S02.E05: Skullduggery

[Tara Ariano]

Two brothers can't turn a profit on their toy, craft kit, and fossil replica manufacturer company.

[Tara Ariano]

And here's Sarah's post on the episode!

[clod]

This was an odd episode.    Near the beginning, Marcus was told that the father was the majority shareholder.    But he doesn't talk to him until the final scene.   Odd.

And isn't it crazy to go into production of new toys without asking kids if they *like* the toys?

 At one point Marcus rattles off the bottom line for the previous three years, and it sounded like they had lost money for three straight years.   But I didn't get a clear read on it.      

Maintaining a high amount of debt for a long time means they could not pay it down. They were treating it like a permanent part of the plan.    Maybe they were adding debt in the last couple of years so they could pay their own salaries.   Not a good recipe.

One more thing - can I borrow that credit card?   :)

[Lola16]

ITA Clod.

Smug idiot president trashed Nascar to the CMO.  Forget any potential deal in the future jackwads.

I was waiting to hear that their own kids were the focus groups but I guess they either don't have any or they don't even bother with their own kids.

Marcus invested 100K that he walked away from. 60K went to the new molds.  Guess the other 40K went to the office re-design?  Marcus also sold off all the non car products for 70K.  So the business is in better shape even without any of the other debt paid.  They were on track to lose 60K this year.  Wonder if they'll manage to do better than break-even?

Betting he took back the 240K printer.

I wonder if these guys really wanted a deal or if they just wanted an ATM.

The arrogance and ineptitude were palpable.

[Irina Palm]

Insulting NASCAR was a real asshat move.  Marcus uses one of his best connections and you act like a child?  You deserve to go out of business.  The last thing you deserve is Marcus helping you.  You know it all, so why did you even bother Marcus in the first place?

[Dollarfray]

Shocking stupidity.  A toy car maker that shuns and insults Nascar?  Steve the "President" defines ignorance.  Marcus wipes out the debt and these "men" continue whining like babies.   I have to say....Marcus does maintain his composure with these dumbos (no insult intended to the elephant).  Nascar is an American institution and Steve is dillusional. 

[Kellie Wood]

This was my first time watching this show. I'm an MBA and I loved it! I'm sure that Marcus knew that he was dealing with a couple of fraudsters but for $100k he got a heckuva great show out of it! Those two brothers are probably going to have the IRS knocking on their door with Marcus mentioning those 4 years worth of losses. That's probably why Steve freaked out when Marcus sold off the worthless inventory because they used that as a deduction on their taxes. These guys don't deserve to be in business and their pitiful lack of education shows.

[dialyn]

I'm assuming Marcus puts some kind of hold on his checks until he figures out whether or not the deals are solid....doesn't seem like your debtors would appreciate getting their money and then having it pulled back.  A million dollars is a heck of a lot of money to throw at a business so poorly run.  I don't know where the stubborn brothers were coming from....well, actually I do. They wanted the money without having any strings attached.  Apparently they never actually watched the show.  I was amazed that Marcus accepted a 30% share instead of his usual 50%+.  Maybe they were too invested in making that episode to walk off early, but all the signs were there from the beginning that the brothers (and father) were not willing to change anything.  I just started watching this show (binge viewed six episodes in a row) and I am amazed at how immature some of the business owners act, but, of course, the nuttier the participants, the better the drama for the camera.  As with all reality shows, does it never occur to these people that there is an audience watching them, and among those viewers might be potential customers or investors?  The worst one, in my mind, was the woman who tried to chase Marcus down for a date, but this pair of brothers came close.  Just amazing.

[Ketzel]

Just caught up with this episode last night

 

I found the money in this episode really confusing. Skullduggery was over a million dollars in debt, and Marcus' first offer was to pay off the debt and put up another million dollars for the company to draw on going forward? Nothing in the numbers the brothers were babbling seemed to warrant that level of investment. It seemed they had been losing money for years, most of their products were non-sellers and how did he think he was going to get money out of the company? Just by selling the one toy car product, and related merchandise with a NASCAR license to one of the big box stores? I know nothing about the toy industry, but I assume he does, so I guess that would have been possible.

 

But then you have the confusing confrontation where they want his money but they don't want him to have any say in the decision making, let alone a controlling interest in their company. And he backs down to the extent of giving up the controlling share along with pulling back the promised million dollar pot for developing new products. And then he starts spending his own money as if he hadn't told them he was limiting his financial investment to paying off the debt. I'm guessing that once the kids in the focus group validated his assessment of the toy car as a potentially hot seller, he probably believed that with his close relationship to NASCAR, they'd have no trouble licensing the name and getting the toy into Walmart and Target and etc.

 

But all this time, he was operating on the basis of a handshake with two guys who didn't even own the company? Using one of his hottest contacts on their behalf, even after they both expressed profound resistance to a NASCAR partnership? Spending over a quarter of a million dollars on renovations and equipment? I wonder if any of the debts were paid off, too, or did he have enough sense to hold the check until he had something on paper, signed by the actual owner? None of this sounds like the behavior of an experienced entrepreneur and financier. I've got to assume that, for the sake of the show, the network either fronted the money or agreed to reimburse him, because otherwise the whole thing is completely incomprehensible.

[RadioActiveRich]

Here's my synopsis of the episode. Dad has two worthless sons that he indulges too much. They never learn any skills. Dad buys a business and hires sons. Sons still act like boobs. Dad decides to slowly siphon off cash as the business is converted into a debtor business that his sons continue to operate. Dad figures if they make it... great! If they don't .... they're bums anyway. I think dad's balking at the deal points is an obvious sign that the reason the business is "losing" money is because he's drawing it down to unprofitable at his son's expense. It's a scam and Marcus was smart to bolt. Still ... love the show! ;)

[caligirl50]

I seem to be the only recent poster (clearly I'm late to the party) and I love this show so much. Re-watching this episode and I cannot believe what ungrateful douchebags these guys are. Skullduggery means underhanded - boy is that apropos!!!! I hate to say this but I wish nothing but the worst for this company.

Marcus was gentleman at the end. And he didn't have to be the way he was treated by that family. Good man.

[Amarsir]

Skullduggery means underhanded - boy is that apropos!!!!

That's a very good point. How did this never occur to me before?

 

I still think there's something slightly weird about the progression as we saw it.  Why is it that the first time we see Marcus mention Nascar, the owner has already discussed it with buyers?  And Marcus seemed to accept that as true, but was dismissive of it.  I don't understand why the Toys R Us buyer wouldn't want Nascar-branded products. But if that's true, it is a big deal.

 

All of which is dwarfed by the fact that the guys were complete asses (repeatedly) who went back on their word.  I'm glad Marcus got out and didn't lose too much money. But I don't quite trust the editing, either.

[caligirl50]

Right? He mentioned how unprofessional they were and moved forward anyway. Maybe Marcus is used to pushing difficult people and getting results.

[rainbowlady]

As per the last episode Dec. 2014, we've learned Marcus did get the laser printer back, but lost money for the redecoration. He was completely dis-respected by the brothers. I'll bet it was their plan from the beginning, hoping to get publicity from the show.  The Nascar  thing was unbelievable.  Nascar is in most big box stores and is highly sought after. Skullduggery will eventually go out of business. They deserve that.

[qtpye]

Remember when that jerk had the nerve to yell at a little girl when that child was just politely stating her honest opinion? These two fifty year old men thought they had a better handle on what a nine year old child would like to play with, then say, an actual nine year old child. I really hope their business tanks and these two brats are out in the real world... where they come to the hard reality that they are not such special little snow flakes. I think they are going to realize that once daddy's money is gone, life is not so easy.

Does anyone see a pattern of spoiled second or third generation business owners? I wonder how the parents allow their kids to drive into the ground what they themselves worked so hard for. Of course there are plenty of families that keep a business alive and flourishing for several generations.

[caligirl50]

 

"...special little snow flakes."

 

Hilarious!!!!

[nobodyyoucare]

 "Near the beginning, Marcus was told that the father was the majority shareholder.    

And isn't it crazy to go into production of new toys without asking kids if they *like* the toys?

One more thing - can I borrow that credit card?   :)"

 

The father sounds like he was just majority in name only till he spoke up. He let the other two run things.

 

Yes it is  crazy to go into toy production without any research and development involving test audiences and to see if there is anything already like it or close to it.

 

There are a number of black credit cards used by very rich people for multimillion dollar purchases.

Edited February 10, 2015 by nobodyyoucare

[nobodyyoucare]

That's a very good point. How did this never occur to me before?

 

"I still think there's something slightly weird about the progression as we saw it.  Why is it that the first time we see Marcus mention Nascar, the owner has already discussed it with buyers?  And Marcus seemed to accept that as true, but was dismissive of it.  I don't understand why the Toys R Us buyer wouldn't want Nascar-branded products. But if that's true, it is a big deal.

 

All of which is dwarfed by the fact that the guys were complete asses (repeatedly) who went back on their word.  I'm glad Marcus got out and didn't lose too much money. But I don't quite trust the editing, either."

 

I think the guy just hated Nascar and lied about matters. Also one rep doesn't make a company. You would contact other company reps and other people in the company. Plus Nascar stuff  is sold in http://www.toysrus.com/products/nascar-fan-shop-sporting-goods-C32192786.jsp. Marcus would known that  hence why he thought the guy was lying and just hated Nascar. Note he also claimed to have an order about those terrible cardboard toys when he really didn't have one. Marcus was incredibly tolerant and he put in the clause  about salary for good reason since   that family would have just sunk the profits into their own pocket.

[clod]

I have a black card, too.

 

 

 

(walmart prepaid debit card)

[caligirl50]

Ha!

In regards to the dad being a major shareholder...

I think the brothers went into that room when they slammed the door on the camera crew and said to each other, 'let's string him along, get all we can out of this guy and then cancel the deal.'  That is why when Marcus asked if they had to talk to their dad they said no.  

[clod]

I think the brothers went into that room when they slammed the door on the camera crew.......

 

that reminds me of the antagonistic look the guy gave the camera as he was shutting the door.

 

 

another look :  at the end, when Marcus was saying  that thing about "standing in the corner", he turns his head to look at one of the guys and momentarily looks at the camera.     that was some honest aggravation.

[caligirl50]

In the last episode of the 2nd season when Marcus was reporting about his time at Skullduggery he says, "Steve, you kind of f*#ked me all along the way." the camera shows Steve nodding his head.  That, to me, was a giveaway that they never planned on having Marcus as a partner.

I should hope that the father was at least a little embarrassed when the show aired.  The brothers, or should I call them snowflakes, probably high-fived each other.

[nobodyyoucare]

I think Marcus will have the last laugh. Skullduggery by having an anti-Nascar bias ruin a deal among other idiocy means that their creditors will eventually get enraged at not getting paid and cause the company to go bankrupt and everything be sold off. Marcus could wind up buying the patents for the marble racers etc and doing the deals with Nascar and have 100% of the money.

 

If you didn't like the Nascar fan base its still one of the largest customer bases who is into cars and its brand has name recognition in stores. So having Nascar brand on your toy racers gets you shelf space next to Mattel and people will notice you and buy your cars even if they don't watch Nascar.

 

Hell having Nascar on the cars could have made Mattel license their stuff to put in their track racing sets. The deal with Nascar could have wiped out their debt or a big chunk and made the banks very happy to extend more credit since it looks like the company is on the right track.

[caligirl50]

They had contempt for Marcus at the outset, which was odd since they contacted him.

[nobodyyoucare]

Not odd at all. They had schemed to try to take advantage of Marcus. Those two were clearly full of themselves and thought that everybody else was wrong. No research and development prior to production of a toy? They just developed things they liked rather then see what would sell to the market.

[Ghost Recon]

I am 50% owner of Skullduggery, Inc. I'm embarrassed to admit.  What low-life people I've enabled to "Play" a generous and well-meaning man like Marcus.     These jokers, the Koehl's, ripped me off almost 30 years ago.   They say their father Peter III "bought" the company from me.   Their father is NOT a majority shareholder.  It's 50/50.  Those two pathetic "boys", who call themselves "the boss" don't own any shares at all.   The truth is the Koehl's played me too.  They never paid me anything at all for my years of hard work.   They still owe me $700,000.00 in deferred pay, which I'm sure I'll never see. Much more lost profit and opportunities. They refused to do anything I had laid out in the written plan.  They ran the fossil replica business straight into the ground.   They failed to mention what's owed to me to Marcus in their "negotiation".   They could never have sold part of the company to Marcus without my approval. So you see, they never had any intention of letting Marcus buy in.  

I am service-connected 100% disabled Vietnam combat veteran.    I was told at one of our board meetings that they felt justified in not paying me anything at all because they accused me of being a "baby killer".  I was a medic with the 101st Airborne.     At the time I was looking for someone to sell 1/2 the company to, our line of fossil skull replicas dominated the market.   Sales were nearly 1 million a year when I allowed the Koehl's in, to my everlasting regret.  In 1987, after 9 years of building the company from nothing, making valuable museum contacts and license agreements, I got very sick and barely able to continue on.  In retrospect I now realize it was the effects of Agent Orange that made me collapse.  I was sleeping nearly 20 hours a day.   So I was desperate for someone to help out.    Peter III represented himself to me as a C.P.A. who goes around doing exactly what Marcus does.   Peter, the father promised I could trust him, and that he never enters agreements except in friendship.    What a joke.   He is not a C.P.A.  He promised a full crew of employees would come in once I signed.   Once I signed, he brought out his family.   Instead of a crew of employees, I got this family of prima dona's.  Spoiled little brats, Steven, Peter IV, and Corny Koehl. Steven has a high school edumacation (sic), Peter has a degree in psychology (which he uses to PLAY us).   From the start, Peter IV refused to learn the business.  He refused to do anything I said.  He just didn't care, yet he was the new "manager".  He began filling orders with defective casts and terrible looking replicas, not caring what the customers think once we got the money from them.   Over my protests, I was told to "shove it up my ass".   To make a long sad story shorter, Bone Clones came along in 1995 and took over the market, to their everlasting credit. David Kronen, the owner of Bone Clones did everything right and deserves to dominate the fossil replica market, which they do to this day.    I would be delighted if Skullduggery, Inc. would get out of the skull replica market.  Their skull replica products really are bad.    

I haven't seen any of the Koehl's since 1993 when, at our last meeting I found a gun in Peter III's desk drawer.   I was immediately assaulted and thrown backward over a desk, and surrounded by Peter III and the two sons with cocked fists.     I withdrew to my property in Oregon to await the $500 a week Peter III promised me.  I'm still waiting.  I nearly starved to death in those years.  I have nothing but contempt for the Koehls.

Their toys and cast and paint products are so infantile, it's embarrassing to be associated with them.

I have much more to say about these Koehls.   To quote John Lennon, "Time wounds all heels". This program The Profit, which the Koehls used to PLAY Marcus, has blown up in their stoopid looking faces.    I must say, those "boys" and their father have not aged well at all.

My e-mail address is hopefortomorrow@hughes.net for anybody wanting more information.

My name is Steven Gagnon.   I am willing and eager to speak to anybody interested about Skullduggery, Inc. and the Koehls.    I haven't even seen the entire program yet, I just watched the extended preview so far.  I'm sure I'll have more to post here later, after I've seen the program.

 

 

 

 

[David T. Cole]

Standard disclaimer: this account above is not verified.

If you want to do a Reddit-style verification of a photo of yourself holding a sign with the current date and Previously.TV on it (so everyone knows this account is owned by the real person it reports to be from) then please go ahead.

[caligirl50]

damn.

[ClareWalks]

We have GOT to get these guys together again. Like on Dr. Phil.

[Gregg247]

Wow!.. If this is true, maybe Marcus could have one of his attorneys do some pro-bono work on this gentleman's behalf.  This was the episode where I thought Marcus got absolutely conned and robbed by that family.  I'd love to see them get their comeuppance.

[caligirl50]

Their Facebook page is interesting.  Minimal comments on their products around 2012.  But all the recent posters are negative, critical and disparaging referencing their behavior on The Profit.  I'm surprised it is still an active page.  

[Amarsir]

Their Facebook page is interesting.  Minimal comments on their products around 2012.  But all the recent posters are negative, critical and disparaging referencing their behavior on The Profit.  I'm surprised it is still an active page.  

That is a fairly standard byproduct of reality TV. When a business shows up on Hotel Impossible or Kitchen Nightmare or some similar show, it's amazing how many reviews start popping up the week after.

[Takerholicx5]

Oh, Skullduggery. More like Skulldouchery. Ugh, I can't with this episode. The second that clown Steve mocked Marcus during the original negotiation, I knew this episode was gonna be a mess and a half. Also, that NASCAR meeting may have been the most uncomfortable meeting in Profit history so far. If I was Marcus, the second we got off that elevator, I would've punched Steve dead in the mouth. I don't blame Marcus for bolting for a nanosecond, he got screwed over royally here.

[caligirl50]

Definition of SKULLDUGGERY: (noun) underhanded or unscrupulous behavior; trickery.

Skulldouchery works as well.

[nobodyyoucare]

That is a fairly standard byproduct of reality TV. When a business shows up on Hotel Impossible or Kitchen Nightmare or some similar show, it's amazing how many reviews start popping up the week after.

Usually a lot of false ones. Steven Universe a cartoon show had an episode that had a real hotel and fans of the show went and give the place negative reviews, 

[septicptx0104]

Oh, Skullduggery. More like Skulldouchery. Ugh, I can't with this episode. The second that clown Steve mocked Marcus during the original negotiation, I knew this episode was gonna be a mess and a half. Also, that NASCAR meeting may have been the most uncomfortable meeting in Profit history so far. If I was Marcus, the second we got off that elevator, I would've punched Steve dead in the mouth. I don't blame Marcus for bolting for a nanosecond, he got screwed over royally here.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I don't think I've ever said "Bullshit!" so many times during an episode of a show in a good long while.

Edited November 22, 2015 by septicptx0104

[septicptx0104]

This was my first time watching this show. I'm an MBA and I loved it! I'm sure that Marcus knew that he was dealing with a couple of fraudsters but for $100k he got a heckuva great show out of it! Those two brothers are probably going to have the IRS knocking on their door with Marcus mentioning those 4 years worth of losses. That's probably why Steve freaked out when Marcus sold off the worthless inventory because they used that as a deduction on their taxes. These guys don't deserve to be in business and their pitiful lack of education shows.

When Steve said he got an offer to purchase all that inventory, Marcus and I both said "Bullshit."

[Ghost Recon]

Second comment by me.  I own 50% of Skullduggery, I'm mortified to admit.   What a bunch of infantile toy products.  I can’t believe Marcus would want any part of this business.  After finally buying the second season DVD’s from NBC and viewing this episode, it's obvious to me that the Koehl’s never had any intention of selling any interest to Marcus. They couldn’t have sold any part of Skullduggery, Inc. without my approval.   They just played him to get what they could out of him.    I understand that Marcus is only interested in a NASCAR licensed line of toys.  Then Stephen Koehl was so eager to insult Steve Phelps at Nascar.  What was Steve Phelps supposed to say to the jabs Stephen Koehl so maliciously thrust at him?   Steve Phelps was such a gentleman.  I know I would not have been so gracious to an asshole like Stephen Koehl.   Marcus' ability to salvage that situation and evidently give the Koehls a chance to come up with a product to be licensed, illustrates why Marcus is such a prophet in business.    Yet Stephen Koehl, "the boss", did not even try to come up with a product.  Does it really take a rocket scientist to come up with a toy idea for NASCAR? Gee, I wonder, could it have been a  RACECAR of some kind?  Duh.

 

If the Koehls are making so much a year with those lame TOYS, then that's fine with me, just give me my money too.  I don’t care what they make or sell, just pay me.   I'm sure they never will pay me unless ordered by a court.   The father wants to pay himself $600,000.00 a year, OK, that's great, but where is my portion of that money?   I'm still waiting.  The Koehl's pretend to be a business family, but they have ripped me off.  After 28+ years, I haven't received anything.   Yes, I'm clearly exasperated with them and hated to see the Koehls get away with playing Marcus.   I hope that people will stop buying their toys.

This family trashed my product line of fossil skull replicas deliberately and completely.  I still can't understand why the Koehl's would "buy" into a company that makes only fossil skull replicas, then trash that product line.  At this late date, the market for excellent skull replicas has been taken over by Bone Clones.  Kronen Osteo, the parent company of Bone Clones has done an excellent job. http://www.boneclones.com  David Kronen and I have been good friends for 38 years.  David and I discussed what needed to be done to profit from the skull replica market back in the 1970's.  David Kronen executed everything I advised, as I'm sure he would agree.  I agree with Marcus that the Skullduggery skull line should be discontinued.  They reason the skulls are not moving is because they don't even look real anymore.    Just look at those fake looking high priced skulls in this episode.  When I was running the company, we made every effort to produce REALISTIC skull replicas.  Those they are selling now don't look real at all.

Another illustration of the Koehl's feeble-mindedness, as if we haven’t seen enough illustrations already - if you want to be a toy maker exclusively, then WHY would they even keep the Skullduggery, Inc. corporation alive, so that the ripped off owner and the lazy father can claim a stake in the newly developed products?  

My main reason for “selling” back in 1987 was so that I could be free to make more molds at no cost to the company other than the mold making materials.   I was very generous and only wanted the company to succeed.  I had intended to have a complete line of interesting fossil dinosaur skull replicas, molded directly from original fossils, showing all the intricate details. I had already been working with the Chinese when China first became capitalistic in the late 1980’s.   Mr. Qiren Fong, of the Chongqing Museum of Natural History and I were about to close the deal where I would make molds of all their most interesting dinosaur skulls.  The Chinese were really looking forward to having me there to show them how mold making is done. The Chinese have some of the most unique looking dinosaur skulls I’ve ever seen.     Peter IV, refused to allow the deal.    I wouldn’t have charged Skullduggery, Inc. anything at all for my mold making skills.   It would be included in the $25,000 a year they were already “obligated” to pay me.  I was to travel to Chongqing.  The Chinese would have provided the manpower to make the molds.  I was really looking forward to marketing those skull replicas.  We could have made millions from them I’m sure.

Immediately after the Koehl’s took over my company, they refused to allow me to go out and make new molds of museum fossil specimens from any museum.  That was my stated goal to have a complete line of interesting fossil skulls and skeletons, molded from original fossils.  Peter IV, the daddy, said NO.  My main skill was in mold making without any damage to the original.    So they refused to acquire anything more but instead made their versions of clay sculptures of skulls.    Who would “buy” a company that makes nothing but fossil skull replicas, molded directly from original fossils and then discontinue the replica line?     Their so-called "hominid line" of clay homind skull sculptures were made by an artist with no anthropological experience whatsoever.  The finished oil based clay skull sculptures were put in the empty mold room in the middle of a hot summer.  Months later, when they finally got around to making the molds from those originals, it was discovered they had melted and were useless.   But they simply pushed them back into shape as best they could and made the molds anyway.  They don't care, just give up the money. 

They have claimed losses for 28 years straight.  Not the three years of losses they said in the program.  I have the financial statements they have sent me over the years, and they have never shown a profit, certainly never a dividend of any kind.  The profits are eaten up with high salaries and bonuses to Koehl family members, just as Marcus predicted would happen if he paid off their debt and gave them the million in operating cash.

Part of the reason for the debt is they have paid $50,000 bonuses every year to each of the five family members (while deferring my $25,000 a year for 28+ years now)  

There is a PBS documentary (aired in 1998) about Skullduggery, Inc. on the topic of MARKETING where Cornelia Koehl, the sister of the two bozos and an aspiring actress, went on camera to pontificate on her family marketing wisdom in the case of Skullduggery, Inc.   She did her best to run me down and promote the Koehl marketing strategy (whatever that is, it was never clarified) as the new wave of the future.  As if they could do no wrong.   In 1987 Emmeline Koehl (the mother of the two bozos) bought one mail order marketing course and never even completed the course. Daddy made mommy the Director of Marketing, over my objections.   In the marketing documentary there were pregnant pauses after Corny's tirades against “the previous owner”, in which I could read her expression. Knowing Corny as I do, she was wondering “Are they really buying this?”  Evidently the producers bought it because they aired it.   I saw this broadcast just as I was struggling to awake from anesthesia from one of my many service-connected surgeries at the V.A. Hospital in Los Angeles.  I tried to remember the producers so I could buy a copy of this documentary.   I couldn't move at the time and had no access to a pen or paper to write on, so I had to rely on my memory, which failed me.  If anybody knows how I can buy a copy of this PBS documentary, please let me know how to buy it.   I am Steven Gagnon.   e-mail - hopefortomorrow@hughes.net .   Sales continued to decline until present when now sales of fossil replicas are insignificant in Peter IV and Stephen’s feeble minds.     It WAS a million a year in sales of fossil skull replicas when I left in 1988 or so.     All I ever asked for was the $25,000 a year, or $500 a week.  Daddy talked me into partially deferred pay for a while.  For the benefit of the company, I agreed.  As soon as I was settled into my forest in Oregon, 1000 miles away, daddy cut my partially deferred pay back to NOTHING.  Being 100% disabled veteran, now with nothing at all, what could I do? 

I guarantee that Stephen and Peter don’t even know how to make molds anyway.  They refused to learn when I tried to teach them.  They were stiff-necked over learning anything at all from me.   Anybody can make a basic mold easily but I had learned the intricacies of mold making.  The company lost out when the Koehls ran me off.  In my opinion, the Koehl's are pons asinorum schoolboys, all three of them.

I was amazed that Peter III the father showed his face on the program.  It was only the dangling carrot of the money that brought the daddy out of the background.   It's my opinion that daddy has good reason for hiding out from public view.  In my opinion he has tried to scam many others out of their businesses over the years.   I think, and fervently hope, that I'm the only one he successfully scammed. Daddy owns http://www.4pka.com, Peter Koehl ASSociates.  That site has not been updated in many many years.   The reviews of his work on 4pka.com are bullshit.  On that site, he says the skulls are making more than a million a year.   On The Profit, Peter IV, the son said that skulls account for less than 10% of the total sales of 1.6 million (which later in the program he admitted it's 1.3 million only, a figure I don't believe, it's lower)  So sales of skulls is less than $130,000.   Besides those jokers, I am the only one who knows that they pay bonuses of 50 thousand to every family member, every year.  I have no idea what their salaries are, but they must be substantial since every one of them own homes in Newport Beach area of Southern California.   They knew I was homeless in the forest of Oregon for 8 years waiting for my money with no electricity, no water, no phone, only a camper shell for shelter.   There are five family members and I know that NONE of them (except daddy) have ever worked anywhere before they came to Skullduggery, Inc.  Also, in their financial statements I’m sure they’re not including the $700,000.00 they owe to me in deferred pay.  Those financial statements they showed Marcus were prepared just for the show, as they admitted when they brought them out for Marcus.

Peter IV is the older of the two bozos and was the original manager when daddy turned management over to him.  He did a fine job of running the fossil replicas into the ground by filling orders with defective casts and bad looking so-called "replicas" before he left the country in the 1990's. By the way, the marketing geniuses "lost" my entire mailing list of previous customers from before incorporation and never even mailed to them. Peter tried to make it in Japan for a decade before crawling home to beg for his old job back.  In my opinion they ran Peter out of Japan for being a dick.  Nobody else will employ Peter IV, so Skullduggery, Inc. took him back out of pity, but with the demotion.    

 

If I may be so bold, I would like to post my reviews of the comments made already;

Clod  and
Kellie Wood
- Yes, their debt is a permanent part of the plan.   According to the financial statements they’ve sent me over the past 28+ years, they’ve always shown a loss.  That way they never have to pay me anything in dividends.   In 28 + years they have always claimed losses.   
Ketzel 
Your assessment was right on.  They never intended to make a deal to sell.  How could they?  I am the owner and never was even told this episode was being made. 
RadoActiveRich
I’m amazed at your insight.  You are so right on.
qtpye
So right on
Caligirl50
So very right on!  How could you have known the two bozos are into high-fiving each other.
Nobodyyoucare
Yes, you are also right on.
ClareWalks
Peter III the daddy would never show his face on Dr. Phil. 
Greg247
Yes, I wish somebody could help me out pro bono.   It would be well deserved comeuppance.  Actually it wouldn't have to be pro bono, but on contingency would be fine with me

Edited November 29, 2015 by Skullduggery owner

[rainbowlady]

Marcus was able to return the printer. His main loss, according to him, was for the redecoration of the offices and some general expenses, about 100K or so.. He did not lose the big bucks. 

These two guys were disgusting & the father not any better.  They went into this for the publicity. Insulting NASCAR and embarrassing Marcus.  Way to go jerks.

[nobodyyoucare]

Marcus was able to return the printer. His main loss, according to him, was for the redecoration of the offices and some general expenses, about 100K or so.. He did not lose the big bucks. 

These two guys were disgusting & the father not any better.  They went into this for the publicity. Insulting NASCAR and embarrassing Marcus.  Way to go jerks.

He lost time which was valuable to him. He also had to apologize to Nascar and several other important people. 

[EAG46]

I just saw this episode again last night.  It's a good thing Marcus had such good control of his temper.  I would have chewed those two idiots out after leaving the NASCAR offices, then yanked them by the ears back in and make them apologize to the executive they insulted.  I also would have let the kids and parents in the testing group stuff those stupid cardboard tsotskes down their throats.

[Ghost Recon]

I am the 50% owner of Skullduggery, Inc., the California corporation.  The founder and owner who was never mentioned in the show, Steven Gagnon.  I am the screwed owner who is owed $700,000 and will never see a cent of it!!  http://www.4pka.com 

I only survived by walking the 40+ mile round trip to eat the free handout food at the Salem Oregon Rescue Mission once a week.   The Salem Oregon Rescue Mission saved my life with the free food, no doubt.  There was a time before I learned of the Rescue Mission where I had nothing to eat for a long time when I was so weak I couldn't stand up.     I managed to crawl to some blackberry bushes to eat the few remaining berries that the birds and animals left behind.  I was not going to tell this, because of the satisfaction it will give to the Koehls.  But I survived, so I'm telling all.

 

If you question my naiveté, as I often do, I suppose it’s relevant that I am the son of an American officer who settled in Japan after World War II.   I was raised from an infant in Japan by two Japanese ladies provided by the Japanese government.  My real parents were rarely around, so Japanese was my first language.  I was raised with the Japanese principles of how to behave in a society.  To serve others with honor and respect, above all, self-sacrifice for the greater good.   These two Japanese ladies were my only role models until I was almost 5 years old.   I adopted all the Japanese ingrained attitudes as my own and hoped to apply them to American life.     I made the laughable mistake of trying to apply the spirit of self-sacrifice for the benefit of the group to American business!   Marcus has said that it’s human nature and understandable to take unfair advantage, and by implication that it’s OK.   I disagree that it's OK.   It's not OK, and it's not forgiveable. ( I may have mis-understood Marcus, but he is the go-zillionaire, and I am one who is broke.)   In my opinion their back-stabbing me must have been because their family is German and they are resentful about their defeat in World War II at the hand of the Americans, just as Hitler was resentful and filled with rage about the German loss in World War I.   The Koehls took delight in hurting me, a 100% disabled American veteran, from an American military family, any way they could.  

There was a time when the Koehls complained about, among many other simplistic things, not being able to learn the mold-making process.   So, being the generous and compliant sort, I proposed to fill an entire room with about 100 molds at once to teach the whole family how to produce many production molds and replicas efficiently.   That is a huge undertaking.  Full time, it would take one skilled person about three to four months to complete that project working 40 hour weeks.   But working long hours, I completed it in less than two months.  Once the mold making project was well underway, nobody would show up to learn!   I completed the entire room of new molds, at least 100 molds, all by myself.  The Koehls failed to comprehend the basic concept, which is understandable since nobody came to the classes.    So then it was time for the outer jackets of the molds, or “back-up molds” to be made.  Not one person showed up for the classes, ever.  Even so, I completed the 100 molds and jackets for them so that at least they would be able to produce many casts from those new molds, about 10,000 casts.    Nobody learned anything.   This was about the time of the assault mentioned in one of my earlier Skullduggery forum posts.   It was about this time I left them on their own, to their own toxic devices.

I always got the endless run-around treatment on every project they would give to me.   Still, I completed their projects despite all the obstacles placed in my path deliberately by them.  The most significant obstacle was an obstinate refusal to put up the money to complete critical infrastructure projects to make us more efficient and productive.  This was another "tell", and should have raised red flags to me, but I still never imagined the Koehls would discontinue the fossil replicas.  So I put up MY OWN MONEY to complete some of these projects! Even when I went forward with my projects I would come in the shop to find my materials were taken away and missing!!!  Peter would point the finger at Stephen.  Stephen would point the finger at Corny.   A week later when I managed to run down Corny, she would point the finger at mommy, Emmy.   Emmy, another week later, would point the finger at daddy.   And daddy denied knowing anything about the missing materials and point the finger back at peter junior.  Around and around ad nauseum, giggling among themselves behind my back. Then, despite all the obstacles, when the projects were complete, Peter III, the daddy refused to pay me back for the materials.  So eventually, I was forced to leave them to their own toxic devices..  The Koehls would always find fault with everything I did for them.   My time could have been better spent, but they just had me make these molds, and other projects to get me out of their hair – to stop bothering them.  “Steve, you failed” was the mantra, uttered mainly by Emmy, that still runs repeatedly through my mind.    Once in an unguarded moment, I asked peter Junior why he fought me and undermined my efforts at every turn?  He said that he was raised to “challenge authority”.   But I was just enabling them to earn money for us all.  As Marcus implies in his three P's, toxic people, toxic results no matter what else you have going on.

Stephen "the boss" and Peter junior showing up at the Nascar meeting without ties, is another “tell”.      The Boss was so eager to attack Steve Phelps, the very person they were brought to ask permission for licensing at Nascar.  Stephen was chomping at the bit to have a shot at Steve Phelps and shoot down Marcus' idea.     .  

 

For the first several years after we incorporated together, during the time my pay was being deferred, the entire crew would take FOUR paid frozen yogurt breaks a day in addition to the hour lunch.  These paid “frozen yogurt breaks” were half an hour long each!    The ENTIRE production crew of 10 -14 employees would drop everything and drive to the frozen yogurt shop and be gone for half an hour!  Then after this had been going on for months, I learned that the frozen yogurt bill was paid by the company.  I wouldn't mind, but my pay was being deferred and the Koehls never saw anything wrong with this picture.  In fact, by objecting and trying to put a stop to this, I became the bad guy, the buzz killer.  The frozen yogurt breaks continued anyway.

It was pretty obvious that their showroom was prepared just for Marcus.   It was a façade just for the show.   They don’t do any retail business there.  They rarely have walk-in customers.   I’m willing to bet the few who do come in there don’t buy anything once they see the products in person.   They are in an industrial park, not a retail space.   I don’t know why Marcus would bother with the putting money into decorating the retail showroom when it would rarely result in any sales anyway. The fork lift was just for show.  Peter IV never does anything with it, but drive it around like an addled schoolboy.    If you go back unannounced you may see that the forklift was borrowed from the neighbor.

 

Over the years, I have caught Peter Senior stalking me several times.  Pete is a terrible stalker.  One time he almost crashed into the rear end of my old truck as he was speeding in his brand new Jaguar.   I saw his face clearly in my rear view mirror.   He had to stand on the brakes and skid to a stop to avoid hitting me!  This was on a backed up freeway off-ramp, so he immediately jumped back on the freeway and took off at 120 mph.    Another time, again in his new Jaguar, I caught him outside my workshop parked about 50 feet up the road facing my workshop in the night.    But the funniest blown "stalking" event was the time in Palm Springs when I was visiting my father.  Pete had someone riding shotgun and two people in the back seat.   It was about 9 pm and dark when I was standing outside the house but in the shadow of some bushes so he didn't see me.  He coasted in neutral as he approached the house.   Then as he slowly approached the house, I recognized his vehicle.  I stepped out of the shadow, he saw me, panicked and punched the accelerator.  It was still in neutral!!!  Idiot.   It almost blew the engine.   Then he realized it was in neutral and jammed it into gear with the engine still revved high.  It was grinding badly and wouldn't go in gear!   With the accelerator still revving high, he ground the gears down to a nub before he finally managed to grind it into gear when he let off the accelerator..

 

After the Koehls had run me off from Skullduggery, I had much time on my hands with nothing to do but watch the trees grow.  So I spent much time in the Salem Oregon library researching.   I found that there was a bank account recently opened in Ohio under the same name, Skullduggery, but without the Inc.   I believe it was Toledo, Ohio, the nearest large city south of Detroit!  The Koehls and their extended family are from the south side of Detroit, Michigan!  Toledo, Ohio is not very far at all from their extended family and friends.  They only moved to California in the mid 1980’s, just a year or two before I met pete koehl senior.  It’s my opinion that the Koehls had a friend or family member open a bank account under the name of Skullduggery in Toledo, Ohio, to throw anybody off who was looking for a Skullduggery in Michigan.    That way, when any check would arrive without the Inc. designation as the payee, they would bundle up those checks payable to Skullduggery and send them to the friend or family member in Ohio so that that money doesn’t show up in the Skullduggery Inc. California bank account!   That way they could claim fewer sales and get away with not paying me   If you or someone you know ever ordered a fossil replica or anything from Skullduggery Inc. from 1987 on, please see if you can find the cancelled check.   If the back of the check was endorsed through a bank in Ohio, or any other state than California, then I can prove this.   I know it’s a longshot, especially so many years later, but you never know, it’s worth a try.  I can’t do it without your help. Please help if you can.  My e-mail address is hopefortomorrow@hughes.net  .  That’s the only contact I dare give out for now.  There is no statute of limitation for fraud.  Since pete still won't pay me, I would love to see the Koehls get their well-deserved comeuppance.

 

Pete, I want my money.   I’ve been patiently waiting for you to pay me for 28 years now, and I’m still waiting.   I’ve waited long enough!   PAY UP NOW.  $700,000 is very little to demand after all this time.  I'm not even charging you interest, or COLA increases, you idiot!  I've left you alone to make all the money you can so that you will be able to pay me what you owe.  Pay up and I will pardon you.   I never dragged you into court on a lawsuit, where all the money would be eaten up with attorney fees, so give it up!      I'm sure you've put aside my cash over the years, so pay me.   In the unlikely event you must mortgage your house, that's OK, interest rates are cheap right now.    It's obvious that you have some mental hang-up about paying me personally.   So I will make it easy on you.  Simply donate the $700,000 to my favorite non-profit charity and I will pardon you. The non-profit is Hope For Tomorrow Cat Sanctuary in Oklahoma.  Their website is http://www.valleyanatomical.com, but certainly not you.   So sell some more infantile cast and paint kits, toys and puzzles to unsuspecting customers.


Steven Gagnon - https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=valencia%201966%20Gagnon
My linked in profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-gagnon-414701109?trk=hp-identity-headline 

Edited March 6, 2016 by Ghost Recon

[Amarsir]

Not that I don't enjoy a good backstory, but I fear this may be one of the odd types of problem that's better solved by lawyers than internet forums.

[L. Elizabeth Saric]

I just watched this DVD a few minutes ago.    Peter Koehl Junior and Stephen Koehl, and daddy too, team up to sink to new and profound depths of moral bankruptcy in this Profit episode.    And now we find out that they don’t even own the company! What a family of weasels. 

 

Their new facebook page that was revised after the Profit episode was aired is refreshingly revealing.    It seems they don’t care what we think anymore.  Click on the facebook link below to see their latest propaganda.  It's really kind of funny;

https://www.facebook.com/Skullduggery-Inc-1527359324236475/

 

Steven Gagnon (“Ghost Recon” username) should have been paid for his efforts that founded the company.  He was 100% disabled in Vietnam and could not find employment afterward.  So he started Skullduggery and put everything he had into it.  I know Steven Gagnon and he is a kind hearted person.   He served his country and gave everything he had. Now these weasels are proud they ripped him off.   You can reach the real founder at the email address -Toad Hall @Hughes.net.. The reason for Steven’s e-mail address being Toad Hall is amusing to me.  As anybody who has read “Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame knows, Mister Toad “sold” his Toad Hall to a family of weasels for NOTHING based on their repeated promises of friendship and trust.  The weasels ran Mister Toad off and never paid him.  The weasels completely trashed all toady worked to build, including swinging from the chandeliers, figuratively if not literally.  Mister Toad trusted those weasels based on their repeated promises of “friendship and trust”.    With Steven Gagnon’s fossil skull replicas and connections at Natural History museums around the world, Skullduggery, Inc. the company would have had revenue of at least 100 million by now, nearly 30 years later. But all I see on their facebook page are baby toys and the dumbest game I’ve ever seen they call Aero Flixx.  These weasels are pathetic."  

[Christina]

I am 100% certain that Facebook page is fake. The about section has a link to this thread. Someone is enjoying upsetting people with his or her comments. 

[L. Elizabeth Saric]

I want to know why the heck Steven hasn't been paid?   Are the Koehls really that greedy and cold hearted?  It's just so wrong!!!!  Yes, it upsets me, anyone with a heart should be upset that such an injustice has gone on for so long against a, fellow, disabled veteran!

[Ghost Recon]

See the post below

Edited January 6, 2017 by Ghost Recon

[Ghost Recon]

On 1/2/2017 at 3:45 PM, Ghost Recon said:

I am Steven Gagnon, the owner of Skullduggery, Inc.    Now it's 2017, and it has been 30 years since I turned management of my company Skullduggery, Inc. over to the Koehl team!!!   The Koehls have continued to ignore my invoices.  This year we have come FULL CIRCLE, as it were, with 360 months having passed.    Until I am paid, I will be posting my communications with them on this forum.   They have never answered me.     Some may have noticed that this forum has gotten more hits, by far, than any other THE PROFIT forum.   This first post is my reply to their attorneys letter when they were finally paying me a dividend in 2016, the first dividend ever (that they involved me in).  The Koehl managment team still hasn't paid me one cent of the $500.00 per week that was contracted in 1987.   The free exposure to the national market evidently made Skullduggery a profit on their toys after the airing of this episode in 2014.   The dividend they declared was $30,000.00, but my share was only $2,800, so unfair.     I will post all my recent communications with the Koehls on this forum, one at at time, over the next few months in order to shame them into paying me.  I'm hoping that my posts will motivate the Koehls to pay me.  The problem is that some "businessmen" have no shame.   Below is the first letter I wrote to their attorney when I was protesting them trying to sell my shares to Marcus and paying a dividend to themselves when my $500 a week still has not been paid.  That's all I ever asked for was $500 a week, which they continue to ignore.   How can any company justify paying a dividend when the bills are not paid?  

March 30, 2016

Brown, Wegner McNamara LLP

2603 Main Street

Irvine, CA 92614

Sirs

My sincere condolences that you are representing the Koehls in this fiasco.  I would not believe anything they say. This situation would be laughable if the consequences weren’t already so dire.  Regardless of what they’ve told you, I am the betrayed founder, and 100% owner (my attorneys will argue) because of breach of contract.  I was the only creative force within Skullduggery, Inc.  They are accountants.  The Koehls refused to abide by the legal 1991 election of directors which replaced them.  In my opinion they have operated illegally ever since. They physically assaulted me and ran me off the premises.  They don’t act as a corporation, yet they expect the benefits of being a corporation.  I was destitute for years because of the Koehls, which gives them great satisfaction, I’m sure.  Have you seen the hour long The Profit episode on Skullduggery?  They attempted to sell my shares to Marcus Lemonis and never called for a board meeting, nothing.  Stephen behaved as if it’s a sole proprietorship. Just google Skullduggery and The Profit, or order a DVD from CNBC for $19.95 free shipping. Season 2. It’s been called the cringiest episode.

You might remind the Koehls that our contract provides me with ONE audit at Skullduggery, Inc. expense.   I don’t think the Skullduggery will survive an audit by say, Dun and Bradstreet, without someone going to prison.  I doubt they want an audit, going back to 1987.    The Koehls WILL be stuck with that bill too.   They know as well as I do that their books are cooked to show a loss, mainly by distributing money in unjustified bonuses to family members in years of loss.  My accountant has scoffed at their financial statements.

Logic would dictate that they would pay off my $732,000 long overdue deferred pay, and avoid all the drama.  But then, the Koehls have never been accused of being logical.  All I’ve demanded is my deferred pay that is long overdue.   I haven’t added interest, C.O.L.A., or lost profit opportunities...  They’ve used  MY deferred money to grow the company all these years, to pad their own wallets, and to buy each family member a home on the beach at Newport Beach!     If I have to retain an attorney and haul the Koehl’s into court, it’s going to cost them a lot more than $732,000.  I’m sure my attorney can find many ways to stick it to them, if I’m forced to go that way..    I don’t want all the drama, but since they are shopping around my shares, as seen on CNBC I am compelled to act.  Now they want to pay dividends BEFORE they pay me off!!!  Haven’t I suffered in silence long enough?  I will be forced to act immediately if they pay dividends to themselves.   It’s bad enough they’ve paid themselves bonuses and exorbitant salaries, and one-sided secret dividends during the 28 years my pay (and dividends) has been deferred.

I will not be drawn in to a dispute over ownership.  It’s 50/50 Steven Gagnon, founder/Peter Koehl III, usurper.   There is little to dispute.  Skullduggery, Inc. management has claimed losses on every tax return they’ve sent to me since 1987.  Through gross mismanagement, Skullduggery, Inc. has become an embarrassment.   My attorney may claim that I still own 100% because they have never paid me!    I have never approved any loans to Skullduggery, Inc.   Any loans are their problem.

Skullduggery, Inc.  can pay me off, and I will pardon them.  Afterward, I will surrender all my shares to them.      $732,000 is very little to settle for considering the troubles they can avoid by doing so.   They love to claim poverty, but pete senior indicated in the CNBC program that he pays himself $600,000 a year.  This, as he has always left me out with nothing!!!  They should have planned for this, and probably have.  I don’t care if they have to mortgage their homes, whatever, interest rates are cheap right now.    My conservative estimate of what we would have earned if they had simply followed my written plan is $50 million to each of the two owners.  I know pete will minimize it, but pete knows nothing about paleontology, marketing or the scientific market for fossil replicas.  That market has gotten away from us now.  Others more competent have taken over although Skullduggery, Inc had a 17 year head start..  See what should and could have been accomplished at   http://www.boneclones.com

Steven R. Gagnon

Edited January 6, 2017 by Ghost Recon

[Showthyme]

I wonder if the Ghost Recon post was the real reason why Marcus didn't make the deal. I don't always believe that Marcus walks away for the personality differences, etc. Marcus walked away in part, due to lack of control over salaries and finances.

Sorry for your loss of income and rights in this matter Mr. Gagnon. D&B are not auditors. They are a credit reporting agency for corporations and provide information that companies self-report.  D&B cannot help you.

I would hire the best legal counsel I could find today if someone owed me $732,000. This matter is taking a toll on you. I hope that you can get some relief soon.

[Ghost Recon]

On 1/2/2017 at 4:28 PM, Ghost Recon said:

 

Edited May 24, 2017 by Ghost Recon