Sergio Silva - Diamandis - Junior?

[axs]

Yeees, but these are all just people blogging on the same email the first blog cites. So it's multiple comments on one initial unverified source. Which as I speculated above is as likely to have made the "link" by making an unwarranted assumption from the sole listing of a company named Castleshore on CH as being in Swindon

didn't say it was a rational worry.

[pauld]

Right heres how I see it. Boavista are in dire straights financially because of payments on their stadium. They were relegated last season for bribing referees.

A man called Sergio Silva tried to buy Boavista saying he had a 38.5million euro investment from a company called Castleshore. He was arrested 2 days later because his bank documents were false and was sentenced to two years in prison in June.

The connections to Swindon do seem more murky. It would be interesting to know what actually happened in this trial and who they mentioned. My guess is that Diamandis and Holt are involved through Jose Veiga somehow? That does seem to be what these Portugese fans are alleging?

Well that seems to be the link they're making but there's no real substance given for it. The Cypriot link does concern me a little although there's so little of any substance in what is, after all, one email that's been echoed around a dozen or so Portuguese blogs that its impossible to tell if that has any substance either or is just another random connection

[Simon Pieman]

But they're saying the Castleshore is registered in Malta aren't they? It's blatantly not the same one.

[Batch]

A man called Sergio Silva tried to buy Boavista saying he had a 38.5million euro investment from a company called Castleshore. He was arrested 2 days later because his bank documents were false and was sentenced to two years in prison in June.

Sounds like a flying saucer sighting short of a Knighton.

[michael]

BEST and Diamandis didn't part on the best of terms though did they? The board at the time, gawd bless 'em, basically tried to rip them off in the small print.

[Spencer_White]

BEST and Diamandis didn't part on the best of terms though did they? The board at the time, gawd bless 'em, basically tried to rip them off in the small print.

I dunno, it might be more complicated than that. After all it always was a strange one, what was Jim Little doing with Jose Veiga?

[Batch]

I dunno, it might be more complicated than that. After all it always was a strange one, what was Jim Little doing with Jose Veiga?

They certainly didn't make it easy to spot the links did they. There was the whole Castro brothers thing too. And what was Little doing at Cork?

In a sick sort of way I wanted to see how thing unfolded at Tranmere if they went in. But I wouldn't wish that on any fans without knowing the whole story (which we  didn't).

[pauld]

But they're saying the Castleshore is registered in Malta aren't they? It's blatantly not the same one.

Yes, but I'm guessing that's how they've come up with a Swindon connection. They also claim that this Castleshore was one of the companies contracted with redeveloping our stadium (which they weren't), that Bob Holt is listed as being connected with this Turkish/Cypriot bank Turquoise (which I'm pretty sure he isn't), that Diamandis' Dad holds some sort of position with HSBC, that Diamandis arranged for several of our youth players to play in the Cypriot Championship (I certainly don't remember any of our youth players being shipped out to Cyprus - Weymouth, yes, Cyrpus no) etc etc. Even allowing for the translation issues, it's riddled with non-sequiturs, half-connections and stuff which is just palpably untrue.

[Spencer_White]

paul, I wondered if the junior thing referred to us being lower league? Quite often other countries refer to lower league football being junior?

[pauld]

paul, I wondered if the junior thing referred to us being lower league? Quite often other countries refer to lower league football being junior?

Don't think so Spence. The original says

A CastleShore esteve envolvida em várias transferencias de juniores do Swindon Town para o campeonato cipriota através de um dos directores, Mike Diamandis

Which roughly translates as "transfers of youths from/of Swindon Town"

[Spencer_White]

I know this is a hunch. But I think there is an international ring of agents and oportunisitic businessmen who are out to take over clubs when they a weak financially and then syphon out cash from transfers and wages. The Best thing always did look like a motley crew of people on the take.

When Fitton said about the wages that Arrieta and that were on, did anyone honestly think that the players were taking all of it? They must have been cutting in their pimp agents somehow.

These people should not be inflicted on football clubs. Not in the UK not anywhere.

[pauld]

I know this is a hunch. But I think there is an international ring of agents and oportunisitic businessmen who are out to take over clubs when they a weak financially and then syphon out cash from transfers and wages. The Best thing always did look like a motley crew of people on the take.

When Fitton said about the wages that Arrieta and that were on, did anyone honestly think that the players were taking all of it? They must have been cutting in their pimp agents somehow.

These people should not be inflicted on football clubs. Not in the UK not anywhere.

I think you're pretty much bang on about all the above - look at how BEST circled around Coventry then Tranmere after they left us, and I certainly wouldn't be in the least surprised to find some of our former friends sniffing after a little of that kind of action, although I think they'd quickly find themselves badly out of their depth if they started to try taking a serious swim in those kind of waters. But I still think this blog posting is more wrong end of el sticko than anything, although that Cyprus thing does keep nagging

[Spencer_White]

Sergio Silva was made out to be a bit of a fantasist in court and a complusive liar.

But I still think there are strange links to STFC. We all know Diamandis liked to open and close companies like a pack of cards. Castleshore is now a defunct company that had previously done contracting work for Swindon Town. Why would a Portugese con man use the name of a company from Swindon? Why was he interested in tring to buy Boavista fraudelently? Was it easier to forge their documents because someone this end was helping him? The only other Castleshore I found is a US management website that doesnt look that kosher either.

Just stinks.

[Dazzza]

Just to add phlegm to the fire does anyone remember the two Brazilian youth players last season that arrived during the BEST courtship and had a brief mention in the Adver?

Never heard of again.

I’d imagine the actual Castleshore investments is based offshore as mentioned above, which is where the Malta ties fit in although it’s all a bit spurious to say the least to then link it to Town.