"Report: Euro tuner king Uwe Gemballa missing in South Africa" | FerrariChat

"Report: Euro tuner king Uwe Gemballa missing in South Africa"

Discussion in 'Porsche' started by 4re Nut, Feb 15, 2010.

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  1. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

    Mar 27, 2004
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    Steve
    link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/15/report-euro-tuner-king-uwe-gemballa-missing-in-south-africa/

    snippet: "...reports indicate that Uwe Gemballa, founder and head of the namesake aftermarket tuner, has gone missing. According to the reports, the 51-year-old Gemballa was on a trip to South Africa when he went missing. The suspected site of his disappearance is Johannesburg, long known as one of the most dangerous cities in the world due to the rampant violent crime rate in its downtown core..."
     
  2. xeneize

    xeneize Karting

    Dec 26, 2005
    107
    That's horrible, hopefully he turns up ok.
     
  3. anunakki

    anunakki Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 8, 2005
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    Jerry
    wow hope he comes back okay. I remember being a kid in the 80s and drooling over his cars.
     
  4. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

    Oct 17, 2004
    5,700
    New York, NY
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    Luis
    It all sounds pretty bad right now, hopefully it turns out OK.
     
  5. Mowgli

    Mowgli Formula Junior

    Feb 28, 2009
    435
    Bristol, CT
    http://jalopnik.com/5472919/gemballa-owner-not-missing-just-hiding-from-government

     
  6. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 World Champ

    I was going to ask how his company was doing when I first heard of this but thought it'd be taken as disrespectful. Gemballa is running with the Impala's ;)
     
  7. Mang

    Mang F1 Veteran
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    Jul 11, 2007
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    Mike S.
    cool story brewing here!!!!
     
  8. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    Interesting..........
     
  9. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

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    #9 4re Nut, Feb 17, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  10. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    Wasn't he backed by a bunch of Arab money like Ruf also is ?
     
  11. wendys is good

    wendys is good Formula Junior

    Aug 5, 2005
    267
    Cincinnati Ohio
    Any updates... will the the people who had their cars at his shop get them back or are the screwed?
     
  12. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

    Mar 27, 2004
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    Update: Uwe Gemballa Kidnapped in Johannesburg

    snippet: "...multiple sources have now confirmed to us that Uwe Gemballa has been kidnapped...he asked for help and his wife should wire 1 million euro ransom money to a certain bank account. No details on whether anybody has been in touch with Uwe, or the kidnappers, have been released. It’s also unclear if Uwe was lured to South Africa in an attempt to kidnap him or if he was at the wrong place at the wrong time..."
     
  13. Forgedwheeler

    Forgedwheeler Rookie

    Apr 10, 2008
    1
    Kansas City
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    Michael Burroughs
    The Gemballa facility is in full operation. Mrs. Gemballa is running the place in her husband's absence. The German police did show up to inventory things as is standard practice when the owner or CEO goes missing. NO CARS HAVE BEEN SEIZED OR IMPOUNDED.
    Our company is a vendor to Gemballa and things are normal from a business perspective.

    I hereby condemn much of the muckraking internet press for "Olympic" conclusion jumping.
    Shame on all of them.

    Sadly, Uwe Gemballa has been kidnapped in South Africa and is being held for 1 million Euro ransom.

    We should all pray for his safe return.
     
  14. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

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    #14 4re Nut, Feb 19, 2010
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2010
    Thanks for the update. Sad topic for your first post; hopefully your second post will be about his safe (and soon) return.

    Best wishes to the Gemballa family.
     
  15. Tad Cody

    Tad Cody Formula 3

    Sep 9, 2006
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    Over here!
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    Take a guess...
    Wow! Crazy world we live in that these things happen!

    I was never a huge Gemballa proponent (especially after the 'Vanilla Ice' connection, which I believe damaged the company's rep in the US) but this is sad news nonetheless.

    Hope it all works out for Uwe, family and business, and will be watching this thread for updates.

    Best,

    -Tad
     
  16. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

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    #16 4re Nut, Feb 21, 2010
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2010
    It gets "cooler": Big wheel missing in SA

    snippet: "...Sources with knowledge of the incident say police are investigating the possibility that a fugitive businessman from the Czech Republic, who is believed to be in South Africa, might be linked to his disappearance. Radio Prague reported in 2005 that the High Court in Johannesburg had turned down an application for the man's extradition. The billionaire businessman has already been sentenced in absentia in the Czech Republic to six-and-a-half years' jail for tax fraud. He is facing charges for a variety of other crimes, including conspiracy to murder, counterfeiting, extortion and abduction."​

    Quick Google search for "Czech Republic billionaire" found this from '07: Fugitive Czech billionaire arrested in South Africa

    snippet: "...Radovan Krejcir, one of the country's most notorious fugitives, who was finally apprehended at the weekend after spending nearly two years in exile in the tropical Seychelles Islands..."​
     
  17. msdesignltd

    msdesignltd F1 World Champ
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    Nov 17, 2003
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    #17 msdesignltd, Feb 22, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  18. nthfinity

    nthfinity F1 Veteran

    Mar 21, 2005
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    Isaac not Issac
  19. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

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    Where'd Uwe Go? New Gemballa company reportedly formed under mother's name, founder still missing

    snippet: "...the latest reports suggest – verified by public records – that Uwe Gemballa opened a second company, with his 79-year-old mother as the sole stockholder, and had his wife (to whom he granted power of attorney) register the existing company for bankruptcy. And the kicker? The last time Uwe updated the company records was on February 5, only days before he vanished to Africa..."
     
  20. Wolfgang5150

    Wolfgang5150 F1 Rookie

    Oct 31, 2003
    4,706
    any updates?
     
  21. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

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    None that I can find via Google news.
     
  22. Zack

    Zack Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2003
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    Despite ForgedWheels support, I think it's all a big hoax. He's hiding out somewhere in South Africa or one of the neighboring countries, enjoying cool drinks with other people's money. His company is bankrupt and he has done a runner.

    I would be happy to be proven wrong, but that's what I think right now. Sad, my cousin used to have a Gemballa Porsche and my brother was thinking of buying one from him.
     
  23. Simon^2

    Simon^2 F1 World Champ

    Oct 17, 2005
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    You're right... that is sad. ;) :D :eek:
     
  24. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

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    Missing German may have staged own 'kidnapping'

     
  25. teak360

    teak360 F1 World Champ

    Nov 3, 2003
    10,065
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    Scott
    It says: "The possibility that Gemballa may be lying low in Angola, where a successful franchise of his company operates, is also being investigated."

    There's a Gemballa franchise in Angola?
     

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