RUDY KURNIAWAN & GLOBAL WINE AUCTION FRAUD THREAD (MERGED)

[NickC]

and the hits keep coming

[scott c l a f f e e]

Hey look, it's a copy of The Drops of God sitting next to those four Jayer bottles.

That's awesome. I bet he could have gotten some good ideas from the "New World" book, of wines that could potentially fool someone into thinking they were from the old world.

[Keith Levenberg]

Steinberger has a new-ish Rudy post on his blog (10/25) for anyone who missed it.
http://winediarist.com/catch-him-if-you-can/

[Dan Collins]

Thanks, Don. I think the photos provide a good window into Kurniawan's chaotic state of mind. The aluminum covering the kitchen window is an interesting touch. Did Rudy think someone might manage to peek through the kitchen blinds, or that the aluminum would block electronic snooping devices? Probably both. I suspect that Rudy continued to think he was smarter than everybody else even as he was carted away by the FBI ....

[Bruce Leiserowitz]

It's very disillusioning to see that nothing was temperature controlled. But at least he blacked out the kitchen window so they wines wouldn't get direct sunlight.

John--I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. Do you really feel the temperature control issue is the critical one here?

Bruce

[Charlie Fu (Online)]

Rudy's Mom should be ashamed at the mess his "millionaire" son lived in.

actually, I was gonna say "looks just like an old chinese person's house"

[Charlie Fu (Online)]

Thanks, Don. I think the photos provide a good window into Kurniawan's chaotic state of mind. The aluminum covering the kitchen window is an interesting touch. Did Rudy think someone might manage to peek through the kitchen blinds, or that the aluminum would block electronic snooping devices? Probably both. I suspect that Rudy continued to think he was smarter than everybody else even as he was carted away by the FBI ....

nah just chinese. Wanted to keep out the sun.

[Dan Collins]

It's very disillusioning to see that nothing was temperature controlled. But at least he blacked out the kitchen window so they wines wouldn't get direct sunlight.

John--I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. Do you really feel the temperature control issue is the critical one here?

Bruce

I think John was being ironic. You can't help but laugh at the same time you shake your head at Rudy's outrageous home counterfeiting factory.

[John Morris]

Dan - You guessed right.

[Brad Kane]

Dan - You guessed right.

I was waiting for you to offer Bruce shares in a bridge, John.

[John Morris]

He's clearly a mark.

[Bruce Leiserowitz]

Dan - You guessed right.

Well, I assumed you probably were being sarcastic, but you know what they say about making assumptions.

Anyhoooooo.....the label-less bottles on the treadmill are so amazingly symbolic..........

Bruce

[Peter Chiu]

Rudy's Mom should be ashamed at the mess his "millionaire" son lived in.

actually, I was gonna say "looks just like an old chinese person's house"

Based on my own personal experience I agree with what Charlie said....

My friends often laugh when I told them that I did not remember where I put my wines ( and could not find them ).

[Erica Landin]

What a great thread! I made it through 40 pages until I realized half a work-day had gone by and I really should stop. I'll be writing on this for a high-end Swedish magazine (akin to Monocle) and don't worry - I definitely know where the research came from. Was actually sitting with a respected Decanter writer when Don's original detailed post broke. Glad to be able to follow it up in a non-wine magazine as well, and with room for some depth.

Good job to all of you! Don, how may I get a hold of you for an interview?

[andy velebil]

Anyone read the reasons AMC returned bottles to him....included wrong color wax on some DRC's.

[Dan Collins]

What a great thread! I made it through 40 pages until I realized half a work-day had gone by and I really should stop. I'll be writing on this for a high-end Swedish magazine (akin to Monocle) and don't worry - I definitely know where the research came from. Was actually sitting with a respected Decanter writer when Don's original detailed post broke. Glad to be able to follow it up in a non-wine magazine as well, and with room for some depth.

Good job to all of you! Don, how may I get a hold of you for an interview?

Welcome, Erica. Please continue to contribute.

[Erica Landin]

I hope I HAVE something to contribute to this thread - I feel most of the story has already been unearthed by Don and the group here, and chronicled very well in Vanity Fair and New York Magazine! If I find any news, I will of course share.

However, if anyone needs tips on the other end of the scale from 1947 DRC (meaning recent vintages of nice small grower wines) from places like South Africa or Champagne, do feel free to send me a message.

[Don Cornwell]

Anyone read the reasons AMC returned bottles to him....included wrong color wax on some DRC's.

Andy:

I wondered whether the reasons were provided by Acker or the person(s) who originally purchased the bottles and either returned them or refused to accept delivery. I suspect that it is the latter.

[andy velebil]

In this listed pic there is on open bottle of Heintz on the counter. I guess Cali Cab is every bit as good as Bordeaux when you switch bottles
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s38 ... eclExI.jpg

This one has Ridge Monte Bello (can't read vintage), (possibly 1974) Charles Krug, Brewer Clifton, and Aubert among others.
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s38 ... eclExM.jpg

[andy velebil]

Anyone read the reasons AMC returned bottles to him....included wrong color wax on some DRC's.

Andy:

I wondered whether the reasons were provided by Acker or the person(s) who originally purchased the bottles and either returned them or refused to accept delivery. I suspect that it is the latter.

I wondered the same when I saw it. I'm sure in time we'll know if those were pre or post auction returns.

[John Morris]

This one has Ridge Monte Bello (can't read vintage), (possibly 1974) Charles Krug, Brewer Clifton, and Aubert among others.
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s38 ... eclExM.jpg

Plus a 2007 Guigal Cotes du Rhone! What do you suppose that was repackaged as? Beaucastel?

[SteveG]

This one has Ridge Monte Bello (can't read vintage), (possibly 1974) Charles Krug, Brewer Clifton, and Aubert among others.
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s38 ... eclExM.jpg

Plus a 2007 Guigal Cotes du Rhone! What do you suppose that was repackaged as? Beaucastel?

Isn't red Rhone traditionally used to improve Burgundy?

[SteveG]

...I am glad to note that Rudy doesn't waste any money on Vacuvin or such trifles

[P. ONeill]

This one has Ridge Monte Bello (can't read vintage), (possibly 1974) Charles Krug, Brewer Clifton, and Aubert among others.
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s38 ... eclExM.jpg

Plus a 2007 Guigal Cotes du Rhone! What do you suppose that was repackaged as? Beaucastel?

The thing that caught my eye was the Joel Gott. And not in a good way. I guess it gives a certain "freshness" to older wines…..

[Keith Levenberg]

Well, score one for Robert Parker. Rudy clearly wasn't counterfeiting Brewer-Clifton, so he must have been opening the stuff to funnel into DRC bottles. I guess Parker isn't the only one who can't tell the difference.

[Bruce Leiserowitz]

Well, score one for Robert Parker. Rudy clearly wasn't counterfeiting Brewer-Clifton, so he must have been opening the stuff to funnel into DRC bottles. I guess Parker isn't the only one who can't tell the difference.

Brewer-Clifton isn't "Burgundian?" Keith, don't you know how to use the Spoiler Alert function?

Bruce

[P. ONeill]

Brewer Clifton + Guigal Cotes du Rhone = Marcassin PN?

[Siun o'Connell]

It's all so tawdry ... one wants a bit of glamour in the fraudster's operation but we just get oh so mundane townhouse with treadmill decor.

[billnanson]

It's all so tawdry ... one wants a bit of glamour in the fraudster's operation but we just get oh so mundane townhouse with treadmill decor.

"Like!"

[Matthew Brown]

It's all so tawdry ... one wants a bit of glamour in the fraudster's operation but we just get oh so mundane townhouse with treadmill decor.

'Mondovino' meets 'Boogie Nights'?

[D Jorgenson]

Don had an inside source the whole time! Well played...

[Andrew Hall]

Is there a way to get get access to the full hi-res pics or other evidence pics?

I ask in particular because a question arose about an image of Jayer Richebourg on CT. There look to be similarities with the irregularities of that image and what I can see with the Jayer Richebourg set up for photography. I can't see the details close enough to be sure though.

It is not a big deal. I am just really curious.

A.

[M Champney]

Don had an inside source the whole time! Well played...

Is that green bananas between 7 and 8 o’clock in the circled area? That would make it a lock.

[Matt Snow]

I'm just catching up with this motion to suppress stuff. Don, you may be right that the government will successfully oppose, but you have to ask yourself, why in the world didn't the agents get their search warrant before showing up to arrest Rudy? Hard to believe they had probable cause to arrest an unemployed guy on charges of extensive fraud and no probable cause to search his home for evidence of the fraud. Particularly given the evidence you cite from the original complaint that there had been shipments of empty bottles and blank labels to the house. Seems to me they'd have saved themselves a lot of trouble and a likely appeal if they had just played it by the book.

-- Matt

Rudy Kurniawan has moved to suppress the evidence resulting from the search of his townhome on the grounds that the FBI’s “protective sweep” of his townhome at the time of his arrest (at about 6:00 a.m. on March 8, 2012) was in fact an illegal warrantless search. Kurniawan argues that the evidence which the FBI agents claimed to have discovered “in plain view” during that sweep was beyond the limited scope of a lawful “protective sweep” of a residence at the time of arrest permitted under a 1990 Supreme Court case entitled Maryland v. Buie. Kurniawan’s motion was filed on October 12. The government’s response has not yet been filed and it is due to be filed on or before October 26.

While my practice is limited to civil litigation rather than criminal cases, the motion to suppress in my opinion is unlikely to succeed.

* * * * *

A review of the agents' lengthy affidavit in support of the request for the search warrant demonstrates that it was based in large measure on the evidence described in the complaint which had been filed under seal two days before Rudy Kurniawan’s arrest, including evidence of a number of shipments of empty labeled wine bottles to the Naomi address and evidence of exten[s]ive purchases of the materials needed to produce counterfeit wines all shipped to that address.

[Ken V]

In this listed pic there is on open bottle of Heintz on the counter. I guess Cali Cab is every bit as good as Bordeaux when you switch bottles

Heintz? You mean a squirt of ketchup makes a Cali Cab taste like a Bordeaux or the other way around?