Stephen Bassett - Steve Bassett and is in debt to many people, walked out on his obligation to reciprocate for months of sponging off me, Internet

Steve Bassett, who operates http://paradigmresearchgroup.org (its not a group but is Steve acting as if there is a group), is threatening me. His lawyer tells me he will file a defamation lawsuit unless I take down a report I have about Steve on a page on my blog. What follows is from the page:

[See update below] Steve Bassett has effectively stolen $1,650 from me. When someone on whom youve showered support let alone money turns on you, in addition to getting hit in your bank account its a hit in the solar plexus.

After Steve showed my film at a conference he produced a couple of years ago, I became his home away from home for several relatively brief visits to Los Angeles. In response to his desperate phone call before he arrived for his most recent stay, in November of 2010, I loaned Steve the $1,650 customs fee for 5,000 of Kim Carlsbergs books hed gotten produced, so they would not be returned to the Orient. Steve being many thousands of dollars in debt, there werent good prospects for repayment, but being in it with him for the long haul I did it for my friend. Only hes not my friend.

I told Steve this time he had to be on a work exchange, considering he wanted to stay for a few months, eat my food, drive my car, and have Kim stay with me for several weeks while my place turned into a fulfillment center for the piles of books that glutted it. It was too much service for me not to ask for something back. However, one night, after two and half months of dodging my suggestions for what he could do for me in the work exchange he had agreed to, he got a friend to pick him up and he snuck out. Not even a goodbye. And he told friends of mine who wanted to know what happened that I was difficult.

Im not the only one Steve has taken advantage of. This user, who prevails on good-hearted people to give him aid, needs to be exposed. Be in touch if you want details. And watch out for Steve. Me today, you tomorrow

Update: On September 30, I received a repayment of my $1650 loan. Steve asked me to remove this post, but there is still performance owed to me on the work exchange that he never delivered. I will do as he requests if and when that debt is satisfied.