So the simplest facts are; - car stolen circa '89, car arrived Belgium months later in early '90, car invoiced ex USA as worth circa $27k (for a 375 Plus then worth in the millions), car seized and soon released by Belgian authorities to Jacques Swaters and Philippe Lancksweert despite a stolen car flag, car restored as #0394AM despite evidence it was the stolen #0384AM, FBI enquiries, attempts to pay six figures USA to settle stolen car claims with moneys paid to someone representing as an agent who actually pocketed the cash and at least one cheque which was either banked or not, Kleve died and the claimed ownership was transferred to Kristie Kleve-Lawson (KKL - daughter), KKL contacted Chris Gardner (CG)who agreed to find the car, he contracted Joe Ford to lead the investigation and recovery, Joe Ford (OJ) bought (90% ?) stake in car with financing to come from CG, contract to recover incl. mediation in London, UK who never paid a cent (according to OJ), CG supported repatriation of car as far as early 2010s, CG created contract with Jacques Swaters (who had bought Lanksweert out) which afforded him payment or a stake in settling the case, JS estate moves forward with potential sale in 2013 with support from CG, KKL and OJ attempt to block sale through unsuccessful court challenges which effectively torpedo's auction value - Post auction court action saw CG claim to own 100% of the so called Ohio contingent (CG, OJ and KKL) funds while also claiming his % of the Belgian contingent (with JS), the judge decided that the Ohio and Belgian contingents should get 50% of proceedings each so that left $8 mm per contingent. - Post, post auction court action saw CG claim half of the Ohio payout so that was roughly another $4 mm from Fords payout - KKLs payments took up to another half so that left just $2 mm - claims from other Kleve relatives sucked up much of the rest And of course someone had to pay for the London court action and it would appear that despite claiming to own half of half of the proceeds that Ford had to pay 100% of all of the court costs so its unlikely he earnt a cent.
He's baaaaaaack....... https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/cars/a28519630/joe-ford-talbot-lago-7-million-dollar-car/ The infamous OJ/Ocean Joe is back on the case......of another stolen car. And others yet to come....
A bizarre reply, this, to my 100% correct observation that if Kristi Lawson and Ocean Joe had merely performed the terms to which they agreed in the Heads of Agreement, none of the ensuing events would ever have occurred. Yes, if we want to drill down to the Original Sin in every case we will agree that man is a fallen creature and that there's always plenty of blame to go around. My point is that, whatever may be the objective truth prior to the execution of any given settlement agreement, the agreement itself supersedes and resolves all preexisting disputes. The parties buy their peace, they perform their covenants, and they get on with the rest of their lives. This did not happen with the Heads of Agreement, and there are only two people on Planet Earth who are responsible for this result: Kristi Lawson and Ocean Joe.
Yes, he is. This time in Milwaukee: Case No. 2017-CV-000867. Simultaneously in West Palm Beach, Florida: Case No. 19-10309-EPK It's amazing how much hatred Joe has for Chris Gardner. His law degree has afforded him just enough knowledge to manufacture these fraudulent schemes. He got away with it once in the Ferrari case, he's doing it again with the Talbot Lago. Joe has no morals nor boundaries and nothing will get in his way to annihilate Chris Gardner. The lies he has told to the magazines, the FBI, the Police, the court and everyone else is riveting and captivating, because, it makes you wonder how this could be possible? So you keep watching to see what the out come will be.
Seems there's enough misinformation and bad acting, lack of morals, to go around with all involved in this saga.
The Esquire article deserves an Oscar for creative writing There again - the whole saga would make a great film. Maybe Joe would be better occupied selling the rights.
Well, MBZgurl is back! I know the old Oceanjoe was real Ferrari drama, so I wonder how far into Joe’s web he’s reeled in the new Ferrari hotshot collector Dr. Richard Workman from the Breakers green in PB. Just the nuisance factor for Joe’s mark,Doc Workman , will be a pay off like Wexner / Bonhams did. I’m sure Doc Workman’s new GTO is already on Joe’s radar as Doc Workman coughs up regularly when the DOJ is looking how that new GTO got paid for with Ohio rumblings still around from that Medicare scam a few years ago. What a quicksand creation for Oceanjoe now in bankruptcy with only one asset, a claim that he owns 90% of someone else’s car! Incredible. What a virus.
Just a question but by his own legal challenges did not a certain Swiss car dealer claim to own part of the Swaters rights to the car AND all of Joe Fords and Kleve Larsens rights to the car based on paying low six figures to fund the original recovery and how do you profess to know so much about their intimate dealings, are you also a Swiss car dealer or just another of the dozens of people with a bizarre claim to know Ford intimately and love said Swiss auto dealer. Do you also have a 300SL gullwing for sale in Arizona? If not, all good. Just asking.
Not. Seems you were a bit player, promised a ocean club membership. Most of the intimate dealings I’ve mentioned are , like your own post office court records, in public documents. Ohio cases with Lawsons and the Clarks are out there also. As your own drama is over down under and you’re itching to scratch that Detective genius what’s your take on how Ford funds his prolonged litigation shaking down Ferrari owners while in bankruptcy court, penniless, unemployed and without any assets. Do tell.
Hi Timmmmmmmmmmy, How are you? Everything O.K.??? Hopefully, by now Joe has reimbursed you the $55k. Just a question for; Why do you ask about a 300SL Flügeltürer in Arizona? Did you see one for sale? Cheers
As you all likely know, 0384AM rests quietly in Les Wexner's fantastic collection. And for some closure to the extent that I can, I suggest one do a search at FBI.gov and check out the wanted posters for a Christopher Charles Gardner. My info is that Gardner was arrested in Italy (June 26, 2021 Italian news covered it) and placed under house arrest, which he then violated. In December 2021, he was then arrested in Switzerland and spent some time in jail over the Christmas holidays, pending extradition. In the event anyone sees Chistopher Charles Gardner at any time, please contact your local police, Interpol, and FBI. BTW I think mbzgurl is CG. Joe
Grand Prix Magazine issue 45 https://grandprixmag.com/2024/12/18/dune-roue-a-lautre/ scam or BS ? In French maybe someone can scan it and translate?
https://www.brickcourt.co.uk/news/detail/court-determines-title-to-11-million-ferrari-after-25-year-old-dispute In the interest of understanding how this was a scam against a Ferrari Legend, this read is worth it in regard to the danger of trolls targeting Ferrari owners. US courts use hearsay to ignite a claim and higher level law oversea show an immediate level of higher intelligence in judging. This judgment explains the process and the character Ocean Joe who has taken this scam 15 years and going.
I read it, very poor, third hand account. Not only does it contain nothing new but it tells the tale very vaguely. That mag is full of mistakes, just look at the cover; #03884... Image Unavailable, Please Login
It is total b.s. anyway. It starts with a name listed as "Jess Bouhet" when actually this would be Jess. G. Pourret, renowned Ferrarista, multiple Ferrari book author, co-founder of Club Ferrari France, former 250 GTO owner, etc. And no, Pourret, never owned a Bugatti Royale. It goes on and on with more nonsense. People still have too much time to kill. Marcel Massini
Shouldn't be surprising at all, especially when considering print media has been in a downward (death ?) spiral since the advent of the internet and everything it has to "offer"(?), i.e. facebooks, forums (like this one), online magazines, etc., etc, ... Just like with almost everything in today's world, media publishing's race to the bottom relies on finding the cheapest staff they can and lack of direct or firsthand experience/knowledge/understanding of the subject by the editors, writers, etc is secondary, if not (yet) completely irrelevant. I'm actually more surprised there still is a huge number of all kinds of print magazines around.
0384AM at Retromobile 2025 This is an update on the 375 Plus saga, the Engine Question , and 0384AM is for sale again. On January 23, 2025 Court rulings continue in this 375 Ferrari tale of misery now in its 16th year. It was spelled out in a Summary Judgement that Joseph L. Ford III’s aka Ocean Joe’s motifs for obtaining interest in these ‘’distressed assets’’ classic cars are illegal. The lawyers who represented several parties in this shamble were liable. The ruling likely applies to the billionaire Dr Workman - Ocean Joe debacle with his latest claimed distressed asset. Of the lawyers in Ohio representing Kristine Lawson, the daughter of ex 375 Plus owner Karl Kleve, the legal insurances have paid off Lawson’s claims. It has put one lawyer, Tim Smith in bankruptcy, and Ocean Joe just finished a six-year bankruptcy. The later was a result of David and Debra Clark’s civil case for money promised to them for their supplying statements to dis-credit Gardner. Gardner purchased the 375 Plus stash of parts that Kleve had hidden from Swaters. One large law firm appealed the judgement, and a summary judgement was awarded against them on January 23, 2025. What is entailed in the Summary Judgement is the explicit way Ocean Joe broke the law by exchanging his ‘’legal’’ services in his vexatious litigation that gave him a proclaimed ownership interest in the Ferrari, and now in the Workman Teardrop Talbot. The fly in the ointment is the way Ocean Joe dealt in ‘’champerty and maintenance’’in his contracts with Kristine Kleve (Ferrari), and this carries on the Talbot Lago hit on Workman where Ford’s 90% interest in the Teardrop Talbot is the manuever. Ocean Joe’s contract breeches law and would be void by this champerty. Ford’s contracts with both the Ferrari and now with the Talbot Lago are based on speculation in litigation. Something added is that both contracts are further blanketed by Ocean Joe’s unauthorized practice of law. Ocean has bridged that by playing a ‘’recovery’’ detective of million-dollar cars where the cars were never actually missing to begin with. It’s at this point you can blame hearsay and these local courts for standing in the way of any truth. Apart from Ocean’s practicing law with no valid license, the paying of legal fees to fuel litigation to hedge a gain is illegal. These acts spill over to another Ferrari collector, Dr. Richard Workman of Windemere, Florida who owns a few expensive Ferrari cars like a GTO. Workman is in his 8th year shake down by Ocean Joe in a Wisconsin civil case where the bankrupt Ocean Joe is claiming 90% of a $10M Talbot Lago Teardrop. Dr. Workman bought that car from Paul Russell in 2015, Gardner selling it to Russell. I am posting the Summary Judgements as they make for interesting reading on what the law says and how the law is avoided in so many Courts where billionaire’s seldom wind up. IMHO it’s this niche Ocean Joe is focused on and where hearsay stands until either a Judge is paying attention, or until a trial. In Workman’s case Dr. GTO already offered Ocean Joe a golden parachute. Ocean refused wanting the entire Teardrop for himself. This was much like the Swaters 375 Plus ownership which was $18M. The case is sealed to keep the car community out of the details of the battle. In a one line recap the Swaters Ferrari was adjudicated owned 100% by Swaters by 2016. A settlement was reach because Bonhams was in the middle of selling the auction company and all lawsuits had to be relinquished according to a company spokesperson. Now, the 375 Plus, #0384; Since Les Wexner’s purchase at the 2014 Bonhams Goodwood auction for $18’000’000 another $1’000’000 plus has gone into an authentic restoration. The original parts that Kleve had concealed from Swaters consisting of mostly original body panels are now installed. Kleve had sold off the original engine to Terry Miers, who sold it to Swaters in 2009 for $500’000. This engine, rumored to be the original although showing signs of a restamp , has been reinstalled in 0384. The replica engine that Swaters built up was sold off since Wexner’s custodianship. Calculations of the amount of money invested in by Les Wexner is north of $21’000’000. The price today is $14’000’000. The agent is Max G in London managing Wexner’s purging of his collection currently. Considering Dr. Workman will either fight Ocean Joe or throw money at him is likely the determining factor if Ocean takes another stab at the 375 Plus, or Workman’s GTO for whatever reason of the day sounds good. Sorry for that long winded babble. Would love to Hear 180 Out take on the January 2025 rulings.Thanks to George C. for the photos. The Court Judgements are under the photos attached in PDF. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hmmm - I wonder if that 375-Plus is still (with the benefit of hindsight) a rather horrible great gormless lump to drive? DCN
