does Greg and gang pleading the fifth do for the prosecutions case?
I believe all that it means is that when called by investigators of the bankruptcy proceedings, they will plead the fifth as to not incriminate themselves in any criminal case against them that should follow. For instance, if Greg admits in bankruptcy court that he knew about two sets of books, that statement could be used against him in the criminal proceedings. This is how I understand it, please correct me if I'm wrong.
I didn't say I was working for Latrobe Brewing, I said I was affliated with the marketing and sales department at some point in time thereby rendering your argument concerning national recognition incorrect. To be affiliated with should not be construed as "employed by". You should not assume anything other than that. I thought we both agreed that the point was mute. Therefore you need not continue to relapse into it.
JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION.YOU KEEP AVIODING IT.
Everyone should meet down at Battleships to catch up on what's going on.
Is that Jeff Teacher the wanna be body guard of Greg.that is in todays tribune for D.U.I?
How safe could it be to have your home address published in the newspaper when you've been linked to GP? Wouldn't want to be that bodyguard!
You are all wrong! How can you ever even think that Greg and Jonathan could ever be guilty of any wrong-doing? It's just not possible! They are nice christian men, just look at Greg's e-mail signature. He uses his work e-mail to pass along his message of redemption and saving grace. If there was any fruad, IF, then it had to have been on the employee level. If there was any document destruction, then Greg and Jonathan were most likely just trying to protect the employees they cared about so much. The "hidden" safes were filled with gold watches and jewlery because they bought them as Christmas gifts for the employees to thank them for a job well done and their contributing efforts in making Le-Nature's such a successful operation. The mansion Greg was building was intended to reward employees with free week-end get-aways. The forged documents were an honest mistake he can't be held responsible for EVERy document that came across his desk! You all should be ashamed of yourselves! What you are saying about this man is obsurd! You should never rely on gossip and supermarket tabloids to form your opinions. Just wait... you will realize that you're wrong once the courts have completely exhonerated them. When Le-Nature's re-opens you will be sorry that you can't be apart of it all. This man and his family were meant for great things. This is just a divet in their path to righteousness. You are the ones who will be sorry! Chrislikeness in heaven is a reward to those who deserve it, Greg will be there, you will not.
Nice Christian men do NOT have sex toys in their desk drawers at work! Wake up and smell the coffee!
I think they were just being sarcastic. I hope!!
I needed a good laugh. Must be from his mom lol lol lol
1/15 2:56 -- A wow...I just don't know what to say. Wow. Please tell us that that was sarcasm. Please, please. I mean...wow. I couldn't go on, thinking that one person on this Earth honestly believes that....besides Greg. Seriously!?! Wow.
carol wetmore is a loser..she needs to realize that she isn't any better than anyone else
i went to school with carol wetmore. She gave teachers blow jobs to get where she is today, that why she is still doing it today. I guess being a whore pays off in the long run. She didn't talk to many of her classmates because "she was better than the rest of us" well i guess she was better at certain things that the rest of us. its ashame because i could have gotten the same job as her but i have morals!! Carol do your remember the accounting teacher?
Concerning the above posts, how low do you people really want to go? I have been reading this blog for a while now and feel I can't sit back and keep quiet. It seems as though some of the bloggers are upset that some people are still at the plant and are taking out their frustrations on them, and others wish to post vicious lies and accusations about others. The one concerning Carol Wetmoore is one that I find disgusting. I too went to school with her and can tell you that the post is untrue and unfair. I know I will take abuse for my defense of her and the others but I feel when talk like this reaches such a low point that someone needs to speak up.
Well to the blogger above.I worked with her at her last employment .and she did think she was bette then everyone there to.she didn't get along much with the women in the office.
Definitely sarcasm, but as you know, there is a different side to every story... real or fake. In order for the Podlucky's to actually be bought up on charges and even face jail time, the officials have to come up with concrete evidence that proves, beyond a resonable doubt, that they are/were guilty of fraud, forgery, ect. BUT in the cases where the creditors are going after them, it's just a preponderance of the evidence. My guess is that they won't do any jail time but they will be paying out the ass for the b/s they did to the creditors. Just my opinion, maybe I just want to get my hopes up.
BTW, Carol Whetmore is a complete and total bitch! I didn't go to school with her, but if I had she'd still be shoved into her locker today. Never met the woman, but thanks to phones, I never had to. Wet-Whore!
What I want to know is what Manny had on Greg? Something must have been going on with them since they protected him in all the law suits. I bet he knew about the secret room and what was going on.
In response to: By Anonymous, at 1/15/2007 7:12 PM, and the comments about a specific, named person. The personal character defamations made are unlawful and in a court of law you can be held liable. The levels of the penalty can be determined by the extent of damage that may be caused to the subject’s future career and or embarrassment in a community, relocation, etc. The other comment from: 1/16/2007 3:30 PM could be interpreted as a threat. To the subject: perhaps you should consult your attorney for advice. To the participants in this forum, the author’s records are attainable if needed for legal proceedings.
To the JR ATTORNEY ABOVE.PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU COMMENT.it said if I was in her school she would still be in the locker..ok no threat there in the present .so please understand what you read.
To the spin master above, it sounds like the "JR ATTORNEY" sent you a wake up call and now you are attempting to re-state your intent.
Seems like alot of people have the same opinion about Carol Whetmore. There must be some truth behind it.
Opinions are just that, Opinions. Same can be said for all the others mentioned in this blog (with the exclusion of the alleged offenders). Ask yourselves a question, if you were offered the chance to stay on at the plant, would you have? I bet you would have, and who could blame you? But that would mean that more than likely you would be the target of these bloggers too. How would that feel then? If you are really honest with yourselves I believe you will come to the realization that you should stop the ignorance.
I have to believe that or two not many more leave all the blogs defending the rights of those who are still working..the voice of one for many..so you think..because the number of people visting never seems to grow..
Another thing, I hope people aren't buying into this artificial feud between g.p. and the Trib. A Recently, he was seen with scaife probably planning the next move to get any potential trial out of town due to overexposed media coverage. Check out the property records, the big ass house he's building is on scaife's mother's property. Rumor has it g.p. was honoring scaife by building a big ass house on the property. What a joke!!!
No jail time and pay money back??? If you rob a bank, they don't just ask for the money back. Forged letterhead demanding payment to a bank account for millions in your name??? Going to make Marth Stuart look like a Mr. Rogers. Some heads are going to roll from Wochovia and all the way down. Fraud to this degree = JAIL not repayment. Re-payment will never happen. Greg...Hello exotic island...maybe they won't find you.
To the Jr. Attorney... from the threatening individual. Screw you! It would only be seen as a threat by law, IF it was written in the present tense, IF in fact it was plausible... since I stated that I had never even met her, it's not, and IF the fat whore could actually fit into a locker! In addition, putting someone into a locker would hardly kill them, so at best we're looking at assault charges, if you could make that stick. Yes, even annonymous comments on an internet blog could be traced for legal purposes... doesn't take a law degree to know that. You haag! Maybe you should spend your time defending people like Greg Podlucky. We'd all sleep better knowing you were on his side, then he'd really go to jail.
It depends upon the definition of "IF" is. Which then depends upon what the definition of "IS" is.
Sadly, some people have to act like a teenager unsupervised for the first time. Your behavior justifies reasons why some companies believe in micro-managing and resort to it. Perhaps you’re a product of their environment and will only fit in with companies who don’t empower or pursue employee autonomy? You may have a claim too! There is plenty of rope left….have some more.
Well in this case..the reason seeems for Micro-Managing was for Gregs Small click to keep the secrets of his dastardly deeds..rember he hand picked his office workers..If they would of did there jobs sooner maybe no one would be out looking in..
To 1/19/07.7.15.there also can be law suits for many reasons..LIKE NEGLECTING TO PREFORM ONES DUTY IN REPORTING ABUSE, IT WAS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION NUMEROUS TIMES..I"M SURE WE ALL CAN PLAY THE GAME..
Question. What does any of the last few posts have to do with the scandal?
That is what I really would like to know NOTHING at all. There is no reason to carry on this way your anger's are directed at the wrong people here!
Onto the real topic of this blog, the Podlucky saga. In Saturday’s mail, I received a Le-Nature’s bankruptcy notice. It was regarding a vendor who filed a claim to get their oxygen tanks back. It would seem that Le-Nature’s leased them at the time of the bankruptcy and the vendor filed a claim to get them back and the notice that I received granted the vendor permission to recover the tanks. Why am I getting this notice? Why am I getting it at home? Is everyone receiving these notices? What possible list is my name on? Does anyone have any thoughts on the subject?
The notifications are part of the "due process" that a creditor must follow before reclaiming property. For example, a different creditor may object saying that the equipment should be sold and portions should go to all creditors. Your name was probably just added to a list and a certain number of notices have to go out. It doesn't mean anything or that you will or won't be further involved.
In law, defamation is the communication of a statement that makes a false claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual...
IN MY OPINION, Whetmore is a whore. A whore to the industry. A person in an HR position isn't supposed to act like she did. HR is a neutral entity within the company, put there to determine what is best for the employee and the company with respect for the law. IN MY OPINION, She screwed the employee for the good of the company and to advance her career. Let's not forget that this Blog is a lot of people expressing their views, a right we all have. Stop making empty threats.
Blogger 1/22/2007 4:57 PM continues to remind me of a Shakespearian quote, "I think he doth protest too much."
if anyone has more information on this please post...
Wonder what the FDA is going to think about the 17 truckloads of "flood damaged tea bags" from the Jacks Run Flood of September, 2005 that Greg Podlucky collected Insurance Money for, and shipped off to the Phoenix Plant to be used for Flavored Teas? Bet there were some serious cases of Heppatitis in Phoenix last year.
By Anonymous, at 1/11/2007 8:27 PM
RE: The flood damaged Tea Bags... The Phoenix crew, led by the greatest man I've ever worked for, had impeccable standards. I will tell you from first hand experience that Greg Podlucky was told, under no uncertain terms, that those bags would not be used. The batch guys refused as well. The lab guys agreed. Those bags sat in the warehouse until they were disposed of. I'm positive that reports of Hepatitis outbreaks in Phoenix were unrelated.
RE: The flood damaged Tea Bags... The Phoenix crew, led by the greatest man I've ever worked for, had impeccable standards. I will tell you from first hand experience that Greg Podlucky was told, under no uncertain terms, that those bags would not be used. The batch guys refused as well. The lab guys agreed. Those bags sat in the warehouse until they were disposed of. I'm positive that reports of Hepatitis outbreaks in Phoenix were unrelated.
thanks, i have other questions if you don't mind email to phoenix tea (all one word) at yahoo.com.
RE: Tea Bags
First attempt came back as an unknown address...
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune, they searched Greg's house yesterday. Jonathan, Bob, and Murin were served with sopoenas too. Have anyone heard anything more on that subject since? Did they find anything? Can we get a hold of this reporter? I would love to compile all of the articles.
Care to comment on something other than Character defamation? No one has defamed in the last few messages. Why don't you just leave it alone? Or are you trying to piss them off to further your enjoyment? You have a point, but it's getting old.
Latrobe is pretty tight-lipped. I hadn't heard the story behind Becky's departure/termination. Are the articles true? -that Greg overheard her tell a vendor that he doesn't even look at a bill unless it's 6 months past due. I recall telling the vendors that if they wanted their money they'd have to put us on credit hold - it was the only thing that got Greg to release the check! Really, we all had our suspicions, but only hind-sight is 20/20.
To 1/24/07 4:11PM
If you want to get in contact with the Trib reporter,his email address follows the article in the paper. I have Emailed him before,he is good about replying if you have questions.
Greg's responsible for Tea Systems Inc. too? Their only customer was Le-Nature's! I saw something similar on an episode of Law and Order, turned out to be a money laundering scheme. Was it named in the bankruptcy or has it just been liquidated like the Latrobe and Phoenix Le-Nature's plants?
I wonder if the reporter would be willing to upload all of his articles into the blog. It's hard to find them on the web, even under pittsburghlive.com.
the article I read said they raided the home and took computers and found not much of anything. Well give me a break, after 3 months what would you expect to find. dont think you would be stupid enough after 3 months and expecting this to happen, would any one leave anything with information to be laying around the house.
Check this out PODLUCKY NAMED TO THE 2003 REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN'S HONOR ROLL: Washington, D. C. - August 4, 2003 - National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds. Pretty funny how he HAD a picture of President BUSH hanging in his office and hallway!! Birds of a feather flock together? What a crook!
Should I tell more? What about the others in all of this?
Drew - defense huh, don't F-ing worry about it please, thank you!
Jon or was he to coked up to know what was going on...,
Robert, defense - too stupid to know what was going on, Dave?....
Maybe they were all just too high....???
BTW Jay, you should put up a link to a google saelite map showcasing Gregs house in Ligonier...
Anyone contributing to the Republican or the Democrats receives token honors such as those listed above. It is another way each party raises more capital. You simply donate another $100 or 2 and your name is listed in a publication. It has nothing to do with being a Republican or Democrat.
As I understand it Robert Lynn is working in Human Resources for Delallo's Italian Foods!!! Wow!
I guess that company doesn't read the papers or maybe they don't care about their reputation....
re: tea bags
sorry its phoenixtea12@yahoo.com
Another thing, I hope people aren't buying into this artificial feud between g.p. and the Trib. A Recently, he was seen with scaife probably planning the next move to get any potential trial out of town due to overexposed media coverage. Check out the property records, the big ass house he's building is on scaife's mother's property. Rumor has it g.p. was honoring scaife by building a big ass house on the property. What a joke!!!
Either post something new or stop with the cut and paste and find another site and bore them.
I agree!
I'll second that!
I third that!!
i fourth that! now im gonna go drink my sippy cup and draw in my coloring book!
actually...i heard greg was building a rocket ship in that house in ligonier and thats why it needed to be so big...then after it was completed him and scaife were gonna hide out on the moon and shoot at the earth with lasers...then they were gonna use space age technology to resurrect scaifes mom and party up there with her
theres three companys that want to buy le-natures.
yeah,i heard that too,but i heard they were going to take rich gazarik with them after he wins a pulitzer prize for the hard hitting and incredibly accurate articles he's been writing about lenatures and podlucky and podluckys 250,000 square foot house (which would be big enough to house an airbus a380 by the way),then they will start the tribune review moon edition and gazarik can write hard hitting articles about rocks and stuff,in fact i think his first article is going to be a research piece on the size of the moon and we're all going to be quite surprised to find out the moon is actually 10x the size actual scientists determined it to be and we will all believe it bc gazarik is a master of all and everything he writes should be taken at face value,keep up the good work rich,you're the man!!!
its ashamed,that no body cares that le,natures might be bought,and we might get are jobs back,ya i forgot you just care of bitching at each other,we'll i care,i would love my job back,i liked working there and the people i worked with.
Don't count on someone buying LeNature's. From what I hear it ain't happining.
well guess you didn't see news,and this isn't the first that i heard about this.so you can not care i do.you don't need to be there then,if it does happen.
Was it on the news tonight? If so what did they say?
Another thing, I hope people aren't buying into this artificial feud between g.p. and the Trib. A Recently, he was seen with scaife probably planning the next move to get any potential trial out of town due to overexposed media coverage. Check out the property records, the big ass house he's building is on scaife's mother's property. Rumor has it g.p. was honoring scaife by building a big ass house on the property. What a joke!!! This includes Channel 4 a Trib partner.
Wow the above blogger has such a creative mind, and what a skill they have developed. Cut and paste, cut and paste. From what I understand, it's an exercise one must able to complete prior to advancing to first grade.
Let's all give him/her a star for their forehead!
Another thing, I hope people aren't buying into this artificial feud between g.p. and the Trib. A Recently, he was seen with scaife probably planning the next move to get any potential trial out of town due to overexposed media coverage. Check out the property records, the big ass house he's building is on scaife's mother's property. Rumor has it g.p. was honoring scaife by building a big ass house on the property. What a joke!!! This includes Channel 4 a Trib partner.
oh i would love to post my comment after reading some of these comments. Greg may you rot in hell!! and johnathan your no better ive known you for many years and you were no good as a child either, you were so self centered it was unreal!! oh now that i got that off my chest let me say that i really miss everyone i worked with--yes we dealt with alot of shit drom upper management but maybe thats why we formed such tight relationships with our coworkers. We were a family and worked our asses off--we/i believed in the company and working thier gave me a chance to support my family. I will never forget the fellow workers on my shift. There are those i do think more highly of than others but that comes with every " family". I will never forget you all. Greg, we believed in you and trusted you as our supieor and you have tossed our trust to the wind. I guess it was a lesson all of us had to learn sooner or later--never trust anyone--they will only stab you in the back.
WHO IS THIS SCAIFE ANYWAYS? ANYONE IMPORTANT? OR JUST IMPORTANT TO LITTLE PEOPLE IN LIGONIER PA?
nevermind, just found out he is like podlucky---inheriting and spending somebody else's money.....
Best of luck to all of the displaced workers from LeNature's. Eventually, you will find out the actual truth to all of the above allegations. It is absolutely fair to hold Mr. Podlucky and his associates accountable; however, I find it completely irresponsible and ignorant, (very Podlucky-like in fact) to specifically name employees who are in the same situation as yourselves. You may be unaware of it, but some of these people stuck their necks out to try to save you... so shame on you!
yeah,i heard that too,but i heard they were going to take rich gazarik with them after he wins a pulitzer prize for the hard hitting and incredibly accurate articles he's been writing about lenatures and podlucky and podluckys 250,000 square foot house (which would be big enough to house an airbus a380 by the way),then they will start the tribune review moon edition and gazarik can write hard hitting articles about rocks and stuff,in fact i think his first article is going to be a research piece on the size of the moon and we're all going to be quite surprised to find out the moon is actually 10x the size actual scientists determined it to be and we will all believe it bc gazarik is a master of all and everything he writes should be taken at face value,keep up the good work rich,you're the man!!! Keep up with the spin in Ligonier about the taxes to protect your cronies like scaife and podlucky.
Why are you bustin' on Gazarik?
To Blogger 1/29/07 1:01 ..What plant you living on..ok..Not one of them called me to see if i'm ok or where i may find a job..all i got was unemployment a new mortgage..oh i forgot i get to tell my kids don't go outside because Daddy doesn't have insurance..or maybe i should thank them for the Christmas of 2006..or maybe me spending time a WCCC just trying to hold on to my unemployment checks..What did they do for me?..pay my electric.gas.house payment..should i go on?..don't chastise me or anyone else..you have no right to..these people have a right to be upset..by the way..they seem to have quit criticizing..so leave sleeping dogs lie..
We have a right to be upset and to voice our frustration. I would like to believe that this is how we will all get through it. We're not dwelling on it, we're working through it... if the same thing is being written a year from now, that would be dwelling. I have even voiced my opinion of specific people, which I never do, but it is so much easier when I read that I'm not the only one who felt that way. It is a free forum. If that is what they're frustrated about then go for it. We're moving on by working through our hostillities. What do you expect? It's just like every other relationship that has gone sour, you find out that your girlfriend cheated and you get mad... some people are able to not feel anything and just walk away. These are not those people. This is a pretty innocuous way of handling the situation.
i chink 320mm not 32mm. they missed the wrong info.
Major suits are brewing against Kroll as the irresponsible officer.
In regard to all the comments about the unfortunate events of not having a job or insurance, etc., I have an opinion that I’m sure will be controversial but if more of you shared it, it would probably help you. You aren’t owed anything past the last day of working their and your paycheck and any retirement planning you may have done. It is not Le Nature’s responsibility or for that matter, any companies responsibility to provide for any one person and their family. It is your personal responsibility. If you woke up and didn’t have your job and or health insurance, you have to get another job and you can purchase an emergency insurance policy from a number of companies to get you through on a month to month basis. There are policies that only cover catastrophic situations and are very affordable. If you can’t afford one, you didn’t plan appropriately but check, you will be surprised on the low cost.
Businesses are founded on the idea of making profit and that will always be the underlying goal. Certainly, I’m not condoning criminal activities to make a profit but if you were thinking you were betrayed to a large extent, it was never about you and your being naïve. If you worked there, got paid until your last day and aren’t owed any retirement monies, etc., you aren’t owed anything. If you’re thinking that because you were proud of your work and gave an honest days work and personally gave all that you had, you are owed something, again, you’re not in my opinion. However, working that way is a great way to be and usually it means you will be more successful and having good work ethics benefits you more than the company. If you work that way, you won’t have a hard time fitting in anywhere.
After hearing all the horror stories of the leader and upper management, they had a profit motive and unfortunately, it wasn’t a good one. Some upper management will be held accountable for failure and if they were successful, you wouldn’t have had a mansion built for you either. Good luck to all who need work and don’t ever rely to heavily on any one companies well being. To those of you owed commissions, pay and or any type of retirement investment, etc.: you are owed and I hope you recover what you are owed.
sorry to hear about all the crap le natures has given you,but i dont see how you can say its a terrible tasting water.i have a vending machine route in southern california and all my customers raved about how good the water was.if it really tasted like someones ass,how did they stay in business so long??nestles corp.tryed to buy them for 2.1 billion dollars because they were hurting there product sales big time.thanks for listening and good luck. dennis
Although I'm quite sure it didn't taste like ass the point is that they took tap water and filtered it and bottled it. If you read J's article they have a machine that removes chlorine???? chlorine in spring water...hence the irony in the name Le Nature's.
You can't sell a smoke and mirror company and I'm sure the leaders knew it. It was a publicity stunt probably for the investors and to buy more time. Maybe Nestle would have done their homework unlike Wochovia??? Don't you think the offer was based on reported sales (which were totally bogus)?
Interviews with people close to the company and with the reported sales that they claimed trucks would have been lined up 24 hrs. a day.
Did and does everyone have their eyes shut??????? WAKE UP EVERYONE!!!!!
The offer was reportedly $1.2 billion. I believe the offer is what brought the house of cards down. I believe(speculate) Lenature's was then caught between a rock and a hardplace. I would allege that the venture funds found out about the offer and wanted to jump on it because that is what a venture fund does for profit(they help grow a company for eventual buyout). Lenature's could not even consider the offer let alone sell the company because if there records were reviewed and company thoroughly analyzed, it would be found out that the company was playing with numbers and reporting incorrect sales and profit figures.
When the offer was turned down, a light bulb went on with the venture fund and caused them to ask why? When the fund sent their people to the company to review records for themselves, the people were turned away and now the rest is becoming history.
It would appear that the upper level people made the company look too good on the books and aroused too much interest from outside companies looking to expand their portfolio.
Ironic isn't it?
We should all await for the courts to decide what actually occured, however the above is my theory.
I think just the opposite, the venture fund agreed on a certain price to sell their interest and got greedy when they found out the upper level people were actually selling more product than projected and were going to sell out in the UK. From what I recall the Latrobe officials had to reroute truck traffic, refer to council minutes from 2004 and 2005.
Where is gazarik at to report that. I think you should redo your invoice so it can get paid previous writer.
Well i think your both wrong..really it doesn't matter the fact that it's closed is all that should..but the two firms that started this had an injuction against the company not to spend in acess $1 million more in debt with out notifying them..as they had 45 percent stake in it..they took out a $25 million dollar loan from another bank..thats where the fraud,forging,falsifying documents come in at..johnathan supossedly used a letter head and fordged a signature asking for the return of 20 of the 25 million and put it into there bank account..the lenders sent a rep to germany to see what they bought for 25 million..only to be told they asked for the money back..it's written in an Nov 3rd artical from the AP..one investor was George Baum capital partners..the other was pellum..
The re-routing was only for a couple of days, and not because of a spike in demand. If that were true then the traffic would have continued to be jammed for years after that. I think 1/31/07 2:25 and 1/31/07 3:03 have some valid points to consider.
And it did until Phoenix went online. And errant comment, fix your invoice for Bruce.
WRONG!!! Who is Bruce?
RIGHT, I OVERSAW SHIPPING. YOU KNOW BRUCE.
Who is Bruce? Cause it aint me.
You may or may not have overseen shipping, but I doubt you over saw final delivery. Do the math, if shipping and sales were so high, there would not be suspected fraud and over $750 million in debt with little or no assets and the company would still be runnig.......Think.
Someone stuck on the repeat button?
I don't think that ayone here on this blog believes that Le-Nature's OWES them anything. They're just trying to convey their frustration over the fact that "alleged" fraud by upper management led to them loosing their jobs. Had the company trully gone bankrupt through no fault of it's own, we'd be sad, not pissed. It's not necessarilly WHAT happened, but HOW it happened.
i chink 320mm not 32mm. they missed the wrong info.
yeah,i heard that too,but i heard they were going to take rich gazarik with them after he wins a pulitzer prize for the hard hitting and incredibly accurate articles he's been writing about lenatures and podlucky and podluckys 250,000 square foot house (which would be big enough to house an airbus a380 by the way),then they will start the tribune review moon edition and gazarik can write hard hitting articles about rocks and stuff,in fact i think his first article is going to be a research piece on the size of the moon and we're all going to be quite surprised to find out the moon is actually 10x the size actual scientists determined it to be and we will all believe it bc gazarik is a master of all and everything he writes should be taken at face value,keep up the good work rich,you're the man!!! Keep up with the spin in Ligonier about the taxes to protect your cronies like scaife and podlucky.
The creditors aren't going to allow a buyer to restart in my opinion and pro-long their agony. Not to mention, the debt they would have to incure, they'd be better off starting fresh. The brand has way too many negatives and from a distribution perspective, the slots at retail have already been filled. They aren't sitting their empty waiting for Le Nature's. To get those slots back would be darn near impossible. Even if you were XYZ grocery store and you agreed to take Le Nature's back, guaranteed there are back rebates, slotting allowances and warehousing fees that are unpaid and they will want be re-taking any product. Guess you could just use the plant for another product / brand? If it was "state of the art" as adverstised, perhaps there is a use there? Let's hope so!
gee where's everyone at
Does anyone have an idea what or why this trustee hired an auctioneer?..i never read that this was part of his job..seems like there putting the cart before the horse.he was to report to the judge on the eighth of feb with his findings..no where did it say he had the authority to go and sell it..thought thats the judges calls... any answers?
Does anyone have an idea what or why this trustee hired an auctioneer?..i never read that this was part of his job..seems like there putting the cart before the horse.he was to report to the judge on the eighth of feb with his findings..no where did it say he had the authority to go and sell it..thought thats the judges calls... any answers?
gee, where did all the comments go ??
Good question! Where did all the comments go? Did somebody not like what was being written or what? Truth hurts huh??
Obviously everyone here has missed the boat, who stands to gain from the closing of LeNature's? Nestle. Who closed LeNature's? Kroll. Who is one of Kroll's clients? Nestle. Who had unfettered access to LeNature's? Kroll.
i can not believe all the time spent by bob lynn and greg to sabotage this site--if they would have just "worked"---look it up in the dictionary bob, they wouldn't be going through all this
blogging----anyways ran into the "podboys"---(i mean greg's spawn)even they are wildly embarasessed by the whole mortgage thing and all---his own kids!well greg go to work, pumping gas, walmart greeter, get the heck off this site!!!!!!!you are pathetic!!!!!
who cares about burger king? as far as i know those people work--so find something relative to this coonversation--(your computer skills are impressive)too bad you can't do anything with that skill though---blah,blah,blah...
Kroll doesn't stand to gain anything from the closing, nor does Nestle. You need to wake up and realize that the mystique that comes with the plant is not a good one, and that any potential buyer will do what you would do if you were a buyer. Get a deal! The companies who are looking at purchasing the plant, are good ones and you need to be positive instead of being inspector Cluseau "the pink panther" and hope they buy it so you can get your job back.
hey guys,did you read trib?there selling le natures,told you,unbeleavers.hope to get job back,it was on news to.
Another thing, I hope people aren't buying into this artificial feud between g.p. and the Trib. A Recently, he was seen with scaife probably planning the next move to get any potential trial out of town due to overexposed media coverage. Check out the property records, the big ass house he's building is on scaife's mother's property. Rumor has it g.p. was honoring scaife by building a big ass house on the property. What a joke!!!
yeah,i heard that too,but i heard they were going to take rich gazarik with them after he wins a pulitzer prize for the hard hitting and incredibly accurate articles he's been writing about lenatures and podlucky and podluckys 250,000 square foot house (which would be big enough to house an airbus a380 by the way),then they will start the tribune review moon edition and gazarik can write hard hitting articles about rocks and stuff,in fact i think his first article is going to be a research piece on the size of the moon and we're all going to be quite surprised to find out the moon is actually 10x the size actual scientists determined it to be and we will all believe it bc gazarik is a master of all and everything he writes should be taken at face value,keep up the good work rich,you're the man!!! Keep up with the spin in Ligonier about the taxes to protect your cronies like scaife and podlucky.
i see you don't care of anything but your stupid shit of putting le natures down.not what might happen now.get a life,you really don't have one.if you did you would want to know whats going on now,not back in the start of it all.
If you are so concerned about LeNatures, then why are you supporting a moron that calls the product Ass Water?
Test your knowledge, what prominent local PA family gain their wealth from selling potato whiskey during prohibition?
I give - the answer please
Go into any retail outlet...Mass, Drug, Grocery, or Conveneince and you will find Nestle products in all forms...food and drinks. Go into any retail outlet in the entire country and that is what you will find. LeNature's distribution to Nestle's was a fart in a wind storm and that is a compliment. This isn't a negative on LeNatures (enough problems are already there) but to make a point that Nestle had an alterior motive to close LeNatures is a joke.
Reality check....hope to have a new company take over but there is no "light switch" to turn on and everyone has their job back. If a new company takes it over, the jobs will be different (probably not nearly as many), the pay will be different (probably not as much), and many people could be relocated here to work there. Again, not being negative...reality check.
I would guess the pace of this case is going to pick up quickly. Ceraso's office was just searched. Podlucky's actions are going to turn criminal real fast. Millions of dollars are missing everywhere so its not even about a poorly run company...it's about criminal activity. Wonder if he gets arrested and a large bail is set and he meets the bail? Where would that money come from?
The creditors who lost out don't want to be strung out. They want their portion and want to close their books and get on with other profitable ventures. They won't want to hear anything about companies taking over and paying them more. They lose even more money the longer it goes on...lawyers, etc.
Good Luck to all....it was a fraud company with unrealistic jobs based on the real company...move on.
yeah,i heard that too,but i heard they were going to take rich gazarik with them after he wins a pulitzer prize for the hard hitting and incredibly accurate articles he's been writing about lenatures and podlucky and podluckys 250,000 square foot house (which would be big enough to house an airbus a380 by the way),then they will start the tribune review moon edition and gazarik can write hard hitting articles about rocks and stuff,in fact i think his first article is going to be a research piece on the size of the moon and we're all going to be quite surprised to find out the moon is actually 10x the size actual scientists determined it to be and we will all believe it bc gazarik is a master of all and everything he writes should be taken at face value,keep up the good work rich,you're the man!!! Keep up with the spin in Ligonier about the taxes to protect your cronies like scaife and podlucky.
Answer: Mellon?
does this include things such as
having your car reposessed and/or mortgage foreclosed on---do these qualify as embarassing things for one in their community especially if they lost their employment due to the inability of the owners to run such company?hmmmm good question----or are you worried about your reputation, cause you are more special than people who are embarassed by no fault of their own?!get the word out if you were embarassed at all by losing your employment I was made aware by previous blogger that you can now sue---that's great!
SO WITH ALL THATS HAPPENED AT LE-NATURES AND EVERYONE OUT OF WORK, WHO CARES, MOVE ON, NOW IF AND WHEN THEY DO GET SENT TO JAIL, YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT THEY WILL GET THEIRS IN THE END, THEY WILL BECOME THE FRESH MEAT TO BABBA AND COMPANY, AND THATS WHERE THE JUST REWARDS COME IN, THEY WILL GET THEIRS, AS THEY GAVE TO THEIR EMPLOYYEES
this blog sux. im moving on to the new blog they started about bob lynn. check it out: www.ahhyess.com
hey anyone want to see a huge douchebag? check it out: http://www.jaysilver.net/pictures/sledding/IMG_s0004.jpg
typical jew.
I think everyone needs to move on with life and not worry about what was. The past is the past. Justice will be served in due time. Life is to short to worry about things that you cannot change or influence. Stop and think about those who you love and start to take care of them, as time is short.
from the desk of the human resource manager and sal "fatass" lobiondo dated 10/30/2006 (who by the way is still employeed along with many others):
Le-Nature’s, Inc.
Management Transition Questions and Answers
1. What exactly has happened?
The firm of Kroll Zolfo Cooper (“KZC”) has been appointed as custodian of the Company pursuant to an order issued on October 27 by the Delaware Chancery Court (the “Order”) to protect the rights of the minority shareholders.
KZC has, on an interim basis, replaced certain members of the executive management team, including CEO Gregory J. Podlucky, COO Jonathan E. Podlucky, EVP Robert Lynn and Consultant Andrew Murin, all of whom have retained their management titles and membership on the Board of Directors, but have been temporarily relieved of their management duties pending the resolution of legal issues between the minority shareholders and the Company.
The legal issues involve the minority shareholders’ right to control the Board of Directors under the terms of an agreement with the Company’s majority shareholders. Messrs. Podlucky, Podlucky, Lynn and Murin will all continue to serve on the Board of Directors during the interim period.
2. What is a custodian?
KZC’s role as custodian is to serve as an agent of the Court and the interim management team of Le-Nature’s. The Court’s order authorizes the KZC management team to, on an interim basis, take possession and control of Le-Nature’s and its business, operations and assets, to temporarily administer and manage the assets and to operate the Company’s business.
3. Why did the Court order the appointment of a custodian?
The Court ordered the appointment of a custodian, in part, based on evidence that members of Le-Nature’s management team, including the majority shareholders, had violated the terms of the Shareholders’ Agreement, and the Court believed it was necessary to appoint an interim management team to ensure that Le-Nature’s business continues to operate in the normal course until the legal issues are decided. In short, KZC is here to maintain the status quo of Le-Nature’s operations.
4. Is the Board of Directors still intact?
Yes. KZC will report to the Board of Directors. In the event the Board disagrees with any aspect of KZC’s management of the Company, KZC will ask the Court to resolve any issues.
5. Why did the Minority Shareholders pursue this legal action?
The minority shareholders took this action to protect their rights under the Shareholders’ Agreement to control the membership of the Board of Directors.
The Chancery Court ordered the appointment of a custodian, in part, based on evidence that members of Le-Nature’s management team, including the majority shareholders, had violated the terms of the Shareholders’ Agreement.
As a result, the minority shareholders have taken actions, with the full support of the Company’s outside Directors, which they believe are in the best interests of the Company, its shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers and other business partners.
6. Why was Kroll Zolfo Cooper chosen as Custodian?
KZC has a wealth of experience handling complex engagements and stabilizing businesses while protecting long-term financial growth. The KZC interim management team also has extensive experience in the food and beverage industry, having most recently served as the interim management team for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.
7. How long will KZC act as custodian?
KZC has been appointed custodian on an indefinite interim basis to ensure that Le-Nature’s business continues to operate as usual during the pending litigation. The next hearing in the litigation involving the minority shareholders has been scheduled for January, 2007. The KZC management team will be in place until then; however, their role beyond that will be dependent upon the outcome of the legal proceedings
8. How does this affect the financial stability of the Company?
There should not be any adverse impact on the Company’s financial stability. Le-Nature’s is a strong company with great products and recognizable brand names. The current legal issues and management changes should not have an impact on the fundamental strength of the business. The Company’s lenders and other investors are aware of the situation and have indicated their support of the appointment of KZC as custodian.
9. Will these actions disrupt the Company’s operations or in any way affect the Company’s dealings with customers and suppliers?
There should be no disruption to the Company’s operations - the parties all share the common goal of preserving the value of the Company and ensuring that it continues to operate without disruption and distribute products to customers just like it always has.
10. Does this mean that the Company is going to be put up for sale?
There are no immediate plans to sell Le-Nature’s. In fact, no such transaction could even be considered until we know the outcome of legal issues scheduled to come before the Court in January 2007.
11. Does this announcement have any effect on my job and my pay and benefits?
There will be no changes to your pay or benefits as a result of this management transition.
KZC is doing everything possible to ensure that it is a smooth management transition and business as usual for employees, customers and suppliers. There should be no change to the day-to-day operations of the company, so please continue to report for work on the usual schedule.
12. Kroll Zolfo Cooper is known to do a lot of work with companies involved in financial restructurings and Chapter 11 reorganizations. Does this mean the Company is going to file for bankruptcy?
No, there is no plan to file for Chapter 11. Le-Nature’s is a strong company with great products and recognizable brand names. The current legal issues and management changes should not have an impact on the fundamental strength of the business. The Company’s lenders and other investors are aware of the situation and have indicated their support of the appointment of KZC as custodian.
13. What should I do if I am contacted by one of the four executives who have been temporarily relieved of their management duties?
Due to the legal issues involved, all Le-Nature’s employees should know that, according to the Court order, they should not communicate about the Company in any manner with the four executives who have been temporarily replaced; nor should any employee take direction from those executives regarding anything having to do with Company business. Also, the Court order prohibits the destruction of or tampering with any Company documents or books and records.
14. What are the next steps in this legal procedure? How will employees know what happens next?
The next hearing scheduled for the pending litigation is in January, 2007. During this process, the interim management team from KZC will do it’s very best to keep all employees updated on significant developments.
i challenge my former fellow production teammates and office employees to read through these and see how many points were actually true and/or intended to be followed through. it seems to me that there has been much more criminal activity at lni after the former management left.
MUCH MORE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AFTER THE FORMER MANAGEMENT TEAM LEFT
MUCH MORE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AFTER THE FORMER MANAGEMENT TEAM LEFT
MUCH MORE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AFTER THE FORMER MANAGEMENT TEAM LEFT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
to 3/01...we are all moving on...but we would like to know why greedy shareholders would jeopardize their interest, our lives, and the economy in general without even thinking...i think we have a right to know the outcome of this situation...we worked our asses off to build that place into what it was and now some idiot is going to auction the place off for 10% of its REAL value...the question i want answered is this...WHO WON IN ALL OF THIS???
1. EMPLOYEES LOST JOBS
2. CREDITORS LOST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
3. SHAREHOLDERS GET DICK
4. LATROBE/PHOENIX LOST TAX REVENUE AND JOB MARKETABILITY
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE ANYBODY WON?
NOW LETS EXPLORE OTHER POSSIBILITIES...
1. KROLL ZOLFO COOPER GOT PAID $5 MILLION TO BASICALLY DRIVE AROUND IN CORPORATE MERCEDES BENZ SUVS ALL THE WHILE NOT PAYING THE LEASE PAYMENTS (SEE TRIBUNE REVIEW ARTICLE). ALSO, A COUPLE OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE STILL WORKING THERE TODAY (NO NAMES WILL BE GIVEN SO THAT MARRIAGES WONT BE JEOPARIZED BUT THE STOLI ELITE DIRTY MARTINI DRINKERS KNOW WHO THEY ARE) WERE SEEN DURING XMAS/NEW YEARS SEASON PARTYING WITH KROLL ZOLFO COOPER EMPLOYEES AT THE AIRPORT...WOW DID THOSE PEOPLE LOSE OUT OR WHAT?
2. THE HUNDREDS OF ATTORNEYS THAT ARE WORKING THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THIS DISASTER (OR PLAN) DEPENDING WHOSE SIDE YOU ARE ON. THEY ARE GETTING PAID $500-$1000 AN HOUR TO MAKE SURE THIS THING DRAGS OUT FOR YEARS...YEAH LOOKS LIKE THEY LOSE OUT TOO
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