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Friday, May 11, 2012

Marina Lorraine Weese: There's Much More To Her Story


Debt-riddled Traverse City woman reaps thousands in veterans scam; closer examination of her "digital debt trail" may have curbed losses

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy filing in public records, along with various "businesses" registered under her name

Left: Marina Lorraine Weese booking photo




Marina Lorraine Weese was an aging single woman, with overwhelming debt and an elderly mother under her care, when she filed a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy petition in U. S. Bankruptcy Court's Western Michigan District on August 4, 2009. Her home on Brown Bridge Road in Traverse City was underwater, and she owed nearly $125,000 to creditors, including $13,000 in credit card debt, and nearly $7,000 in delinquent property and income taxes.

Contrary to recent reports in local media, Weese didn't form "an online company called 'Patriot’s Club Publishing' to solicit donations for wounded veterans and then embezzled $40,000 from the group". 

Nope. After stewing over her troubles for a couple months, Marina just toddled over to the Grand Traverse County Clerk's office on Boardman Avenue and filed this "Assumed Business Name".  That's right, no company, no State of Michigan corporation or LLC. Zip, nada, nothing.  And if I can find it, anyone can--are you listening, Record-Eagle?

File Number: 2009-809
Business Name:   PATRIOT CLUB PUBLISHING
Address 1:   7790 BROWN BRIDGE RD
Address 2:   PO BOX 6158
City,State,Zip:   TRAVERSE CITY   MI  49696
Type:   DBA
File Date:   11/17/2009  Expiration Date: 11/17/2014
Disolved Date:    Last Renewed Date:


And that's not the first time Marina attempted to pull her fat out of the fire with a new business.  A check of Grand Traverse County records shows she's a pro in the business of "doing business as". 

Here's Marina's first DBA, given the self-aware-I'll-stick-my-hand-in-your-pocket name of "Opportunities Unlimited":

File Number: 1989-31989
Business Name:   OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED
Address 1:   7790 BROWN BRIDGE RD
Address 2:  
City,State,Zip:   TRAVERSE CITY   MI  49686
Type:   DBA
File Date:   4/21/1989  Expiration Date: 4/13/1999
Disolved Date:  4/13/1999  Last Renewed Date: 4/13/1994


Hhmmm? I guess those opportunities were limited.  Marina then moved on to vacation rental business (although it could have been a front for an escort service for all we know), first located on (you guessed it) Veterans Drive:

File Number: 1996-887
Business Name:   REGENCY RESERVATIONS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Address 1:   3480 VETERANS DR
Address 2:  
City,State,Zip:   TRAVERSE CITY   MI  49684
Type:   DBA
File Date:   9/9/1996  Expiration Date: 9/ 9/2001
Disolved Date:  9/9/2001  Last Renewed Date: 


File Number: 2001-971
Business Name:   REGENCY RESERVATIONS & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Address 1:   733 E 8TH ST
Address 2:   SUITE 104
City,State,Zip:   TRAVERSE CITY   MI  49686
Type:   DBA
File Date:   9/24/2001  Expiration Date: 9/24/2006
Disolved Date:  9/24/2006  Last Renewed Date: 
 

State of Michigan corporation record:
Searched for: REGENCY RESERVATIONS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, INC.
ID Num: 130919  
Entity Name: REGENCY RESERVATIONS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, INC.
Type of Entity: Domestic Profit Corporation
Resident Agent: MARINA L. WEESE
Registered Office Address: 7790 BROWN BRIDGE RD.  TRAVERSE CITY   MI  49686
Mailing Address:    
Formed Under Act Number(s): 284-1972          
Incorporation/Qualification Date: 6-16-1994
Jurisdiction of Origin: MICHIGAN
Number of Shares: 60,000
Year of Most Recent Annual Report: 02
Year of Most Recent Annual Report With Officers & Directors: 02
Status: AUTOMATIC DISSOLUTION   Date: 7-15-2005

Purchasing a veterans charity fundraising list (available to anyone without a conscience and a few dollars), Weese got to work, soliciting funds for her "veterans charity".

But here's the thing: anyone with a computer, an Internet connection and ten minutes could find out about Marina Weese--like I did.

Sure, it costs 8 cents a page to download her 2009 bankruptcy filing from Pacer.gov, but that's a small price to pay.

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