The End of My Journey

And so, the saga ends, not as I had wished it to but as the forces have determined.

My journey for justice and restitution has been painful, arduous and unrelenting. Despite my very best efforts over the past 15 years, the combined forces of lying, thieving scamsters fabricating lies and mistruths; inept, incompetent government agencies acting in accordance with ineffective, impotent policies and guidelines; limitations of time; and ultimate lack of financial resources to adequately pursue have forced me to raise the white flag of surrender. I am out of options with nowhere else to turn. The statute of limitations has run for any legal recourse in my situation with no retroactive possibility, as I was just informed by the court in the current case I have been chronicling. Despite my public appearance on CBS TV with the sincere hope that it might further my own cause as well as warning others of film scams, my efforts have failed in obtaining my ultimate goal of restitution and financial restoration. Although it is satisfying to see that the system ultimately worked in FINALLY bringing Chortkoff (now deceased), Braslau, etc., to justice, their past sins and misdeeds over a decade and a half will never be accounted for nor punished. They and Michael Erwin and Max Kirishima should have been prosecuted and jailed long ago. My pursuit of them has been basically a single-handed, uphill battle utilizing EVERY resource possible. It is an unforgivable travesty.

The final blow in all of this is that is is now costing me my home. The victims forever suffer while the evildoers prosper. Chortkoff's children now stand to inherit the hard-earned money of so many scammed investors after his death. By rights, they should be charged with receiving stolen goods. The court has chosen NOT to pursue Chortkoff's assets as part of victim restitution. And, Braslau and Rawitt are ordered to pay back investors at a rate of $25 per quarter - yes, you read that right - funny if it weren't so pathetic.

No wonder there are so many engaged in criminal acts against the public - where's the tough message, the accountability, the threat of punishment?

This is the lowest point in my life. It's a helpless feeling of betrayal and disappointment. I fight against anger and bitterness because in the end it only hurts me.

To quote an English folk song entitled Sir Andrew Barton or Andrew Bartin (Child ballad number 167):

'I am hurt but I am not slain.
I'll lay me down and bleed awhile,
Then I'll rise and fight again.'

I must lay down my arms and surrender to this battle, but I will never give up my fight to seek justice for all against the myriad of crooks and criminals preying upon the innocent. Peace.