I had an opportunity today to sit down and speak with a GNK investor for about 90 minutes -2 hours. What follows is an edited summation of this meeting, as told by the GNK investor, who had $25,000 spirited away from him by GNK.

The story goes that from 1997 – 2004 (the year GNK went to prison for child kidnapping and child sex offences), GNK was running various versions of a company called “Pewterworx” (also known in various guises as “Grant King Manufacturing” and “Te Henga Design”, amoung others) in a number of different locations.

The reason that there were so many locations for the business was because GNK repeatedly failed to pay his rent to his landlords at:

• 8 – 10 Moselle Ave, Henderson
• 2 Corban Ave, Henderson
• Unit F6 / 50 Keeling Rd, Henderson
• 36 Railway St, Helensville
• (and perhaps very soon) 103B Mill Rd, Helensville?

The estimated total amount of unpaid rent that GNK burned these four landlords for is approximately $45,000 (which would take the “GNK Tally” to $594,000 and counting).

For the sake of brevity, I will bullet point the main “items of interest” that came out of this meeting today:

a/ GNK has a reported prolific history of car conversion, a history starting from quite a young age.

b/ GNK reportedly set up a phantom “company” called “Designworx” with a GNK investor, and sold the investor on the idea of the company – even created a “partnership agreement” with the investor, who invested $25,000 with GNK – the company never actually existed  – and GNK took off with the money.

c/ GNK would reportedly produce bank lodgement forms for salary or wages transactions, but would then re-direct the monies paid back to his own accounts, before the overnight banking transaction for the employee and / or business partner could take effect.

d/ As the Firemaster of the Bethells Beach Volunteer Fire Brigade, GNK was reportedly in charge when the Bethells Beach Volunteer Fire Station burnt down.

e/ When GNK could not be found by landlords to pay his rent, GNK would position his investors to take the fall for the unpaid rent, even though they had already paid more then their fair share already:

f/ GNK would also regularly “bounce” cheques on investors.

g/ When put into a corner or confronted with his absolutely atrocious and unacceptable business and personal conduct, GNK would write “scary letters” to people, threatening legal action – he would never, ever follow through with his threats. The only time that GNK has ever had a Lawyer in recent years is when the State provided one via legal aid to represent GNK on the child sex and kidnapping charges back in 2004 (Charles Cato was the legal ticket clipper, from memory?)

The most impressive part of the story I heard today however was this: the Investor had the smarts and the presence of mind to place a hold over some plant and equipment of the business, when it became clear to the Investor that GNK was financially fleecing him, while pillaging his friendship, and taking advantage of his goodwill (a very, very common trait of a Sociopath – people are not “people” but rather resources to be used, exploited, and then cast aside – kind of like how GNK has treated his three wives to date, I would guess).

Frankly, I roared with laughter when I read a copy of the GNK “scary letter” that GNK wrote to the Investor about having the Investor return the plant and equipment.

My goodness, GNK really does take himself and his bullshit so seriously, doesn’t he?

The hold on the plant and equipment was an absolutely legitimate act by the Investor, because the Investor had a contractually agreed stake in the business – that plant was as much the Investors as it was GNKs, who had reportedly used another couple of investors money in a previous company, ($140,000 worth to be exact) to buy the plant and equipment in the first place – that’s right -the plant and equipment that GNK was bleating about in his scary letter had actually been bought with OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY!

GNK wasn’t paying his bills (no surprises there) the Investor was paying his bills (and ended up paying GNK’s bills in the end) – hence the claim on capital was legitimate.

Honestly, reading GNK trying to get all “lawyer-y” is more funny than the re-runs of “Everybody Loves Raymond” – and they’re funny!

The verdict?

GNK is a first class prick to whoever he meets – and especially to those such as the thorougly decent Investor I met today who showed GNK friendship, loyalty, compassion, and who stuck up for GNK when no-one else would do so – GNK utterly betrayed this man in a plethora of ways in return.

Unfortunately, for Sociopaths, it is those people who try to be-friend them and / or try to understand them that they actually hold in the highest contempt of all – very sad yes, but very true, all the same.

This investor did not in any way deserve what GNK dished out to him – paybacks a bitch, isn’t it Grant?

Lot’s, lot’s more to come.