Miniature Wargame Conversions - A warning to avoid

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**GhostxHeart**

Just reading in and following this thread this morning made for an interesting substitute for the paper over breakfast. As I belong more to the YouTube community and have always been at an arms length with the forums, these people and these happenings are news to me. Dodgy commission painters aren't new, but what appears to be happening with MWC is indeed a travesty of dazzling proportions.
I feel genuinely heartbroken at Alpha's predicament, and I extend my sympathies to those who have been affected by this scandalous situation.

To RiTides;
Thankyou sir, for your accurate, reliable and consistent reporting of accounts. As well as your conscientious effort in maintaining this threads integrity to the OP AND your methodical investigation.
Your situation is rather troubling and it is terrifying to myself to see such atrocious conduct on the part of MWC.

Even assuming that these individuals who come to the aid of RSO are indeed legitimate or at least as legitimate as they claim, none appears to be addressing the OP's issue and rather distressing scenario that RiTides has faced. Whether this is childish political dancing around the issue at hand or simply incredibly bad managerial sense - there is no answer. It is also troublesome that these individuals seem to have no issue that there supposedly and proclaimed, not for profit raffle and blog etc are essentially being hijacked by a KNOWN shady dealer.

I look forward to seeing this matter as it progresses.
Thankyou to RiTides, MajorTom, Luna and those who have tried to keep this topic on track and maintain a respectable level of decorum that, in my mind, far exceeds what should be afforded to the individuals who have conducted themselves in such a distasteful and base manner.

~Ghost

**porkuslime**

After listening to the voicemails.. I cannot say yea or nay.

There was nothing in there that absolutely ruled out Damien being Matt.. (like a strong accent, or tonal register).

They were very hostile, and accused RiTides of double dealing as well as being two-faced ... saying one thing, and doing another (as such).

However speaking as to the speech patterns, they DID resemble the way I recall Matt talking when I spoke to him 2+ years back. Lots of repetition and re-iteration of points.. also there was a lot of "Be an Adult/Man" directives.. which is also something I recall .

However, at the end of the day, I cannot assert that Matt and Damien are the same.. nor can I assert that they are definitely different.

Wish I had better certainty, one way or the other.

**RiTides**

Thanks, porkuslime, for posting your thoughts on it.

Also, I got permission from the user awaiting the 2 Thunderhawk scratchbuilds to quote their PM, so here it is:

Shikimori wrote:Hello!

forgive me for the late reply, i was away for the holidays and haven't checked the forums since.

I'll try to cover what happened as best as i can.

I contacted Matt on Feb. this year, i got eluded into the idea that he could scratch build 2 Thunderhawks (For myself and a friend). I did all the talks with him through my personal email.

At first he would reply instantly (same day or the next). We went over the specifics and after several emails, we both confirmed on the price tag and the completion date (he said it would take 4 weeks). However, as the weeks went by, his replies were slow till the point were i am ignored now.

He asked for half of the cost to begin work, and to receive the other half after showing the complete products. I kept asking for WIP pics, but he never provided any, always stating that he would eventually show me something.

Within weeks, i began to panic because he never showed nor spoke of the commission. I do not recall when it was (i would guess about 3 months), he vanished..... no word, no email, nothing.

I then discovered he had a blog, and that a bunch of people share the blog. I sent an email asking if Matt could reply back to me, i was told that he left the country for work and that his return to the country was not known.

Then comes September and Matt finally replies back. He sent me 2 pictures of a single Thunderhawk in different angles, without saying anything. I did not know what to make out of it and asked for a refund.

I've asked him many times to refund the money sent but he replied back " i dont have the cash, either wait for me to sell the thunderhawks or till i get paid"

His last email (september 27th) i told him "im afraid to send you money, since ive been waiting since feb." , he replies back with "I didnt ask you to send money did i?"

Now from that statement alone, im under the assumption "i will work on this at my own pace, if i want to, and when i do get it done, i may send it over" something along those words...

I do have a record of the emails.... its the only thing i got to back my story up....

Sorry for the long post, i hope that it made sense (forgive my grammar and punctuation)

If you need further details, please dont hesitate to ask. I appreciate your efforts to warn the community, i would hate for someone else to be fooled again by Matt.

Have a great day

So... yet another sign that YES, Matt is still taking commissions, and not following through on them.

He has posted a picture of a scratchbuilt Thunderhawk on Miniature Wargame Conversions early this year (about the same time he was commissioned for this job). While it seems that posting did not directly lead to this commission, as this user found the website afterwards, it's easy to see how it could be the other way around, and why his advertising his conversions on Miniature Wargame Conversions could be very dangerous for people not familiar with his history...

**nectarprime**

Has there ever been a list compiled of what exactly he still owes ad to whom?

**RiTides**

nectarprime- there was, but for his previous cycle of scams. It seems he's on a new one...

Another PM:

Shikimori wrote:Good day,

Hope your doing fine, just wanted to share some of what happened after we talked.

Ever since you posted my PM, I've been in contact with Matt. Although, he's doing it at an awful pace (replies heavily one day, then ignores for so many).
He is indeed very upset about this, but it is because of the PM you posted , he began talking back. So i have to thank you for it (although it seems he's hiding again).

Unfortunately he is not talking about the commission at all.

All he is doing, is side-stepping and kind of venting heat to me because of what has happened.

When i turn the focus of our emails to the commission, he goes back and tells me to "calm down" and that is about the only thing he mentioned about it:

"Yes after I sell the hawks that in the end cost me more then what you would have even paid for. Im the one that ot screwed my friend. You will have the refund and ill be out several hundred dollars and over 100 hours of labor. Go figure."

I then ask when this will happen, as he will have to finish the hawks in order to do what he says...... He hasnt answered back.

This is what he tells me, and in this age of technology, i find it hard to believe.... But maybe i am too naive...

"I have to work to pay bills, im literally at work right now
risking being fired
i can reply once MAYBE twice a day
not even 15 minutes, not evey hour, not even more then 3-4 times a day on the BEST possible day
clearly you can with a blackberry
i have a phone from 2002
it has no texts, no net, no nothing
no i have to get back to work before im fired"

He also wanted me to pass this message to you:

"if you talk to ritdies again tell him to shut the hell up and stop harassing me as thats what hes going. And yes I will quote people in that very thread saying what hes doing is against the law and that I can sue him.

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILY. Dakkas motto is guily always. Dakka can piss on itself."

Have a great day and i apologize if you do not want to hear more from me.

Regards,
Suhail

I hate to keep dragging this out- however, I thought this PM should be posted as it speaks for itself.

Yes, Matthew IS still taking commissions. And yes, he's still not following through on them.

I don't know what the fellow contributors to MWC have to say about it, as they haven't returned to this thread... but clearly, he is not out of the commission business, and as he is so intertwined with the website (indeed, it's impossible to know when you are or aren't speaking with him, as he posts on the website as "Miniature Wargame Conversions" in all of the comments, and through the afore-mentioned emails) it sheds an extremely bad light on the site itself, even if commissions such as the ongoing delinquent one described in the above PM were not worked out through the site.

**-Loki-**

Such a standup guy. And you're having problems with him? Well, I never.

Seriously, very glad of this thread.

**FabricatorGeneralMike**

RiTides wrote:nectarprime- there was, but for his previous cycle of scams. It seems he's on a new one...

Another PM:

Shikimori wrote:Good day,

Hope your doing fine, just wanted to share some of what happened after we talked.

Ever since you posted my PM, I've been in contact with Matt. Although, he's doing it at an awful pace (replies heavily one day, then ignores for so many).
He is indeed very upset about this, but it is because of the PM you posted , he began talking back. So i have to thank you for it (although it seems he's hiding again).

Unfortunately he is not talking about the commission at all.

All he is doing, is side-stepping and kind of venting heat to me because of what has happened.

When i turn the focus of our emails to the commission, he goes back and tells me to "calm down" and that is about the only thing he mentioned about it:

"Yes after I sell the hawks that in the end cost me more then what you would have even paid for. Im the one that ot screwed my friend. You will have the refund and ill be out several hundred dollars and over 100 hours of labor. Go figure."

I then ask when this will happen, as he will have to finish the hawks in order to do what he says...... He hasnt answered back.

This is what he tells me, and in this age of technology, i find it hard to believe.... But maybe i am too naive...

"I have to work to pay bills, im literally at work right now
risking being fired
i can reply once MAYBE twice a day
not even 15 minutes, not evey hour, not even more then 3-4 times a day on the BEST possible day
clearly you can with a blackberry
i have a phone from 2002
it has no texts, no net, no nothing
no i have to get back to work before im fired"

He also wanted me to pass this message to you:

"if you talk to ritdies again tell him to shut the hell up and stop harassing me as thats what hes going. And yes I will quote people in that very thread saying what hes doing is against the law and that I can sue him.

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILY. Dakkas motto is guily always. Dakka can piss on itself."

Have a great day and i apologize if you do not want to hear more from me.

Regards,
Suhail

I hate to keep dragging this out- however, I thought this PM should be posted as it speaks for itself.

Yes, Matthew IS still taking commissions. And yes, he's still not following through on them.

I don't know what the fellow contributors to MWC have to say about it, as they haven't returned to this thread... but clearly, he is not out of the commission business, and as he is so intertwined with the website (indeed, it's impossible to know when you are or aren't speaking with him, as he posts on the website as "Miniature Wargame Conversions" in all of the comments, and through the afore-mentioned emails) it sheds an extremely bad light on the site itself, even if commissions such as the ongoing delinquent one described in the above PM were not worked out through the site.

Thank you so much for keeping on this. Most scammers ( i'm not saying Matt is, but if it walks like a duck and talkes like a duck...) try to keep a very low profile so they can wait until the heat dies down then start back up again. ( again Matt, im not saying you are, and trust me I know all about RL getting in the way of your hobby..)

It's obvious that with such small amounts being scammed (I know a grand isn't small, but in fraud it's small patato's) the police and courts are less then interested it's up to the gamming community to help police outselves. Thats what this thread is doing, helping to warn people who don't have the abilities/time/experience to make the awsome models that they picture in their mind but that GW or other companys havent made.

I really hope that those who have been wronged get some kind of compensation but with the attitude of Matt and his 'crowd' I don't think that's happening.

Just a warning to all the 'shadey' people out there Karma is a PITA and a B****(female dog) and what goes around comes around. If it's to good to be true, it usually is. Crappy as that may be. Again a big thank you to all the people who posted, and for the 'heads up'.

**Shepherd23**

I am curious to know exactly what Ritide is doing that would allow him to be sued. I was not aware that attempting to recover lost money and or merchandise by contacting the offending party and negotiating a settlement was a crime.

I am also very shocked that the people who have defended Matt and the offending website have posted in such aggressive and threatening tones. This is actually very similar to the posts I have read in the past by Matt himself. It seems that he surrounds himself with people that have a similar violent attitude as he does. And the complete lack of willingness to attempt to discover the truth of the matter by some of them is astounding. Its like the ostrich head in the sand situation...as long as they dont know the truth then what they believe is obviously true.

MWC website seems like a legitimate site offering giveaway prize packs. I do believe that this is possibly just what Matt wanted though. A convenient cover for his conversion hoax. He has people donate free stuff that he gives away and in return he gets credibility as being a stand up guy who has a group of people who support him because he gives free stuff away.

I doubt there is a Damien or anyone else. I believe it is just Matt trying to do what he has done in the past so many times now.

RiTides wrote:

Yes, Matthew IS still taking commissions. And yes, he's still not following through on them.

I don't know what the fellow contributors to MWC have to say about it, as they haven't returned to this thread... but clearly, he is not out of the commission business, and as he is so intertwined with the website (indeed, it's impossible to know when you are or aren't speaking with him, as he posts on the website as "Miniature Wargame Conversions" in all of the comments, and through the afore-mentioned emails) it sheds an extremely bad light on the site itself, even if commissions such as the ongoing delinquent one described in the above PM were not worked out through the site.

And I am certain that Matt and the others that are defending him are here everyday or so checking this thread out. It is obvious from the email that Matt is very well aware of what is being said here. I hope that it upsets him greatly as he cries over the lost funds from his commission not being followed through after a year.

**mikhaila**

I'd like for Matt to be crying, but I don't think he really has any morals whatsoever. To be able to shamelessly lie to people, and not follow through on all these deals is unthinkable to most people, and it's a major part of how he gets away with it so much. Normal people simply don't expect a person to be this much of a jerk. Or make up the stories he does to fend people off.

Nothing RItides has done is sueable over. In fact, going in front of a judge to explain the situation would be the last thing matt wants.)

**Sidstyler**

People are arrested in this country every day for small shoplifting offenses. They all go before a judge or magistrate, and the store makes sure that all evidence is presented. Most of the time this is just a police officers testimony, but they are available to provide witnesses as necessary.

That's different, you're talking about stealing from a business, and the cops care a lot more about big businesses than they do you. So yeah, you could probably go to jail for stealing candy from Wal-Mart, but if someone stole several hundreds or even over a thousand dollars worth of crap from you, you'd probably get laughed at for trying to get the cops to track down and do anything about the guy who stole your "toys".

Just how it is I guess. We all pay taxes, my money is just as good as everyone else's and helped pay for that fleet of new Chargers the cops get to drive around town just the same, but in the end you just aren't "worth" that much. Cops don't give a damn about you or your problems, you're just ticket revenue to them.

I don't doubt that some of these people have tried to do something, but what are you supposed to do when you're literally told that your problem isn't serious enough for them to care? And that right there is why these people continue to get away with it, because people aren't as important as corporations...unless the theft is just so big they literally can't ignore it, like if your car was stolen (but even then, good luck getting anything done about it, you'll certainly never see your car or the thief ever again, that's a fething fact).

**Necro**

This is horrific stuff to say the least.

Thanks Riptides for keeping the community informed.

Seems comical that the guy thinks he can sue. If he could he already would have.

My sympathies to all of those that have been ripped off.

I for one won’t have anything to do with Miniatures Wargame Conversions.

Shameful behaviour to say the least.

**MagickalMemories**

Sidstyler wrote:
That's different, you're talking about stealing from a business, and the cops care a lot more about big businesses than they do you. So yeah, you could probably go to jail for stealing candy from Wal-Mart, but if someone stole several hundreds or even over a thousand dollars worth of crap from you, you'd probably get laughed at for trying to get the cops to track down and do anything about the guy who stole your "toys".

Just how it is I guess. We all pay taxes, my money is just as good as everyone else's and helped pay for that fleet of new Chargers the cops get to drive around town just the same, but in the end you just aren't "worth" that much. Cops don't give a damn about you or your problems, you're just ticket revenue to them.

I don't doubt that some of these people have tried to do something, but what are you supposed to do when you're literally told that your problem isn't serious enough for them to care? And that right there is why these people continue to get away with it, because people aren't as important as corporations...unless the theft is just so big they literally can't ignore it, like if your car was stolen (but even then, good luck getting anything done about it, you'll certainly never see your car or the thief ever again, that's a fething fact).

In my experience, this couldn't be farther from fact.
On numerous occasions, I've spoken with police regarding Bad Trader Reports on Bartertown. If you call them and are polite, one will gladly take a report over the phone and an officer/deputy will drive over to the accused's house and speak with him about it.

Typically, a day or 2 after doing so, the individual who went "incommunicado" shows up, ready and willing to make good on the deal (typically, they "forgot" about it or "already sent" it and "presumed it arrived" since they "didn't use a DC#").

Eric

**Howard A Treesong**

The thread is always open for his supporters to return. But they seem somewhat rude and aggressive like Matt himself. It's fortunate that there are others who can guarantee they are different people because one could draw other conclusions.

**Aerethan**

It is unfortunate that there are people like this tied to the hobby.

**Grakmar**

Aerethan wrote:It is unfortunate that there are people like this.

Fixed that for ya.

**CT GAMER**

Howard A Treesong wrote:The thread is always open for his supporters to return. But they seem somewhat rude and aggressive like Matt himself. It's fortunate that there are others who can guarantee they are different people because one could draw other conclusions.

birds of a feather and all that...

I could care less if he or any of his partners in crime find this thread troubling tbh. If you choose to hang out with scum then you have no room to complain...

**xcarbonx**

AridMonk wrote:Like I say, he has been nothing but kind to me or the many others that I have spoken to. Many many people have sung his praises, and on here is the only negativity I have seen towards him. Micheal Jackson was seen in a negative light by thousands, yet just as many saw him as their hero. Perspectives are just that, perspectives, so please do not judge me on mine.

Anyway, like I have said twice now, RiTides has said already that this thread was to be about the site, not Matt, so if we could get back to that that would be good.

How come you will hold negativity towards people who have been found of serious crimes by a court? By your logic, they have done nothing to you, just as RSO has done nothing to you. Is it fair to exempt RSO from the being looked upon in a negative light, when you are allowed to hold negative views against people you know nothing of?

**adameast**

The worst thing about this is, when several people closely attached to this and other situations finally leave the hobby, these kind of people are still around and can do their work on new gamers.

A guy, now known as Toyan used to run events in Bradford, once put a festival on where the total guarantee to bands was over £12,000 and he made £800, he told the bands he's just going to the bank to withdraw funds and setup money transfers and he left, just gone. The two girls helping him knew nothing of the finances and were left to deal with it.

Over the coming months and possibly two years he scarcely ran events (of varying success) and whenever his history was called in to question he'd disappear from X website, he once advertised and sold tickets to a show in a tiny venue for a huge band, selling over 1500 tickets to a 200 capacity venue. The show never happened.

He moved to Leeds and changed his name to Toyan and now runs Ghostfest, one of the UK's biggest independent festivals and regular club nights in the North East.

Scammers rarely get their come uppence.

**Old Man Ultramarine**

I went on eBay and looked up redstarone222 from a bing search. link

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=redstarone222&ftab=AllFeedback&seeallfeedback=See%20All%20Feedback&myworld=true

Make your own conclusions.

**RiTides**

Fortunately, no longer a registered user... however, I believe he must have made another ebay account as when I pointed out that the knight titans were being offered for sale on Miniature Wargame Conversions, he responded that most had sold through ebay. My guess would be that it's not OK by the rules of the site to come back with a different username, but I'm not sure...

Also, I will be travelling for the next 2 weeks and so won't be able to update here (most likely) if I get any more PMs... perhaps Shikimori will see this and post directly if needed (I'll also PM him).

**Moartiki**

Old Man Ultramarine wrote:I went on eBay and looked up redstarone222 from a bing search. link

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=redstarone222&ftab=AllFeedback&seeallfeedback=See%20All%20Feedback&myworld=true

Make your own conclusions.

Haha wow, I just finished reading through all of this, and still had the miniature wargaming conversions site up on one of my tabs, just so happens I click on the new project stuff and Im come across this which is the profile pic for that ebay account you linked us to.

http://miniaturewargameconversions.blogspot.com/2011/02/possessed-nurgle-dreadnought-finished.html

**1972Lt1**

Has money changed hands via mail? If so you may want to contact your local postmaster, as I believe it would be mail fraud.

**MagickalMemories**

Actually, as I have been told, just the fact that the deal includes sending something via mail makes it mail fraud, since the (promise of the) US Postal Service was included in the bargaining. Even if the promised package was never sent, it would still qualify.

Eric

**Shikimori**

Scammer Matt hasn't replied since September..... I'm sick and tired of chasing this person.

I doubt I'll ever see the commission nor a refund.

If i do get to speak to this thief again i will share it with everyone, but please do warn your community and friends about this.

Maybe we should contact others to spread this?

**RiTides**

Shikimori, just to clarify- I thought he had started replying to you (about your going public, not about the status of the commission) after seeing this thread? Based on the earlier PMs I'd put up here.

Also interesting, clearly Matthew is reading this thread. He edited the post on Miniature Wargame Conversions that Moartiki linked to to add this:

Miniature Wargame Conversions wrote:**NOTE 11/27/11 - This is specifically to the guy who linked to this as of today. When a post says finished, its a finished model from my past collection, specifically my work ive done and was proud of. This and ALL the nurgle stuff here was sold loooong ago via ebay, another link you reference. It also received good feedback for a super fast delivery. In fact, alot of the nurgle stuff here says how it was sold on ebay just as I state above. This thread post simply was one to show my personal work - Red**

Given that he edited the post the same day it was linked to, I'd say he's subscribed to this thread

Note that the poster that put up the thread is "Miniature Wargame Conversions", although he is now distinguishing himself by adding the name "Red" in his edit. But clearly, this shows that the person posting under the name "Miniature Wargame Conversions" on the site is redstarone / Matthew Bonder. It should come as no surprise that he'd use the same name "Miniature Wargame Conversions" as an email address, basically shielding himself. The fact that he made up other names (Jeff and Damien) to go behind it I guess gave him another layer of insulation... I'm just surprised he thought that would hold up when it's easy to check the names of the other contributors and find out that no such people exist.

Thus the purpose of this thread... that "Miniature Wargame Conversions" = "Matthew Bonder" = "RedStarOne". I agree Shikimori that getting that knowledge out there is important.... however, I'm not sure who else there is to contact, except to point people towards this thread.

Perhaps Bartertown will want to add a note to the Matthew Bonder case files noting that he is now using this name/site to cover his actions, as well... but beyond that I don't know if there is anything else that can be done to warn people to steer clear.

I also find it interesting that in Matthew's note he comments that people left good feedback for him on ebay for that sale, but doesn't address that apparently ebay suspended use of his account after all the negatives he received for not shipping 6 items. Once again, the evidence points to his using some positive commissions/sales to give him enough credibility to try to rip others off... and if it fails on one site, he moves to the next:

Bartertown, RogueMarket, Dakka, Ebay, and now his own Miniature Wargame Conversions.

**Jon Garrett**

The bad thing is, at least for other people on this blog, is that I wouldn't hire the services of anyone there now, because of one guy's reputation. Just being associated with the guy would turn me off. There are enough people willing to do good work who have nothing to do with the guy that I can also afford to make that choice. Why take a risk that they're going to share his mindset that yelling at the guy you own a grand too will make the problem go away?

Which sucks, because many of them are very talented. But then, so is Matt. He just prefers to shaft people, or so it seems, than earn the cash. Which is a shame, because he really could rake it in and has probably cost himself more in the long run.

**Howard A Treesong**

Jon Garrett wrote:The bad thing is, at least for other people on this blog, is that I wouldn't hire the services of anyone there now, because of one guy's reputation. Just being associated with the guy would turn me off.

That and the attitude they've taken on here which was to briefly appear to make an aggressive defence of him and then cease participation when evidence stacked up.

**Shikimori**

Matt did reply up until that last PM i sent, but now he is hiding again.

This has been the excuse he uses for him ignoring and/or replying after long periods of time:

"ive explained i will not get fired over risking sending emails from a work place especially one in a different state or in worse, a different country. I will not get stranded for being fired for opening emals when thats against the policy everywhere ive been."

Matt asked me why i contacted Dakka, i replied, to which he said:

"You warned no one. Is that not clear to you. You told the same people that have made false claims against me for going on 4 years. If I wasa theif, scammer or whatever why am I not in jaiul. they all have my personal info."

lol, so some of you have his personal info.? lol please do share

**insaniak**

Shikimori wrote:This has been the excuse he uses for him ignoring and/or replying after long periods of time:

"ive explained i will not get fired over risking sending emails from a work place especially one in a different state or in worse, a different country. I will not get stranded for being fired for opening emals when thats against the policy everywhere ive been."

So checking personal emails is out, but reading Dakka and updating his Blog aren't?

That's an interesting workplace computer use policy.

**Pacific**

Well, you can add crimes against literacy and grammar to his list of offences