WARNING TO THE COMMUNITY: Daniel Mandelbaum of Texas is still active with Resin Forge and/or BCS

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**Alpharius**

As much as we'd love to see registrations and numbers and such, I doubt many (any?) people who do painting and converting 'on the side' have these things.

Unless "Alan" is stating this is his full time job, and not some part time affair while he works somewhere else?

Either way, whatever.

We already 'know' who this is.

**ExiledMiniatures**

I do this on the side of a full time job and am in the process of registering my business. There are just many advantages in this hobby for having a registered business such as the ability to buy from distributors and writing off travel expenses for conventions.

In fact a lot of the painters I know are registered business owners.

It's a professional thing. If you want to be a professional you do things properly.
If Alan chooses not to be a registered business, he could still answer the request for a valid business license by admitting that he's not, he's just a commission artist. Which as you pointed out many aren't.
But when your going to run a web store selling bits you cast and kits you print at that point you have to be a registered business. Claiming the shop is on the side is tax evasion.
If you sell 10 sets of 10 bases for $10, that's $100usd which the government should receive it's share of depending on state. Tx is 8.25% sales tax,
Now for instance lets say his business of producing bases takes off and he's fulfilling 60 to 200 orders for bases and kits a month with an average dollar sale of $40. That's minimum $2,400 maximum $8,000. Using Texas as an example the governments sales tax in that would be $198.24 for $2400. Now that doesn't seem like a lot but a few months of that adds up.
And that's just excess income from sales tax he wasn't charging. There is also income tax on the money he makes that if he's not claiming it as income he isn't paying.
Now the kicker is, say he operates the store unregistered for a year and makes over $10,000 on PayPal. They'll report that income to the IRS. Who will then back tax that income because it wasn't originally taxed.

There's another benefit to just register your business. Last thing you want is the IRS auditing you for additional income!

I hope this makes sense, I'm using my iPhone so it's hard to proof read.

**MajorTom11**

I call bs on him having a job... the guy deletes posts within seconds nearly always... day or night. I don't know about you guys but I certainly couldn't pull that off non-stop....

**ExiledMiniatures**

While I do agree I can access Facebook very fast from my iPhone and edit pages or reply. But to act like you have a professional job that blocks YouTube and forums but not Facebook is where I draw the line for bs.

**12thRonin**

To be honest, I can see it. Execs/owners want to be able to check their FB too so it's "not a threat" for the IT group to deal with so it gets white-listed. I saw this at a Fortune 500 I worked for about 10 years ago where execs were punching holes in the banned sites all the time.

Not saying he's not full of it (and I believe he is), just saying it's quite possible.

**MajorTom11**

Is he on break 24 hrs a day lol? That is his availability to delete posts... if there was a gap in of a few hours here and there during the day, it would make sense lol... but as far as I see he is on it like a freakin cat on a laser pointer every time lol...

Anyways, it is a bit of a pointless suspicion, as ExiledMiniatures brought up, side-job or full-time, he still needs to be registered and is operating illegally if he isn't.

**alarmingrick**

MajorTom11 wrote:
Is he on break 24 hrs a day lol? That is his availability to delete posts... if there was a gap in of a few hours here and there during the day, it would make sense lol... but as far as I see he is on it like a freakin cat on a laser pointer every time lol...

Anyways, it is a bit of a pointless suspicion, as ExiledMiniatures brought up, side-job or full-time, he still needs to be registered and is operating illegally if he isn't.

Maybe between Kim, Michael and Daniel they're taking it in shifts. Seriously. Ok, I can't keep a straight face!

I fully agree with the idea of him holding down a fulltime, legit job are highly doubtful.

**Chrysis**

ExiledMiniatures wrote:
While I do agree I can access Facebook very fast from my iPhone and edit pages or reply. But to act like you have a professional job that blocks YouTube and forums but not Facebook is where I draw the line for bs.

My job filters out Youtube but not Facebook. Depending on where I am they also filter out warseer, but not Dakka. Filters are only as comprehensive as the people who setup them up can manage.

**RiTides**

I would imagine that facebook is one of the most-blocked sites by filters... it's one of the only sites that my company blocks.

**OverwatchCNC**

RiTides wrote:
I would imagine that facebook is one of the most-blocked sites by filters... it's one of the only sites that my company blocks.

I work for a Private Catholic School, the Faculty have very few blocked sites and FB isn't one of them. I think it really depends on the industry you're in tbh.

But I too doubt DM has any other source of income with how much he uses FB.

**ExiledMiniatures**

Hm this is rather interesting development.

I'm a single man studio and even if I'm booked, I'll at least discuss a job and try to get it on the books for when I'm available.
Hell I even have clients who have asked to put a down payment to reserve the next available commission!

To say we can't accept commissions because I don't haver help is unacceptable of a professional studio. Hell he could have at least asked him for some details and offered a quote or recommended another artist. To let a Facebook comment about a possible job go more than twelve hours without a response is absurd. You have a studio page and should be answering clients. I'd be upset to if I saw Alan Welson posting on Facebook but ignoring my request for commission prices!

James if your truly interested in commission service and read this I'll be more than happy to help you out and give you 20% off the final cost just because of the way BCS treated you.

**OverwatchCNC**

I can't see the images. From what you're describing though that is just plain ridiculous.

**Rorschach9**

OverwatchCNC wrote:
I can't see the images. From what you're describing though that is just plain ridiculous.

For the image impared;

Big "Yay, 725+ likes!" post;

"Future plans are hiring several painters to complete commissions faster as well as hiring so two VERY talented 3d artists to do CAD work for some new and exciting releases to make some great add ones to various Sci-Fi 29mm games.

*Hint hint, Wink, wink, Nudge, nudge* And its things for large kits that I have yet to see any other companies do.

Black Crusade Studio Will still specialize in custom armies and commissions for award winning armies for all of our wonderful clients and those that have yet to give us a try! You'll find our prices really cant be beat! "

James Campbell : Where can I find your prices???

· Yesterday at 11:58..

James Campbell : Well, you've been here and ignored me. No reply, no prices, no business. Good day.

4 hours ago..

Alan Welson : BCS is not a studio that takes regular commissions. We dont have a set of products for sale and currently until we have a line of arists, we won't. The posts here are generally pretty obvious to that fact. You could have also sent a message rather then posting here, then getting upset less then 1 day later when I havent yet replied.

Have a great day!

· 2 hours ago..

James Campbell : Your claim is "You'll find our prices really can't be beat!" - yet you supply no prices and say you don't have any product/service that you can put pricing to?

· about an hour ago

**ExiledMiniatures**

Thanks for summing it up.

I uploaded to my PB not the Dakka gallery so I'm sure a lot of people can't see.

**MajorTom11**

Ah Daniel... everyone but you is a 'troll'.

Keep a look out for his next venture boys, he should be setting it up right about now. Sigh...

**Azreal13**

MajorTom11 wrote:
Ah Daniel... everyone but you is a 'troll'.

Keep a look out for his next venture boys, he should be setting it up right about now. Sigh...

When it happens (wish I felt I could say if) perhaps the Mods could adapt their strategy?

I suspect, as others have suggested, that why he does this is to get a buzz from it, and its threads like this that contribute, maybe the next thread could be moderated, so kept up to date, and near the top of page 1, but not open to all posters? No discussion, just a simple, up to date, summary of the facts and happenings.

If we can kill the buzz from all the controversy he thinks he is causing, perhaps we can cause him to lose his taste for it? He is obviously not doing it for financial gain at this point.

**MajorTom11**

There is already a thread as you describe. However, individual threads dedicated to discussing his activities are vital. All the hoop-la may be what he gets off on as you surmise, however, the hoop-la is necessary to get the word out to the general community ASAP. Unfortunately a necessary evil.

That being said, I can assure you that although some twisted part of Mandelbaum likely gets a kick of any attention at all, hatred included, he is very, very not happy that his scams are not able to pay off. I am quite sure that his first and foremost motivations are private and money based, whatever other issues he may have. He desperately hid his name for years, he wanted his anonymity. He is not happy his real identity is out either.

I see where you are coming from, believe me, but he will do this whether or not we catch him. Years of behaviour corroborate that, he wants to get maximum cash for his 'businesses' before he burns them.

**Savagecoyote**

Sorry if someone has already pointed this out but about halfway down the page (dated august 28th around 8.50 am just under the pic of the pilfered project) he has a "screencap" of a "customer " who backed out of buying his fictional titan( because Bigbad apparently sold him the files to have printed elsewhere ) well it might be just me but that "James Keller " doesn't appear to exist do we need to chalk up another burn account name here

**OverwatchCNC**

Someone needs to screen caption what's happening on FB right now...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2375487814/10151683985652815/?notif_t=group_comment_reply

**Kilkrazy**

Wow!

Of course Alan Welson could easily prove his identity by showing his birth certificate. I wonder if he will?!??!???!

**CalasTyphon216**

Aye, he seems to have the wool over Sami's eyes so I reposted. As it happens I'm in the same area as Sami so hopefully I can convince her

**albinoork**

OverwatchCNC wrote:
Someone needs to screen caption what's happening on FB right now...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2375487814/10151683985652815/?notif_t=group_comment_reply

Efforting

**Kilkrazy**

Until I read that thread I was not aware that it was possible to pump bs through a fire hose.

**Azreal13**

**curran12**

Can someone post the contents of the post for those of us who can't see it?

Edit: azrael is a sorcerer and answered me before I askjed! :O thanks!

**Azreal13**

Ok, that seems to be the meat of it.

You're welcome, curran12, and yes, I do.

**albinoork**

azreal13 wrote:
Ok, that seems to be the meat of it.

You're welcome, curran12, and yes, I do.

Ach, crivens. Ya beat me to it.

Thanks

**ExiledMiniatures**

Azrael thanks for screen capping that buddy! I'm about to jump into the thread and lay down some of the amounting complaints against Alan and the questions that need answers.

**Azreal13**

Ok, well, if you want to capture the part you're posting in, I will stop with what I've got.

**ExiledMiniatures**

Aj Thornton Alright, I 've been watching this post for the last 25 minutes. I generally would not comment, but I feel compelled to jump in here.
This is America yes, you are innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. There is a lot of evidence that points to a DM scandal, as much as myself and everyone else in the community wished DM would just disappear.
Alan, regardless of if you are or aren't DM, you could prove it.
Sarah Mathews is correct!
You've said you worked for a game store in LA, provide the store or a reference. Provide some local clients or gaming buddies who can verify your identity.
I know you said you wanted to sell bases and such, operating a web store you'd need at least a DBA and report your income to the government, what's the registration number for BCS?
Since you said you originally planned to sell the titan before you found out it was stolen, provide a screen cap of the 3d render to prove you had the file originally and could even sell it to begin with.
Rickey James Morang is correct, you ignored questions from potential clients and when you did answer, it was rather abrupt and rude. If you weren't accepting commissions, then you could have responded nicely to tell him that.

Part of the evidence of you being DM is you follow in his patterns to a T. Your account pops up as does BCS no record anywhere else.
Your work and constuction and even bits match his work, even the sculpting matches and bases.
The way you respond to the community when they demand some proof of identity.
Without proving you had the plans originally it looks like one of DMs grab money for a preorder he can't fulfill and run.

Your friends list is populated by people that I personally know, who are 90% large figures in the painting community, these people accept people in the community, but your friends list lacks real friends. If it is indeed filtering, remove it so the community ca nsee that you have more than just people who will add miniature painters and gamers.You do also have no personal photos. I can understand privacy and all, but it still look suspicious when piled into all the other evidence.

You claim to want to move on and continue with your work which is something that you can do by providing the information the community is asking you to do!
If you haven't registered BCS because it is a "Side" thing, you can register a DBA for less than $50 which will help prove your identity and settle some doubts.

As to why Tom will not provide the evidence he has, and yes I have seen it, is because if he does, then the way it was obtained will no longer work for future investigations into DM and his assumed alias'.
You guys have to realize that there is a team of about 6 people who watch for this things, then collect proof. Although no one from the team originally started the Dakka thread, we were already watching BCS and looking into it. We would not have said anything if we didn't have enough cause to at least warrant a warning to the community.
The original thread wasn't related to DM, it was related to the fact that BCS was selling a model that not only violates GW and FW IP but was believed to been stolen from the original owner. Had this just been addressed with proof that BCS had the ability to print the model and had indeed been scammed by someone, the issue would have settled, but the attack back to the community and deletion of posts with questions asking for proof comes straight from the DM playbook.
a few seconds ago · Like

Aj Thornton Alan I wish you the best of luck in resolving this, but the same expectations are held of you as they were of DM. Information has to be shared to clear your name from this.
a few seconds ago · Like

My laptop I'm using can't handle a screen cap. I was afraid it'd die making that post!