ALLEGED FRAUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20713, 5 November 1930, Page 12

ALLEGED FRAUD.

MECCA OIL COMPANY CASE. PIMENTEL FACES CHARGES. DEALINGS WITH AGENTS. [llY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Allegations that ho 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," and in that way had obtained sums of money from men who answered his newspaper advertisements, are made against Morton Parker Pimentel, whose trial was commenced in the Supreme Court to-day. Mr. Justice Ostler is on tho Bench. The Crown Prosecutor,' Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, with him Mr. C. Evans Scott, is conducting the prosecution, and Mr. J. F. B. Stevenson, with him Mr. A. C. Mantell Harding, aro appearing for accused. Mr. Evans Scott said P. W' and L. Patterson were tho first and last persons from whom it was alleged Pimentel had falsely obtained money. There wero 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 bo called to give evidence. With slight variations, it w&s alleged that Pimentel represented to prospective agents:—(l) That he was the accredited representative of tho Mecca Oil Company, with headquarters in California; (2) that the company had its own oil wellj and refineries there; (3) that it was one of tho oldest oil companies in tho world; (4) that a person who invested capital in tho company under the conditions the accused offered could not bo 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 tho company was in a position which would enable it very shortly to be on a par with such companies as tho Atlantic Union, Texas, and other well-known companies. Oil Purchased Locally. 'Pimenters story was believed, and in some cases money 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 peoplo who had dealt with accused received oil to the same value as 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 subsequent transactions, which led to a dispute in the office over accounts, which culminated in a fight., "I said to Pimento]," - said witness, "that I had had enough of him qnd his crook oil business, f was rising from a chair with tho statement in my hand, when he punched mo on the jaw and tried to snatch it away from me. He tore tho statement. I retaliated, and finished up by getting him against the wall, and punching him. He cried out for help, and eventually a man pulled me off him. T handed him my set of keys, and said I wanted a settlement in full on Monday morning." Witness said that tho statement handed to him on the following-Monday showed that Pimentel owed him £SO. Pimentel, however, owed him £94 6s Id, which he had not received back. Purchase of Oil Drums. Wimsett gave details of what had happened in a store in Dixon Street. Empty drums had been purchased from different oil companies, and ho 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 victimised by Pimentel, and representatives of oil companies detailed transactions concerning Pimentel's purchase of oil. Tho case Was then adjourned until tomorrow.