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The Berkbridge Foundation - Questions Regarding Legitimacy
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Started by Cat,

682 posts in this topic

James J Johnson

James J Johnson

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, blazingbob said:

Call Ebay and see if they will give you the information you are requesting.  
 

It's there, when you enter on the EB ID history link on their feedback page. But the name is scrambled with all but two characters missing.

s.gif
 
s.gif
  User ID   Effective Date   End Date
 
  berkbridge   Jan-21-15   Present
 
  b********9   Sep-12-99   Jan-21-15
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blazingbob

blazingbob

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

It's there, when you enter on the EB ID history link on their feedback page. But the name is scrambled with all but two characters missing.

s.gif
 
s.gif
  User ID   Effective Date   End Date
 
  berkbridge   Jan-21-15   Present
 
  b********9   Sep-12-99   Jan-21-15

Do you have the magic Ebay descrambling key?  

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thehumantorch

thehumantorch

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, Naphtha said:
20 hours ago, James J Johnson said:

I'm amazed that nobody here can answer the simple question of, "what was Berkbridge's ebay name for their first 16 years on ebay?". Just that answer alone may go a long way towards transparency. Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

This.

How about a hint?

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James J Johnson

James J Johnson

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, blazingbob said:

Do you have the magic Ebay descrambling key?  

I do have it, but the only thing it does for me is descramble eggs, the shells and all. And it works so effectively that It even goes so far as to insert them back into the chickens, God bless their little wattles.. (thumbsu

Edited by James J Johnson
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JollyComics

JollyComics

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, Catwomancomics said:

:gossip: Ron Jeremy posted it on page 9

Yes, I looked at the same picture but I am not sure it was him.  His recent deleted twitter account was matched that would be sufficient.  Also, he stays in West Coast - Nevada and California.

One more thing....I still don't understand how super-expensive books are "giveaway".  Is he willing to throw his "million dollar comic book collection" away to single mothers --- I would love to hear from them that they are their saviors but I doubt it and don't think that I can give my books away.

Edited by JollyComics
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Sweet Lou 14

Sweet Lou 14

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, JollyComics said:

Yes, I looked at the same picture but I am not sure it was him.  His recent deleted twitter account was matched that would be sufficient.  Also, he stays in West Coast - Nevada and California.

He's not hard to find online.  Just Google "Robert Jalali" and you'll see his UC Davis profile, his LinkedIn page, etc.

He's an economist / lecturer who apparently does speculative "high net worth investing" in real estate, collectibles, and scam charities on the side.

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JollyComics

JollyComics

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, Sweet Lou 14 said:

He's not hard to find online.  Just Google "Robert Jalali" and you'll see his UC Davis profile, his LinkedIn page, etc.

He's an economist / lecturer who apparently does speculative "high net worth investing" in real estate, collectibles, and scam charities on the side.

Oh that. Good job!  How's about the criminal history?

Edited by JollyComics
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icefires

icefires

Posted
Posted

E-mail rep[ly from Berkbridge:

Hello Steve,
We've been contacted by other CGC Forum members regarding document requests and here is our response:
 
Any information that is required by IRS regulations to be made available for "Public Availability" are digitally available on the IRS web site. If you are having trouble finding them, please contact the IRS for assistance.  
We can provide physical copies upon written request and payment of a reasonable fee to cover copying and mailing costs. We've attached the disclosure from the IRS' website for your reference. 
 
If you which to have physical copies, please send us a request letter with directions on where you would like them mailed to and include a check or money order payable to Berkbridge Foundation for $5.00 to cover these costs.  Our mailing address is 401 Ryland Street, Suite 200-A , Reno, Nevada 89502
 
Thank you
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comix4fun

comix4fun

Posted
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Posted (edited)
51 minutes ago, icefires said:

E-mail rep[ly from Berkbridge:

Hello Steve,
We've been contacted by other CGC Forum members regarding document requests and here is our response:
 
Any information that is required by IRS regulations to be made available for "Public Availability" are digitally available on the IRS web site. If you are having trouble finding them, please contact the IRS for assistance.  
We can provide physical copies upon written request and payment of a reasonable fee to cover copying and mailing costs. We've attached the disclosure from the IRS' website for your reference. 
 
If you which to have physical copies, please send us a request letter with directions on where you would like them mailed to and include a check or money order payable to Berkbridge Foundation for $5.00 to cover these costs.  Our mailing address is 401 Ryland Street, Suite 200-A , Reno, Nevada 89502
 
Thank you

That doesn't seem accurate, for several reasons.

1) all the documents that must disclosed or made available to the public, either through physical in person inspection or through requesting copies through the mail, are NOT available on the IRS Web Site. 

The documents required for disclosure include the form 1023 Exemption Application and all supporting documents, attachments and addenda. Those are not available on the IRS website and are a required public disclosure upon request.

As well the form 990 tax returns for the last three years must also be made available. From what I can see on the IRS website only the 2018 post card return (indicating less than $50,000 was taken in, gross) was available.  

The 990 returns for the last three years MUST include all attachments, exhibits or other supporting documentation. 

2) The written request need not be sent by mail. The IRS explicitly states that requests made by fax, email, or private courier all fulfill the written request requirement. 

3) The types of payment accepted must include certified check, money order, personal check or credit card. In the case of a charity set up to take donations and payment through PayPal for their eBay auctions it would not be a difficult obstruction complaint to lodge if, suddenly, they would not accept payment via the same means that any and all donations to their organization have been made through eBay. As well, not allowing for ALL types of payment allowed by the IRS may be seen as unduly obstructionist to the clear rules for disclosure.

4) As for the amount they are allowed to charge. The IRS charges (for copies through a FOIA request) $0.20 per page and 501 C 3 organizations are not allowed to charge any more than that.  So a breakdown of the $5 charge (number of pages, type of postage, etc.) is not a question that is out of line to ask. If they are going to fully comply (1023 application, all supporting documents, the last three years 990 returns, and all supporting documents) perhaps this is a reasonable amount, but it should be disclosed in detail. 

Any responsible 501 C 3 organization takes the compliance rules seriously. First off, it allows people considering donating to their organization the comfort and knowledge that they are dealing with a reputable and honest organization. No reputable or honest organization would set up an unreasonable barrier to the public in determining that the organization is worthy of support. Should the logic of that common sense reason fail the organization there are always the penalties enforced by the IRS for non-compliance....$20 per day, per infraction, or (in the case of willful or intentional non-compliance) a $5,000 fine per return or application. 

All 501 C 3 organizations have gone through a great deal of paperwork to attain and maintain their status, one of the simplest requirements if that of public disclosure. I'd be shocked if someone would fail to understand the very simple requirements they are held to in such a situation. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by comix4fun
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Sweet Lou 14

Sweet Lou 14

Posted
Posted (edited)

@icefires @comix4fun Thank you both for these substantive posts.  Without saying more than I'm at liberty to share, I can tell you that you're not alone in making these document requests and the responses you're getting are similar to what I'm hearing from others who have contacted me privately.  (Apparently, they are being told that they must send checks in the mail, because Berkbridge isn't "set up" to receive PayPal payments for any purpose other than eBay sales.  Obviously this is a ludicrous stalling tactic.)  You're doing a great service to the community by keeping the pressure on Jalali.

One other detail I will add is that I'm hearing, second-hand, that the IRS in its current (gutted) incarnation is not in a position to rigorously enforce its own policies.  My sense is that anyone wishing to get results is more likely to make progress working through the State of California (Attorney General's office, etc.) than through any federal agency. :(

Edited by Sweet Lou 14
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