I was not in on the group buy, but here's a few thoughts in no particular order (these are suggestions, NOT MEANT AS ACTIONABLE LEGAL ADVICE. Ask the REAL Cali attorney your substantive questions. (If you wanna assert malpractice against me for my comments being off base, then screw you for not getting a REAL california atty, so good luck with that on mitigation of damages issues if you pursue me):

#1 How many buyers got screwed? Might be enough to certify as a class for a class action.

#2 How much info does anyone have on Kaotic? Did they register with the state or county as a corporation or a partnership or a sole proprietorship? Who are the principals or partners or officers or owners? They are all targets. How are their business licenses held? Who are they on their work space lease? Ever hear of "piercing the corporate veil"? Being unable to pay their foreseeable debts after the company is run into the ground is often a factor allowing you to avoid corporate liability limitations and go sue/collect against the principals directly. [censored] them ALL. Hard, fast and 'til they bleed.

#3 What do they own? All of them. Even the "innocent" partners might be collection targets, with their recourse being against the creeps that they partnered up with. Hit one hard and watch the rest of the vermin scatter.

#4 Are your targets judgment proof? While they may appear to "own" assets, if those assets are hocked to the eyeballs as collateral on bank loans, then they may really "possess" a lot but really "own" nothing. They will try to hide their real "free and clear" owned assets as soon as they know you are coming. (There goes another car title now, deeded away to a stupid brother in law, selling the '63 Vette for $50, wink wink. Sue him too as a party to a fraudulent transfer.)

#5 Talk to a Cali attorney that knows collection law. I may be able to check out national collection publications like that of "The General Bar" or (CCLA?) commercial law leagues to get names addresses and phones for collection attys that are active in the county in which Oroville is located. There may be a few to choose from. But maybe they are already hired on behalf of OTHER creditors to go after the same deadbeat creeps.

#6 What proof of fraud can you guys develop? Might be pretty possible here. Why is that important? Being able to PROVE FRAUD might give advantages of PREVENTING the bad entity/bad guys from getting a discharge of debts owed to you via chapter 7 bankruptcy. And you might be able to seek civil punitive damages if they don't scurry into banko court right away.

#7 Don't let these [censored] rats hide their assets from you and DON'T publicly telegraph your punches to the creeps all over these boards once you DO have an attorney to go after them.

#8 Get ahold of the Cali AGs office. Yesterday. Or sooner.

#9 You guys may have to organize to scrape up a retainer for an attorney's costs and time to get started on this. Who's pissed enough to come up with the court filing fees and summons service fees? You gonna pay the attorney a percentage of the recovery or hire him on an hourly basis or a hybrid? Those topics WILL come up.

I may post more musings on this mess as other thoughts pop into mind.

MSDS, SHO-shop Y, custom 2.5" catback; xcal2; 63mm TB, K&N 3530; Koni struts, Aussie bar; THaines forks, Quaife, SpecII, UR fly; DMD; Nima UD pullies; Stazi brakes; f&r Pole120 mounts. Just a daily commuter car. Silver '98 SVT E0 #3159