The Blogfather

Help requested in locating accused embezzler's assets

• Fraud investigating firm requests help from anyone who has knowledge of Jeffrey and Jeannine's assets--totally confidential--see below for more info
• Jeffrey and Jeannine legally allow marine surveyer to evaluate boats
  
• Cambium Learning's bond rating decreased as a direct result of alleged embezzlement
• No electricity or water at Jeffrey's property in Florida with $250,000 worth of landscaping

Members of the Jeffrey Windle Fan Club have been parched for news lately, but a few tidbits have tumbled in over the last couple of weeks, and as always, I'm happy to share. Jeffrey Windle, 41, a former resident of Harwich Port who is accused of embezzling $14 million from his employer, Natick-based Cambium Learning, Inc. and between $200,000 and $400,000 from the South Dennis Congregational Church, was arrested on May 2nd and is in federal custody, being held without bail  (see previous blog postings on the Windle case at the bottom of this posting.)  Jeffrey's case is one the most spectacular allegations of embezzlement in Cape Cod history. 
Every day, I check the U.S. District Court of Boston's website and two other sources for news of Jeffrey's plea or sentencing, and in the last two weeks, there has been nada of interest except for a new document I'll explain below. We are rapidly approaching the end of June, when apparently, Jeffrey is supposed to plead guilty or not guilty, and be sentenced or go to trial, unless another extension is filed.

Since my last blog posting, I have heard from many people:  residents of the Placida, Florida neighborhood where Jeffrey's $2.5 million+ compound is located;  people formerly of Cambium Learning, Inc., the company he is accused of stealing $14 million from; the fraud investigating firm, Stroz Freidberg, which Cambium Learning hired to help locate Jeffrey and his wife Jeannine's assets;   people associated with the South Dennis Congregational Church, where Jeffrey acted as volunteer treasurer and also whose accounts he allegedly used to launder Cambium's money; as well as past personal acquaintances of Jeff's family and Jeannine's family.  The list goes on and on.  I have  emailed the 118-page court report which details Jeffrey's alleged embezzlement to at least 50 people from all over the country who have requested it. 

Please help Stroz Friedberg, the fraud investigating firm--dedicated and discreet email and phone line

Stroz Friedberg was hired by Cambium to locate as many of Jeffrey and Jeannine's assets as possible.    Cambium, which employs many people, is reeling from this incident and needs to get back what it can.     If you've been reading this blog, you can probably do the math and figure out that the houses, cars, and boats don't add up to $14 million.  Jeffrey and Jeannine were reportedly VERY big spenders on all sorts of things (that's for another blog posting).  If you know of anything or anyone who can point Stroz in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.   They are looking for assets--bank accounts, real estate, etc.   I have spoken to the Senior Investigator, Thomas Kelly,  and he is a nice guy to deal with.   Here's what he emailed me:

 Stroz Friedberg Investigations ("SFI") is looking for anyone who may beable to provide information about Jeffrey or Jeannine Windle.  Specifically, we are looking to speak to anyone who may have engaged Jeffrey and Jeannine Windle in conversations with a specific focus on their source of wealth and their assets.  We have a dedicated email address and phone number that can be used to contact SFI with any relevant information.  All information will be confidential.
Email:   jwinfo@strozllc.com   Telephone:  (212) 766-6035   Thomas Kelley

Boring documents about boat surveying & out-of-state attorneys

There was a flurry of documents filed recently in the U.S. District Court in Boston (after two weeks of nothing) in the Windle case, and if anyone else who doesn't have a life wants to read them, I'll email them to you.  But in a nutshell, the documents say that Jeffrey and Jeannine have given their consent for Cambium Learnings' hired marine surveyor to evaluate (this must mean appraise) the boats.      There are also documents relating to Cambium's hiring attorneys in  New York and Florida for work on this case, even though the case is in Masschusetts.     I had to look up many legal terms in Wikipedia and I wish I could've uncovered something juicy but so far, zilcho.    These legal documents are a good cure for insomnia, I'll tell you.

Cambium Learning's bond rating decreased as a direct result of alleged embezzlement

This I've known for about two weeks.    Here's the bottom line:  Cambium Learning is a privately held company which does about $100 million per year in revenue.  What their net profit is on this, I don't know, but say it's $10 million.    Jeffrey allegedly stole $14 million, albeit over 4 years.   This company has had 3 CEO's in the past 6 years.  They have acquired companies and been acquired.  Their total debt stands at $131 million.  And recently, their corporate credit rating was cut from B to B-- by Moody's.   What this means is that when Cambium wants to borrow money, it is now going to have to pay 1 to 1.5 points above prime, according to a former stockbroker I spoke with. When you're borrowing millions, this works out to big bucks.   A recent comment on my previous blog posting reads:

I worked for that company for almost 6 years until last year. i still have friends there that tell me they owe just the garbage company over $ 40,000 and cant get the trash and card board hauled off.

Water cut off, Florida property's landscaping on brink of frying

Jeffrey and Jeannine own  two adjacent properties on the intracoastal waterway in Placida, Florida, which have very recently installed, very extensive landscaping worth upwards of $400,000.   (See picture at right.)  Since Jeffrey's arrest May 2,  no landscapers have maintained the property.  The neighbors were very concerned about what would happen to the property once the electricity and water were turned off for nonpayment,  since the automatic irrigation system is powered by electricity, and of course, water.

 Well, that has finally happened.    As of yesterday, the water and electricity were cut off.  My source tells me the landscaping will really "go to hell" now and will all be gone in 2-3 weeks in the Florida heat.    Concerned neighbors have contacted people at Cambium to see what can be done before this property turns into an ugly eyesore but Cambium has not acted.   Cambium did have someone out there taking pictures of the properties a couple of weeks ago.  

The situation reminds me of the doggerel which begins, "For want of a nail, the shoe was lost..."  I of course don't know all the legal ramifications of this, but I know that technically Cambium does not own the properties (yet) but they probably will soon.    It was Cambium's money which paid for the properties and  the landscaping.  I'm sure the electric and water companies don't care who pays the bill as long as they're paid.  And the properties will suffer a huge depreciation in value if all the landscaping dies (and affect the property values of the whole neighborhood as well.)  This whole thing was finally publicized locally in the Sarasota Herald Tribune on May 26th.   A total of $300,00 in liens have been filed by various subcontractors. 

I have received many emails and calls with tips about this case.  All are appreciated.

Call or email me:   Julie Brooks --508-385-0003 x 106

Past postings related to the Windle case:

Windle allegedly used church for money laundering

$14 million in attachments filed in alleged Harwich embezzler case

Alleged Harwich Port embezzler built lavish compound in Florida

Alleged embezzler's attorney arrested for gun threat

Accused embezzler's mark on Dennis

Googleable: A Tale of Two Houses