Robert Vela of Microbial Oil Eaters (MOE)
(was aka as Microbeco)
On September 12, Robert Vela contacted me and presented a business proposal using his product (MOE-JO). MOE-JO is a cleaner, degreaser and oil eating product. I was unemployed at the time and was looking for a new job opportunity.
Upon meeting Robert and discussing future business opportunities, I purchased an electric pump and 25 gallons of MOE-JO concentrate for $347 ($250 for the concentrate). He provided me with two containers stating they contained 25 gallons of product. He stated this product would be diluted with water into a finished product producing 100 gallons. The original intent of the purchase was to treat oil puddles in parking lots at the 250 Government Post Offices around Austin. He told me he had a contract with them but he too busy and needed my help. I was ready and willing to work for him immediately.
I did not receive the electric pump initially. I had to keep asking for it. It took 1.5 months before I received the pump. Also, I was unaware that I had actually only received 17 gallons. It was not until later that I discovered this by locating faint markings on the containers. I asked several times for the remainder, but I never received the remaining 8 gallons of concentrate.
He also indicated that I would be involved with all aspects of his business, from working at his warehouse (which he never would show me), to picking up containers out of state, doing future consulting work and my job title would be in Sales and Marketing. I gave him my resume at his request and created business cards for the both of us.
He came to my house everyday, except Sundays, and had me research Microbes, other oil/grease eliminating products and their applications. On Thursday, September 18, he presented me with two Purchase Orders from WhiteKo, Inc. He said that WhiteKo was his distributor and sold his product to the military at Fort Hood, TX.
He told me to take the concentrate that I had originally purchased and use it to fill the first order. The first order consisted of 10 cases of quart bottles valued at wholesale price of $780, and 10 cases of gallons valued at wholesale price of $782.60. For a total value of $1,562.60. He told me that I would receive the $1,562.60 from WhiteKo for using my product. I would have produced 70 gallons of finished product using my concentrate. I did not get to fill this order nor was ever paid (see paragraph below beginning with At the end of October for the explanation).
The second order he asked me to purchase for half the distributors cost. The order consisted of seven cases of quart bottles at wholesale value of $546, seven cases of gallons at wholesale value of $547.82 and 40 cases of Hand Cleaner valued at $2,608. He told me that if I purchased this order from him for $1746.91, that I would receive $3,701.82 from WhiteKo.
He told me that these two orders would be filled and delivered as soon as possible because WhiteKo was waiting on the orders. All of the prices listed above are listed on the two Purchase Orders he presented me with which I still have.
The Hand Cleaner was hand written in on the order, which I questioned. He told me that Fred White of WhiteKo had contacted him to change the order, which he said he changed, to include the Hand Cleaner.
After I purchased the order, he had me pick up the product from his garage and I stored it in my garage. At that time he informed me that I would have to remove old labels from the containers and wait for new labels to be printed.
While waiting on the labels, I worked for him six days a week for two months doing a variety of tasks. I called him every morning to find out what type of work I was supposed to do that day. Using my computer, I wrote documents, printed labels, business cards, delivered equipment, contacted plastic manufacturers (including a meeting at my house which he attended), and delivered his product to local businesses. He told me that I would be paid for my time, services, computer work and mileage. (My wife had given him my handyman flyer before we met stating the amount that I charge per hour $12).
He told me to keep track of my mileage. I did and the total mileage is 200 miles.
I also made long distance calls to plastic manufacturers at his request to locate containers for MOE-JO wipes.
The labels finally arrived the first week of October. I placed them on the containers and sealed the boxes. The second order was ready to go. He said that his production man Cecil would bring me the empty containers I needed to fill the first order with my original purchased product. I wanted to meet Cecil and Fred. Robert said I would but I never did thru him.
On Saturday October 11, he stayed at my house for several hours and told me he needed a loan to cover a check he had written to purchase product. He also told me that a deadline had been set by WhiteKo to deliver the order to them on October 18th. I loaned him $890 with the understanding that he would receive money from one of his customers that next Wednesday and would repay me at that time. He wrote me a check on his personal account assuring me that he would keep his word and repay me. I am still waiting for him to pay me back for the $890 loan. I deposited his check at my bank and it was returned to me as an NSF on Dec 1st. The bank charged me $5.00 for the returned check.
On October 18th, I called inquiring about delivering the second order to WhiteKo. He said there were problems on the military side (credit card and payment problems) and we could not deliver the order until these issues were resolved. He always seemed to have an excuse for the postponement of the order.
At the end of October he asked me to go with him to a couple of business locations. He told me to bring all of my concentrate. We went to Freightliners and Eagle Transmission. Twelve gallons went to Freightliners into his incubator and five gallons at Eagles was placed in an empty 15-gallon container. We added 10 gallons of water to dilute the concentrate. He informed me that I would be paid for the value of my product. I never received payment.
Since the order was not delivered to WhiteKo, nor was I meeting any of the people he talked about including investors, I called Fred White directly. He was surprised to hear that I (a stranger to him) had two of his orders. He told me that he did not order the Hand Cleaner and faxed me a copy of his original Purchase Order, nor did he ever call Robert to change the PO. I came to the realization that Robert had forged the Purchase Order. Without my knowing, Robert had been trying to get Fred to order the Hand Cleaner at a special price. That would explain why he didn't want to deliver the order.
Upon meeting Fred White, I learned that Robert had told Fred that the Hand Cleaner had been discontinued.in November, I was able to sell the 7 cases of quarts and 7 cases of gallons to Fred because this is what he had ordered. I only made the sale by contacting Fred myself.
Robert later tried to replace my concentrate with another container (instead of paying me the value). I refused to accept it because it was mostly water, and it was clear and contained very little MOE-JO product. The concentrate I originally bought was greenish. Fred White of also examined this container and agreed that it appeared to be watered down. It did not have the right look and feel. Robert borrowed my dolly to load the concentrate back into his truck. I have asked for my dolly back, however he has not returned it.
I had been unemployed before I met him in September. I purchased product based on the information he told me. I discovered that many of the promises he made were not true or did not happen. I began doubting him when the order was not delivered to WhiteKo and he did not want me to meet Fred White. My doubts were confirmed when I called Fred to discover that he had not ordered the Hand Cleaner. Robert had forged the purchase order and had been trying to get Fred to buy it while he had me busy doing other work.
Robert made a lot of promises to me and I spent two months working for him. When I started asking him about the loan, the order, and being paid for my services he only made more excuses. He even told my wife and I that he would pay us 25 percent interest on everything that was owed me.
He said his word was good and that I could trust him. He took my money, my time and my hopes for the future. The only thing that I did wrong was to trust him.
I have made many attempts to get him to pay me my money and what he promised me. He has made a poor attempt and has paid only $1,270 (not even half of my investment of $2,983.91). I've called him and even went by his house one evening in November to resolve these issues, because he does not have a business office. He was not at home, so I spoke to his wife for about 10 minutes. She said she would call me the next day, but did not. She works at the Sheriff's office. The next day he called my house and left a warning threat message on my answering machine. He's also tried scaring me off by telling my wife that I had threatened his daughter that evening I spoke to his wife. That is a LIE, which he admitted to me was wrong and then he dared me to hit him (which I have on tape).
Because he lied about me and threatened me, it was in my best interest to notify the FBI and Austin Police Department. We met with detective Wayne Vincent and the only thing he was able to do was to contact Robert. Thanks to his call, I was able to get $1,100 from Robert on Dec 3rd.
I have not received anything since and suspect I won't.
I am considering taking legal action against him to get the money that is due me.
0 comments