UPDATE (May 25th 2018): The bullying continues with a threatening letter. This court document shows prior association between Quinton Bridger, Greg Davies and Mark Maritz, some of the Odinfin characters, where Gquin financial service lost in 2015 for around R8,600,000.00. You’ll see in the comments to this weblog from 2012 I highlighted Gquin Financial Services is one of Mark Maritz vehicles.
I hope the The Hawks, South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), investigate this group and its legal representatives as the facts are there in court documents of prior association, and a record of lost court cases. Note there will be many more cases where the cheated individuals simply gave up, like I did.
According to sources in South Africa there is another court case involving them coming up at the end of this month (May 2018).
UPDATE (May 19th 2018): My sources are now receiving threats over WhatsApp against both them and their spouse. I have been receiving emails, calls and messages since 5:44AM this morning. I show a sample below. I’m doing this update in support of the people in South Africa mistreated by Mark.
As proof of prior association of some of the Odinfin characters listed above, please check out the case Gquin financial service lost in 2015 for around R8,600,000.00.
I will not be bullied into silence. I have been cheated by Mark Maritz, and recommend you do not do business with him. Please read the rest of this article and the comments to see some of what he’s done.
Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly. – Mahatma Gandhi
Email from Quinton Bridger received at 5:44AM 19th May.
“> Allan….. I suggest you have my name and my companies name removed from your blog!!!! Next time you want to publicly slate someone’s name get your facts right……. I will be taking this up with our legal team. We will be taking action against you!!! You have a disgusting approach in your manner of dealing with things….. you make out that you a learned person….. really ??!! I look forward to your response!!! As I have said I am horrified…… ”
UPDATE (May 11th 2018): According to sources in South Africa he is now part of Odinfin PTY LTD / Odin Group, along with Victor Bridger, Robert Linkmeyer, Quinton Bridger and Greg Davies. This is confirmed on his current LinkedIn profile. Interestingly, the surname Bridger has popped up in some of Mark’s past vehicles. They have an Old Mutual Franchise and a Regent/Hollard Franchise and according to sources Mark is still bad news. A quick search on the internet will show Odinfin had a recent court ruling against them.
They are situated at: Route 21 Office Park / Coporate Park 93 Sovereign Drive, Pretoria, Irene, 0157. South Africa. FSP LICENCE NR : 45413 Tel Nr : 012 443 7200
In the 15 years I’ve been running my business working with people around the world, the one thing I’ve found uplifting is people can be trusted, their word is their bond.
However, I’ve met what I consider to be a cheat, hence I’m making sure people are forewarned, as it’s important to expose such people, its the only way to stop them in the long run.
The cheat is Mark Maritz, the owner of Vital Training, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. See update above on his latest vehicle.
His Linkedin profile is here: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mark-maritz/17/197/150
The company’s website is here: http://www.vitaltraining.co.za/
Currently, 4 invoices remain unpaid from August 2011, with numerous promises made on payments that have been repeatedly broken. Over the holidays he started playing a game on which currency he was talking about. I’ll update this weblog the moment any are paid in full.
Unfortunately, I recently discovered I’m not the first to suffer this fate at the hands of Mark Maritz, as described here: http://mcpeurope.posterous.com/vital-training-and-mark-maritz and here: http://www.skills-universe.com/forum/topics/training-companies-that-dont (search on the page for Maritz to find the article.)
My recommendation can only be, do not do business with Mark Maritz or Vital Training. I will not be involved with TV Africa nor African Service Provider IT conferences. And finally I ask my colleagues and friends in South Africa to be very careful who you select to do your training, especially if the organization’s address is in the Centurion area and they use the surname Maritz or Bridger.
If you read the comments to this article you will see the latest aliases being used, and testimony from others cheated by this character.
Too many issues to mention, just stay away!!!!
We have had exactly the same experience. We delivered a very well attended (55 people) org design program in June 2011. We were paid half our fee up front – no problem. Then, we were unable to collect the remaining fee and our travel expenses. It turned into a very expensive trip for us from the US to South Africa.
I echo all the comments made by Mr. Quayle above. In 20 years of business I have never had a client not pay me. No one South Africa should do business with Mark Maritz or Vital Training.
Amy Kates
Thanks Amy, I’ve learned that Mark Maritz has a number of other businesses he runs in South Africa that people should steer clear from, beyond Vital Training, which appears to have gone quiet as he’s likely being chased by too many people. His other con vehicles include:
Ripple Training
Brit Training
C-C Training
D and M Auto Sound and Alarm
Hydranomics
Aupart Trading
Search for Excellence
Pan-Je’a Sports
Take Note Trading
Freefall Trading
Gquin Financial Services
Elite Bonds
I have first hand experience of how this post is a pain in Maritz’s side and rightly so conduct like his should be named & shamed. In fact, it irks him so much – he’s subsequently closed down all the dealings of the above listed ‘companies’ and is currently continuing the scamming with:
http://www.aminergy.net as well as http://www.moneyandrisk.net
Furthermore, because of this post he is not using his own name anymore, but resorted to using a lady who used to be in his employ’s details – her name, he emails people as her, even uses a linkedin profile under her name: Leonah Smith : http://za.linkedin.com/pub/leonah-smith/36/805/117
He does not even pay the people who work directly for him, the ones making him his money.
Hi Jacques,
Thank you for the update.
Alan
Hi,
Is this really true.
He is currently recruitng sales executive for AMINERGY.
M
I guess I am another victim here having given 3 conferences on Mining Finance for him at the Protea Balalaika Hotel in Johannesburg in May 2014 and have 3 x 3 month old invoices still outstanding to the tune of £8,800. I intend to pursue him through the courts by engaging a local lawyer….these people cannot be allowed to get away with it and give the professional conference industry a a bad name.
I have met him in person as have the +50 people that attended those conferences from such reputable companies as Escom, so I can guess it should not be too much trouble to track him down. Other people I was contacted by through email for these conferences were Lola Maritz, Leonah Smith and Adele Oliver but only ever met Adele at the conference.
Anybody out there attending any of these conferences or indeed still owed money by Mr Maritz I would love to here from you to see if we can combine forces to take joint action
Hi Graham,
I’m sorry to hear you suffered the same fate. You’re doing the right thing in making people aware. Mark is quite smart, he’s made sure his assets in RSA are close to zero, the banks own his home. If taken to court there is little to claim against if you win. I went through the same process as you, and in the end decided the best thing I can do is make his criminal behavior public. I’m amazed the South African police have not done something given the mounting list of evidence against him, it makes them look bad.
Alan
Interestingly the above companies…..Money & Risk and Aminergy have little on their websites anymore and share the same address as my agreement with him signed by Lola Maritz….being
Physical Address: Unit 15, Alphen Office Park North
Corner of George and 16th Road, Randjespark, Midrand, 1685,Gauteng, South Africa
Postal Address: P.O.Box 12620, Clubview, 0014, Gauteng, South Africa
Telephone: +27 (0) 11 314 8461
Facsimile: +27 (0) 86 653 8359
E-mail: marketing@moneyandrisk.net
Unfortunately the phone doesn’t answer and the emails are not returned