ALLEGED OIL FRAUD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 262, 5 November 1930, Page 10

ALLEGED OIL FRAUD.

CHARGES AGAINST PIMENTEL.

MECCA COMPANY CASE.

INVESTMENT- OF; SAVINGS.

,:(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) • WELLINGTON", Tuesday. : Further evidence was . heard in the .Supreme 'Court :,to-day , in connection ■with the; allegations;which, are- made against Morton Parker Pimentel that he had falsely represented that he was the accredited, representative, of = the Mecca Oil Company/ California, "one, of . the •biggest.' and, ■ oldest ' oil;. companies in America/ , / aaut in that way had obtained sums of money from men who. answered his newspaper advertisemente. Mr. Justice Ostler is on the Bench. ThefCrown Prosecutor, Mr. P.- S. -KMacassey,. with j him Mr.- C. Evans Scott,- is conducting | the prosecution, and MrJ J. F.B, Steven- ! son,- with him Mr., A. C. ! Mantell-'Hard-ing, a\e appearing for .accused. ; ~ i • Mr. Evans Scott' said P.' Wimsett- and L. Patterson were the first and last per-sons-from whom it was alleged Pimentel had falsely obtained ' money.'■ There were four others, Alfred Dudley Smith, Ernest William Wakefield, Isaac Joseph; Bason and Robert Leith Begg, in respect of whom-; however, Pimentel ' was not charged, 'but they would be called to give evidence. ..- ;■; ... ■"-, , _ . f , With slight variations, it was alleged 'that Pimentel represented to prospective agents:—(l) That he was the accredited representative of the Mecca Oil Company, .with! headquarters in California; (2) that the company had its*; own oil wells ■ and refin'erfes* there;" (3) that it was qne of ; the oldest: oil .companies in the-world; (4) .that, a;person -who invested capital in the company under the conditions the accused offered could not be running any financial risk, as the investor would, be covered' all the, time by having the' equivalent value of ..his- capital represented":' by oil; . (5) that the company was. iir a position, which, would enable it very shortly; to :be oh , a. par with such : companies as - the -Atlantic Unioa/Texas and other-welliknowncom-■panies.,;'. ''*','-I' ;■..;( t ! Vr. ■„:■■':''< '■

* Story, was Believed. ! Pinientel's. story was believed, and in some cases ilioney was paid to him which represented the life savings of the parties. Various persons subsequently discovered that accused was merely buying oil-locally, and selling it at a slightly increased price. In not one case, it was alleged, had people who had dealt with accused received oil'to 'the same value ae the money they had paid to the accused. Evidence on the lines of that given in the lower Court was given by Phillip Percy Wimsett, a salesman, who described how he, answered the advertisement and his, subsequent transactions, which led to a dispute in the office, over accounts, which culminated in a light. "I said to Pimentel," said witness, "that'l had had enough of him and his crook oil business. I was rising from a ( chair with the statement in my hand, when-he punched me on the jaw and tried , to snatch/ 1 it away from me. He tore the statement. ■ I retaliated, and finished up'by getting him, against the ■wall, and punching him. He cried put for help and eventually a man pulled me off him..•'. I handed him my set of keys and said I wanted a settlement in full on-Monday morning." \ Witness said'-'that , the statement handed to,him on the following Monday showed that Pimentel owed him £50. Pimentel, however, owed him £94 6/1, which he had not received back. ''■ Mixing of Oils. . . Wimsett gave details of what had hap-, pened in a" etorein Dixon Street. Empty drums had been purchased from different oil companies, and he had seen different weights of oils mixed. He taxed Pimentel about that, and Pimentel said: "Some one -has got to get it, and will have some fun with it, too." Further evidence was given by other witnesses alleged to have been-victim-ised by Pimentel, and representatives of oil companies detailed transactions con-cerning-Pimentel's purchase of oil. The case was then adjourned until tomorrow, v ■ ■■'■'■"