Kieth Cantore Scam Artist! Please help!

Michael,
I am sypathetic to your situation. You say you have an attorney working on it for you. While I would hope that others with means to get you information would choose to, by no means would I feel that they are obligated, or that it is in their best interests to. Your lawyer should make a written request of Lee ... his show is relocating BTW and will continue full-force. Lee will do whatever his attorney advises him, and it may be to not provide you with any additional information. This is not a situation where Lee or anyone else is protecting Keith, but rather his own position and obligation. In any case, a formal request from your attorney is far more proper than to throw around Lee's name here as though he has not done the right thing. You need to get a grip on the process other than to question Lee here in this forum, and your attorney can advise you there. Thank you for the head's up, and good luck.

Thanks to all you guys. I really appreciate the responses. As a matter of fact. I was notified by a BOI user via telephone today. His name was Vic ??? he stated he had been ripped off by Keith for some Albino Softshells. I knew this wasn't the first time. As far as Paypal. The paypal employees told me that for the Seller Protection Policy to be in effect the item had to be sold through e-bay. I have not checked that out yet. Hey Griz, please let me know what you find out from Lee Watson. I found out from this guy Vic today that Keith is storing his animals with a friend in Illinois before he got put in jail. Chances are my tortoise is still in IL. Everyone be on the look out for a 20 or 21 inch Aldabra for sale in Monee, IL. or that surrounding area. I appreciate any and all feedback. Thanks to all!

Hello Jim. I by no means have anything against Lee. In fact, I mentioned that I have only heard good things about him. I was just bothered by his coment that he was not willing to help. A friend should always be there for there friend through good times and bad, I agree. But this is about right and wrong. I would hope that Lee would reconsider. You sound like you know him. I would appreciate it if you would have him call or enter this thread. That's all. I am not a rich man and cannot afford to pay for this $3,800. It is a lot of money for me and my wife has been out of work for the past 6 months. I have had no other choice which is why I was hoping to get some help from my fellow herpers on the BOI.

The paypal seller protection doesn't cover live animals and Credit Card companies can go back to paypal to recover funds when ever they want to. Seems that each company has their own rules. Randy

Michael,
No one is questioning that you have a problem with Keith, that $3800 is not a trifle, etc. I think it a stretch for you to characterize Lee as having some sort of a "friend to a friend" obligation, and I do not mean to imply that Lee's motivation revolves around a friendship. I highly doubt it. I see it more as a legal obligation on his part to not provide you with info to contact Keith's family who may think Keith is a bum as well. There are far more legal ramifications for others to have to consider here than you acknowledge in deriding Lee for his stance. BTW, I have never met Lee, although we have mutual friends. I would hope that anyone here who may be able to help you would help you. But it is not as simple as that in our current civil litigation society. Let me suggest that while you claim is is about "right and wrong", it is still just a discussion in the BOI. If it truly involves legal matters, or matters where civil litigation is possible, by all means lake requests, send emails, etc. I wouldn't fault you here for saying that you had asked for help in contacting relations of Keith, but I think it a step too far to criticize those as you have who said they were unable to. In essance, you are using hte BOI to pressure people who have done nothing wrong solely because they have made a legal or ethical choice that while not the answer you want, is certainly within their rights, and may be prudent for them. Use your attorney to find these relationships. Spend $60 with one of the internet search sites and you'll find lots of contacts for this guy. Surely your lawyer knows how to get the info and what to do with it.

Jim. I am just a guy that either wants his tortoise back or to be reimbursed for the money that has been taken from me. Nothing more, nothing less. You seem to be getting a little bit too worked up over this. You have also missed the whole point or have not read all of my responses here. All I wanted Lee to do is contact Keith's family for me and pass along my information and have them call me at their leisure. I am trying to be as nice as possible even try to solve the problem with as little trouble for Keith as possible. A parent, I feel, would appreciate the gesture on behalf of their son. This "is" about right and wrong. Everyone else that has replied has acknowledged that except for you. If it were my friend that was in jail, I sure would let the family know what is going on. I also feel a lot of others would feel the same way. Everyone else seems to understand where I have been coming from. Just trying to get the message to Keith's family.

Jim. I am looking for help which is why I started this thread or discussion. I am not looking to argue or have a debate with you. I would like a positive respsone only please. Keith Cantore ripped me off for $3,800 and kept my tortoise. Lee knows the family and how to get in contact with Keith. Someone please contact Lee or anyone that know the family and have them contact me, PLEASE. Thanks!

Here's a bit more information as to other people who have dealt with him. It at least gives you some more options as to who to contact.

http://www.reptiforum.com/forum/arch...php/t-938.html

Griz

Michael, you say:

Jim. I am looking for help which is why I started this thread or discussion. I am not looking to argue or have a debate with you. I would like a positive respsone only please. Keith Cantore ripped me off for $3,800 and kept my tortoise. Lee knows the family and how to get in contact with Keith. Someone please contact Lee or anyone that know the family and have them contact me, PLEASE. Thanks!

By all means, avail yourself of the BOI, asking for help. But when you don't get the answers you want, or a lack of cooperation as you want it to be, just give it a thought. To say "I would like a positive response only please" .... well, WTF, you don't always get the answer you want ! I have tried nicely to explain that business folk such as Lee have legal concerns that you have not considered. You claim to have an attorney. Use him. There are many other means available to you, legally, that you have not availed yourself of that are cheap and thorough, rather than come here and ask this community to help you put pressure on Lee to give you a response other than the one you got. It would be nice if Lee helped you more, but it is also completely understandable, and moreso by the minute, that he has not as things currently stand. Making it sound like there's a rule out there about "herpers helping herpers" is naive if you think it trumps legal issues. Its about more than your $3800 Mike when you reach out to others to provide you information that may not be in their best legal interests to provide willy nilly. Sorry Mike, but you've disregarded the concerns of others in pursuit of your own problem. Ask away, but don't publicly chastise, or attempt some kind or peer pressure rally just because you didn't like the answer. There are other means still available to you besides burning bridges.

You have a good start on names, etc. now use your attorney. No matter what Jim and others post, none of it will do what lawyer and the law can. The magic button you are looking for that will give you your money or animal back doesn't exist. Get the system rolling and the slow gears turning in the system.