PER WICKSTROM'S SOUTH BEND TRANQUILITY DETOX OPEN? Unlicensed Facility May Be Illegally Accepting Patients

Miss Fortune has received information from sources that indicates Per Wickstrom's South Bend, Indiana-based Tranquility Detox may be open and illegally accepting patients.

The expansion clinic, located at 3606 E. Jefferson Boulevard in South Bend, was originally supposed to open in mid-March 2013, but its status remains in limbo.

An official spokesperson from Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration confirmed to Miss Fortune recently that although Per Wickstrom's attorney had begun the licensing process for the facility last year, all licensing activity ceased in August, 2013.

The official stated that Amber Howe, on behalf of the South Bend location, informed the State of Indiana in a July 14 email that the clinic would be opening on or around August 1.

The spokesperson explained to Miss Fortune that she told Howe that all previously submitted application materials had been disposed of, as Wickstrom's attorney failed to meet a September 2013 deadline for outstanding material requested by the State of Indiana.

The licensing process will have to be restarted and if the clinic did already open, it is "operating illegally", according to the spokesperson.

The facility is located in South Bend, next to Bill's Liquor.

If you have information regarding the facility's status, please send me an email at: tcmissfortune@yahoo.com and I will alert the appropriate State of Indiana official. 

TRANQUILITY DETOX: An Organization Exempt From Income Tax...But Not Income!

163 North Avenue

PER WICKSTROM'S TAX-EXEMPT TRANQUILITY DETOX MAKES MILLIONS!
More than $2.8 million shoveled into Wickstrom-controlled businesses in 2012; whopping $2,432,328 expense classified as 'Advertising and Promotion'

Housed in a rundown, 7,500 square foot building located at 163 North Avenue in Battle Creek, Michigan, Per Wickstrom's Tranquility Detox managed to generate over $5,000,000 in revenue during 2012. (Due to IRS filing deadlines, the 2012 Form 990 is the most recently available report, filed on March 3, 2014.)

Tranquility Detox, formed on May 9, 2011 by Wickstrom's nephew, Stephen Anderson, was ruled "tax exempt" by the IRS in May 2012. Tranquility Detox was granted its unconditional 501(c)(3) status, and classified as an "educational organization".

The snapshots shown below, comparing 2012 revenue with 2011, show a significant leap.

In addition, the 2012 990 report reveals nearly 55 percent of total revenue ($2,835,600) was funneled through the nonprofit and paid out to two Wickstrom-controlled businesses: Life Solutions Incorporated and Jade Transportation.

Life Solutions received $2,521,700 for "sales & management" services and Jade Transportation received $313,900 for "client transportation". 

Historic Family Physicians (Dr. Stephen A. Robinson) received $673,970.

And the largest line item expense? It's 'Advertising & Promotion', coming in at $2,432,328.

According to the State of Michigan's corporation database, Life Solutions Incorporated was formed in Michigan on January 17, 2012 by Michael Toth, an attorney with Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins & Borsos, P. C., of Battle Creek.

That's the same firm that represented former Narconon Stone Hawk owner Per Wickstrom and TIA Corporation, Inc. during its efforts to obtain a six month extension for the Special Use Permit (SUP) at 300 Care Center Drive in Manistee, home of Best Drug Rehabilitation.

The Nevada records show that Wickstom's sister, Pamela Anderson, was formerly Life Solutions' Secretary and her son, Stephen, was formerly Director, President, and Treasurer. 

They've been replaced by Richie Almstead, Tranquility Detox's Deputy Executive Director, and Heather Harrington. Harrington is the Cheraw, South Carolina-based web developer who's registered hundreds of referral sites for Wickstrom and other Narconon-related drug facilities.

Officers Include Inactive Officers

President - RICHIE ALMSTEAD Address 1:   121 CAPITAL AVE NE Address 2:  City:   BATTLE CREEK State:   MI Zip Code:   49017 Country:   USA Status:   Active Email:   Treasurer - RICHIE ALMSTEAD Address 1:   121 CAPITAL AVE NE Address 2:  City:   BATTLE CREEK State:   MI Zip Code:   49017 Country:   USA Status:   Active Email:   Director - RICHIE ALMSTEAD Address 1:   121 CAPITAL AVE NE Address 2:  City:   BATTLE CREEK State:   MI Zip Code:   49017 Country:   USA Status:   Active Email:   Secretary - PAMELA L ANDERSON Address 1:   8255 BASELINE ROAD Address 2:  City:   BATTLE CREEK State:   MI Zip Code:   49017 Country:   USA Status:   Historical Email:   President - STEPHEN P ANDERSON Address 1:   10486 WILDWOOD DRIVE Address 2:  City:   RICHLAND State:   MI Zip Code:   49083 Country:   USA Status:   Historical Email:   Treasurer - STEPHEN P ANDERSON Address 1:   10486 WILDWOOD DRIVE Address 2:  City:   RICHLAND State:   MI Zip Code:   49083 Country:   USA Status:   Historical Email:   Director - STEPHEN P ANDERSON Address 1:   10486 WILDWOOD DRIVE Address 2:  City:   RICHLAND State:   MI Zip Code:   49083 Country:   USA Status:   Historical Email:   Secretary - HEATHER HARRINGTON Address 1:   121 CAPITAL AVE NE Address 2:  City:   BATTLE CREEK State:   MI Zip Code:   49017 Country:   USA Status:   Active Email:

"Tranquility Detox" is the fictitious name used for corporate and sales purposes for the withdrawal detox services formerly used and licensed to both A Forever Recovery and Best Drug Rehabilitation.

A Forever Recovery received its own residential detox license from the State of Michigan on March 27, 2014 after closing its previous Tranquility Detox-related license. It appears that only Best Drug Rehabilitation now uses the 163 North Avenue facility for detox, prior to sending patients to the Manistee facility.

So now you know where all that "feel-good" community donation money comes from!

I NEED MORE TIME!: Steve Ingersoll Seeks Six Month Delay, Federal Fraud Trial Was Set To Begin September 16

BREAKING NEWS!!

Wiretapped!: Continuance motion reveals pretrial discovery includes "recorded conversations" 

Attorneys for federally indicted Steven J. Ingersoll and his wife, Deborah, filed a motion yesterday in U. S. District Court seeking to delay the duo's upcoming federal trial for six months. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Janet Parker stated in the motion that she "would not oppose an adjournment". However, neither co-counsel for the defendants nor Parker have committed to the length of the adjournment that would be acceptable.
 
The filing requests an extension in the August 19 motion deadline for a period of approximately two months until October 20, 2014.

Ingersoll's case involves complex issues concerning a $1.8 million dollar construction loan, the responsibility of the parties (including Ingersoll's brother, Gayle, Roy C. Bradley, Sr. and his wife, Tammy) pursuant to the loan, and the Bay City Academy construction project that it funded.
 

The document reveals that discovery in this case is "voluminous", stating that the "government has provided 16 CD-R’s which include over 3,100 pages of documents as well as recorded conversations."

In addition, the most recent installment of the discovery, received on or about August 12, 2014, includes "over 900 pages of documents and a recorded conversation".

The April 23 superseding indictment in this case alleges several offenses. Count 1 charges all defendants with a conspiracy to defraud Chemical Bank of funds obtained through the construction loan 

Count 2 charges Steven Ingersoll, Gayle Ingersoll and Roy C. Bradley, Sr. with a conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. 

Counts 3,4, and 5 charge Steven Ingersoll alone, or with a codefendant, with wire fraud in connection with the transfer of funds obtained from Chemical Bank.

Counts 6 and 7 charge Steven Ingersoll with tax evasion with respect to his 2009 and 2010 tax returns.

Steven Ingersoll is represented by Martin E. Crandall of the Detroit firm Clark Hill and Traverse City attorney Jan Geht. Ingersoll's wife, Deborah, is represented by Lake Orion attorney Kenneth R. Sasse. 

Deborah Ingersoll's former attorney, Saginaw-based Barbara Klimaszewski, filed a motion to withdraw from the case on June 30, stating there had been a "complete breakdown of the attorney/client relationship". 

Court records show Sasse replaced Klimaszewski on July 10.

MISS FORTUNE SENDS A FOIA: How Will The Grand Traverse Academy Board Respond?

There is a silver lining to the dark cloud represented by the threatening letter delivered to my former Novi condo—and it's spelled F-O-I-A!




Now that my identity has been revealed, I'm free to FOIA...and I've only just begun.

The image above shows the header of this morning's email (due to the ongoing law enforcement investigation, I've redacted my personal email address), and the rest follows:

In addition, I am requesting copies of the Grand Traverse Academy’s fiscal audits for these years:

Year ending June 30, 2000
Year ending June 30, 2001
Year ending June 30, 2002
Year ending June 30, 2003
Year ending June 30, 2004
Year ending June 30, 2005
Year ending June 30, 2006

If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me if the cost will exceed $25.00.  However, I would also like to request a waiver of all fees in that the disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest and will contribute significantly to the public’s understanding of the Dr. Steven Ingersoll’s upcoming federal fraud trial, his $2.38 million dollar Grand Traverse Academy overpayment and the $1.6 million dollars still owed to the Academy by Ingersoll.

As the editor of the blog, “Glistening, Quivering Underbelly”, I have written extensively about Ingersoll’s fee overpayment, breaking the news in a post on April 13th.

This information is not being sought for commercial purposes.

The Michigan Freedom of Information Act requires a response to this request within five days.  If access to the records I am requesting will take longer than this amount of time, please contact me with information about when I might expect copies of the requested records.

If you deny any or all of this request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify me of the appeal procedures available to me under the law.

Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,

Anita Senkowski

NEW GRAND TRAVERSE ACADEMY SUPERINTENDENT NAMED: Susan Wager-Dameron, Former Paw Paw Public Schools' Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Tapped for Superintendent/Secondary Principal Combo Spot

After missing the cut back in May for the Northport superintendent slot, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported yesterday that Paw Paw Public Schools' Susan Dameron has nabbed a gig with the Grand Traverse Academy as the embattled charter school's new Superintendent/Secondary Principal.

The Record-Eagle quotes Mark Noss, head of Full Spectrum Management, LLC about his new hire: "She has an amazing understanding of our culture ... and just has philosophies and understanding of who we are and will just bring some new insight to a model that is already shown to be successful, and I believe she can only add to that educational model," Noss said.  

The Record-Eagle explained that Dameron's new title will be "superintendent/secondary principal" until school leaders decide whether to fill a vacant principal position, formerly held by Allyson Apsey, who left to take a new job in Zeeland.

Dameron left Kalamazoo's Spring Valley Elementary School in June 2012 to take the Paw Paw position, and the school board approved an annual salary for Dameron at $94,600, plus benefits. Former Grand Traverse Academy Superintendent Kaye Mentley reportedly earned a $95,000 annual salary during the 2013-2014 school year. 

Dameron has roots in Traverse City, owning an area home with husband David.

SCHLITZ & GIGGLES: Throwback Thursday With The "Crooked Chiropractor", Robert Buckhannon

What do "$0.00" and "$8,750,207.22" have in common?

If you guessed Battle Creek's "crooked chiropractor" Robert Buckhannon, you'd be correct!

According to a report released in late July by Buckhannon's bankruptcy trustee, Brian Shapiro, Buckhannon has paid exactly "$0.00" to the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In 2010, the former Las Vegas resident agreed to pay nearly $1.5 million to settle a federal complaint that he participated in a $34 million investment fraud victimizing hedge fund investors.

Miss Fortune can now confirm the exact amount of Buckhannon's SEC fine ($1,479,600.00) is the amount he still owes the SEC!

The report (shown at left) shows that assets worth $315,300.17 were recovered by Shapiro after Buckhannon filed his now legendary $37 million dollar bankruptcy action in Nevada.

As suspected, most of the recovered assets went for the trustee and attorney fees required...to recover the assets!

But what about that other number:
$8,750,207.22?

The report shows that unsecured creditors filed "timely claims" against Buckhannon, totaling $8,750,207.22

You can see that the list includes the SEC, which is still owed the entire amount of the payment Buckhannon agreed to make to settle a federal fraud complaint.

Zia Shlaimoun

In December 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed suit in federal court in Tampa, Florida, against chiropractor, Buckhannon, and codefendants involved with two now-defunct hedge funds, Arcanum Equity Fund LLC and Vestium Equity Fund LLC.

The SEC said the funds, which worked with investment advisor Imperium Investment Advisors LLC, told investors they would earn handsome profits through conservative investments.

Instead, much of the money was misappropriated, the SEC alleged in its lawsuit.

The defendants from early 2008 through April 2010 "comingled investor money from three separate offerings and then looted and bankrupted the hedge funds by steering millions of dollars to themselves,'' the lawsuit alleged.

For instance, the SEC said Buckhannon was involved in deal to steer $6 million in investor money to Shea Mining and Milling LLC for a project called the "Tonopah Mine.'' Buckhannon, however, didn't disclose he had a conflict of interest because he was a founder of Shea Mining and planned to enter into an employment contract with Shea and receive a share of the firm's revenue, the SEC alleged.

The SEC also complained Buckhannon funneled at least $390,000 of investor money to himself, his father, two brothers, his then-fiance's cousin (the infamous Zia Shlaimoun, who recently scuttled back to London after unloading his Malibu home for a reported $15,000,000) and a friend. The SEC said in August 2008 he wired $60,000 out of a fund account to a jewelry store for the purchase of an engagement ring for his fiance (and now wife) Marlena Michaels and in July 2009 he wired another $80,000 to a title company for the down payment on a Las Vegas home.

Mahany/Humphreville LLC, a California company who invested, sued Buckhannon, Arcanum and Vestium in Clark County District Court in April, charging the plaintiff invested $300,000 in Arcanum in January 2008 based on representations it would receive a 15 percent rate of return.

After Mahany/Humphreville became concerned about the use of its funds, the defendants failed to return the investment as requested, the lawsuit charges.

"The parties formulated a scheme to keep the monies and invest them not in securities but in precious gem mines and other nefarious investments which were not part of the original agreement between the parties,'' the suit charged.

Mahany/Humphreville is listed among Buckhannon's unsecured creditors, with a claim of $3, 255.000.

So ask yourself this: what in the world is this dude living on? 

His looks? Nah!

He's not exactly "Mack Daddy" anymore, and if he were a drag queen, his name might be "Lotta Myles".

Could he have money stashed somewhere...it's possible.

He's reportedly juggling at least two women, flying between Michigan and Las Vegas while waiting for the virtual smoke to clear at the On Deck in Battle Creek.

Something tells Miss Fortune that Kari Sonovich's upcoming trial, heating up out near Sacramento, will have our "crooked chiropractor" making a few trips to the Left Coast.

After all, he is mentioned in the indictment!

MID-CONTRACT REVIEW: Steve Ingersoll's Bay City Academy

COMING WEDNESDAY

The Bay City Academy charter contract expires June 30, 2016. The "Application for Renewal" process will begin in 2015. 

Tomorrow, Miss Fortune examines the official review and brings you an exclusive report.

(Rescheduled from Tuesday, August 12)

APSEY TO ZEELAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Grand Traverse Academy Co-Principal Resigns

UPDATE: August 12 @ 12:15 PM

Miss Fortune has confirmed that Allyson Apsey, former co-principal of the Grand Traverse Academy, resigned to accept a position with the Zeeland Public Schools.

According to an August 11 news release issued by Zeeland Public Schools, Apsey has been selected as the new Quincy Elementary School principal. Zeeland Public Schools received nearly 60 applications for the position vacated by Ellen Kontowicz, who retired earlier this summer.

A formal timeline for the transition has not yet been announced.
--end update-- 

August 14 update: Grand Traverse Academy sends notice email to student families.




August 12 @ 9:03 am:
Miss Fortune is working to confirm a news tip that indicates a Grand Traverse Academy principal has given notice, alerting Full Spectrum Management that she will not be returning for the upcoming school year. 

More information as soon as it becomes available.

AT RISK OF SUSPENSION: Flanagan Takes Charter Authorizers To School

State Superintendent Mike Flanagan announced today that the Department of Education has placed nearly 28 percent of Michigan's charter school authorizers in "At Risk of Suspension" status. 






The school authorizers who were placed in "At Risk of Suspension" are:

    -Detroit Public Schools
    -Education Achievement Authority
    -Eastern Michigan University
    -Ferris State University
    -Grand Valley State University
    -Highland Park Schools
    -Kellogg Community College
    -Lake Superior State University
    -Macomb Intermediate School District
    -Muskegon Heights Public Schools
    -Northern Michigan University


Flanagan said that a recent series of news articles raised enough questions regarding the appropriate oversight by charter school authorizers that he wants to prevent those that do not measure up from contracting new charter schools. 

And Miss Fortune likes to think Department of Education staffers have also been reading this blog, with its extensive revelations of monkey business at both the Bay City Academy and the Grand Traverse Academy.

Flanagan has directed staff at the Michigan Department of Education to establish rigorous principles that measure the transparency, academic, and financial practices of the charter schools of each authorizer. The result of these measures will determine which authorizers would lose their chartering capabilities.

“We are getting serious about quality choices for Michigan students,” Flanagan said. “This is not just about getting academic results. It is about total transparency and accountability.”

Flanagan received a series of letters last week from Greg Richmond, president and CEO of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, where Richmond outlined the principles and practices that define quality charter school authorizing.

Included in those principles and practices are that authorizers should:

-Clearly identify the school governing board as the party ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the school, and clearly define the external provider as a vendor of services;

-Prohibit the management company from selecting, approving, employing, compensating, or serving as school governing board members. In Michigan, management companies are allowed to recruit board members and are free to hire friends and relatives of board members without disclosing that information;

-Require the school governing board to directly select, retain and compensate the school attorney, accountant and audit firm. In Michigan, management companies can and often do perform this function;

-Require that payments from the authorizer to the school go to an account controlled by the school governing board, not the management company. Michigan already requires this, but management companies can and do immediately move the money out of the board-managed account;

-Require all instructional materials, furnishings, and equipment purchased or developed with public funds to be the property of the school, not the management company;

-Condition charter approval on authorizer review and approval of the management contract;

-Grant charter school renewals only to those that have achieved the standards and targets stated in the charter contract; are organizationally and fiscally viable; and have been faithful to the terms of the contract and applicable law;

-Clearly communicate to schools the criteria for charter revocation, renewal, and non-renewal decisions that are consistent with the charter contract;

-Require evidence of a management company’s educational and management success;

-Require a proposed agreement with a management company to include performance evaluation measures, fee structures, financial controls, oversight and disclosure, and renewal and termination details;

-Require a management company to disclose and explain any existing or potential conflicts of interest between the charter school governing board and proposed service provider or any affiliated business entities.
 
-Require evidence of a management company’s educational and management success;

-Require a proposed agreement with a management company to include performance evaluation measures, fee structures, financial controls, oversight and disclosure, and renewal and termination details;

-Require a management company to disclose and explain any existing or potential conflicts of interest between the charter school governing board and proposed service provider or any affiliated business entities.

THE "T" WORD: TRANSPARENCY

Flanagan stepped up today as he'd warned on July 7 in a press release, alerting Michigan's charter school authorizers that he would be exercising his statutory authority to end their ability to authorize future charter schools – something he'd had the power to do but had never done during his nine years in the job.

Flanagan said today the authorizers are deficient in transparency, accountability and fiscal governance, and their schools as a whole rank in the bottom 10 percent academically. After kicking it old school on the authorizers, about the only thing Flanagan didn't do was let loose with a pack of "maternal insults"—also known as "your mama" jokes.
 
Authorizers at risk of suspension have until Oct. 22 to remediate their deficiencies. Flanagan will decide in November whether to suspend them.

If suspended, the public universities, community colleges and school districts couldn't open more charter schools. Their current schools could stay open.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER THREAT: Just How Do You Play "Bitch", Anyway?

Now it's Hergie! 

Per Wickstrom's associate Mark Hergert buys "anitasenkowski.com" domain name, uses it in threat email.

Left: "Let's play bitch" email sent by Mark Hergert to Miss Fortune on August 6.

In a post that first appeared on this blog yesterday, Miss Fortune described a known associate of Per Wickstrom, Mark Hergert, as a "felon". I based my description on official documents obtained from Hawaii's Third Circuit Court, acquired by submitting a Freedom of Information Act request. The extensive documents--including bench warrants and plea deal agreements--detail activity between May 13, 1992 and June 20, 1994 that accurately confirms the description used in the post.

See Hergert's official "warrant of commitment" below, issued by the State of Hawaii's Third Circuit ordering Hergert to be incarcerated for a Class C felony, Theft in the Second Degree.

Warrant of commitment to jail, Aug. 22, 1994

Hergert reacted to the revelation by acquiring the domain name, "anitasenkowski.com", sending the email you see above, two other incendiary emails that do not appear on this blog, and the following comment posted on this blog:

Anonymous August 6, 2014 at 6:23 PM

The people of Traverse City have absolutely no use for you or your copy and paste campaign against others. You bring absolutely no good to anyone you only strive for harm what good is that what kind of a sick fucking person are that sits at a computer day in and day out producing nothing but negative bullshit you certainly are not being paid to do it so what's in it for you? I really think you should seek professional help be cause you come across as a complete and utter idiot. In regards to your attempt to discredit me on your hitless blog I'm sorry to inform you "NOBODY CARES" I'm sure you think that I'm a convicted felon and I'm sure you paid some site in the internet $9.95 to do a criminal background search on me that pulled up some outdated and incorrect data about my background however I would bet every dollar that I have that you cannot prove That I'm a convicted felon and to post erroneous information about me in the attempts of harm is a liability that you soon will answer to I have contacted my attorney in Traverse City and shared your posting and he will be reviewing it in its entirety and I have authorized him to obtain a recent criminal history report on me to prove that what you have posted is a bunch of bullshit most like the other postings you lay claim to. You can pick on me all you want I know one thing I will always have more credibility among my peers and your mission of hate will stop dead in their tracks. I have plenty of respect for journalism I'm sure Journalism has no respect for you..

Hergert has been following this blog since April 2013, when I began writing my ongoing investigative series about Wickstrom, Scientology and the Narconon network of drug rehabilitation clinics.

In fact, Hergert first reached out to Miss Fortune in an email dated April 5, 2013. I wrote about Hergert's "fishing attempt" in a post dated April 6, 2013.

Although the email did not have a subject line, and was shunted over to my "Spam" folder, Hergert asked the following question:

Can you tell me what information you have about the facility or Per Wickstrom?

TRANQUILITY DETOX, INC.

Later, Wickstrom named Hergert to head up his expansion into South Bend, Indiana. The Indiana incorporation papers, filed on September 13, 2012, list Hergert as the "Registered Agent" for Tranquility Detox, Inc.

The expansion clinic, located at 3606 E. Jefferson Boulevard in South Bend, was originally supposed to open in mid-March 2013, but its status remains in limbo.

An official spokesperson from Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration confirmed to Miss Fortune today that although Per Wickstrom's attorney had begun the licensing process for the facility last year, activity ceased in August, 2013.

The official stated that Amber Howe, on behalf of the South Bend location, informed the State of Indiana in a July 14 email that the clinic would be opening on or around August 1.

The spokesperson explained to Miss Fortune that she told Howe that all previously submitted application materials had been disposed of, as Wickstrom's attorney failed to meet a September 2013 deadline for outstanding material requested by the State of Indiana.

The licensing process will have to be restarted and if the clinic did in fact already open, it is "operating illegally".

WHAT'S NEXT?


Hergert owns the domain name,"anitasenkowski.com", until he stops paying for it...there's really nothing I can do.

However, there's no hosting agreement associated with the domain name. And it's likely that the terms of service for any web hosting provider Hergert chooses will prohibit him from uploading, posting or otherwise making available any content that is "unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortuous, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable."

So, I'll just keep watching...and waiting.

After all, Mark Hergert did say "we are coming for you...(internet related speaking)."

UPDATE: August 8- Hergert, an agent of Per Wickstrom, has continued his intimidation efforts against this blog. Shown at left is a Ripoff Report post written by Hergert.