ORIGINAL POST: DECEMBER 18, 2010 4:36 PM
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UPDATED 6-7-2011 RE-POSTED JULY 17, 2012 8:35 pm
NOTE: Heather Dubrow’s BravoTV Blog, which mentioned Jim Bellino’s past business dealings, brought to mind THIS item from SH published over 18 months ago! The following explains some of Jimbo’s “business dealings”…
Da Bellinos… before Jimbo’s chin implant and neck lipo
After reading the letter the Bellinos sent earlier this week to their close friends (and, of course, several media outlets) in regard to their soon-to-be foreclosed Laguna Beach home (letter: http://alexis-bellino.com/bellinos-bankrupt-–-not/), SH became curious as to why someone would feel they needed to explain their financial standing so publicly.
Freshly implanted chin and neck lipo… with Alexass and Wretched **BLEEECH**
SH began to look into Jim Bellino to get some insight as to his character, his personality and his business dealings to understand why he would publish such a defensive letter.
From what has been found, he’s a professional scammer and already knows his way around bankruptcy court.
Jim and Alexis Bellino and the home they are desperate to unload in Newport Beach
By all accounts, 47-year-old Jim Bellino got a very lucky break in 2000 as the FBI had him on their radar for years. He should be in jail for his knowing participation in a fraudulent national sports memorabilia business.
Jim Bellino actually forged ‘Mother Teresa’s’ name on a baseball and sold it!
Instead of jail time, Jim received a slap on the wrist and had to pay $30,000, along with serving one year’s probation and told by the Feds to stay out of the memorabilia business:
FBI’s Operation Bullpen hooks network
SAN DIEGO – The FBI’s Operation Bullpen has infiltrated and dismantled a network of 20 forgers, authenticators, wholesalers, and retailers who are responsible for the creation and sales of up to $100 million of forged memorabilia, items that are both sports and nonsports-related. Twenty individuals, all from California, are cooperating with federal officials in pleabargaining agreements on a variety of fraud and tax charges.
The operations of the J. DiMaggio Company have been shut down. In addition, a significant number of items that were known forgeries carried a certificate of authenticity attributed to Don Frangipani; and Robert Proudy and Jim Bellino of Forensic Document Services (FDS). Forged items were supported by fake or misleading authentication documents. However, no charges have been brought against the latter authenticators.
To date, Wayne Bray of SCAA and James Bellino of FDS (FDS was banned from Ebay) have agreed to cease doing business in sports and celebrity memorabilia. Jim DiMaggio also is no longer authenticating memorabilia. FBI agent William Gore displayed a baseball forged with Mother Teresa’s name on it, which was accompanied by a letter of authenticity from the J DiMaggio company. Of the four authenticators, only Bray has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S.
A deferred prosecution agreement was reached with Jim Bellino. No charges have been brought against the others.
A must-read detailed story about FDS and Jim Bellino: http://bullpenandmore.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/jim-bellino-reality-tv-star-and-counterfeit-authenticator/
BEFORE the authentication business:
In 1997, Jim Bellino founded AAA Wholesale Billiards, renamed it Wholesale Billiards in 2003, and then renamed the company Rectivity Inc./ Pool Tables USA in 2005. All of these businesses share the same address: 2714 S Grand Ave, Santa Ana CA.
The Bellino Collection
Rectivity, Inc./ Pool Tables USA, Inc., operated as an online vendor of pool tables, poker tables, and matching game room collections. On December 10, 2008, an involuntary petition for liquidation under Chapter 7 was filed against Rectivity, Inc. in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.
The state of California had listed Rectivity’s business status as “forfeited”: The business entity’s powers, rights and privileges were suspended or forfeited in California 1) by the Franchise Tax Board for failure to file a return and/or failure to pay taxes, penalties, or interest; and/or 2) by the Secretary of State for failure to file the required Statement of Information and, if applicable, the required Statement by Common Interest Development Association.
The “Alexis” Pool Table
According to Newport Beach’s Daily Pilot, Jim Bellino “used to own the now-closed Margaritaville restaurant on West Coast Highway. He juggles numerous business endeavors these days, including pawn loans and house flipping.”
The Bellino’s other properties can be seen here: http://www.celebrityrealestatenews.com/2009/09/10/alexis-bellinos-other-properties/
UPDATE 6-7-2011: The Bellino’s sold their Newport Beach house at a short sale in March 2011 for $3 million… here.
The Scammers Bellinos… Jim and Alexis Bellino
While looking for Jim Bellino’s pawn shop and/or loans, SH found an ad (written in all caps) he placed for his ”financial services” on Craigslist in February 2010, in which Jimbo states that he’s using his own money:
“NO GAMES!!!!! THIS IS MY PRIVATE MONEY. IF YOU HAVE COLLATERAL JUST E-MAIL YOUR SCENARIO AND I WILL E-MAIL BACK TERMS, THAT SIMPLE. CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE AND OTHER COLLATERAL SEE BELOW. NO CREDIT SCORES… NO JOB… I DONT CARE… I CARE ABOUT THE ASSET.
REAL ESTATE-BUSINESS
1.DIAMONDS/JEWELRY/WATCHES/GOLD
2.AUTOS/MOTORCYCLES
3.HANDBAG COLLECTION
4.ART
5. WINE COLLECTION OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU MIGHT THINK HAS VALUE. JUST E-MAIL ME THE SCENARIO AND I WILL RESPOND IMMEDIATELY. THANKS JIM
SAME DAY FUNDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I DONT LOAN ON BUSINESS… IF YOU DONT HAVE COLLATERAL, DON’T BOTHER. THANKS
$MINIMUM… 10 K LOANS
$NO CREDIT CHECK
JUST E-MAIL YOUR SCENARIO AND PHONE NUMBER AND I WILL E-MAIL BACK TERMS WITHIN AN HOUR.
THIS IS MY PERSONAL MONEY SO THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH.”
Alexis Bellino pictured … with photos of Jim and Alexis Bellino’s Newport Beach house that they are desperately trying to unload. Detailed info regarding the Bellino’s Newport Beach house at Real Estalker here.
On September 9, the Bellino’s home was pictured in Celebrity Real Estate News with this description (more “creative financing” with Jim Bellino):
“SELLERS (The Bellino’s) ARE OPEN TO A TRADE OF A SMALLER HOME IN THE NEWPORT BEACH OR SURROUNDING AREAS. SELLER IS EXPERIENCED IN CREATIVE FINANCING AND WOULD ENTERTAIN ANY CREATIVE FINANCING OFFERS.”
According to several sources it wasn’t by chance the Bellino’s got on “The Real Housewives of OC,” they tried very hard to get on the show and eventually it worked out for them.
“Alexis and Jim did everything they could to get on this show. They bought a house from Jeana (Keough) and befriended her.
They bought a car from Simon (Tamra’s ex-husband) and befriended him.
Alexis joined Gretchen’s gym (Fernanda’s) and befriended her.
They watched the show every week since it’s been aired and tried to get as many connections as possible. I do have to say, it worked. Though it was expensive! Fancy houses and luxury cars aren’t cheap. Hope they feel it is worth it.”
With such a can of worms to open when looking at their past, why would anyone such as the Bellinos TRY to get on a reality show?
“Before” photos of Alexis just for the hell of it…
Yes… this is Alexis Bellino
Don’t worry, Jim is going to put his hand in the cookie jar again and it’s going to get caught in it. Jim is desperate for money and money is the only way he can keep Alexis around him.
You may be right but I think she really loves him.
Alexis ass has to be Photo shopped.
That is where all of the houses, purses, jewels and cars come from, and why they are all temporary, I bet…He takes them as colaterral and returns them or sells them at the end of the loan term.
The Bellinos house was so much nicer than that ugly Mcmansion/Comfort Inn the Dubrows are so proud of.
The Dubrow’s “home” didn’t looked finished and looked more like those fancy dermatologist offices.
Okay, but here’s the issue:
You mean to tell me with all this stuff about the Bellino’s, the Guidice’s, Danielle Staub, the Manzo’s, the Laurita’s, the Curtin’s, the Armstrongs, Brooks Ayers, etc. floating out there in public records for years that Bravo had “no idea” that this stuff wasn’t out there just waiting to rear up and show its ugly head? Really?
They had to have done some background checks on these people just for idemification alone never mind what their past shadiness would reveal.
The audience has been essentially “taken for a ride” by this enterprise, pushing the idea that these people live lives so vastly different from our own by the way they spend money and the houses they inhabit yet we find out eventually that all of the above named are nothing but schemers, con artists, liars, and frauds.
Sure there are a couple who live according to their financial means but it seems the majority are facing bankruptcy or eviction or lost businesses at the same time they are seen throwing lavish parties, undergoing expensive surgery, buying designer duds, driving high priced vehicles, and traveling as though they had not a care in the world.
Bravo has to be the sleaziest network going by way of their business practices in employing this group of low life grifters then labeling them “stars”.
You summed it up very well!
I am thinking Bravo looks for people with skeletons in their closets on purpose. It creates much of the drama and drama is what they want.
I agree, viewers love to see people fall hard
I think the same and now I’m thinking there has to be something with Aviva also –
she’s too boring but maybe something will come up
It’d be best for Alexis to bow out. Things are getting pretty brutal. This isn’t even near the bottom for the Bellinos, IMO. Alexis has made the decision to stay, knowing what is going on. Blatantly lying; making BS transparent excuses. She’s as responsible as he is. I have no sympathy.
IMO what does this mean.. just curious
IMO ‘In My Opinion’.
‘In my opinion’….I think.
Better to ask a person under 25 for anything ‘techie’!!
I was stumped by TFC…but I’m guessing it means ‘Thanks for the comment”…yes. no?
Whoa: All explained here: http://stoopidhousewives.com/about/the-rules-please-read/ TFC!!! SH
I agree with the comment about why Bravo would hire these alleged scammers and even alleged criminals!
The shows, it turns out, are, for the most part, SCAMS!
I’d like to know what will be the end result of this knowledge.
(And Alexis DARES to be aloof and talk about her 8 car garage, several expensive cars, wearing
only designer clothes, etc., etc.) She’s profiting from his business “ventures”!
What the H—?
By the way, I LOVE that wallpaper of Ramona.
That couldn’t have been alexis A**…. Her body was better in the before picture but not her face.. She has had a lot of work done… SMH… WASTE OF MONEY!!! IMO…
These two should go into business with Crooksie, that would be a great story!! What is really disgusting is the way that these two criminals play the whole “We are so Christian” card……shame on them, liars and hypocrites!
Excellent point, KateH!
Agreed, I was raised christian in California and I never remember any people like these two. Christian my butt. And to think someone said Tamra should apologize to all Christians for calling Alexis Jesus Barbie, I have never heard anything so hilarious!
Does anyone else think Heather from NY housewives looks like Alexis?
Nah…I think both of them have manly features.
Since it is ‘reality’, seems to me Bravo really has no liability. Heard it discussed quite a bit after the Russell tragedy. Those contracts are pretty ironclad for Bravo owning the rights to use at will every inch of film. WE are the ones who drive the footage used. The scummier they are, the more I’m intrigued. But, that’s just me. The nice, sincere and sweet ones don’t last long.
Alexis is probably just trying to get her kids to an acceptable age to leave this loser. I’m sure he’s the “brains” behind all of these scams. I doubt she’d bother getting involved in any of it.
I don’t know if he’s Brooks 2.0 or if Brooks is Jim 2.0. It’s a toss up. lol.
The reason they have so many cars is because Jim is a luxury car salesman. He sells them on consignment, not the way Alexis explained that Jim buys them and then makes more money. BS a car is never worth more than what you pay for it. The only cars worth more are classic cars in working shape like 68 corvettes etc.
anita: Agree!! Never buy a brand new car… exception is Prius. Buying a brand new car is a depreciating asset as soon as it’s driven off the lot! TFC!! SH
No wonder Brooks and Jim don’t seem to mind socializing together……Vickie and Brooks went to his birthday party??? Private Jet??? Birds of a feather, stick together. Brooks should stay OFF the TV and stay LOW PROFILE, if he had any brains. I’ll bet, he’s through with having Alexis on the Housewives now……..Who shows up, at a party…and confronts someone elses husband, about, his wife being called phony? I’m wearing the pants now, and saying…..really not the time and the place…….plus…….totally HIGH SCHOOL. People are entitled to their opinions.
A baseball signed by Mother Teresa. Hilarious!
Jimbo ripped us off on a pool table in the late 90′s. I was shocked when I found out this was the same guy on RHOC! The house we went to “to view” a custom pool table could very possibly have been his! It was stuffed with sports memorabilia on every wall and in every corner. I remember at the time commenting that it must all be worth a fortune! Now to find out it was all FAKE! Fake as the Jesus Juggs on Alexis’s chest. This guy is the worst of the the worst. It looks like his wife is just as bad. A couple of lowlife, fake religious, scumbags! THOU shalt burn for this you two! hahahahahhaha!!!!!!
psychochuckie, how did Jim rip you off and did you get your money back?
I think to get on any of the shows you have to have skeletons in order for the show to have leverage over the women.
Many reality shows hire extras to pretend to be friends, patrons etc in scenes. Big Rich Texas even tells the extras not to take pictures or talk to the “actors”. They don’t care we know it is fake, fake, fake.