RE: [Leica] Jim kuhl - about dealers

["Bergman, Mark A." <mabergm@nppd.com>]

I didn't know Jim had ever been an official Leica dealer.  He was a Leica
rep for many years but retired at least ten years ago and staring selling
used equipment and, I suppose, grey market equipment.

- -----Original Message-----
From: Ben Weinthal [mailto:benwein_2000@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2000 6:15 PM
To: leica-users-digest@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: [Leica] jim kuhl - about dealers


I can't help but to chime in here because it seems so
odd that this hasn't been brought up in light of the
current thread.

Jim Kuhl committed fraud by selling gray market
cameras as new usa cameras. This is a fact. He made
counterfit documents to support this practice.

He was reportedly warned by Leica and kept on doing
it.

One larger reputable dealer made a big stink and they
finally caught him red handed doing this. This forced
Leica's hand.

They stripped him of his Leica dealership and I
understand that he came very close to being
prosecuted. 

In the end Leica took mercy on him and dropped the
suit. 

Since then, I have personally suffered an obvious case
of mis grading of a 21f3.4 M lens and subsequent
shoddy treatment when returning the item to him. It
was an almost hostile reaction he made.

It was after this aborted transaction that I
discovered this longer story of his fraud. I vowed
never to do business with this disreputable dealer
again. I never have again.

I am usually just a reader of this list, but when such
a gross misrepresentation is being made I feel it my
obligation to come forth.

I have not dealt with Don Chatterton so I can not
comment on him. I have decided largely that it is not
worth going outside B&H for most gear because of these
risks involved. At least I have not heard such bad
things of that dealer.

Ben, MN


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