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Patrick Simpson, Network International, Fashion L.A., IMTA ripoff, dishonest, intentionally misleading, manipulative, scamming, illegal, ripoff, tax evading Scottsdale Arizona
Hi folks! I gather you're here to find out about Patrik Simpsonland. it's a place where you will be told plenty of things about how successful you're going to be, and off-handedly some things will be mentioned about how much you'll have to pay for pictures, shabbily-done makeup, trips to Mexico for photo shoots ("because the light is soo god there") and trips to NY or Florida where "All the agents are there at once."
You'll hear stories about Alexa and maybe one or two other people who had "success" in foriegn countries and got to do print ads. Nobody mentions that at best these people break even.
T
hen you'll be told that you can raise the money by getting people to donate to your cause since the MTA convention is a not for profit organization. You can go out and raise money from everyone and once you come up with the thousands of dollars it costs to stay in the Waldorf Astoria or in Florida, and pay for the pictures in Mexico, you're on your way to a big fat nothing.
I had the fortune of becoming close with Patrick's boyfriend of several years around the time that they broke up a handful of years ago. His boyfriend over time revealed to me what Patrick was doing with all these people who he would get signed at "agencies" in New York. Funny how when we went, everyone seemed to get an offer from the same place.
His boyfriend was supposed to be downstairs in the bar but he came upstairs and walked into a conversation that Patrick was having with these "agency" owners. The schpeel was this: they sign everyone to their "agency" and put them in "model housing" in New Jersey.
This means, apartments where the rent is actually way cheap, but they charge the "models" more money. Then Patrick and the agency owners would split this extra money 50/50. The "models" in return would get to pound the pavement doing auditions wherever they could find them, all day every day. Then the "agency" would get a cut.
In addition, the "models" would be told that they had to buy new Zed cards now that they were signed with this new agency in new York. Money from this income would also be split 50/50 with Patrick.
So basically folks, if you do your research on what an agency does, it's not this. They are supposed to take you in and have so much faith in their ability to get you work that they pay for the pictures of you themselves. Then they go out and pound the pavement for you to get auditions (other than OPEN CALLS where they invite everyone and their mothers) and then they take a portion of what you get paid when you work. They don't make money off your rent money. They don't charge you for zed cards. They don't charge you for makeup. They don't charge you to go to Mexico to get a photo shoot done because "the light is better."
Anyone who confronts Patrick better be ready for hearing an earful of made-up-on-the-spot highhorse Grade A B.S. Like, "I'm providing a service to those ugly girls who need pretty pictures taken of them to improve their self esteem." Or whatnot.
In New York, they require that everyone show up on weekends to rehearse the commercials that they are doing in a competition with a bunch of other people who are paying to compete from around the country. Commercials, radio spot, runway, best legs competition, singing, monologue, take your pick, you can pay to compete in whatever you want.
I went in 1999 and I won 1st place for best voiceover in a radio spot, 2nd place for best vocal performance, and 2nd place for my monologue. I walked around and showed my pictures to all the agents who were there. I was told by many people that they would use me if I lived in NY and to contact them when I decided to move there.
Unlike the other people, I kept my business cards when I did the walk-through. Everyone else was told to hand in their business cards and Patrick would put them in an envelope for each person, throw it in their file, so that none of the people who went were empowered to contact these people on their own, without him. In fact with many people he just would let it sit there and not act on it, because really, his money was made from scamming potential models, not from actively trying to help them out.
When his boyfriend tried to leave him, he came over to take some of his things and Patrick freaked out like the psychopath he is. He called the cops and the cops couldn't do anything about it, so they just said, how bout you come back tomorrow with a Uhaul? So he did.
By the time we came back the next morning, Patrick had, in the middle of the night, emptied out everything. Sounds exactly like the story of what he did in his newer house in Mesa when he couldn't pay his bills! Only he left behind a few things of his exboyfriends - mismatching shoes - one shoe here, another one there. He took all of his exboyfriends family heirlooms, everything.
Well Patrick had a signed document with his ex, which was notarized and said that everything they owned belonged to each of them equally, 50/50. So we had the Uhaul ... His ex decided to take the Uhaul to the agency and clean out the entire agency in the middle of the night. This was hysterical. Patrick showed up to "work" (scamming work) the next day to find the place was ransacked. He called the cops but they couldn't do anything about it because his ex faxed them his paperwork showing that he owned 50% of everything. This is what had to be done in order to negotiate his heirlooms back from Patrick.
Patrick is a huge drama queen if there ever was one. He's also manipulative. He also routinely buys pot at his office, pays for it with a check, writes in false things in the memo section, and then writes of those expenses in his taxes!
So you may be thinking: Why did his ex want to leave? He had to have been crazy to be with him, too. Right?
Well his ex had HIV and this all happened just after the time that the cocktail pills came out for people with HIV. If you're unfamiliar, the cocktail pills brought people back to life who were on the brink of death. That's what state his ex was in, deteriorating, for awhile, when he came back to life with these new cocktail pills.
When his ex bounced back, he began to see that things were happening which he hadn't been aware of before. For instance, that Patrick was using his social security number to do questionable things, since he had run out of chances to use his own due to credit issues. That Patrick had been forging his signature. And all sorts of other colorful things that a conman will do when he thinks the person is going to die. His ex was also "mysteriously" beaten up by a man with a baseball bat who randomly attacked him while in his rental car on vacation with Patrick in a tropical place out of the country. This was coincidentally after Patrick found out he had a life insurance policy. I even saw the newspaper clipping on the incident.
Why did it take so long for him to leave? Patrick used to take his medication from him, call his doctor and tell him that he was on drugs (Patrick was always really fond of the "on drugs" element of fake stories) and that he needed to be in complete control of the prescriptions. He'd manage to get the prescriptions and then hold them hostage from his ex until his ex returned for them.
Patrick also loves to play the victim.
He's a real whiner. He'll whine that someone didn't pay him what they were supposed to, and he always has to deal with them, when they call him and write him letters cussing at him for reporting them to credit over scam money that they "owe" him. He reported me to credit for not payin the final $42 or so of a $6,000+ bill that I covered and had been told to forget about the piddly remaining amount. He waited a year before reporting it to credit because he was all whiny and bent out of shape that I did nothing to stop his ex from leaving him.
However, his ex gave me my file, all the pictures, negatives, and business cards that were in it.
And yes, he does have a daughter, and an ex wife. He's a real creep in so many ways. I recently met someone who used to do makeup for his place. She said that he paid crappily, never on time, and she finally just started telling him no because she couldn't live with herself knowing she was working for such a scam artist.
He's beyond vindictive - he's an A type personality with a serious ego issue that stems from incredible insecurities. In New York, he was unhappy that his boyfriend (who wasn't his ex yet) went out clubbing with me all night and started berating him. I hollered at him to shut up and stop being that way and just by raising my voice, it made him cower in the corner on the floor like some schitzo in a psycho ward. I kid you not. He's a tall man but he has issues with women like I've never seen.
Maybe a nun did something to him to make him this way. Honestly it's the strangest thing I'd ever seen. He was cowering with his hands over his head repeating, "Don't hurt me, don't hurt me." So this big tall jerk who argues all sorts of rhetorical garbage in a loud voice at you will totally fall to pieces if you start yelling at him with a stern voice.
In New York, he also got completely wasted one night in the hotel. I've never seen anyone so drunk and crazy in all my life. He was wandering the hallways and bumping into walls and doorways and crying and being a general disaster who looked like he was about to pass out. I had to help some people from makeup carry him back to his room, despite his belligerent yelling and cursing.
Well when the incident happened that one morning where he cowered all afraid in the corner, his ex and I decided we were going to just leave. Not just the hotel, but New york altogether. My boyfriend, he, and I all just got in a cab and went to the airport to go home.
By the time I got home, I found out from my mom that Patrick had called my dad's office and yelled at the receptionist that my dad's daughter was on drugs, and was violent and made a scene and got kicked out of the Waldorf Astoria. He had tried to pull that same thing on my mom, but of course when my mom answered the phone she told him in no uncertain terms to ever call her again and think that he can speak that way about her daughter, that he's a liar and disgusting and stupid for thinking that she would listen to him over her own daughter. Then we also found out that he called my boyfriend's parents to tell them he was on drugs and blah blah blah ...
So ask yourself folks. Would you like to be charged an arm and a leg to get some stupid pictures that you could have a college photography student take for you at cost? (At the time I was there, Patrick was charging $27 per print. His ex informed me that he paid $3 per print at the developer's place. Are you beginning to see why the negatives of his in people's files are so precious to him?)
Would you like to spend a hunk of cash to get makeup done by Joe and Jane Shmo, who have credentials because Patrick says that they are "Professionals" (Read the BBB report on him - he will actually spell the word with a Capital P every time, to punctuate his sense of the word's validity, it's very cute, albiet entirely tacky and transparent)?
Would you like to spend money to have him take pictures of you in Mexico, or one of his receptionist's boyfriends who likes cameras - oh wait, I mean another "Professional" photographer?
Would you like to pay extra money for your zed cards that you should also be obtaining for free?
Would you like to be obliged to sit through a bunch of "classes" with him on weekends, where you get to listen to him say, "Bigger, bigger, more body language, more emphasis on that word" while everyone in the universe rehearses fake commercials for Cadillacs?
Would you like to pay a lot more money for a place to live in "Model Housing" than what it really costs so he can make money off your rent, while you run around to open call auditions all day, with the rest of New York's waitresses and busboys who work all night so they can afford to live there and audition for jobs all day long?
Would you like to do business with someone who will put a ding on your credit over a few bucks, trying to make you come back and pay him even years later so you can get a better interest rate on your house, and call everyone you know to make up stories about you if he's in a bad mood about you?
Well folks, if you'd like to even make eye contact with this guy after reading my story and the other guy's, have fun. He's a real blast.
Patrick's Favorite Person
Phoenix, Arizona
U.S.A.
15 Updates & Rebuttals
Dylan
Scottsdale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Very nice, Gwynne
#16Consumer Comment
Tue, January 09, 2007
Gwynne, I've read everything you've had to say and I believe it's with honesty and conviction... however, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Patri(c)k is going to get what's coming to him, all of us know that. This bickering is useless... and you know it PAYS to be the bigger person; we all know Patri(c)k will fight everything anyone says with haste and immaturity, it's an endless uphill battle -- at least for now. Hope you take this more as a heart to heart from somone you actually know than a mini scolding.
Take Care
Gwynne
Phoenix,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Don't be redirected by fallacies about Patrik's business
#16Author of original report
Mon, October 16, 2006
Hi all.
This is definitely a fascinating thing to watch unfold. I'm very glad that I decided to post this report even though it was 7 years after my experience. I'm confident that people who don't want to be helped won't be helped - regardless of what it is that they need help with.
Someone who truly has a self esteem issue, or a conflict in their sense of direction in life, that finds what they think will be the solution through going the route of Patri(c)k's Network International pseudo-agency, well, they're not going to be swayed perhaps by anything they read.
Those aren't the people I'm going after with this report.
This report is one that I wrote for the parents of high schoolers who are worried that if they don't pay for this scam, that their child will feel they're unsupportive. There's a lot of unspoken rhetoric going on at his agency, and if you're not the type to really keep track of what the things that are being said are inferring, then plainly and simply, you're going to be "snowed" by him because he relies on people's desires to be socially agreeable and he relies on their positive reaction to compliments in order to pull his scam.
It's simple really, who would want to argue with someone who tells you that you're SO talented or SO pretty and that they want you to be HIS male/plus size/teen/commercial/high fashion model? Next, he doesn't do it in an emotionally connected way, he comes across as being very objective and somewhat disinterested in you and only interested in what he seems to think he can make off of you, which adds credibility to his comments.
The one thing I'd like to point out about the last individual's response about how "agencies who send people to these MAAI/IMTA conventions have to make money somewhere in order to send you," is an attempt to redirect your attention away from what he does with the rest of his time.
Patri(c)k gets people who come in and become "models" for him because he can manage to talk some of them into coming on the New York trip, or the Florida trip, or wherever. But there is still plenty of money to be made on the people who do not attend conventions! To act as though he only spends his time making money by pimping his payers to real agencies at conventions is a fallacy.
What he does is, he tells the person that they look great, but that they need a zed card. For a zed card, their own pictures, no matter who took them or where, he says, are not good enough. So those great pictures that your photographer friend took of you - whatever you might have, he says that they aren't good enough.
In fact, the only things he says are good enough are ones that are taken by him or people on his staff. He says this has something to do with natural lighting and the makeup team he has come in, and the quality of the photographers on his staff.
The whole thing is pretty funny really because the turnover rate for his photographers is pretty high. They just don't want to work with someone like him, and someone who they eventually grow to feel is shady, and plus, doesn't pay them on time. How can you run your mouth off praising the quality of your photographers when they turn over so much?
I was asked to come out a handful of times for free photo shoots to try out new photographers, because they always needed to replace someone who'd left. A handful of times in the year I was associated with them tells me "high turnover." When I met up with someone and discovered they formerly did this for him and when they told me all the reasons why they left, that further told me "high turnover."
So anyways, once he tells you that there's just no way that the pictures you have are good enough and that you have to get pictures done with him, he gets you to pay for zed card shoots. At that point, he tells you how many looks you'll need to have for a "standard" zed card. Swimsuit, sport, commercial, high fashion, headshot in a white shirt. If you have more money and seem enthused, I'm sure he'll come up with many more looks - cowboy, indian, what have you. LOL
So now this ensures that you're going to pay for at least one session of photo shoots, and then you'll be asked to pay for the larger size pictures at his like 500% profit margin. Oh and where are your glossies going to go, if you get a portfolio? They're going to go in his toilet-bowl shaped photo album, which - surprise surprise - carries pictures that are oddly shaped. Like 8x11 or something, some weird size photo that won't fit in other photo album books because they're now all a custom size.
You know, just like when you buy a Sony digital camera you now can't buy generic batteries, only Sony ones will fit? That makes it difficult for you to just move your pictures into a new book, the very size of them becomes sort of proprietary.
Oh yeah and in the way of mentioning "Proprietary," did I also mention that all these pictures and photoshoots you do - none of them belong to you when he's done. He keeps all the negatives. You're not allowed to take the negatives and get them processed at your own place. If you want any of the pictures in hard copy, you have to get them from him: pay top dollar to him to get them processed through him at his ridiculous profit margin. He keeps everything of yours in a folder which is his property - you got owned.
Ok so now he's hosed you just a bit - a handful of hundreds - on pictures you'll never have access to outside of getting them through him. And by the way, if you DO go to New York, and you walk around and agents give you cards and say they're interested in you - he doesn't want you to keep those either. "Just hand those over to me please so I can get the ball rolling on getting you work." Don't think that you can do anything with anybody through these contacts you make at the convention, lest we forget, that you PAID to attend. Nope, even though YOU paid to attend, he wants those cards as well - you got owned.
Ok back to the person who doesn't go to the convention but still generates Patri(c)k revenue: so you pay for your photo shoot, makeup and hair, then you pay to create zed cards, then if you want a portfolio you pay top dollar for each photo which will only fit in his non-universal, proprietary shaped toilet bowl. (They just LOVE the toilet bowl shape over at Network International. They say it always gets noticed in a crowd, but I think it's funny in an ironic subliminal sort of way.)
So then what he does is, he tells you that your portfolio would really be a knockout if you would come on the Mexico trip to get new pictures in Mexico. Why? Well what other reason!? The NATURAL LIGHTING. It's just OUTSTANDING in Mexico! So he can still get quite a handful of non-convention-bound customers to pay for a photoshoot in Mexico.
Not only do these non-convention-bound customers pay for the Mexico photo shoot, but they also will be embedded with many people from the group that is going to be attending a convention. This is great marketing logic, because if you can get a bunch of people who say they're not going to hang out for drunken debauchery in a giant mansion on the beach in Mexico, well they're going to potentially have a really great time and want to join that group so their fun doesn't have to end at the end of the trip.
If you, by the way, do NOT want to go to the convention, and you think that Patri(c)k is a scam artist, you'd better not say so. Patri(c)k comes in as big brother and has a huge team meeting in the main room and calls out the snitch person who he has heard is spreading wicked evil and untrue rumors about his character and operation. He micromanages the dialogue, in other words, as much as possible, that happens on these trips. He tries to make the person with an unfavorable opinion look horrible while making himself look good (see any patterns here, in this very own thread?) and does his best to keep the people who've said they want to go on board.
I found out about this team meeting thing in Mexico from by boyfriend's best friend's girlfriend, who was a model for Patri(c)k the year before I was. She didn't go to a convention, but she made it to Mexico, and witnessed what happened when this girl voiced an unfavorable opinion in the group.
I'm sorry, but none of this strikes me as professional at all. In my opinion, a professional place will tell you that they have some photographers that they can reccomend, but off of whom they get no pay.
Additionally, a professional place will not need to see 25 different pictures of you in different costumes to know if you are model material or not. In fact, at the convention I went to, someone on the elevator was on their way upstairs to clean off all their makeup, because the agents want to see you plainly and unadulterated by fancy tricks like "Amazing Mexican Natural Lighting" and makeup. Sure, good pictures help - but people, you have your choice in the world to get pictures done wherever you'd like - why would you pick a place like Patri(c)k's?
Finally, this last person who wrote "it was nice seeing you on Entertainment Tonight" and didn't bother to mention in which way he was seen on Entertainment Tonight leaves me with a strong feeling that Patrik wrote it. As if being seen on ET adds credibility.
He was on ET because he is the self-espoused "Good Friend" of Anna Nicole Smith, and he was updating the press on her status by saying how she's "really sad" that her son died.
First of all, thanks for the insight - I would've never known Anna Nicole Smith was SAD if it weren't for you telling us all. But more importantly, and I'm sorry to say this about Anna Nicole who is a train wreck, but - if he really is tight with Anna Nicole, need you know much more about him to judge his personality? She was famous when I was a kid for being hot and making money as a stripper off of a rich old man. She's been famous for the last decade for being a TRAIN WRECK.
Oh yeah, and since so many people are reading, (I'm even being contacted on my blogs from people who read this!) I'd like to mention that in all my partying, I never engaged in narcotics use. I didn't even drink and get drunk until I was 23, and I'm a pretty tame person. Loud and outspoken, yes - regardless of whether I'm partying or not.
But the addictive, life-destroying, narcotic use that he is trying to connect me with by saying that I "Led Royal down a path of destruction" - I was honestly too naive to even realize what was going on right behind my back. When I did find out, I put my foot down, and he made his choice.
In my opinion, this is even further reason to show that you or your child can be a well-meaning and intelligent person but just be too young, naive and inexperienced to realize what's going on behind the curtain when you get involved with people like this. I can now say certainly that I've been close with train wrecks of people, and now I have both the street sense to avoid disasters in my life, and also some bad wisdom.
I'm also living with my boyfriend who Patri(c)k says is gay. We've been together 14 years. I'm super far from miserable. On the contrary, I'm just the first A-type personality "Exposer" that Patri(c)k has ever come across. No matter how much he wishes I would go away, I just won't. I'm really really stubborn.
I googled him again the other night and I found some site that features comments from someone trying to take down this site. Patri(c)k left a comment to that person saying that the content on this stie is "really really negatively impacting his business" and that he "needs to do something about it quick."
Good. Then all my sharing isn't for naught.
For those commenters who say that I am and trying to take him down, you are right. What honest person interested in creating an honest business community would want to allow the business of a scam artist to thrive in their community?
And for those who call me malicious, please define for me what is malicious about wanting to protect your community from someone who, in your experience and in the experiences of people you have met (and continue to meet) who have similarly been scammed? How is it that arguments contrary to what Patri(c)k wants to advertise, made in a free speech society, based on personal experience and testimonials, is malicious? Is it malicious to you because people are reading things you don't want them to read? Considering thoughts that you would like to police for them?
I will not be quieted. I will continue to bring content to the table, while you bring name-calling labels and try to take me down by whittling my problem with you down to things like "being a miserable human being." I've never been miserable, and I've never been undriven.
Patri(c)k and his agency noticed immediately with shock as I brought in sponsorship check after sponsorship check, and paid for my entire trip to New York by pounding the pavement and raising money from businesses in the Phoenix community - through booking meetings with them, laying out my long term plan (to make some money in modeling to help me earn an income to supplement the costs of higher education).
They told me that nobody ever brought in more than one or two sponsorship checks, that certainly nobody had ever raised 100% of the money to pay for the entire trip this way. They looked at me in shock and asked me how I did it. I would laugh and shrug and say, "i just talked to them." I didn't have a 100% hit rate. But I knew then as I do now, how to work and accomplish and attain.
I'm a successful person and what makes me different from Patri(c)k in his drive and financial success is that I don't have anyone who would say that they've been ripped off by me. I don't have to defend myself against the kinds of claims people make against Patri(c)k. Royal used to tell me that he always asked Patri(c)k how he could look himself in the mirror.
I can look myself in the mirror.
Lisa
Tulsa,Oklahoma,
U.S.A.
Ok, Jodie...
#16Consumer Suggestion
Sun, October 15, 2006
The only one who KNOWS NOTHING is YOU! If you knew what Patrick was doing then you would KNOW what he was charging for but being the incompetent idiot that you are, you would know nothing...
so people lets all get something straight... this is what is going on.... Patrick forms a group of Models, actors, singers, and dancers to take them to a NY convention... there they have the chance to perform for awards and hopefully land a contract with an agency.... this is a competition, however, at this particular convention there is hundreds of agents that attend looking to sign new talent (some of them even judge)
now any one who has any sence (unlike Jody) would know that no one can put on such a convention for free... did she ever stop to think how much money it would cost this association to fly each of these agents up, room and board them.... get the awards and scholarships? Well, it is not free people... yes, it cost money and directors must pay as well. Why would they and better yet how could they do all of this for free?
This is different from the "agency" this is what is being charged to attend and yes people, you do have the option of saying NO THANKS.... so for people who want to run their mouth, you should really KNOW what is going on before you start posting lies.... and for everyone out there reading these, please note taht Patrick has an enemy who is gathering and formering people against Patrick... this is malicious....
The same people are posting things over and over again using teh same email addresses and different names.... this is bogus and untrue... Good luck to Patrick and it was great to see you on Entertainment Tonight last week... have a great day all!
Chris
Santa Maria,California,
U.S.A.
Absolutely Fascinating
#16Consumer Comment
Sun, October 15, 2006
This is by far the most interesting report I've seen on this website! (Gwynne, your spelling, grammar and punctuation are superb! So refreshing compared to many posters. Patrick's wasn't bad. I'd never have an assistant like "Lisa", though.)
But I digress. I guess that what's so interesting is that it's all about how we are supposed to mature as we get older and even have empathy for people. Obviously Gwynne was quite the partier and has made mistakes in the past, but now has a conscience and feels bad about the kids who are being ripped off. I can honestly say that in my younger days, I probably wouldn't have cared either. It wasn't until I had kids of my own that I thought: If it were them, how would they or I feel? (But this guy does have one?)
Patrick sounds like somewhat of a train wreck to work for. When I was in my 30's I worked for a man who had borrowed thousands of dollars from an elderly couple who were friends of his in order to start his business. This was the sweetest couple, shareholders in the company and friends to all of us there. They liked to stop by to pick up their monthly loan payment, mainly because being retired they just wanted to chat for a few minutes. Well, my boss started telling me to lie to them when he saw them pull up if we didn't have the money right then - hiding in his office. COULDN'T DO IT. I think that was one of my first inklings of conscience, and the beginning of my experience with people that - gasp! - actually LIE and stuff while appearing to be perfectly professional. :)
This man, too would buy all sorts of personal stuff for his home with company money and tell me to categorize it as something else on the check. This guy had shareholders in the local community, however who'd invested their hard-earned money and I just didn't feel right screwing them, too. The government is one thing, your neighbors are quite another. There were MANY times that we would have had the money to pay bills that week, if only he hadn't gone to Sam's and spent $2600 of the company money on personal stuff for his house (that were NOT necessities). So the dozen or so shareholders got screwed in the end because he eventually (after I left) went out of business due to his mismanagement and shady business practices.
I guess my whole point is that being almost 50 I've been there, done that. Yes, I certainly would believe someone with no legal record whatsoever other than traffic tickets, over someone who obviously has made MANY people unhappy in many different ways by having such an extensive record of lawsuits. (That ex-employer of mine has one similar.) No matter how eloquently-worded his response - after all, that's how he gets by in the world; people only find out later that he is/was full of it.
Patrick could probably apply his obvious personality strengths towards running a legitimate agency, rather than taking money from inexperienced kids and providing not much in return. If and when he gets a conscience he'll understand.
Jodie
Austin,Texas,
U.S.A.
Real Modeling Agencies Pay the Fees - Not the Model
#16Consumer Suggestion
Fri, October 13, 2006
The "employee" who responded to this article interests me in so many ways because it is quite obvious that she knows absolutely NOTHING about the industry she claims she works for. Yes, it costs money to fly a model from place to place; and yes, it obviously costs money to have a porfolio shot and printed. However, the one place where this differs if you are a truly reputable agency is:
THE MODEL NEVER PAYS UP FRONT!!!
A reputable agency will NEVER ask for money from you. They will pay the fees and take care of EVERYTHING, then they make a commission (usually 10-15%) from the model's PAYCHECK (a term that obviously would be something new to Lisa's ears since she has no idea how this industry runs) once she has completed a print ad, a runway walk or a commercial endorsement.
Any agency who charges you money is just there to scam you into believing you are good enough to be a model. It's really sad to shatter the dreams of those individuals who have been told all their lives that they are so pretty, only to find out they are truly just average, but it's better to be honest than find out later on that someone was just using your gullability to make money.
If you look at the website for Network International you will see what I mean: the "success stories" Patri(c)k speaks of have no data behind them; all of the models listed on his website are about the ugliest I have ever seen; the pictures across the board could have been taken by my 3 year old niece and would still have had better lighting; and FINALLY - a reputable agency NEVER gives it's own "acting" classes. There would be a conflict of interest in this case because the onus on the part of the model/actress would be that if she didn't succeed it was because her "training" was not up to standard and the "agency" would end up with a lawsuit.
I don't know Gwynne, but I have to say that when I read her story, she comes across as knowledgeable, honest and truthful. She doesn't hold back and she even admits her own wrongdoings in the situation.
get an agent, truly listen to whether or not you are really ideal for the industry both in looks and in mannerisms; then go the right way and don't bother with these scam artists. It's not worth it and your self esteem will suffer in the end.
Print Ad Model for 14 years, Retired
Henry
Belle Chasse,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
Hello gwyyne
#16Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 12, 2006
I am looking to put this fool out of buisness for good. Yet i need all of you guys help who have filed.
(( email redacted by ROR))
Henry
Belle Chasse,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
Hello gwyyne
#16Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 12, 2006
I am looking to put this fool out of buisness for good. Yet i need all of you guys help who have filed.
(( email redacted by ROR))
Henry
Belle Chasse,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
Hello gwyyne
#16Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 12, 2006
I am looking to put this fool out of buisness for good. Yet i need all of you guys help who have filed.
(( email redacted by ROR))
Henry
Belle Chasse,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
Hello gwyyne
#16Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 12, 2006
I am looking to put this fool out of buisness for good. Yet i need all of you guys help who have filed.
(( email redacted by ROR))
Gwynne
Phoenix,Arizona,
U.S.A.
This is entertaining
#16Consumer Comment
Sat, July 01, 2006
Ok, Lisa - who cannot spell and doesn't know me.
One, If you think that paying someone thousands of dollars makes you "Hired" and then deciding to end your relationship with the scammer who took thousands of dollars from you is "getting fired," I suggest you consult an economics book.
Two, you weren't in New York and you don't know me. So whatever you have to say about the situation is null and void.
Three, I don't even know you're not Patri(c)k.
Four, someone who claims to be getting paid by Patri(c)k is not a good source of information about Patri(c)k's agency. There are plenty of people in this world who weren't there who could be paid to say anything about anybody. That's why a reputable agency wouldn't get involved in back-and-forth bickering, and would've instead settled things in a professional, fair way, and would negotiate with the numerous people who have filed complaints against him and his "agency" with the Better Busines Bureau.
Five, I wonder if "Lisa" has looked at Patri(c)k's court records, which are publicly available online, as mine are, by the way. It's not too hard to google yourself to public court records in the Maricopa County. Simply google Maricopa Public Records. It is the link on the first page that says Public Access to Court Information. When I do this, I see that I have a couple speeding tickets. When I do this on Patri(c)k, I see
"Writing Bad Checks" - followed by "Failure to Appear, 2nd Degree," and ending in "Summons Issued."
Thrown in jail on a traffic violation.
Oh but that's not all, folks! That's only under PATRIK. Under PATRICK Simpson, who incidentally he loves to say is not him, oddly has the same middle name, ARNOLD, and also shares the same birthday (Wow, what a coincidence, I'm stunned), there is even more ...
"False Report to Law Enforcement" - "Plea Guilty"
"Driving on a suspended lisence" - followed by "Failure to Appear."
Taken to court by Farmer's Insurance (Oh and that's another story I happen to know about.)
Another traffic incident involving having to pay bail.
Guilty verdict for expired registration and no car insurance.
"Fail to produce evidence of financial responsibility" and "Displaying Plate Suspended for financial responsibility" and "Fail to register transfer of title" - guilty on all.
"Driving with no current registration" at the same time as "Driving on a suspended lisence."
"No valid drivers lisence" followed by "Failure to Appear."
Also in the public records, you'll see someone has taken him to court.
Now let's move away from Public Records and onto Hoover's. That's an organization which companies pay for in order to get information about different companies - for sales prospecting, or for deciding whether to do business with them. It requires a subscription, but I have access to it through my job. On Hoover's, it clearly states that Network International is owned by Patrick Simpsonl.
Why is it that in so many places, aside from this string, I see that Patrick denies to other parties who have other complaints that his name is or ever has been "Patrick." He removed the "c" to be more "fabulous," certainly - but what other reasons does he have for going under a couple different pseudonyms?
Like I said, in the Maricopa Court records, his other spelling contains the same exact middle name and the same exact birthdate.
Come to think of it, I must be wrong. Patrik isn't the one who wandered the halls of the Waldorf Astoria completely wasted. Patrik isn't the one who rips people off and makes the hair and makeup people leave him when he doesn't pay on time. Patrik isn't the one who withheld his boyfriend's HIV medication in order to get him and his material possessions back under his roof. Patrik isn't the one who committed all these above law violations, repeatedly, and didn't show up to court.
No, it was his evil twin of the same name that has a letter "c" in the end.
And all of this humming and hawing over "Roy looks down on you from heaven and you're going to hell" and "you have a bad attitude" and blah blah blah - what, praytell, does that have ANYTHING to do with the fact that you're a scammer, Patri(c)k?
What do the financial and emotional victims who walk in your door care about what your dead boyfriend who was on drugs has to say about his old friend? What does that have anything to do with whether or not they should let you scam them?
Watch out, because I'm getting my Master's in Social Advocacy. You and those who share in your ripoff wealth can advocate for yourselves all day long. But the real victims of your scam deserve an advocate for themselves - the ones you took money from because they believed they were really going to be at an agency.
Lisa
Burbank,California,
U.S.A.
People Amuze me!
#16UPDATE Employee
Fri, June 30, 2006
Hi all! I am currently the assistant to Patrik and Taline in the beverly hills office, and what FAT COW TAXI has to say is false! I*m sorry but people THINK logically here, if you are a hair stylist or make up artist,or a photographer would you WORK FOR FREE? If your a printing company would you print things for FREE? airfairs to new york, florida FREE? This all makes me laugh, how your bashing Patrik because he fired you because you were a drunken mess in New York. His receptionist Meg has worked for him for 5 years, Taline for 3 so how come they stayed with him? Obviously because he*s a good person and runs a legitimate business. I love working for Patrik*s company, and don*t plan on leaving anytime soon. He treats his employees wonderfully, and treats every client that comes in with utmost respect. If you do not want to pay that $500 WE DO NOT FORCE YOU TOO! You can go get your pictures taken somewhere else, IF you think you can find cheaper. So please stop talking trash, we don*t force you to do anything. Don*t try and ruin things just because you got wasted in New York and got fired!
Lisa Lanza
Assistant/Network International
Beverly Hills CA
Patrik
Scottsdale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Gwynne, I won't continue addressing your lies!
#16REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, June 30, 2006
Gwynne,
I am so happy to hear that you got your degree and you are now working in a career. Your bad attitude, drug abuse and inappropriate behaviors in New York put a HALT to what could have been a successful career for you in this industry. I am sure Roy is looking down on you from heaven..and saying "Thank God I got her out of my life before I left this earth". I have forgiven many in my life, and I do NOT hold a grudge..but YOUR soul will burn in hell for what you did to Roy. There will be a judgement day..and God help you, when your day comes.
Patrik Simpson
CEO/Network International llc.
President Emeritus/MAAI
Gwynne
Phoenix,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Big Fat Yawn
#16Author of original report
Sun, June 11, 2006
Yawn.
I think Patrik's use of ALL CAPS and LARGE FONT really MAKES his DEFENSE sound like it HOLDS more WATER.
I skimmed his response while trying to stay awake. Basically, there are many things wrong (truth, logical fallacies) with what he wrote, but interestingly, none of them actually apply to anything I said about his practices. I think he tried to write the whole thing off by saying, "I didn't invent the rules of the industry, I just go by them." Yeah, Enron didn't invent the rules of fuzzy bookkeeping, did they? The individual mutual fund companies didn't invent the rules of insider trading, even though they did it. My point is, you don't have to be the first inventor of a scam to pull off the scam.
If I am a "KNOWN drug abuser" etcetera etcetera etcetera, then how come I have no court record, yet the one on his name just goes on and on and on? As illustrated by the kind person who added their two cents after Patrik's initial rebuttal.
As for his argument that he is not vindictive, and that he would never say such horrid things about people, and it is I who has such a "bad attitude..." He let me come on this trip to NY - why would he have taken me if I was all the horrible things he says? Why, if he wasn't vindictive, would he have referred to me as "Fat Cow Taxi" on a regular basis? Above all, why would he "need to call the parents" in any situation, even if the situation he describes actually happened? I was nearly 24 when this New York trip happened. I have a feeling I shouldn't have helped him hobble down the hallway in the drunken mess he made of himself when I did; perhaps I should have called his mom instead.
His reasoning, as usual, leaves much to be explained. He states there's no way he could've been in the horrid shape he was in because his "agency" did so well, but actually his "agency" did so well not because of him, but because of the talent and preparation of the team that was attending, who spent all their time working with two of his assistants who were contract hired to provide choreography and coaching. The team had trained with these other people and were prepared to perform, whether he was around or not. And by the way, "Did so well" means they won team runway that year.
These choreographers, I might add, tried to warn me that he was "psycho," and said they would never work with him again. Much like other past photographers and makeup people of his who I've met since, their stories are all the same: "He offerred me more money, so I came back, but I couldn't live with the fact that he was so shady, he never paid me on time, and I felt sick to my stomach realizing how ripped off these kids were getting by him, I promised myself I'd never go back again because the whole place was so shady."
BTW, the ripoff report is not here to be vindictive. I incidentally have run into a couple people in my recent past who, after conversation about photography or modeling, revealed that they had similar experiences, or in many cases, worse experiences with him than I had. These people learned to steer clear of him too, and say things today like, "I can't believe that place is still in business." Out of curiosity, I went to look up the place on the Better Business Bureau site and there it was: bad news, as expected. Then I found the first complaint, which wasn't mine, on this site: the Ripoff Report.
His personal notes aside (which can be summed up, as usual, as: "I am such an angel, I am such a victim, Don't Cry For Me Argentina,"), do a lookup of what an actual agency is before you waste your time and money with this scam artist. Investigate all the advice that the independent web sites about the modeling and acting world have to say about visiting a place like his.
If you're really looking for the truth, investigate the library to find the news sources from the past on his outfit - a news package was done on his place before I ever stepped foot in the door of his "agency," where they sent in average joe shmo's and taped him saying what huge models they were going to be if they only shelled out $$$$$. I found out about about this long after I'd signed up for the long haul to NY from his boyfriend at the time, as well as his other admin assistant (who would lift her skirt at me and flash me, BTW, so if you're looking for a peep show, maybe his agency is the place to go). They told me that a couple years before I got there, someone came in with a camera hidden in a bag and did this horrid news piece on him, exposing the fact that anybody is considered model material in his eyes, and that ever since then, he was paranoid.
The warnings posted by these independent sources will tell you all you need to know about whether or not a place like his is a scam. The court reports on Patrik and the notes on his company and others like his (as he mentioned, he is not the first in the "industry" to invent this scam) from the Better Business Bureau site will clear up whether or not you should do any business with him personally.
As for me, I came back, finished my degree, got a job in finance and started to get my Masters degree. These are all popular hobbies for "KNOWN drug abusers," aren't they?
Funny though, Patrik doesn't have any degrees... Maybe that's why he relies so much on ALL CAPS to make himself feel more valid.
Stick
Phoenix,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Patrick Simpson is the below about you?
#16Consumer Comment
Fri, May 26, 2006
Can't say who was right or who was wrong, but a guy named Patrick Simpson got whacked in a court of law many times.
In this below URL a guy named Patrick Simpson got whacked in court for $2590
http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/civil/caseInfo.asp?caseNumber=TJ2003-005054
In this below URL a guy named Patrick Simpson got whacked in court for $19,939.60
www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/civil/caseInfo.asp?caseNumber=CV2005-002207
In this next below URL a guy named Patrick Simpson got whacked in court for $1050
www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/civil/caseInfo.asp?caseNumber=TJ1996-001469
In this next below URL a guy named Patrick Simpson got whacked in court for $525
www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/civil/caseInfo.asp?caseNumber=TJ1996-003640
Whacked grand total is $24,104.60
Patrik
Scottsdale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
THIS REPORT IS A FALSE MALISCIOUS ATTACK AGAINST ME PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY BY GWYNNE SULLIVAN, A VERY UNHAPPY MISERABLE HUMAN BEING
#16REBUTTAL Owner of company
Thu, May 25, 2006
I am responding to this disgusting and false report filed by Gxxx Sxxx.
CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
She is NOT my favorite person. She is a Liar, a drug addict and LEECH. I know this is her posting ONLY because of the very unique and intimate details she provides. I would never post anything ugly about anyone on the web, but it is my right to defend myself and clear up all the lies, false statements and misleading information she posts.
It's sad that she will have to learn in this rebuttal to her false accusations, that my ex, Roy(the person she goes on & on about in her post 4-21-06) Died three years ago. She doesn't know that because she wasn't notified by his family, and was purposely KEPT away from his funeral because of how badly she destroyed his life, and how evil she really is.
My daughter and I were there, as well as all his REAL FRIENDS, to say our last goodbye. If she were invited and went, she would have witnessed the slide show presented (more than half of the slides were of me and him and our daughter), and seen the REALITY of how much I touched his life. She didn't. She used his.
G pulled Roy into a life of drugs, depression and destruction, USING the RUSE that she was his friend and actually cared. She DID NOT. She only cares about herself. My company welcomed her with open arms as a plus size model. She is a beautiful girl with a lot of potential. She has an AMAZING singing voice, too. However, her negative energy will always keep her from being a success.
I made the mistake of befriending a model from my agency and allowing them into my personal life. Roy made that mistake as well. She states her pictures were shabby, they weren't. We took some AMAZING photos of her, and she placed in the photo competition. Search the records of MAAI, not IMTA. This tells you how delusional she really is...she doesn't even remember it was the MAAI convention she attended, not IMTA.
Alexa has had a VERY successful career under my guidance and representation. She has traveled to different countries, worked for international designers and booked some wonderful modeling jobs. She is NOT the only one of my models or actors that have had great success. On our website you can read and see more models and actors success, that owe their good fortune to me! Sadly, Gwynne could have been one of them. She had contract offers from two different agencies in New York, after the convention. She didn't take them. The reason she didn't take them...she didn't want to leave Arizona or Roy. Who else could she suck up and apart (like a SPONGE) other than Roy.
Roy did become close with Gwynne because he was crying out for love and attention from friends. Before I came into Roy's life he had NOTHING. I gave him the world. When I met him, he was a waiter at Coco's and lived with his parents. I gave him a LIFE, UNCONDITIONAL Love, A home, a family, a purpose for living. He was on such a bad road heading towards alcohol abuse and drugs. I took him off that path and treated him like a king. I gave him a job working at my agency. he moved into my house, and helped e raise my child.
Roy traveled the world with me. I took him to Europe, Jamaica, New York, Miami, Mexico City, Acapulco, Canada...EVERYWHERE. His mother thanked me at the funeral for giving him such an AMAZING life, and said he was NEVER truly happy till he was with me and my daughter.
Notice G's OWN words in her post "he was supposed to be downstairs in the bar", unfortunately that's where Roy was 80% of the time, especially after he had befriended G and her gay boyfriend and they all embarked on a path of drugs and alcohol abuse. Anyway, she lies and says that he told her that our models all got signed with the same agencies. This is crazy, and EASY to prove NOT true. Check our records and you will see how many different models and all the different agencies we signed them to. It wasn't only ONE agency, as she lies in her post and claims. As a matter-of-fact, this was "TREEHOUSE MGMT", that she is talking about. I know this because Is set up the casting with the owner, and they didn't want Gwynne because she was "fat and had a bad attitude". Ask Joshua yourself, he'll tell you why they didn't want her, he will remember the story.
I don't make up the deals or terms for model housing. I just negotiate them and oversee the contracts and make sure it will be beneficial to our models. I do not make any money off of model housing, and I do not control what the agency in New York charges, and it is NOT even mandatory for a model to stay in the agency's model housing. So, there is no Schpeel as G lies to you and claims.
The models that sign with another agent in a new market do have to update their photography and get a new zed-card for that market. This doesn't mean they have to SCRATCH every picture they have in their book, but models are ALWAYS constantly updating and changing their book. I don't make the rules of the industry, I just follow them.
I think Her comment about me providing a service for "ugly" girls is just NASTY and RUDE, and tells you in her own words what she is really like. Who makes her judge and jury of who has potential and who doesn't. Those words have never come out of my mouth and never will.
The weekend workshops to prepare for NY are very necessary and very rewarding for the models attending the convention. How else do you think my company consistently wins so many awards and contracts every year? G is proof of that herself, as she informs you that she won and was offered contracts. Too bad she believed it wasn't real, because it was. I can't decide if either A) Roy was drunk and gave her wrong information about the legitimacy of the casting and model housing..etc or B) She was on another one of her acid trips. I guess I will never know.
I have to address her personal lies and attacks. The notarized statement saying Roy owned 50% of company. This was drawn up, but never signed because Roy had moved out, actually I made him move out after he went on a drunken binge and accosted me. We had a very love/hate relationship. It lasted several years and during the many phases of of relationship where he was sober, it was wonderful. Unfortunately, There were TOO many times he fell off the wagon, and as parent it is my DUTY and responsibility to protect my child...and I did.
It was during one these times that he lost control and I made him move out. He went to AA and really started to change, and wanted to move back in. I agreed that if he would do this I would prove my love and add his name as a 50/50 equal in my company. Does this sound like someone who is so evil and mean, as she would have you believe? I think not. This document never got signed or filed with the state because he didn't stay sober long enough. Anyone that knows me personally can verify all of this. It's so disturbing to me that this woman with her posts is forcing me to "relive" all of this and even post it. These details of my personal life should be kept private and its unfair and sad, and quite disrespectful to Roy's memory, that I have to make the painful truth public to clear up her lies.
I never emptied out my home in the middle of the night. I sold my house in Fountain Hills, moved into a small apartment for 6 months, while I built another house on Milagro in Mesa. Funny how she doesn't mention in her post that Roy moved in with me and my daughter to that new house after it was built, and he sobered up again. Even more funny is that I took all Roy's precious family heirlooms. What heirlooms? When Roy moved into my house he had a duffel bag and three boxes, and that is NOT an exaggeration. Maybe the prize possessions she is speaking of are all the things I bought him on so many of our trips all over the world. Yes. I did keep those each time he moved out, for fear that he would have traded them or sold them for drugs. So, i kept them safe.
Each time he moved back in after getting clean and sober, his things were back in his possession. Thank God i did keep them. She is probably just upset that he didn't have them because she never got to steal them. I know she had her eye on several unique I items we picked up on one of our many trips.
Yes. My office in Scottsdale broken into and ransacked by Roy and her and their druggie friends. I did get everything back from their drugdealer friend, after I gave him the "list of furniture" he wanted. Interestingly enough, when he moved back into my house, so did the furniture.
I am in no way shape or form vindictive. I am always been kind, considerate, caring and responsible. I was all of things to Roy, and even to G.
The lies and accusations she goes on and on about in New York are ridiculous. Roy was drunk, so was she and her boyfriend the entire time in New York. I was never wasted, otherwise there is no way I could have had such a successful trip. I was unhappy that she kept taking Roy out clubbing with her because I knew (from experience) this meant "falling off the wagon', and that is the last thing I wanted for him. As far as the fight in the hotel room goes, G forgets to mention that this all came about after she and Roy were out all night drinking and drugging, and she somehow convinced him that when they got back to Arizona, she was going to open up her own agency.
Yes, I did call her Dad's office and let the receptionist know his daughter was on drugs. I did call her mom and say the same thing. What I found out out is her parents are just as clueless as she is. I called her boyfriend's parents, too. I had no other choice. I was the director of the group of models/talent I took from my company to compete in NY, and that made me RESPONSIBLE for everyone that attended the convention. In our contracts (which she and her boyfriend BOTH signed) it states no drinking or drugs is permitted. She violated the terms, and so I had to call the parents. Plain and simple.
The bottom line is we do not charge an arm and a leg for the services we offer. The New York trip is a WONDERFUL opportunity to train, learn, compete and be seen by the best in the business. So many models and actors have gone onto major successful careers after attending New York. Gwynne had the chance and the opportunity to as well. She threw it all away to continue her hard partying life.
We offer excellent photography and training to our models and that is why we have a PROVEN track record of success. I think the final statements she asks "would you like...etc" should all be answered yes. Don't let a mean spirited, ugly human being, who probably is still the same place in her life as she was in 1999 allow you to lose an opportunity or chance to work with a successful company like Network International. Maybe gwynne is SO angry because she didn't pay her $ 42.00 and she got a "ding" on her credit. Do you think if she actually paid the bill, and did not get the bad debt reported to the credit bureaus, that this post would even be here? Probably not. It shows you how angry and bitter she is. Maybe she should have just paid the bill.
In closing, I ask that you DO NOT seriously take an unstable KNOWN drug abuser's crazy inaccurate ranting and ravings into consideration when deciding whether or not you should meet the pros at my company. If you do, you could be throwing away YOUR chance to be successful in this industry, and your chance to launch a career. I have a strong successful company open for 16 years. I urge you you to come in and see for yourself.
It's no secret why we are successful...I'ts because we CARE. We are REAL. We are HONEST. WE are ETHICAL.
End of story, One thing I do know..Roy is resting at peace knowing he will never have to see HER again.