Warbird Information Exchange

What I find a shame is the fact that we have seemingly another warbird collector (fortunately just a few over the years that I'm aware of) who commit fraud to acquire and maintain airplanes, open up a museum to house them for enthusiasts to enjoy, then start to lose them once their fraudulent activities are proven to be true by a judge and jury. This is how I read the link to Sessions predicament. Am I missing something here?.

So although this is indeed a shame, it's hard to feel much sympathy for those who choose to commit fraud to satisfy their passions. The museum was a great place to pay a visit and appreciate warbirds, both on display and in the air, but had I known then what I know now, I wouldn't be a fan of this collection and that's indeed a shame.

Warbird enthusiasts can appreciate Sessions for who he is and his commitment to the Warbird movement, but where does one draw the line between admiration for someone who partakes in warbird collecting and doing so by fraudulent means.

I'd like to be proven wrong in my assessment since I have met John a couple of times (unknowing his situation) and appreciated the experience.

I feel the exact same way. While I do feel sympathy for what happened to him physically as a result of the Rapide incident, I have no sympathy for his financial predicament. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Hopefully he will practice better ethics with his next endeavors.

_________________
Matt

I understand those feelings. Myself and the other volunteers are very disappointed in the situation.
After all, some had donated hundreds of hours a year to the organization with the thought they were building a lasting resource for the community.

However, it's probably a bit more of a gray area than the opinions above.
After all, fraud is a crime, and he has not been accused, charged or convicted of that.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Sessions may not have been charged with fraud himself, but his businesses were certainly accused of fraud, and lost a judgement requiring liquidation of assets. Sounds pretty black & white to me.

Never-the-less sad anyway you want to stir it.

I agree. He messed up.

But my old school journalism (as oppose to a partisan "commentator) training kicked in,
I am always very careful about attributing words like fraud to an individual short of a criminal conviction.

I'd also point out that while he lost his cases, there is probably two sides to the story.
Today, all manner of deeds, most far worse than this, are explained away.

Also, while he is more wealthy than most if us here, in this case, he was going up against a big bank with more resources (attorneys), he was the proverbial little guy, that will get him sympathy and automatically make him the "good guy" to many.

Yes, he screwed up.
But I know him well enough to have seen the good he has done and I hate to see a guy have a George Bailey Christmas.

Just sayin....

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Well said.

John's screw up is chump change compared to the other collector (not Del Smith) who got away with far more money & paid back nothing... & those crimes were done with obvious criminal intent.

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Like charging the Federal Government to test Medicare recipients for Angel Dust?

& then using the *success* of his company to borrow $1.8Billion to further build the company, but which was almost all doled out to 2 or 3 guys as bonus's...The list of pension funds he ripped off is pretty impressive.

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

And who, please, are we talking about in the previous couple posts? Not John Sessions still…?

And here’s something with a little more detail about HFF/Mr. sessions that my wife found…

https://www.spokanejournal.com/articles ... ic-for-now


• Tom

PS…Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all you WIX folks; thanks for all your great postings!

To recap and avoid confusion....
Sessions has nothing to do with the last several posts....or the Palm Springs paper article above.
Sessions troubles stem from a commercial real estate deal gone bad.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

There isn't any confusion. It was plainly stated in these two posts:



& I don't think John did anything with criminal intent to defraud. It looks like he had several different organizations & didn't keep the funds separate... but it was all his money, not other peoples... at least that's how I see it? Kinda like paying the gas bill with money set aside for the electric bill, but on a somewhat grander scale.

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Impatient Virgin is now listed as sale pending on Platinum Fighter Sales.

_________________
Tom

Someone will be getting a very nice aircraft.
Pretty much spotless and an excellent restoration/rebuild.

Plus it has some history.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.