It's been a very long time since I've updated you all on our Keith clusterf*ck of a situation. Since I last blogged, there's been a couple of fun developments in our story.
The rest of the month of May went a little like this:
[Via text messages]
Rebekah:
"pay us the money or else"Keith:
"blah, blah, blah, whine, whine, whine, lie, lie, lie, I got an inheritance, everyone is getting paid back in 10 days-I promise, Rhiannon will starve if I don't work, blah, blah, blah, I don't really have a job with NBC, I'm sending your equipment, I'm a fat liar, blah, whine, lie".So I consulted a good friend who happens to be an attorney and he gave me some really good advice on the law and steps the group and we can take to insure Keith is prosecuted on criminal grounds [because it's obvious no one is ever getting paid a penny]. Then Justin and I started working a bit more, I got busy with my Prom Dress charity, we took a trip to Jamaica, and I pushed the Keith business aside to make way for life and good times. Oh, and I got REALLY lazy about blogging.
But there were a few very exciting things that happened in May in regards to our favorite scam artist. A slew of very valuable correspondence came my way courtesy of some people VERY CLOSE to Keith. I was asked to keep their contact with me private [for very legitimate reasons], but I will tell you that the information they had for me was very helpful. Included in that list of people were family members, friends, and band members of bands of which he's taken photos.
Just last night I received a voicemail and email from a person with whom he currently has a business/money relationship and who's grown very concerned about a large amount of money owned to him/her by Keith. This person found my blog and contacted me immediately. I haven't returned the call yet, but will update as soon as I do. Note: this person is NOT on the Keith's list of people he's scammed.
For your pleasure, some recent excuses from Keith [via email]:
From: keith@unkphoto.com
Subject: What do I have to do...?
Date: May 4, 2009 4:17:04 PM EDTTo: rebekah@justinborucki.com
Reply-To: keith@unkphoto.com
Rebekah,
When I said I was late due to Rhiannon, I was telling the truth and I am now. I intend on getting the money owed to Justin Borucki back in the next 10 days. I can even try and send some in the next few days as a sign of good faith. I know that does not say much since I was late. I do not know what more proof you and Justin needed other than photos of my daughter in the hospital. All of this is going to affect her so much and I just want to do the right thing. I will be the first to admit that what I did was wrong. I should have never borrowed money from anyone, especially knowing that it could never be paid back. I dig myself deeper and deeper and now look at where I am. I am begging you; I am going to pay everyone back what is owed to them VERY SOON. It will also be within the next 10 days. I just need to know if I have everyone on the list right along with the amount owed to them…if anyone is missing please let me know. This is not anything to buy me time. I am really doing this….
Justin Borucki $6265.37
Mxxx Cxxx $1200.00
Jxxx Lxxx $800.00
Nxxx Nxxx $800.00
Jxxx Oxxx $1000.00
Cxxx Dxxx $800.00 technically $900.00 but she replied to an email and told me the other 100 was specifically a donation for Rhiannon
Axxx Gxxx $600.00
Mxxx Wxxx $700.00
That is all I have so far…I know I should have never lost track of anyone or what is owed to them. This whole thing has been irresponsible.
I am not going to allow this to happen again. This is terrible.
Keith Kiiroja
From: keith@unkphoto.com
Subject: RE: Fedex info
Date:
May 23, 2009 11:25:50 PM EDTTo: rebekah@justinborucki.com
Reply-To: keith@unkphoto.com
I am no longer going to live a dishonest life. Truth is, at the moment...I
do not have shit to my name. I took from people I did not know to protect my
family but that is no excuse. I can not get a job for the life of me since
that site is haunting me but I did it to myself I suppose. I am looking to
do something right. I do not know what it is just yet but it will be soon
and it will be the right thing. Not only for Justin...but for everyone. I
can not continue to live the life I have lead if it is going to end up
hurting my daughter which is where this is all going.
I am sorry you have not heard from me in awhile. I was doing some soul
searching.
Be Well.
Keith
From: keith@unkphoto.com
Subject: Just a heads up...
Date:
June 10, 2009 4:44:11 PM EDTTo: rebekah@justinborucki.com
Reply-To: keith@unkphoto.com
I will be resuming payments to you next Friday. I have to get caught up with my rent first with the help of a family member then from there I will have a clean slate with my personal finances. I need to keep the roof over Rhiannon’s head and myself out of jail. Anyway, I will be sending you the 400 as promised and I a going to try to make up for some lost time as well. I am also going to start sending payments to the rest of the cavalry. I think I have my list in check and all of their addresses. I will contact you next Friday once I have payment ready for you.
Sorry for the wait and continued inconvenience.
Keith
Let me add here that many of the people [whose names I xxx'ed for their privacy] listed in one of the emails above were people Keith met through Craigslist and online gaming communities. Make no mistake, these people were SCAMMED out of their money. They thought they were buying photo equipment that, in reality, never existed. According to a family member of Keith's and corroborated by several of Keith's friends and support group members, Keith owns absolutely NO photo equipment.
Here's an excerpt from an email from a group member:
"Keith has told me over and over how his 5D has a crack in the body,
the metering is off, of how the shoe mount isn't working and he can't
fire his lights. He probably never had a camera for some time since he
borrows from people. I'm not on that list of people to pay back :("
I may have posted this before, but this email from Keith is in reference to which camera he owns:
From: "Keith // Subject:Yourself"
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 08:58:13
To:
Subject: RE: Nikon Gear
I do not know who emailed you but I am certainly shooting with a 30d, I do
also have a 40d but it is my friend Ashley's. She is stationed overseas so I
am holding down the fort for her. I am not home right now. I am still in
Poughkeepsie. I am not stealing anything at all from CPS. I am a member too.
I have never used Justin's name there at all and I never will. I am keeping
my word with you. Nothing is going to get lost in the mail at all. I am
going to get you a legit tracking #, it is not going to get lost. Like I
stated in my previous email, I am working a full time, part time, and still
doing my photography. Anytime I have free is spent with Rhiannon. I am not
giving you of all people the run around. I would love to get to the point
where you can say that you would take down that blog but honestly it is not
at the top of my list. Working, making money, and being honest are among the
things I need to concentrate on. So far things are going good.
I have not promised anything from CPS to ANYONE...this has me more than
upset cause now people are lying to further shitty reputation that I have
already created for myself. I have told people that if I sold anything else
I can get more equipment on loan for myself from CPS.
I will call you in the morning hours tomorrow on my way to work, is that ok?
Talk Soon,
Keith
P.S. can you please leave me your # and please say you will talk to me?
So that's all for now. I'm sure I don't have to mention here that he never sent a dime to us in May. I've been in contact with the support group already this morning, and we're throwing aside procrastination and moving forward with trying to stop this guy from hurting anyone else. And for those who may feel sorry for Keith and believe he may be making a change or a sincere effort to make good-he's currently owes over $20,000 in child support arrearages, and Rhiannon ALWAYS had full medical coverage. Where did the charity money go? I'm guessing to line his pockets and feed his chronically unemployed, fake photographer face.
