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Vincent Russello, attempting a scam

I agree...

that he should be locked up. He should be locked up until he admits he lied. The sad thing is that people like Vince are pathological. If you read some of the replies he wrote regarding the lies he was definitely caught in, they sound so believeable. Vince has probably convinced himself that he is telling the truth.

None of us are without fault. At some point in our lives we have all done something that we knew was wrong. What matters the most is how we handled it. Did we admit we were wrong, or did we try to cover it up like Vince is doing. I personally dont know how the guy can sleep at night, but thats just me.

And that isnt to say I have not made some stupid choices in my life or that I am better than anyone. Im just saying that my conscience would eat me alive. I have in fact done some stupid thing in my life. Some of them were even criminal. But I stepped up to the plate and accepted responsibility for my actions and paid the price. Those lessons have made me a better person and a better father as well. Life is all about integrity. I have said it before, and I will say it again. If you do not have integrity, then you have squat!
 
I agree with Tom Baker here. The lawsuits in this country are getting more rediculous all the time. If you're just trying to scare him or teach him a lesson I can understand that, but to follow through on such a lawsuit or to expect any money back for expenses for a snake that you hadn't even won yet is very sad to me. Use the racks for something else.
 
arrgh...this is getting out of hand. Vince, you're not replying but I feel confident that you're reading, so here goes.

All I want from you is go through your supplies and come up with this-
1. A good 15 long aquarium (or a decent clear/see through equivalent, no $4.00 sterlite bin from WallyMart)
2. An escape proof screen top.
3. A good gradient heat source
4. Suitable substrate, food and water dishes, hide box and any other needed cage accessories.
5. One sub-adult healthy Leopard Gecko. Nothing fancy, just healthy .

Then make arrangments for a years worth of free crickets and worms for the animal.
Contact the Special Education Department at Cape Elementary School and see if one of the teachers is interested in a classroom pet. If not, find a Lee County Elementary School teacher who is.
Take the time to show the teacher how to correctly care for the animal, and spend some time answering questions for the kids.
Let us all know the name of the teacher as well as the school so we can check up on it if we want to.

Think of this as community service Vince. Nobody here want's anything more than you to humble yourself a bit, learn from your mistakes, and fail to make them in the future.
Don't think that this will just go away however. Moral questions aside, legal actions can easily be started against you. I just think this way is a more just punishment.
 
Nice idea the community service. Maybe the humility will change someone's thinking patterns and make him a better person.

I would like to comment on the idea of the law suit, even knowing that an attorney has advised it would fly.Sure it would make it into court, but it would in all likelihood fall on its face hard. Of course the lawyers does not care - he is willing to take a chance for up to 50% in contingency fees, and he gets paid for his expenses no matter what. Let me explain why it would be a failure:
Vince has admitted to commiting an illegal act, and a secondary result of doing this has ruined my potential to make upwards of $10,000 (a very conservative estimate).
Click to expand...
You see Vince did admit to, in my opinion, committing an illegal act; however there was no ruined potential of earning as much as $10,000 - unless you mean from the Fat Tail Gecko project you had been planning and tha
 
Nice idea the community service. Maybe the humility will change someone's thinking patterns and make him a better person.

I would like to comment on the idea of the law suit, even knowing that an attorney has advised it would fly.Sure it would make it into court, but it would in all likelihood fall on its face hard. Of course the lawyers does not care - he is willing to take a chance for up to 50% in contingency fees, and he gets paid for his expenses no matter what. Let me explain why it would be a failure:
Vince has admitted to commiting an illegal act, and a secondary result of doing this has ruined my potential to make upwards of $10,000 (a very conservative estimate).
Click to expand...
You see Vince did admit to, in my opinion, committing an illegal act; however there was no ruined potential of earning as much as $10,000 - unless you mean from the Fat Tail Gecko project you had been planning and that opportunity was not lost buy only delayed. As for the RED Gecko, there was no potential, in my view, for earning $1,000 let alone $10,000 or more; this is simply because there never was, in my opinion, a Red gecko! You may have believed that you would have made big money, but if your belief was based upon a falsehood or fraud then so be it, it was in error and was only an expectation not a potential.

Now you still have legal redress toward restitution. There was, in my opinion, fraud committed. There were also, in my opinion, criminal acts committed. According to you both the alleged fraud and the alleged criminal acts, at least in part, caused you to spend money or to make efforts in time, effort, money or goods toward an end that was not achievable because of alleged fraud. In other words you have a valid gripe, in my view, as to being paid back for the setups you bought and prepared for the Leos, also for your efforts and time, and also for any potential earnings lost due to the cancellation of the Fat Tailed Gecko (I think it was fat Tails anyhow - but you get my drift if it was something else) project. You would also likely get something for the pain in your butt that this has all become. But as for potential to earn $10,000 or more from the Red Gecko, I am ROTFLMAO.

Now back to the public service - GREAT IDEA. I hope that Vince really does it and that you receive and post verification that such was done. It would be nice to see some real good coming out of what I find to be this big mess.
 
That sounds very good to me, This whole thing has been blown way out of proportion. I have donated to schools in the past and know the perfect place to donate ether a bearded dragon, or one of my leopard geckos. I am just glad we can all put this to rest. I will have school contact information available in lets say 10 days. The school year is close to being over with here in florida, so maybe I can set something up this year for next school year.
 
Vince,

Actually it has not been blown out of proportion. Being blown out of proportion reflects that it was nothing bad but made to look worse than it was. IN this case it was and is BAD and nothing has been shown to be more than it really is. If you had been honest from the beginning and not shown a lack of ethics and respect it would never have gotten to this point. To me it does not sound like you are remorseful at all about the situation and what you have done.
 
Vince, how about just saying...

Vince said:
Rob, I am sorry if I misled anyone, and I apologize to all those involved.
Click to expand...

"Im sorry to those I misled." Because that is exactly what you did. To say "Im sorry IF I misled anyone is unacceptable at this point, as everyone (including you if you would admit it to yourself) knows that there is no IF about it!
 
I'm all about forgiveness when repentence has been shown, but I do have to point out that once someone has been proven to be an unethical liar, his words mean little to nothing.

Let's see some action on your part, Vince. Sell that leo to whomever it was that bid on it. Honor your deal, and THEN seek to do some good in the community by teaching kids about herps.

Saying you're sorry usually does it for me, but once someone proves he cannot be trusted ... the words are too hollow to be acceptable. Especially since, unless I am mistaken, this not the first time Vince has apologized to the BOI "with hat in hand" over something about which he was so very sorry. Actions are what speak louder for you, Vince.
 
I am sorry for any and all misleading and misunderstandings as to the Reptibid auction of the red leopard gecko, as well as my actions and reactions on posts of this thread. I will be makeing a donation of a leopard gecko including all needed equipment to PineIsland Elemantry in the next week or two. Information will be sent as soon as possable, directly to the email of critterfarms, then to be posted on the thread.
 
Vince said:
I am sorry for any and all misleading and misunderstandings as to the Reptibid auction of the red leopard gecko, as well as my actions and reactions on posts of this thread. I will be makeing a donation of a leopard gecko including all needed equipment to PineIsland Elemantry in the next week or two. Information will be sent as soon as possable, directly to the email of critterfarms, then to be posted on the thread.
Click to expand...

We each have our own opinion, but mine is:
Good for you Vince
When the kids see the gecko, they'll be thinking of you as a great guy. Remember this. It feels pretty good.


P.S. you might not want to give them the infamous red gecko, as it's still listed at repti-bid and you don't want to start a new set of problems.
 
We each have our own opinion, but mine is:
Good for you Vince
When the kids see the gecko, they'll be thinking of you as a great guy. Remember this. It feels pretty good.

Mr. Hildenbrand,
I applaud your efforts and sense of reason in this matter. I do not pretend to know what you were trying to accomplish earlier with the possibility of litigation in this thread, but now I have seen the light so to speak. I applaud you for, in my estimation, the life lesson you are conducting. Best of luck in all your endeavors.

Best regards,

Carson Grindstaff
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for your understanding and support. I no longer have a reptibid account for now so there is no problem there. Once again things went way to far due to the way i have acted and i am sorry for all of it.
 
vince, we've all heard the sincere appology from you before. Your behavior on this thread has TOTALLY negated your previous appology.

I really hope you're sincere this time because I believed you last time.

Wes Pollock
 
Python Dreams said:
I only think it's dishonest if a suit is filed and the defense attorney would probably use this thread of wether anyone truly believed Vince. Is that what I am hearing? That some people really believed Vince had a one of a kind "Red Leopard Gecko?
Tom Baker
Click to expand...

I said earlier that when my issue here was put to rest I'd talk about this a bit.

I really did go to a lawyer. My father happens to hold one on retainer, and he is a really decent guy. He knew this was more of a lesson to be learned thing than a serious inquiry on a lawsuit. He looked over what i showed him and said his opinion on some of it. The part that really got me thinking was his answer when I asked him the same as Tom is questioning above.

We all say the gecko is not red, but we have never seen it. Our opinion is only an educated guess on the probability of a red gecko appearing from an egg.
Vince on the other hand, has seen it. And according to him, offered unaltered photographic proof of it's existance. The only testimony admissable on the matter (in my lawyers opinion) would be Vince's. He would either have to say yes it is red, and produce it, or say no it is not red and admit to deception. In a nutshell whatever we all think means very little. ALL of us need to remember this when we sell an animal sight unseen. The buyer can only depend on what we as sellers tell him, and we need to make sure even the thickest skulled buyer (we've ALL had them ;) ) understands to our satisfaction. If not, in the eyes of the law it could very well be our fault.
 
Good to see that this is finally coming to a close. Vince, I hope you follow through on this. Sometimes it's hard to admit that it was a "misleading" attempt. Wether deliberate or not. However, this could have been over some time ago. Good luck The only consolidation is that hopefully "some" good will come of this.
 
I am amazed....

I can't believe how many people here were so forthright in condemming Vince, and yet are now so quick to dismiss his behavior. I am all for hoping Vince sees the error in his ways, but i'm not going to be so quick to buy the half hearted sincerities of his twice proven unethical behaviors. I think the apology is lacking in all seriousness.

Vince are you now admitting to altering the original photo? or are you only coming half clean? Do you intend to finally answer the various questions by the member s of this board that previously you would only answer with one lined jibberish?

Normally i'm a pretty easy going, forgiving guy, but I was one of the people whom reached out to Vince when he had his tantrum on a previous thread. I believed every word he said and he basically spit in my face and every self respecting member on this board. To accpet an apology from someone in this nature with no proof of his intentions undermines the integrity of this board. How often do you guys believe the 'bad guys' without Proof Proof Proof from them when doing wrong, why not proof for a bad guy whom says he will do right? Just my 2 cents
 
I agree!

I think vince did something very unethical, not to mention something very ilegal, and all he has to do is say he is sorry and all is forgiven. think Vince's half heatred apology, and having to give up his $20 gecko is way to soft of a punishment. that is total negative re-enforcment. The only thing that he has learned is to be a better liar. I truly do not know what the correct punishment should be but making him say he is sorry, I don't think is it either. If I sound harsh, oh well. Do you think if one of us had tried to do the same thing, we would have gotten off as easy? just my .02c
 
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