Trans Continental Talent / Wilhelmina Scouting Network / MODASCO ripoff; Ayman El-Difrawi, R. Edward Bell, Jason Hoffman, David B. Elliott, Rafiah Kashmiri, Lou Pearlman, Dieter Esch - some confederates orchestrating the perpetuation of this scam; Rip-off Report Investigation Orlando Florida

Keeping company with Dave Linn, his Times Square Office Director in their hay days. Ayman gettin' cozy with employees Confidential Source retains copyright to photo. No use allowed without specific permission from Rip-off Report If anyone has just arrived on the scene and finds oneself fairly perplexed by the cast of characters, who is associated with whom, why all the fake names and rapid turnover, not only of staff, but also of trade names; If you have wondered why the current form of the company has now become known as Trans Continental Talent and Wilhelmina Scouting Network; If you find yourself scratching your head and declaring it is just too complicated for you to bother with, don't feel alone - that is what most law enforcement agencies and media outlets have been doing for nearly the past five years. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of individuals have been ripped off. It would not have been so bad if they had only lost a couple thousand dollars, but with it, in many cases, went their dreams and their dignity. Even if they may have heard about Studio 58 Models, by the time they did, Studio 58 Models was probably shut down already and these scoundrels were off using a different name operating from a new venue. For all intents and purposes, the casual observer would think they were actually legitimate. Hell, the Better Business Bureau gave them a clean bill of health until just recently. Watch this report on this site for continued updates. We will be posting evidence; documents, photographs and affidavits of witnesses and victims. We will include our analysis of what went wrong and indict those who did not do their jobs to stop this from hurting so many people. However, we would be irresponsible if we did not also provide solid, serious suggestions for improvement to the system that failed not only the American public, but also victims around the world. This scam is described on Rip-off Report's front page story. This elaborate scheme began in Northern Virginia and that information is fairly well-developed as a result of our extensive investigation. During the course of this investigation, we were able to develope inside sources of information and several whistleblowers came forward to volunteer what they knew about the scams they witnessed. Fortunately, the main players in that part of the country were rounded up and sent off packing. The main architects of this scam are Ayman A. El-Difrawi aka Michael Difrawy aka Alec Defrawy and David B. Elliott. Alec and Dave were sent off to prison to pay their dues for the Shearson Management scam. Ralph Edward Bell and Jason Hoffman continued on operating Creative Artists and Model 1 only to be shut down by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). That should have been the end of it. None of them should have been together again. Alec and Dave were not allowed to be in the association of other known felons. Ed and Jason were not to be in the modeling business. That is why all the sneaking around and Ed Bell's denial on camera that he knew nothing about eModel.com. What we need to do is fill in some blanks that heretofore has been left unsaid. The key figures in this scam are not getting the notoriety they deserve. It is time that changes.

Ayman El-Difrawi: About 10 years and 80 lbs. ago

David B. Elliott: Evangelist for the business of scamming models. [Jason Hoffman's photos, however, are to be published later.] Ed Bell: Much younger looking in these 2 photos, thanks to Lady Clairol. [Courtesy of WKMG] Lou Pearlman is a central figure mostly because that's the only place he can stand. But seriously folks, according to sources of Rip-off Report, not unlike the rest of the individuals in this scam, Lou already had a well-known reputation as an accused racketeer long before hooking up with these four individuals, largely because of the efforts of attorney Bill Yanger. As Yanger points out in the lawsuit he crafted for Aaron Carter, Case No. 02-05780 of Thirteenth Judicial Circuit for Hillsborough County, State of Florida, Civil Division, Pearlman and his Record Label "have constituted an enterprise (the 'Racketeering Enterprise') as defined in 772.102(3) Florida Statutes." CLICK HERE: to view excerpts from that lawsuit. Louis J. Pearlman Also highly complicit in this scam is Ayman's mommy, the enabler, Rafiah Kashmiri. She acts as the cutout for Ayman so that he can continue hurting people. That makes her a co-conspirator and just a guilty by most clear judgements. Rafiah Kashmiri: Ayman's mommy and facilitator of all this mess. Rafiah owns and operates Modasco and heavy military defense contractor. That company models simulations for the F-16, tactical maneuver simulations for the USMC, and super optic programs for our surveillance satellite systems. As soon as Ayman got out of prison he set up Studio 58 Models which was co-located with his mother's company. She has a trust set up in her name with offshore banking in the West Indies, according to sensitive sources. All of Ayman's income goes into the trust. When Ayman wants to get paid he gets it from his mom. It makes it look like he makes no income.

CLICK HERE: To see Alec modus operandi when faced with a legal complaint; register as an indigent. Then he doesn't have to pay for the defense of his crimes, the people and his mother pay.

MODASCO offices of Rafiah Kashmiri, Alec's mommy. Ayman has a violent criminal past as well, and has chosen to select a small boy as his victim. He was arrested for aggravated assault on a child and child abuse. Shortly after Ayman's arrest, the boys mother, Ayman's estranged girlfriend, was approached by David B. Elliot and asked how much to make this all go away. CLICK HERE: To see the two criminal charges filed against Alec Defrawy.

_______________________________________________________________________ UPDATE: September 24, 2003 _______________________________________________________________________

Part of the unfolding drama surrounding the public shake-up inside Pearlman's Trans Continental Companies includes his alleged past and continuing abuse of the Wilhelmina mark by Dieter Esch.

Dieter Esch: Retired? president of Wilhelmina and heir apparent to the scam. About a year ago, Alec Defrawy and his minions began courting Wilhelmina to acquire the status associated with the name. Ray Lata, who had previously been fairly public about his disdain for this company became one of its most avid supporters. Ostensibly, Dieter would have to know the details of the affiliation, which was first announced publicly on RipoffReport.com. This order is interesting because it refers to elements of the agreement which was previously not known. It also establishes what was previously known by both Dieter and Lou because at least Lou has denied he knew about the perpetration of fraud. Attached is a Cease & Desist Letter from Dieter Esch to Lou Pearlman concerning his continued use of the Wilhelmina mark. This is monumental because it memorializes and documents part of the advertising and telemarketing scam. The cease & desist letter from Dieter Esch to Lou Pearlman regarding the abuse of the Wilhelmina mark and the employment of various scams.

EVOLUTION OF THE SCAM

In the beginning was MODASCO, and it appeared benign, but it also harbored an evil which was of her own creation. So, she brought him forth and called his name Ayman, and Michael, and Alec, and Brian....

Rafiah Kashmiri is Ayman's mommy, and it is in her name that a trust was set up. This trust is affiliated with the formation of Studio 58 Models, eModel.com, Options Talent, Trans Continental Talent and Wilhelmina Scouting Network. MODASCO: Headquarters for Scam Central & co-location of Studio 58 Models; offices of Rafiah Kashmiri, Alec's mommy. The facility at the Lake Ellenor Drive location, which served as transition to Options Talent. This is when Dave Elliot rejoined Ayman in a attempt to make "some serious money." Former offices of a previous iteration of the same scam - eModel.com. The infamous stairways at eModel, leading to Options Talent. At the pinnacle of their success, this is the Boiler Room, where the high pressure telemarketing sales tactics were used to strip people of the money, dreams and dignity. Dave Elliott bragged that he personally trained these people because he had the skills to know how to say just the right thing and make them feel what he wanted them to feel. This was his baby, and he was the Puppetmaster. Former home of the telemarketing pit of vipers - the Boiler Room. Thanks to the perseverance and integrity of the Florida Assistant Attorney General, Jackie Dowd, and her investigator, Mike Wenger, who has made a career of busting Ayman El-Difrawi and Dave Elliott, this scam is significantly downsized. The telemarketing operation is supposedly closed, however, WSN / TCT still run advertisement in the "open market," which are those locations where there is no franchise close enough recruitment and servicing, and the toll free lines are still manned. There are only about six people let in the operation, however, TCT has reported that the telemarketing operation has completely shut down. These misrepresentations make it very difficult to come to any point in obtaining redress for victims of this scam. Once, these parking lots were full of Alec Defrawy & Dave Elliott's hustlers; their personal trained monkeys. Now, even the grass has overgrown in the overflow lot. It was reported that several undesirables were expelled from TCT, and in fact, Lou Pearlman had to postpone one of his meetings at the office of the Attorney General because of problems with Ayman, who purportedly had taken several computers. After Ayman's criminal defense attorney spoke with TCT HQ they suddenly backed off that story and told the Orlando Sentinel that Ayman and his crew left "on friendly terms." This reporter is not entirely convinced that separate activities, such as the start up of Model Search America at the Grand National Executive Park, Building 7011, Suite 104, are actually attempts to branch out on their own, but instead into another very-much-connected operation of Trans Continental Talent. At any rate, Lou has a lot to answer for and it looks like he has been left holding the bag. Looking for new opportunities, Alec and his entourage have found greener pastures and a new venue for the HQ of another scam, Model Search America - Orlando. COMING SOON: More Evolution, Taxonomy & Analysis of this unfolding scam Frank Torelli - Investigative Reporter Toronto, Ontario
Canada Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Options Talent Emodel.com Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Trans Continental Talent AKA Options Talent Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Monster.com Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Wilhelmina