Carl Freer: Difference between revisions
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==Business activities== |
==Business activities== |
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Carl Freer has previously used the aliases Erik Jonsson and Brian Littleton. Prior to moving to the United States, he left behind 14 bankrupted companies in Sweden, and has been arrested by police in Sweden, Spain, Germany the United Kingdom and the United States. Carl Freer's company Media Power was linked to the largest fraud in Danish history. His business partner, [[Mikael Ljungman]], was sentenced to 7 years in prison for this fraud. Other ventures include Tiger Telematic, Xero Mobile and Getfugu - public companies that have generated hundreds of millions in losses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Carl Freer bakom nytt miljardbolag|url=http://www.realtid.se/ArticlePages/200904/15/20090415143355_Realtid487/20090415143355_Realtid487.dbp.asp|accessdate=7 September 2014}}</ref> |
Carl Freer has previously used the aliases Erik Jonsson and Brian Littleton.<ref name = ekonomi>{{cite web| url = http://www.dn.se/ekonomi/freer-dromde-om-ett-imperium/ | title = Freer Dreamed of an Empire | publisher = Ekonomi | accessdate = 1 October 2014}}</ref> Prior to moving to the United States, he left behind 14 bankrupted companies in Sweden, and has been arrested by police in Sweden, Spain, Germany the United Kingdom and the United States. Carl Freer's company Media Power was linked to the largest fraud in Danish history. His business partner, [[Mikael Ljungman]], was sentenced to 7 years in prison for this fraud. Other ventures include Tiger Telematic, Xero Mobile and Getfugu - public companies that have generated hundreds of millions in losses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Carl Freer bakom nytt miljardbolag|url=http://www.realtid.se/ArticlePages/200904/15/20090415143355_Realtid487/20090415143355_Realtid487.dbp.asp|accessdate=7 September 2014}}</ref> |
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Freer was the founder of Tiger Telematics Inc., a Swedish electronics company, which launched in 2002 and dissolved in 2006. He managed the development, launch and promotion of the Gizmondo. Freer was Chairman of the Tiger Telematics board of directors until he and business partner [[Stefan Eriksson]] resigned their positions in October 2005.<ref name="resignation">{{cite news |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/27/gizmondo_shakeup/ |title=Gizmondo executives quit under cloud |first=Tony|last=Smith |publisher=[[The Register]] |date=2005-10-27}}</ref> By 6 February 2006, the company was forced into compulsory [[liquidation]] and the Gizmondo was discontinued.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/2432/3456/gizmondo-liquidation-europe-games-console.phtml |title=Gizmondo Europe goes into liquidation |publisher=Pocket-Lint |date=2006-02-07 |accessdate=2013-01-14}}</ref> With fewer than 25,000 units sold, the Gizmondo was named by [[GamePro]] as the worst selling handheld console in history.<ref>{{cite web|last=Snow |first=Blake |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20110607130452/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/125749/the-10-worst-selling-handhelds-of-all-time/ |title=The 10 Worst Selling Handhelds Of All Time |publisher=Web.archive.org |date=2011-06-07 |accessdate=2013-01-14}}</ref> |
Freer was the founder of Tiger Telematics Inc., a Swedish electronics company, which launched in 2002 and dissolved in 2006. He managed the development, launch and promotion of the Gizmondo. Freer was Chairman of the Tiger Telematics board of directors until he and business partner [[Stefan Eriksson]] resigned their positions in October 2005.<ref name="resignation">{{cite news |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/27/gizmondo_shakeup/ |title=Gizmondo executives quit under cloud |first=Tony|last=Smith |publisher=[[The Register]] |date=2005-10-27}}</ref> By 6 February 2006, the company was forced into compulsory [[liquidation]] and the Gizmondo was discontinued.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/2432/3456/gizmondo-liquidation-europe-games-console.phtml |title=Gizmondo Europe goes into liquidation |publisher=Pocket-Lint |date=2006-02-07 |accessdate=2013-01-14}}</ref> With fewer than 25,000 units sold, the Gizmondo was named by [[GamePro]] as the worst selling handheld console in history.<ref>{{cite web|last=Snow |first=Blake |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20110607130452/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/125749/the-10-worst-selling-handhelds-of-all-time/ |title=The 10 Worst Selling Handhelds Of All Time |publisher=Web.archive.org |date=2011-06-07 |accessdate=2013-01-14}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 14:34, 2 October 2014
Carl Freer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Carl Johan Freer May 9, 1970 |
| Nationality | Swedish |
Carl Freer (born 9 May 1970) is a Swedish businessman and technology entrepreneur, known for founding the failed Swedish electronics company Tiger Telematics Inc. that manufactured the handheld game console Gizmondo. He has been convicted of fraud on two separate occasions - once in Swedish court and once in the courts of Germany.[1][2][3]
Business activities
Carl Freer has previously used the aliases Erik Jonsson and Brian Littleton.[4] Prior to moving to the United States, he left behind 14 bankrupted companies in Sweden, and has been arrested by police in Sweden, Spain, Germany the United Kingdom and the United States. Carl Freer's company Media Power was linked to the largest fraud in Danish history. His business partner, Mikael Ljungman, was sentenced to 7 years in prison for this fraud. Other ventures include Tiger Telematic, Xero Mobile and Getfugu - public companies that have generated hundreds of millions in losses.[5]
Freer was the founder of Tiger Telematics Inc., a Swedish electronics company, which launched in 2002 and dissolved in 2006. He managed the development, launch and promotion of the Gizmondo. Freer was Chairman of the Tiger Telematics board of directors until he and business partner Stefan Eriksson resigned their positions in October 2005.[6] By 6 February 2006, the company was forced into compulsory liquidation and the Gizmondo was discontinued.[7] With fewer than 25,000 units sold, the Gizmondo was named by GamePro as the worst selling handheld console in history.[8]
In 2007 Freer also created the company GoldRush Ltd. His activities there attracted investigations by the Serious Fraud Office and FBI due to the infusions of money it received from his and his partners' no bankrupt former ventures.[9]
Freer was also engaged in an abortive attempt to relaunch the Gizmondo, claiming a potential launch in the 3rd quarter of 2008;[10] however, this never occurred.
In 2008, Freer founded a startup called Media Power Inc and in May of that year, a partnership was announced where Media Power would donate $5M over five years to Georgia Tech to further Augmented Reality research.[11][better source needed] Freer is co-founder and chairman of a networking Web site for filmmakers, financiers, actors and fans called FilmFunds.[12][13][14]
Legal issues
In his teens Freer forged his parents' signature for a loan and was convicted of fraud though Freer says he had his parents' permission to sign on their behalf for a student loan.[1][2] In 2005 he was found guilty of fraud, fined $240,000 and sentenced to 18 months probation[15] by a German court for buying luxury cars with bounced cheques under the assumed name of Erik (Eric) Jonsson, though Freer says he cancelled the cheques himself because he "thought he was being sold stolen cars."[1][2]
In 2006, Los Angeles police raided Freer's Bel-Air mansion and his yacht moored in Marina Del Rey[16] and found twelve rifles and four handguns.[17] Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies, arrested Freer on suspicion of impersonating a police officer by using San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority identification in order to purchase a .44 Magnum handgun. No formal charges were filed.[18]
Freer was sued by shareholders of Getfugu where he was a company director. Shareholders of the company alleged that he and the company violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act as well as fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.[19] During the legal proceedings, Plaintiff's law firm Patton Boggs issued a press release titled "FBI Said to be Investigating Getfugu’s Carl Freer."[19][20] The press release claimed that Freer was being investigated by the FBI and Danish officials in a matter unrelated to the RICO lawsuit and cited an article from The Copenhagen Post.[20] Richard Parton, attorney for the Plaintiffs also sent a Tweet stating "Getfugu runs an organization for the benefit of its officers and directors, and not shareholders and employees. The RICO suit is not frivolous. The 500K lawsuit is frivolous, however, so buyer be wary."[19][20] Freer, along with GetFugu, filed suit against shareholders and Patton Boggs for malicious prosecution, declaratory relief and defamation.[19] According to Freer's attorney, after notification, The Copenhagen Post removed the article.[20]
References
- ^ a b c Anthony James, Michael Gillard (2006-05-21). "The firm that blew it all in two years". London: The Sunday Times (subscription required).
- ^ a b c Jeffrey Fleishman; Richard Winton (2006-05-15). "Life in Fast Lane Long Before the Ferrari Crash". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Gibson, Ellie (6 August 2012). "A Horse named Gizmondo: The Inside Story of the World's Greatest Failed Console". Euro Gamer. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ^ "Freer Dreamed of an Empire". Ekonomi. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ^ "Carl Freer bakom nytt miljardbolag". Retrieved 7 September 2014.
- ^ Smith, Tony (2005-10-27). "Gizmondo executives quit under cloud". The Register.
- ^ "Gizmondo Europe goes into liquidation". Pocket-Lint. 2006-02-07. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
- ^ Snow, Blake (2011-06-07). "The 10 Worst Selling Handhelds Of All Time". Web.archive.org. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
- ^ http://borsen.dk/nyheder/avisen/artikel/11/59418/artikel.html
- ^ Sandberg, Hans (2007-11-13). "Carl Freer startar om Gizmondo". Realtid.se. (author's translation)
- ^ "Georgia Tech lands $5M to develop Augmented Reality". Atlanta Business Chronicle. American City Business Journals. 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
- ^ "FilmFunds Acquires 3D Conversion Specialists Duran Duboi U.S." Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter. 2011-12-20. Retrieved 2011-12-27.
- ^ "FilmFunds to Use Crowdsourcing to Pitch 3D Conversions (Exclusive)". The Wrap Covering Hollywood. The Wrap News Inc. 2011-12-20. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
- ^ "FilmFunds buys post house - Crowdsourcing venture wants to be one-stop shop". Variety (magazine). Reed Business Information. 2011-12-20. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
- ^ http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/14.10/gizmondo.html?pg=1&topic=gizmondo&topic_set=
- ^ Richard Winton; David Pierson (2006-04-27). "2nd Arrest Made in Ferrari Case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-12-09.
- ^ Anthony James; Michael Gillard (2006-05-21). "The firm that blew it all in two years". The Times.
- ^ Randall Sullivan (2006-10-01). "Gizmondo's Spectacular Crack-up". Wired Magazine.
- ^ a b c d "Lessons From Patton Boggs Defamation Case". Law360 (subscription required). 26 November 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
- ^ a b c d Hansen, Mark T.; Robert B. Milligan (25 October 2013). "Allegedly false statements posted on internet regarding pending litigation can support defamation claim". Lexology. Retrieved 14 January 2014.