Evren Karpak

The Shill is Back! Evren Karpak Returns to Investor Village

2008-04-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

Evren Karpak, breaking his promise to not flack for his new employer Overstock.com on the Investor Village message board, has returned to the board.

This blog will continue to monitor the activities of Evren Karpak.

An Early Entry in the Overstock.com Pimp Contest

2007-09-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

PhillyPA65 has submitted an entry in the "Who will be the next Overstock.com Pimp®?" contest.

He is clearly interested in being the next waste of corporate resources to be hired by Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne.

As a mindless pumper and stock pimp, he is a worthy successor to Evren.

PhillyPA65 stated as follows on the InvestorVillage message board for Overstock.com:

OSTK Market Cap is up to $683 Million
If the share price keeps going up, OSTK may be able to acquire smaller companies to improve their business. Any suggestions ?

Grow or die is the motto of Wall Street. Stock buyers don't won't invest in companies that are not growing. Is OSTK expanding to a global footprint ?

http://finance.google.com/finance?client=ig&q=OSTK

Does anyone know how the "so-called" analysts determine a fair value for stocks in this sector ?

What' the metric ?

AMZN has a P/E of 128 with a forward P/E of 51 (2008 ?).

P/E of 2 times revenue growth ?

Here's an analysis of the sector by Cramer's Posse:

On he continued, pumping away, pushing the fantasy.

PhillyPA65 is definitely a front runner in the contest.

Professor Bartlett has yet to be heard from.

Who is the Next Overstock.com Pimp?

2007-09-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

Now that Evren Karpak has achieved his career objective, and was paid for his shilling of the company by getting a job at Overstock.com, the Evren Karpak Blog is beginning a competition:

Who is the next Overstock.com Pimp® ?

Who will be the next hired by Patrick Byrne as he pays people to pump by rewarding them with Overstock jobs, paid for by shareholder money?

Who will do the best job of shilling this company?

Who will do the best job of smearing the critics of Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne?

Some of us could see it coming with Evren Karpak, who was such an obvious whore for Byrne that it was apparent that he was doing it to be paid. He was.

Who is the next on the list?

Which Overstock pumper is going to be hired by Patrick Byrne, thereby inhering the mantel of Official Overstock.com Pimp ® .

Nominations welcome. All entries become the property of the Evren Karpak Blog.

Evren Karpak Hired By Overstock.com

2007-09-25T21:54:00.000-07:00

This blog has repeated the words of Evren Karpak, who has served as representative of Overstock.com on Internet message boards.

Evren Karpak has sought to discredit and to shut down this board. He has failed.

It has always been obvious that Evren Karpak had an ulterior motive in posting on Internet message boards, always in defense of Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne. It has been obvious that he was doing so in order to obtain employment by Overstock.com.

Today, Evren Karpak announced that he has obtained employment at Overstock.com. The nature of this employment was not disclosed. By so doing, Evren Karpak has vindicated the purpose of this blog and exposed his own dishonest motives for being a shill for Overstock.com.

He did so for personal gain.

Here is the posting by Evren Karpak announcing that he is joining Overstock.com:

Message Board

SEC Filings

News

Quote / Chart

Links

Guess Today's Hi, Lo & Close

Return to Message List Top of Message List

Msg: 9891 of 9897 9/25/2007 9:25:58 PM Recs: 14 Sentiment: Not Disclosed

By: evren Send PM Profile Ignore Recommend Add To Favorites

'tis goodbye

Hi, guys and gals. This will be my last post on InvestorVillage for a while. Patrick and I spoke for the first time recently and the gist of it is... he asked me if I wanted to come work for Overstock and -- forgetting to put an appropriate pause for effect -- I accepted enthusiastically. We agreed that posting on message boards might create the appearance of a conflict of interest. And that an announcement here, where I do most all of my posting, would be best. It seems only the right thing to do.

Now, one way to interpret this news is that he didn't like my posts and this was the quickest, most effective way to stop them(!) I hope not. Likely, the usual suspects will come up with novel scenarios for what happened, why, etc. They will have the added satisfaction of having their pet theories go unchallenged by me. I will only point out that they have never come clean with any scenario, plausible or otherwise, for their own reasons to post here or elsewhere. Except that they are good samaritans, bent on, umm... helping us investors see the error of our ways. I think my reasons for being here were always articulated fully and now with this added wrinkle, I should stop.

But enough about them. I have enjoyed being here, for the quality of what was written and the the people who wrote them. I got to talk to many in PMs and with a few, meet in other settings. I hope to continue that as much as possible.

My one regret is that this comes at a time when there has been a palpable shift in the mood here. Instead of the siege mentality that comes naturally when being attacked on so many fronts... there is the satisfaction of hardly a week going by without some encouraging news and a sense that the tide is turning. And having these developments reflected in the stock price. In short, I was hoping to soon be "magnanimous in victory" in my posts here but I guess not. On the other hand I get to "double-down" on my investment in a very novel and unexpected way.

One last note -- rather than what and whether I posted here, it was contacts made here and interactions that got started (Judd, first and foremost) and their impression of what I could bring to Overstock that got this going. In that spirit I should also thank all the bashers who harped on the subject of me being paid/told what to post by Overstock. While never true, maybe that had a hand in getting the conversation started, too.

Not much else to say, other than it's been a great time and best wishes to all,

Evren Karpak

This blog will continue to track the career of Evren Karpak, and will continue to track the other shills for Overstock.com.

Evren Karpak and Dave Bartlett Scramble to Defend Overstock.com

2007-08-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

Evren Karpak was thrown into a state of confusion by a devastating Sam Antar Blog raising difficult questions concerning the accounting at Overstock.com.

Evren Karpak has a record of making vicious attacks on critics of Overstock.com and Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne. The purpose of this blog, which Evren Karpak has sought to kill, is to focus on these statements.

Rather than responding to Antar or even reading the blog, Evren Karpak commences a personal attack on Sam Antar:

Remember -- Sam Antar has an alibi? He admits to all the lies and stealing he has been convicted of? Ergo, he must be telling the truth now. Or, something along those lines.

The thing is, even if he wasn't a convicted felon, his actions and words in the last six months would be enough to convince me that he is a scam-artist. All the, "I was so horrible in my past life, I deserve everything you can call me and worse!" doesn't change that part of the equation.

Then there is the question of whether he has any understanding of Overstock, the business, to begin with. I don't know. I can't make sense of his stream-of-consciousness rants even when they are talking about me, let alone anything else. Though, they are well-peppered with inflammatory words, accusations, etc. That much comes across.

I think his scam was honed in face-to-face interactions. Then, you may think there is a method to the madness and you just missed the beautiful reasoning in all the fast-talk. That doesn't work in writing, though, unless you are just scanning the page. Maybe that's why all his rants are so tediously long and quote the same things in full over and over again.

In a subsequent item, Evren Karpak states that he has not actually read the blog.

Former Illinois university instructor Dave Bartlett, posting under blackpartpo8, responds in character by personally attacking Antar and two other critics in a typically obscene manner:

Just Sam the Sham grasping at straws. Must have taken a break from his cyberstalking. Funny how that comes out right after options expiration and gets picked up immediately by Tracy and Gary, two known Wall Street whores.
[boldface added]

Sam declared he had proof many months ago of fraud but had to back off on that. He actually then declared that he had no knowledge of Patrick or Judd having broken any laws by saying that he was not aware of them breaking any laws and hoped they had not.

Now he is trying to justify his existence in between cyberstalking and posting the names of minors on the internet by putting out pieces designed to confuse the ignorant like Tracy and Gary. As usual his exercise was entirely meaningless and futile. AGAIN.

Dave Bartlett posted again to say, "I stand corrected. They are much worse than common whores."

Evren Karpak responded:

We agree on what Sam is doing -- "grasping at straws". But when he mentions something that *may* be a legitimate question, he deserves an answer. We can't expect everyone who reads his post to be familiar with his formulaic writing over the months here and on Yahoo, where every lie and every innuendo is framed as a question.

The strategy is consistent. Evren Karpak seeks to discredit Antar again through personal attacks, and by offering no explanation for any of the data presented in Antar's posts.

Dave Bartlett, not purporting to possess any expertise or insights, simply attacks. It is hard to believe that Evren Karpak is associated with the University of Chicago, and that Dave Bartlett is a retired professor of history at South Suburban College in South Holland, Illinois.

Evren Karpak is an associate of Judd Bagley and a contributor to antisocialmedia.net.

Both Evren Karpak and Dave Bartlett, the former South Suburban College professor and historical society president, have a history of making vicious personal attacks on critics of Overstock.com and its CEO Patrick Byrne.

Why do they engage in this kind of conduct? What are their motives?

Evren Karpak Monitors Trading in Overstock.com Options

2007-08-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

For the past few days, Evren Karpak has been monitoring trading in Overstock.com options. He posted today:

following up on yesterday's trade

Open Interest for the Aug $25 puts/calls has not changed to reflect yesterday's activity. Which means the options were likely cancelled. But the counterfeit/"air"/naked-short shares that were created as one leg of that trade are likely being used to confine the price near $20 today. I may have more detail in the coming days.

Evren Karpak

Options trading does not create "air/naked short shares." It is a legitimate and legal activity of the free marketplace.

Why does Evren Karpak have a problem with the workings of the free marketplace as far as Overstock.com?

Why is he monitoring options trading and seeking to equate such legal and legitimate trading with illegal naked short selling?

Why is Evren Karpak Afraid?

2007-08-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

Evren Karpak tried to kill this blog. That did not work, so now he is afraid.

He has begun a blog of his own.

He is upset by this blog.

This blog publishes the words of Evren Karpak.

His words are his own, signed by him.

Why is he afraid of his own words?

Has he said something wrong?

Dave Bartlett Responding to Evren Karpak

2007-08-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

Dave Bartlett, who posts on Investor Village as Blackpartpo8, responded to Evren Karpak.

Dave Bartlett is a retired professor of history at South Suburban College in South Holland, Illinois. He is president of the Thornton Township Historical Society and past president of the South Suburban Heritage Association. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society and is president pro-tem of the Illinois State Historical Society.

His email address is blackbartpo8@aol.com. That's according to his Amazon page. Seems that he changed it. Sorry Dave! Still on Google Cache. See this too.

Google later cleared its cache. Not to worry. I kept a copy. Sorry Dave!

Blackpartpo8 loves Patrick Byrne and hates his enemies, almost as much as Evren Karpak.

More to come on Dave Bartlett.

Evren Karpak Runs to the Defence of Patrick Byrne

2007-08-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

Patrick Byrne, chief executive officer of Overstock.com, has come under criticism recently for a lengthy, insult-filled rant on his personal blog, and for inconsistent public statements concerning an SEC investigation.

Riding to his defense comes Evren Karpak, in a post on Investor Village.

Evren Karpak, although he is an Overstock.com investor, expresses no concern about the SEC investigation or Patrick Byrne's inconsistent statements. He is only concerned with defending Patrick Byrne.

Why does Evren Karpak function in a public relations capacity for Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne?

Why does he defend him when he is criticized?

Does he have hidden motives?

Is he seeking employment or other remuneration from Overstock.com or Patrick Byrne personally?

Evren Karpak Diverts Attention As Overstock Falls

2007-08-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

Evren Karpak today tried to divert attention from the decline in Overstock.com shares by pointing to NFI (Novastar Financial), whose shares increased:

Msg: 9332 of 9337 8/10/2007 10:18:27 AM Recs: 0 Sentiment: Not Disclosed
By: evren Send PM Profile Ignore Recommend Add To Favorites
NFI

Take a look at what's happening there if you are the one person on this board who isn't :-

Why is Evren Karpak so anxious to divert attention from his company when its shares fall?

Yesterday he posted as follows:

By: evren
Re: Reg SHO versus the field today

That is a very interesting observation. Have to say, every now and then I go there to check on something and that legend in the corner where it says "buyin imminent" amuses me. Any day now! We are at 13 + 566!

The thing is, one of these days soon it will indeed be imminent. And even if it weren't, I bought into a great company, run by great people, at a great price. I've had to juggle some things early on but lucky for me, after some months I settled into the full position back in last Nov/Dec just as ostk (the shares) turned the corner. Ever since, it has never really been a concern for me, frankly. If you read Patrick's speech to the Pan-Mass heavy-hitters (where he is talking about something a whole lot more serious) he mentions a certain conviction:

People in my corner were worried. They knew the 20% odds. I do not mean to sound cocky or as though I take any of this for granted, but I will tell you the truth. Deep down, I was not worried. Remember your high school English course, and the concept of dramatic irony, where the reader knows more about what's going on than the characters in the novel or the play? I was experiencing dramatic irony. It was as though I had flipped to the end of the book, I had read the last page, I knew the guy lived. I’m not sure how, but I knew it, and I tried to act appropriately worried, but it didn’t come easy. I felt tremendously sorry for those people around me who were worried about me, and of course there was no way to explain to them that I had read the ending already and knew the hero came out okay. More than anything, I was curious, because it sure did look like our hero was in a bit of a fix, and I wanted to hang around to see how he got out of it.

Well, that's a long-winded way for me to introduce an analogy but that's kinda how I felt about my investment in Overstock. I was never too worried about how things would turn out.

And yesterday, we got the news of Patrick buying 10,000 shares in the open market. Someone here mentioned how this may have been a "test" of delivery, etc. I think not. I think Patrick thought that ostk at 22 represented a very good value -- the best value available to him -- and he took advantage of it. Of course, he was in the unique position of having the opportunity to get the board to grant him the same in options but we all know by now that's not how he operates.

So here we are, with our adversaries just as adamant as before about taking down the pps every chance they get but I am not worried. I see the price go down to 20.14 in half-an-hour and I know exactly what I need to do.

Evren Karpak

Why does Evren Karpak constantly promote Overstock.com as an investment as well as personally promoting Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne?

Connecting the Dots on Evren Karpak

2007-08-09T11:00:00.001-07:00

Today, Evren Karpak has a post that says as follows:

Connecting the dots on ex-commissioner Campos

I don't have much to go on with Campos at this point.

... at such times, positions taken by people who support someone can be an approximate gauge of that person's position itself. Not necessarily so but often enough to be useful.

In that spirit, I bring up a familiar name from the past -- Yolanda Holtzee.

See this message for a quick refresher on how she relates to our story. See this page for some more detail.

Yolanda has a penchant for often narrating her current mood, her opinions her aspirations and her dreams by getting a descriptive Yahoo username and posting under that name. She may actually be the holder of some odd record in that category, given how many times she has done this.

Here is a visual aid that may come in handy for parsing that activity.

Notice, under the "Certain" category in the text above the chart, the following username:

roel_campos_4_sec_chairman_2008

The post includes links to antisocialmedia.net, to which Evren Karpak is a contributor.

Why is Evren Karpak obsessed with Yolanda Holtee?

Why does he post links to antisocialmedia.net, a blog operated by the Director of Communications of Overstock.com, Judd Bagley?

What are the connections between Evren Karpak and Overstock.com?

Evren Karpak Tries to Kill This Blog

2007-08-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

Evren Karpak is unhappy today.

Msg: 9304 of 9312 8/9/2007 4:12:16 AM

By: evren

Can you do me a favor?

Turns out Sam Antar took out my name on Blogger the other day (I already have evrenkarpak, so he took evren-karpak instead)

He calls it "The unofficial Evren Karpak blog".

He goes on to post... his Sam Antar-ish rants and accusations there. He is really peeved that I got him kicked out here (once) and Yahoo (four times). Well, that's taking too much credit -- he does the stupid stuff and I just get to point at it.

This is the same guy that Herb Greenberg has given ample space to on his financial column and on TV. When are you featuring him next, Herb?

Anyway, if you get a chance -- please go to http://evren-karpak.blogspot.com/ and click on Flag Blog at the top-left corner to report it for inappropriate content so it is taken off.

I already made a copy. If he keeps up this game maybe I'll forward it to the organizers the next time someone invites him to do his forensic accounting shtick. Or whatever his con-game is called these days. I think his scheming ways will come across mighty easily to anyone seeing a stunt like this.

Evren Karpak

This blog is dedicated to the words of Evren Karpak, as spoken in posts to which he has signed his name.

These are his words.

Why does Evren Karpak have a problem with his own words?

Is there something wrong with his words?

Evren Karpak's Activities

2007-08-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

From the White Collar Crime Blog:

Judd Bagley has colluded with other persons such as Evren Karpak (a contributor to antisocialmedia.net and Overstock.com shareholder) to intimidate critics with threats, blackmail, and smears.

June 12, 2007:

Evren Karpak, a contributor to antisocialmedia.net and an Overstock.com shareholder, carries out part of the threat in a comment published on antisocialmedia.net by alias alpineanalytics to "hurt" Gary Weiss "economically." In a post (message number 8042) on InvestorVillage, Evren Karpak stated that he had written letters to three of Gary Weiss's publishers: Forbes, SeekingAlpha.com, and Salon.com in an effort to have them discontinue business ties with Mr. Weiss.

June 12, 2007 (next):

Judd Bagley had posted a recommendation to Evren Karpak's post on InvestorVillage where he carries out a threat to "hurt" Gary Weiss economically by contacting his publishers. That post on InvestorVillage still remains published.

June 17, 2007 (next):

Later, Evren Karpak, an Overstock.com shareholder and antisocialmedia.net contributor, threatens Scipio Africanus with blackmail on InvestorVillage. Evren Karpak chimes in by posting the following message (number 8205) on InvestorVillage:

Scipio / Al Kidd still has one chance. He missed a few others, culminating in his mug being featured on ASM. I hope he does the right thing. I really do because what will come down on him if he chooses not to is not a fate I'd wish on anyone. Okay, maybe Gary Weiss.
Evren
Note: Bold print and italics added by me.
June 24, 2007:
Antisocialmedia.net smear web site contributor, Evren Karpak, who has been posting messages on Yahoo under his alias evren60615, pursues Scipio Africanus on the Yahoo Overstock.com message board:
You call? Very simple, then. Respond to this message and violate the condition ASM has set on not revealing what he has. Make your denial.
Note: Bold print and italics added by me.

July 6, 2007:

Patrick Byrne announces on InvestorVillage that he will not be posting on internet message boards and will consolidate his smear campaign against critics on Overstock.com. Patrick Byrne praises his antisocialmedia.net contributor, Evren Karpak, who has used threats, smears, and blackmail in various messages posted over the internet against Byrne critics in his farewell post on InvestorVillage:

Evren - Ditto. You are a deep guy, and write beautifully. It is hard to believe that English is a second language for you, as you write better than 99.99% of those to whom it is a first....

Judd Bagley, in his attempt to blackmail Scipio Africanus in collusion with antisocialmedia.net contributor Evren Karpak, Bagley makes it clear that antisocialmedia.net's mandate is from Patrick Byrne.

Evren Karpak Threatens a User on Investor Village

2007-08-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from a post on the White Collar Crime Blog

***

Later, Evren Karpak, an Overstock.com shareholder and antisocialmedia.net contributor, threatens Scipio Africanus with blackmail on InvestorVillage

On Sunday, June 17, 2007, Evren Karpak chimes in by posting the following message (number 8205) on InvestorVillage:

Scipio / Al Kidd still has one chance. He missed a few others, culminating in his mug being featured on ASM. I hope he does the right thing. I really do because what will come down on him if he chooses not to is not a fate I'd wish on anyone. Okay, maybe Gary Weiss.
Evren
Note: Bold print and italics added by me.

On Sunday, June 24, 2007, antisocialmedia.net smear web site contributor, Evren Karpak, who has been posting messages on Yahoo under his alias evren60615, pursues Scipio Africanus:

You call? Very simple, then. Respond to this message and violate the condition ASM has set on not revealing what he has. Make your denial.
Note: Bold print and italics added by me.

Shortly afterwards, I notified Overstock.com’s Board of Directors and its Audit Committee about the Bagley – Karpak collaboration

Afterwards, I wrote the following e-mail to the Board of Directors on Overstock.com and its Audit Committee:

To the Board of Directors of Overstock.com and its Audit Committee:
Are you aware that Judd Bagley (Director of Communications at Overstock.com) is colluding with Evren Karpak (Overstock.com shareholder and antisocialmedia.net contributor) to black mail the person known as Scipio Africanus?
The use of blackmail by Judd Bagley and others working in collusion with him violates Overstock.com’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
You are now on notice.
Respectfully,
Sam E. Antar (former Crazy Eddie CFO & convicted felon)

Cc:
Kenneth Israel (Securities and Exchange Commission – Utah)
William McKean (Securities and Exchange Commission – Utah)

Note: Bold print and italics added by me.

Evren Karpak’s threat disappears from Yahoo but it remains on InvestorVillage

A couple of hours later, Evren Karpak’s threat to Scipio Africanus disappears from Yahoo. However, his threat on InvestorVillage remains published.

* * *

Previously, antisocialmedia.net contributor Evren Karpak had acted out on that threat by attempting to hurt Gary Weiss at least economically in a post on InvestorVillage

A couple of weeks earlier, on Tuesday, June 12, 2007, before the threat to Gary Weiss was deleted from antisocialmedia.net, Evren Karpak carried out part of that threat to“hurt” Gary Weiss “economically.”

In a post (message number 8042) on InvestorVillage, Evren Karpak wrote that he had written letters to three of Gary Weiss's publishers: Forbes, SeekingAlpha.com, and Salon.com in an effort to have them discontinue business ties with Mr. Weiss. Judd Bagley had posted a recommendation to Evren Karpak's post on InvestorVillage. That post on InvestorVillage still remains published.

Is Overstock.com’s Board of Directors and Audit Committee finally taking action about violations to Overstock.com’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics?

***

After, I was booted from InvestorVillage, on February 22, 2007, in a post (message number 5014), using his alias Hannibal, Patrick Byrne responding to antisocialmedia.net contributor Evren Karpak, quoted Karpak's previous post and responded:

"Sam has been booted permanently for posting the letter from the IV attorney on Yahoo (also now deleted by Yahoo) and attacking IV instead of responding to their attempt to reach a compromise. How do I know? Because this time he posted the new letter from the attorney, phone numbers and all, on Gary Weiss's blog comments.

Anyway, good riddance and I hope to never mention him again in a post.

Evren"
Inshallah, Pal.
Note: Bold print and italics added by me.

It appears that Patrick Byrne echoed the beliefs of Evren Karpak, antisocialmedia.net contributor and Overstock.com shareholder. On February 11, 2007, in a post (message number 4761) on InvestorVillage.com, Evren Karpak had written:

This is a public board and one of its main functions is to provide a public voice for Overstock shareholders. It is a small corner of the Internet but it is our corner. And judging by the number of people who have made it their day's work in the last two months to turn it into a cacophony of nonsense and the shrill defense they get from the miscreeants' blogs -- it does matter. I say we don't abdicate it so easily. Don't ignore Sam, report him. He somehow weaseled his way back here but we can put pressure on the Admins to kick him out again. None of us individually "determine who gets heard" but we should have a voice as a group.
Note: Bold print and italics added by me.

* * *

Perhaps antisocialmedia.net smear web site contributor and Overstock.com shareholder, Evren Karpak, has an answer as to why InvestorVillage will not delete Edward Manfredonia's comments

On June 27, 2007, in a post (message number 8422), on InvestorVillage, antisocialmedia.net contributor Evren Karpak has stated:

…you and your merry band of provocateurs have complained about Ed Manfredonia to IV admins . His posts were not deleted. Are you claiming that IV administration is tolerating anti-Semitism? Why do you think they did not delete his posts?
Note: Bold print and italics added by me.

Antisocialmedia.net smear web site contributor and Overstock.com shareholder, Evren Karpak, apparently knows a little bit about InvestorVillage management. In a post on InvestorVillage (message number 2575), Evren Karpak wrote:

I had a long conversation couple of weeks ago with one of the two guys that started IV. Without divulging the content, I think I can say that their hearts are very much in the right place. I was very impressed.

Note: Bold print and italics added by me.

InvestorVillage is a great place for Patrick Byrne (CEO of Overstock.com), Judd Bagley (Director of Communications at Overstock.com), and their cronies to spew out threats, smears, false information, misinformation, blackmail, and anti-Semitic comments.

Written by,

Sam E. Antar (former Crazy Eddie CFO & convicted felon)