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Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolvent?

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  • Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolvent?

    Just a heads up on more news or noise.....

    http://www.zerohedge.com/article/lat...ctically-empty

    Continuing on the trail of exposing what is rapidly becoming one of the largest frauds in commodity markets history is the most recent interview by Eric King with GATA's Adrian Douglas, Harvey Orgen (who recently testified before the CFTC hearing) and his son, Lenny, in which the two discuss their visit to the only bullion bank vault in Canada, that of ScotiaMocatta, located at 40 King Street West in Toronto, and find the vault is practically empty. This is a relevant segue to a class action lawsuit filed against Morgan Stanley, which was settled out of court, in which it was alleged that Morgan Stanley told clients it was selling them precious metals that they would own in full and that the company would store, yet even despite charging storage fees was not in actual possession of the bullion. It appears that this kind of lack of physical holdings by all who claim to have gold in storage, is pervasive as the actual gold globally is held primarily in paper or electronic form. Lenny Organ who was the person to enter the vault of ScotiaMocatta, says "What shocked me was how little gold and silver they actually had." Lenny describes exactly how much (or little as the case may be) silver was available - roughly 60,000 ounces. As for gold - 210 400 oz bars, 4,000 maples, 500 eagles, 10 kilo bars, 10 one kilogram pieces of gold nugget form, which Adrian Douglas calculates as being $100 million worth, which is just one tenth of what the Royal Mint of Canada sold in 2008, or over $1 billion worth of gold. As Orgen concludes: "The game ends when the people who own all these paper obligations say enough and take physical delivery, and that's when the mess will occur."

    Also note the interesting detour into what Stephan Spicer, a VP of a major bank and a friend of the proprietor of the Central Fund Of Canada, has said in regard to these observations: he wanted access to his 15,000 oz of silver, and had to wait 6-8 weeks for its to be flown in from Hong Kong. What this may imply for the CFC itself is rather critical - the CFC notes on its website it is in possession of 1.3 million and 67.3 million ounces of gold and silver, respectively. One wonders just how much actual gold is really backing these claims.

    It is funny that central bankers thought they could take the ponzi mentality of infinite dilution of all assets coupled with infinite debt issuance, as they have done to fiat money, and apply it to gold, in essence piling leverage upon leverage. They underestimated gold holders' willingness to be diluted into perpetuity - when the realization that gold owned is just 1% of what is physically deliverable, you will see the biggest bank run in history.

    Link to full Eric King interview.
    Last edited by Camtender; April 07, 2010, 11:53 AM.

  • #2
    Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

    I listened to the CEF portion of the interview twice. ZeroHedge has misstated what was said, I believe. Golly, where's a written transcript when you'd really like one???

    Stefan Spicer is not a "VP of a major bank" as far as I know. He is the President and CEO of Central Fund. Harvey Organ says that a friend of Spicer's contacted Spicer regarding a delivery problem. The friend had certifcates for 15,000 ounces of Ag but the issuing bank would not give him ready delivery and apparently did not have the goods in the vault. Spicer told the friend to call Organ who might be able to help him because he knew Organ had experienced a similar problem. The guy eventually got his stuff from the bank but only after a long wait.

    I believe that CEF holds almost all audited, physical holdings. I do not think they hold any "certificates" since true physical is their reason for existence and the reason they trade at a large premium. It's why they are supposed to be better than the type of certificate program being discussed in this KWN interview. Please correct me if I am wrong.

    So, while this post is perhaps additional smoke billowing up, it relates to possible issues with certificates and other unallocated forms of investment. I like Zerohedge a lot, but if I heard the interview correctly, Zerohedge should do a bit more diligence before hyperventilating to their rather large audience.
    Last edited by Pascal; April 07, 2010, 12:50 PM.

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    • #3
      As per their first quarter 2010 "Interim Report to Shareholders", January 31, 2010

      http://www.centralfund.com/quarterly...023%202010.pdf

      Auditors
      Ernst & Young LLP
      Canada

      "Central Fund's physical gold and silver bullion holdings may not be loaned, subjected to options or otherwise encumbered in any way.


      Central Fund’s bullion is stored on an allocated and fully segregated basis in underground vaults of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (the “Bank”), one of the major Canadian banks, which insures its safekeeping. Additional insurance against destruction, disappearance or wrongful abstraction is carried by Central Fund on its physical gold and silver bullion holdings.

      The Bank may only release any portion of Central Fund’s physical bullion holdings upon receipt of an authorizing resolution of Central Fund's Board of Directors.


      Bullion holdings and Bank vault security are inspected twice annually by Directors and/or Officers of Central Fund. On every occasion, inspections are required to be performed."
      Last edited by Camtender; April 07, 2010, 01:08 PM.

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      • #4
        Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

        Thanks Camtender

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

          Per ZH

          "Harvey Orgen (who recently testified before the CFTC hearing) and his son, Lenny, in which the two discuss their visit to the only bullion bank vault in Canada, that of ScotiaMocatta, located at 40 King Street West in Toronto"

          Per CEF

          "Central Fund’s bullion is stored on an allocated and fully segregated basis in underground vaults of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (the “Bank”), one of the major Canadian banks, which insures its safekeeping."


          It looks like we may have a conflict with the statement of only one bullion bank vault in Canada.
          Last edited by Camtender; April 07, 2010, 01:19 PM.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

            If you go back to ZH the CEF-slamming headline has been pulled and there is serious backtracking in the comments section....

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

              Originally posted by LargoWinch
              The story as per ZH read and I quote:

              Opps!

              It appears indeed that CEF bullion is held at the CIBC and not Bank of Nova Scotia (ScotiaMocatta is a trademark of BNS).

              What is the term again...oh yeah:
              I don't see the link between ScotiaMocatta and CEF in the ZH article. I think they make a clear break when this is stated.

              "Also note the interesting detour into what Stephan Spicer, a VP of a major bank and a friend of the proprietor of the Central Fund Of Canada, has said in regard to these observations:"

              I assume they are talking about two unrelated issues, 1) bank physical quantity issue and 2) long time to deliver at CEF issue. It may have been in poor judgment for ZH to comingle the two stories and therefore imply the relation ship with the Scotia bank and CEF????

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

                Originally posted by jpatter666 View Post
                If you go back to ZH the CEF-slamming headline has been pulled ....
                Appears the same to me, perhaps I am missing something?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

                  Originally posted by Camtender View Post

                  I assume they are talking about two unrelated issues, 1) bank physical quantity issue and 2) long time to deliver at CEF issue. It may have been in poor judgment for ZH to comingle the two stories and therefore imply the relation ship with the Scotia bank and CEF????
                  YOu are correct Camtender; it appears they are mixing two stories - one about JPM and the other CEF - intentionally or not...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

                    I don't think CEF/Spicer were involved at all except in referring the individual with the paper certificates to Harvey Organ.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

                      Originally posted by LargoWinch View Post
                      Appears the same to me, perhaps I am missing something?
                      At one point part of the headline asked "Is CEF insolvent?"

                      That's no longer there.

                      From the comments section:

                      If you listen closely to the interview, it it the vice-president of an unnamed bank who calls the president of CEF for assistance with his problem of getting delivery of his metal from Bank of Nova Scotia.
                      CEF is not involved in this story, only the President of CEF, and he is acting in the capacity of a friend/advisor to someone having difficulties with a 3rd party.

                      So far, CEF remains as a holder of fully segregated and allocated metals, held in vault of The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Not to say that this may be disproved in the future, but to me, not yet.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

                        ZeroHedge is to Investing as The National Inquirer is to Science.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

                          Originally posted by LargoWinch View Post
                          YOu are correct Camtender; it appears they are mixing two stories - one about JPM and the other CEF - intentionally or not...
                          I thought the same thing at first too. I think any reasonable person would have read it the same way we did.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

                            Let's move on to the term "insolvent", which simply means an entity cannot meet its financial obligations.

                            After a little analysis of the CEF quarterlies, I see no reasonable indication that CEF is insolvent. However, I think ZH is saying that the ability to not deliver is insolvency on its debt.

                            I would call BS right now if the GLD prospectus was not so fresh in my mind right now.............................

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Canada Insolv

                              Originally posted by jpatter666 View Post
                              At one point part of the headline asked "Is CEF insolvent?"

                              That's no longer there.

                              From the comments section:

                              Good Catch!
                              Original title of article was.......
                              "Canada's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty, Is The Central Fund Of Insolvent?"


                              Now reads

                              "The Latest Gold Fraud Bombshell: 's Only Bullion Bank Gold Vault Is Practically Empty"

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