"Spinward Traveller Update - SCAM" Topic

Hit the wrong button when trying to cross-post here:

Seems someone (a guy/gal by the pseudonym of "Aramis") on COTI doesn't want/like word getting out that "Spinward Traveller" being "produced" (and I use that term very loosely, since Ken Whitman is associated with it), is a total scam.

In the language of a few decades ago, he is producing various "kickstarters" which are "Vapor-Ware", e.g. nothing but hot air, with lots of people throwing their hard-earned money in the trash bin to help fund Ken's lifestyle.

This has been ongoing for years, with numerous failed projects, like the "Knights of the Dinner Table", "Pencil Dice", Limited Edition Resin Traveller Spaceships, and the TV/DVD series based upon the game, "Spinward Traveller".

Heck, even the actresses and actors were scammed by Ken. So much so, that he allegedly had to flee to another state, in order to avoid the Attorney General serving him with one or more subpoenas, given all the money he's scammed from his victims.

Apparently, Aramis (on the COTI forum) didn't like my commenting that I thought it wishful thinking that Ken would even produce this show, even though he's been paid tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars for it, and his other projects, to the tune of $200,000 USD USD – $300,000 USD USD, using his own claimed sales figures, and the prices the items were selling for.

So, he nuked the two threads where I stated it was wishful thinking, in order to help cover up for Ken (that's called aiding and abetting an alleged criminal in my state).

So, you can read his message to me below:

Dear Mako,

You have received an infraction at Citizens of the Imperium.

Reason: Rule 1 and rule 6
-------
You saw the post with the mod-text warning, and snarked at it.

You then violated it.

The accusation of fraud is a personal attack on a member of the board.

Since you snarked about the public redletter immediately prior, within 5 minutes, you had time to go back and delete/edit the post you were apparently aware violated standing policy.

Therefore, full 2 points for both the attack and action detrimental.

Whether or not the snark earns a third is up to the rest of the team.
-------

This infraction is worth 2 point(s) and may result in restricted access until it expires. Serious infractions will never expire.

Original Post:
link

Quote:
Do a search on the subject, on Yahoo, or Google, and a lot/most of your questions will be answered.

I believe the ancient term used a couple of decades ago was "vapor-ware", for selling things that don't exist, AND that may never………..

All the best,
Citizens of the Imperium
__________________
~ Aramis

I replied, LOL, and that he cracked me up.

Needless to say, that will probably garner another "infraction" for me, but it is worth it, if so.

Guys like him shouldn't be protecting Ken Whitman, who has taken advantage of the Traveller fans and community, while apparently Marc Miller is aware of it, and seems to be doing nothing to reign in Ken, and his scams, despite dubious claims to the contrary.

If the latter is untrue, I'd be happy to hear what concrete actions Marc Miller has taken to get Ken to refund ALL the money he's scammed from people over the years, in the name of various, non-existent, Traveller, and other kickstarter projects.

So, tell your friends to BEWARE, and to steer clear of anything having to do with Ken "Whit" Whitman, and his "Vapor-Ware" projects, like "Spinward Traveller", which somehow never see the light of day.

Don't just take my word for it. See here, if you want more info on Ken, and ALL the other people he's scammed in the past:

notanotherdime.blogspot.com

link

dontfundkenwhitman.blogspot.com

This is the guy "Aramis" is protecting.

Please pass this along to all your friends in the Traveller and Sci-Fi communities, since that is not permitted on the Citizens of the Imperium Forums.

Prospective advertisers, beware too:

link

Man, I'm gonna add this guy in as a character in my Traveller universe, just for grins, since the irony is delicious.

He's like the Energizer Bunny of alleged scam artists, with multiple names, just for fun.

Whit "Whitless" Whitman, AKA Ken Whitman, AND perhaps a few other names we don't know about yet.

Dude,
You need to let it go.Every other month you post something like this. We get it . We know so stop posting the same stuff. It is spam at this point.

I haven't posted about this in I would guess, a year or so.

People are inquiring about the issue, so they deserve to know, rather than be ripped off by this guy.

I wish I had a warning before I backed pencil dice!

I wish I had as well, before I paid for several "Limited Edition Resin Traveller Spaceships", which were "available", and shipping in the next couple of weeks.

4 – 5 months later, after no responses to my inquiries on my order's status, I was lucky to be able to get my money back thru Paypal, since they had just recently changed their policies to permit that.

Many that contacted me/replied to my inquiries, once I found out about Ken, after doing a bit of on-line searching, were not so fortunate.

He was advertising on COTI at the time to Traveller fans, for his "company", which allegedly was never even properly registered as a business.

A lot of people have been duped by him, going back as far as two decades ago, from what I've read.

Thanks, Mako. I've often wanted to read the COTI forums but the "no hotmail or gmail" restriction put me off: not giving you my work email just so I can read, guys. Pity so many folks have drunk the kook-aid and are enabling that guy.

Try a yahoo address. It's worked for me for a decade or so

A business arrangement exists or existed between Marc Miller and Ken Whitman. By quashing vitriol on Marc's own boards, Aramis is protecting Marc. If that looks to you like protecting Mr. Whitman, then so be it, however incorrect your impression might be.

Slander and/or libel laws still have some teeth in the US, and any of either that is allowed to flourish on the official boards damages Marc's IP and the ability to reach a resolution that isn't bad all around. You will note that every time Aramis drops the hammer, the phrase "On the advise of Counsel…" starts his explanation. Lawyers are already involved.

If this goes to court, Marc would have to explain and defend your angry accusations being left where they can be seen. The topics of discussion left in place are plenty damning as it is, and they stick to facts.

I wish I had a warning before I backed pencil dice!

Would that have worked? After watching the Defiance Games KS debacle HERE ON TMP, where plenty of people were already cautious or loudly warning people off, they still made their stated goals and (to date) vanished.

How many people here were worried about the Robotech Tactics KS when it was announced? The name and promises were enough to get people to throw money at it despite the past behavior of both US IP holders.

Everyone who was around for Traveller 4 (mid-90s) should have known about Mr. Whitman. And yet only a small minority were cautious once "Traveller" and "TV show" were used in the same sentence.

I'm not convinced one more warning would have been enough.

It certainly couldn't have hurt to have one more warning, especially on COTI, when and where Ken was scamming people out of money for resin ships he had in his possession, in quantity, based upon photos he took and posted there, but refused to ship.

Instead, he opted to "sell" them a second time, to double his profits.

That is certainly an interesting, and presumably quite lucrative marketing plan, until the authorities catch him.

If Marc was so concerned, he could come out directly and warn his customers and fans off of doing business with Mr. Whitman, as could Aramis, but instead, they've chosen to cover up the details of that connection, and are actively stifling discussions about concerns over his business practices.

I'll leave it to the lawyers to determine if that is truly aiding and abetting a scam artist, but to the layman like me, that certainly appears to be the case, especially given the numerous project failures and hundreds of thousands of dollars Ken "Whit" Whitman (Whit is apparently his new pseudonym, to throw people off the scent of all the bad Google and Yahoo reports that can be found on-line about him, and ALL his failed Kickstarters – last I was aware of, not a single one was fulfilled) is alleged to have scammed people out of.

Previously, Aramis had confirmed to me that Marc Miller is aware of the concerns about Ken's numerous failed Kickstarters and D20 projects, in a reply he sent to me on COTI, about a year or two ago.

he could come out directly and warn his customers

When your lawyer suggests "no public statements" it is best to listen and comply.

thanks for the update. sure he does not work for north korea? lol.

Not sure, but Aramis is a Zhodani agent, since he's able to read my mind.

Please keep the updates coming.

Mako!! contact Ken Burnside at adastragames.com

About the model you ordered. He was trying to fix that mess that Whitman left behind.

Thanks for the response, IJ.

I see he's produced the Gazelle prototype at least, that Ken never bothered to, even though he was selling them (the "Vapor-Ware" metal ones he was advertising on D20's website). He did make some resin ones, but rarely if ever shipped them to the original buyers, based upon numerous comments I've read, preferring to "resell" them to others to double his profits – many of those were seen advertised on eBay for a while, and in the display case of a KY retailer some years ago.

Sadly, no intel on availability from Ad Astra on the metal one, which is a pity.

As I said Email Ken Burnside he was the center of getting those models out to people.