The above ad keeps floating around on Facebook. So I decided to take the image of the jewelry store you see and put it in a Google image search. Not surprisingly, it is fake.
Laura Smith, Vice Chair of the Towamencin Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County, PA is a rather unfortunate woman who thinks making the Nazi salute on TikTok is funny.
Well now she is an internet star ⭐️
Only her TikTok account laurasmith6036 has seemingly disappeared?
Gosh was it something she said?
Do the Jewish members of the Montgomery County Republican Party approve of this behavior? Do the rest of the Towamencin Board of Supervisors find her behavior acceptable?
Here’s how you can ask them:
I think Laura Smith should take her pathetic nasty ass off of that board and resign, don’t you? I doubt she will but it’s a nice thought.
I don’t understand why anyone with a brain would think that it’s okay to give a mock Nazi salute. I just don’t.
This is not OK.
The media is starting to wake up to this new TikTok star…
What I don’t understand about people like Laura Smith is her candidate of choice was duly elected President of the United States. Why isn’t she happy? Why does she do something so horrible?
She’s now just another elected official who has betrayed the public trust. She is also obviously lacking a moral compass. Hell she should run for Congress and go sit next to Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Malvern Borough King St – other side from Flying Pig – a lot has been empty for a few years, and now construction fencing is up and it looks like foundation digging?
It used to be before it was an empty lot, a row of buildings. The buildings at the time were historic to the borough, but they were in such bad shape. They had to come down. I do know that much because I remember when they were torn down, but then at one point pre-COVID it was a giant apartment tower thing proposed and then that idea went nowhere, but did it really?
So someone tells me that there’s another kind of apartment thing in the works. Shops below and like 30 apartments above, so it’s another one of these fairytales of live work play because you know you can afford to work minimum wage in the shop below and rent the overpriced department above, right?
I’m sorry did I sound sarcastic? I meant to sound sarcastic. If it was maybe small like a dozen units and stores I would say OK that will be at least in keeping with probably human scale in the Borough of Malvern.
Here’s hoping Malvern can get it together enough to stay on top of this. They have yet another new manager who came in at the end of 2024 and I hope she realizes Chester County is a different beast from Delaware County. She is a commissioner in Upper Chichester and used to be Manager in Darby Township.
Malvern Borough is one of those places where they try to keep things on the down low, nothing to see here. I am a particular fan at the moment of the Mayor of Malvern Borough who liked a post the other day that was literally bashing me on Facebook. That’s so very professional for a man I’ve never met. And the amusing thing is the post was just because, literally…a woman I had never even ever interacted with.
Yeah Mr. Mayor, I see you. Maybe it’s time to just retire completely?
30 apartments is going to be fairly tall. And Malvern Borough seems to forget the last time they got something they didn’t like called Eastside flats which really aren’t wearing very well are they?
Apparently the development has a lot of variances needed so right now they’re just digging a hole in the ground, which of course is very attractive with the bright orange construction fencing, which really isn’t too hard for kids to get into. I might add.
Oh, and the 30 apartments? 31 bedroom units and if you’ve seen most of the one bedroom apartments being built today, they are very urban style. In other words there’s not too terribly much room for you to even change your mind. Nothing is affordable because God forbid you have affordable units as an affordable housing. It helps create and keep a more transient society, which isn’t good for overall areas because people don’t know the history they don’t care about the history they come and they go depending on the rent increases. Ask people in the Summerhill development in West Whiteland for example, ok?
Of course this evening is the public hearing in East Whiteland that you can zoom or attend in person about the repurposed office building over on Swedesford. It is another live work, play fairytale and it’s 220 units.
You know it would be really nice if these municipalities especially when they are in the same school district would actually work together better on how many development units were coming. Between the municipalities and a couple of school districts you have to wonder when Great Valley School District in particular is going to end up like West Chester Area School District , or Downingtown…or huge. And in the case of Great Valley, it’s kind of like Tredyffrin. Where are they going to put more schools? Oh wait in Tredyffrin they repurposed one of these godforsaken obsolete office parks into plans for a school!
So all the people without reading comprehension are going to just say once again I am anti-development across the board. And that’s not it. I am anti-bad planning and I am anti-ugly developer profit driven cram plans.
Communities need to allow for some development to keep moving forward. The problem in Pennsylvania is it’s too much development because the municipalities planning code hasn’t been updated since 1969.
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Scott Mason, 66, of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal information with wire fraud, securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, and filing false tax returns, arising from two fraudulent schemes that Mason, through his investment advisory firm Rubicon Wealth Management LLC, orchestrated to divert millions of dollars in client funds in order to finance his lavish lifestyle.
The information alleges that between 2016 and 2024, Mason — who had a fiduciary duty to make investment decisions in his clients’ best interests — transferred more than $17 million from 13 Rubicon clients to an entity that he owned and controlled, and ultimately used that money to finance his personal expenditures, including international travel, country club membership dues, credit card bill payments, and the purchase of an ownership stake in a Jersey Shore-based miniature golf course.
The information further alleges that Mason targeted clients with whom he had a longstanding relationship and who trusted him implicitly, including longtime friends and family members, and he often liquidated those clients’ securities holdings in order to finance the fraudulent transfers. Mason allegedly either forged client signatures on distribution authorization forms or omitted all pertinent details of the so-called “investments” when seeking client authorization for the transfers and instead falsely represented that he was investing client funds in diversified short-term bonds.
In reality, as the information alleges, Mason was converting client funds to his own personal use. He also used a portion of the fraud proceeds to repay another Rubicon client from whom Mason had allegedly misappropriated an additional several million dollars dating back to at least 2014, in order to avoid detection by that victim.
Finally, the information alleges that Mason failed to report any of his fraud proceeds on his personal income tax returns, generating a tax loss of approximately $3.225 million.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $6,760,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice. In a parallel matter, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against Mason today.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
SEC Charges Pennsylvania Investment Adviser Scott Mason With Misappropriating More Than $20 Million from Advisory Clients
For Immediate Release
2025-20
Washington D.C., Jan. 17, 2025 —
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged former Pennsylvania-based investment adviser Scott J. Mason, and his companies Rubicon Wealth Management LLC and Orchard Park Real Estate Holdings LLC, with misappropriating more than $20 million from at least 13 Rubicon advisory clients.
According to the SEC’s complaint, from at least 2014 to 2024, Mason made unauthorized transfers of money from Rubicon clients’ accounts to his own accounts and those of his entities, Rubicon and Orchard Park. As the complaint alleges, Mason used the money for his own purposes, including to pay country club dues, transfer it to other clients, and purchase a portion of a miniature golf course in New Jersey. The complaint further alleges that Mason forged clients’ signatures, made numerous misrepresentations about what he was doing with clients’ money, and concealed his fraud for years by providing fake account statements and tax documents.
“As alleged, Mason’s clients trusted him to invest their money as he said he would but, instead, he repeatedly abused that trust to enrich himself at their expense. He then lied to them and manipulated documents to cover his tracks,” said Nicholas P. Grippo, Regional Director of the SEC’s Philadelphia Regional Office. “This action once again shows the SEC’s commitment to holding advisers accountable when they violate the federal securities laws.”
The SEC’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, charges Mason, Rubicon, and Orchard Park with violating the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws. Mason, Rubicon, and Orchard Park have consented to the entry of final judgments that permanently enjoin them from committing future violations of those provisions and provides that the court will decide the amounts of disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties at a later date. The settlement is subject to court approval.
In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania today announced criminal charges against Mason.
The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Laura E.L. Gavin, Brian P. Thomas, and Norman P. Ostrove in the SEC’s Philadelphia Regional Office. It was supervised by Scott A. Thompson and Nicholas P. Grippo in the Philadelphia Regional Office. The litigation will be led by Spencer Willig and supervised by Gregory R. Bockin. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the FBI.
Of course it remains to be seen what happens. One thing I find curious is why did the SEC allow him to be his own compliance officer at RubiCON Wealth Management?
So in the brave new world we are entering with a new administration coming to Washington DC next week, how will this all play out? Historically can it be said the SEC is more stringent in republican administrations? Only time will tell. What happens to the wifey? And he was an off campus student housing slumlord up where Hobart William Smith is in Geneva, NY? Is that oddly apropos, considering?
So what happens to the house in Gladwyne? It doesn’t show as for sale on Realtor.com or am I looking in the wrong place?
Grab the popcorn…yet very sad. This guy’s greed has brought shame on his family, right? Who else will come forward with a tale to tell here? I feel truly sorry for his children. Again, didn’t he learn from what his father did when he was growing up? And his father is still alive, isn’t he? Where does he live?
This truly is a cautionary tale. And in the end, greed does not pay.
Full notice: EAST WHITELAND TOWNSHIP CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at its regularly scheduled public meeting on January 21, 2025 at 6:30 P.M. at the East Whiteland Township Municipal Building located at 209 Conestoga Road, Frazer, PA, the Board of Supervisors of East Whiteland Township shall hold a public hearing and may take action to vote upon the application of 52 E. Swedesford Partners, LP for a conditional use pursuant to Section 200-39.D. of the Zoning Ordinance, Permitted uses for mixed use development, to develop the property at 52 E. Swedesford Road, identified as UPI No.42-4-260.4, (“Property”) as a multi-family 1-and 2-bedroom unit apartment complex, with a retail component and an office component in one of the proposed buildings, and passive recreation open space. The proposed development will consist of 220 residential units, a separate club house facility, a separate gym facility, separate garage facilities, approximately 12,000 s.f. of total retail space, approximately 12,000 s.f. of total office space, and passive recreation open space. The Property is located in the Office Business Park Zoning District and in the Corporate Overlay District. The requested conditional use approval includes amendment of the existing conditional use decision dated 7/13/16 issued in favor of Swedesford Square Apartments L/CAL Limited Partnership (then the equitable owner and now the current fee owner, with Atlantic Properties Trust as then fee owner) of the adjacent property, 54/56 Swedesford Road, identified as 42-4-260.4A and now known as the Arlo Apartment Homes. Copies of the application are available to the public electronically on the Township’s website or upon request and may be examined without charge. Arrangements can be made for copies for a charge not greater than the cost thereof to be obtained from the Township Municipal Building, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you desire electronic or physical copies of the application for inspection; require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the hearing; or would like further guidance on how to participate in the hearing – please contact the Township Director of Planning and Development at (610) 897-4265 or zbarner@eastwhiteland.org. Steven Brown Township Manager DLN 1/7, 1/14; 1a
Well, happy new year and East Whiteland continues its path to becoming King of Prussia west.
January 21, 2025 at 6:30 P.M. at the East Whiteland Township Municipal Building located at 209 Conestoga Road, Frazer, PA.
This was directed my way yesterday with a message:
Dumped at some point today, on School Lane across from Sugartown Elementary playground fields.
Obviously some really crappy person or persons dumped their construction, and/or flipping house and/or clean out project, here on School Lane.
We’ve left a message with the Township and the Police Department.
I don’t know what’s wrong with people, but this isn’t something that would have fallen off a truck. It had weight to it, and it was placed according to the witness.
This is where people‘s kids go to school and even if it wasn’t, it’s not where it belongs, which is in a dumpster somewhere. That means somebody doing something was feeling cheap and just dumped the trash.
If you know who did this, or if for some reason, you know of a security camera that may have picked this up, or you saw it happening, please call Willistown police at (610) 647-5300.
But since then, it’s kind of been crickets. At least from official channels. The school district isn’t talking and the police / DA aren’t talking.
And in the rest of the local world the rumors are flying fast and furious. So people probably just want to know I think what is fact and what is fiction.
And yes, people know that investigations take time but what did they think was going to happen when all of a sudden a principal up and resigns in a BIG school district and the district sends an email to parents essentially saying he’s out but don’t mind the police visiting the school?
Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police I have heard media have stopping in to visit and are being polite…. I don’t think there’s any way that their entire department can be on vacation so why didn’t they just direct them to this listing they slid up on Crime Watch ? and what does this listing they have up mean exactly? Are teachers or students at risk? or is that something to say but not necessarily true?
Also, how is whatever is going on affecting Marano’s wife? Doesn’t she work at East? And then there is the whole connection both Maranos have to Neumann University in Delco, right?
Whatever the case may be, I wonder how long West Chester Area School District and the Chester County District Attorney’s Office and the police can keep a lid on this before they have to talk about it?
This is a great curiosity of life I think right now. Last year at first people were excited at the idea of Yuletide, but then the reality was less than, correct?
So then we had the whole thing about it was coming back at a golf club on the other side of Montgomery County owned by the Union League. (Liberty Hill.)
I wrote about dissatisfaction with the event just recently.
And now here we are 10 days before Christmas and all of a sudden they’re singing a different tune about closing notJanuary 5, 2025, but December 23, 2024? So if you bought a season pass for this, do you get a partial refund? People are asking this question and it showed up on social media.
And the reviews and people being dissatisfied has only increased. And then, as a friend pointed out, the event people seem to be pushing back on Google reviews, which is kind of amusing.
Also kind of amusing is most of the positive reviews you say are essentially influencers and what not so are they comped? It’s a fair question to ask because the majority of the reviews are actually very negative aren’t they?
I’m just going to share a potpourri of screenshots:
So Yuletide, whose fault is it now?
What’s going on?
If people paid for a season pass and you’re closing early, what are you doing for them?
If you’re closing early, how does that affect the vendors who have committed their time and money to this?
How does this affect the employees that were hired to help run this event, and most of all why are you closing?
Last year (2023) you were at Devon, there really weren’t a lot of straight answers after the fact as to where your contract went etc. were there? So you were supposed to be new and improved and smaller and more thoughtful and more fabulous at the Union League’s Liberty Hill in 2024?
Seriously, what is going on?
It seems like there’s a lot of bah humbug in the house? And if people bought a season pass and you are shortening the season what are you doing for them? After all, if you think about it, after December 23 is pretty much when all the schools are on vacation, so if this was supposed to run until January 5, can’t you consider the fact that people that paid for your season pass were really going to use it in that time between just before Christmas and just after New Year’s?
So they went from Devon Horse Show in 2023 where they fell flat, to a geographically somewhat undesirable and odd location? A golf club owned by the Union League in Lafayette Hill? What happened to that lease that was supposed to be more than one year with Devon Horse Show anyway? It’s one of the great mysteries of life isn’t it?
Anyway, so it’s happening again and the prices aren’t much different. And then there’s this great disclaimer. Basically can it be said they’re there to take your money, but they’re not responsible for anything?
And I’ve been hearing from people that tried it again that said it’s just the same song different radio station so to speak. Now I know where they’re having it because it was an insurance company owned golf club for a long time. It’s pretty but for an event like this? In my opinion, it’s just not another good location. Except I have to be honest, if they had handled it properly, Devon was actually a great location.
Here are two of the recent reviews I found:
So there you have it don’t you? And this is what I’ve also heard from people that went, but didn’t leave any reviews. They didn’t even bother to post about it on social media.
And the other thing is it’s Christmas and people don’t mind paying a tasty per head charge to walk in the door, if part of it goes to a nonprofit so where’s their nonprofit component this year? Or again it doesn’t exist does it?
I think this is sad honestly because I think it had the potential of being something really cool. But this is a special and magical time of year and if you can’t really bring the magic because you don’t have the true generosity of holiday spirit, then this will keep happening won’t it?
My favorite bad review was the one that said it was a crime against Christmas. Buy that man a peppermint cocoa!
I will note I found one very glowing lonnngg new positive yet poorly written review and I have to ask: did that person pay for the admission or were they comped because last year weren’t they at the comped preview? Because they are in influencer category ?
Santa’s watching… do people think they’ll be back for a third year?
I posted all the reviews I saw on Google. They match again what I’ve been told by people I know who went. I’m going to say go up to Bethlehem or some of the other great markets for Christmas. One of my favorites is coming up and it is the Clover Market holiday market at Westtown School.
Also I have to ask how do you categorize the reviews family that’s doing this ? They are liking their own festival? I get that but are those real reviews or like familial sock puppets ?
So the Taylor Swift Eras book is out. It’s being sold exclusively at Target and do we remember when Lily Pulitzer first hit the racks at Target?
OK, if you’re forgotten, I’ll refresh your memory: hordes of people buying as much as they can and reselling it on eBay and elsewhere for the Molly Mark Up ridiculous prices.
It’s the Target Effect . And this is the latest piggy thing that people are going to do with Target purchases this year. 
I’m just shaking my head because you can actually get it at Target online right? Do you even get free shipping if it’s over like $35 for a purchase.
Here are some Facebook marketplace listings:
Facebook will ding you for having a post that shares a traditional media publications article about naked bicycle riders that was posted in 2018, but they allow people to price gouge things available at Target for a fraction of the price.
Then there’s eBay:
Taylor is this what you intended? You don’t even get any profit on the Molly Mark Up for holiday 2024. Neither does Target.
And meanwhile, all of these vultures are literally flocking into all the stores and buying all the books up for at a time because that’s all you’re allowed to buy and some little girl somewhere who wants this for Christmas. Might not get it because her mother might not be able to afford the Molly Mark Up.
