The Financial Trolls: April 2015

Tuesday 28 April 2015

The Mysterious Case of Quindell

Following the announcement (in March 2015) that Quindell plc was selling its professional services division to Slater & Gordon for £637m, the trolls who had claimed Quindell was worth zero were left scrabbling wildly to restore credibility. “We are puzzled…but stranger things have happened,” said one. “S&G is committing corporate hari kiri,” said another.

How They InterConnect

Simon Cawkwell is a well known and apparently successful bear trader, who has allegedly made £millions by going short on selected PLCs. As such, his opinions count and can affect share values.Over a number of years,Tom Winnifrith and Zak Mir have earned themselves reputations as share tipsters and again their opinions have had an affect on the value of shares in companies upon which they have commented. Mathew Earl was also  alleged to be behind public comment that had damaged share prices. Since around 2010, Ennismore Fund Managementhas consistently set a low target price for particular shares. Gotham City is a more recent player on the scene which has attacked several US companies as well as

· Spanish wireless internet company, Gowex, causing its CEO to admit accounting irregularities and the company to collapse.

· Quindell PLC which has successfully sued Gotham City for defamation.

There is concern that Gotham City is actually a front for one or more of the individuals cited here and/or EFM. Gotham did not attend Court or defend the action brought by Quindell and it is not clear whether they were even properly identified to the Court.

· In 2003, following a series of regulatory breaches, Simon Cawkwell was struck off by the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales

· In 2000, Anne Cawkwell, (Simon’s wife) was appointed Company Secretary of T1ps.com Ltd on the same day that Winnifrith became a director

· Anne Cawkwell, was Company Secretary of Active IT Ltd simultaneous to Winnifrith being a director, i.e. from 26 May 2006 to 19 May 2010

· Zak Mir and Anne Cawkwell were each shareholders in Winnifrith’s Rivington Street Holdings

· Winnifrith was ousted from Rivington Street Holdings (T1ps.com) following compliance concerns

· There is a strong possibility that Winnifrith has purchased the property at 49 Rivington Street via an Isle of Man company.

· There are extensive links between Cawkwell, Winnifrith, Mir and Miers

· There is a complex network of current and historic domain registrations and ownerships which ultimately identifies Burnbrae Media Ltd, of 4th Floor, 101 Finsbury Pavement, London EC2A 1RS, as the ultimate owner / management point.