In an attempt to sell my company in I found CBS (Comprehensive Business Solutions) on a Merger Network site for buying and selling businesses. I called the point of contact, and received a return call from Ernie Calhoun. He said they were interested in my business and were in the process of restructuring theirs so expect a call from them in the future.
In November that call came. They said they wanted to purchase my company. But first, they wanted $7,500 to do the Due Diligence. I told them that I did not have the funds, and they told me that if I flew to their board meeting in Houston Texas the beginning of January they would waive the fees.
I have prepared a complete summary of the business to present the day after my arrival in Houston. The night before presenting the business, I get a call from Elijah telling me the business has sold. Over the next two days, I am in a room with several other business owners wanting either to sell, or get funding for their businesses. Each makes their presentation. (I didn't have to as my business had sold). We then find out that Elijah is grooming us to be on his board of directors. He wants us to look for companies needing funding or to sell, and learn to do the due diligence. As this meeting is coming to a close, Elijah comes to me and again wants the $7,500. He got the same response from me.
Over a couple month period, Elijah is sending out e-mails to everyone. Basically, people were receiving unwanted, unsolicitated, and private information, which included social security numbers. He got those numbers from people as they applied for funding.
The people that were to be paid for their time and expenses to do the Due Diligence, which by the way was unbelievably poor, were never paid. Elijah made it clear that he would never sign anything, and made his Head of Operations sign every paper.
Funding never comes through, but what does show up is all the ways Elijah is taking the Due Diligence money to purchase very expensive items for himself.
I dropped out of CBS with a very stern letter from my attorney to CBS to never contact us again.
I partnered in a very successful venture with a fellow that Elijah was trying to scam, and it is helping alot of people with their companies.
It is my understanding that Delia Cantu pulled out of CBS sometime in 2008.
The last known place for Elijah was at his girl friends house.
What ever you do, do not become involved with Elijah. A firm that is honest and truly wants to help you with your company will not want money upfront.
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