Fraud in the wild blue yonder
"Sky Marshal Sir Henry": police are now investigating
[For those who are reading this story for the first time, Henry Randmark invited a hundred celebrities to the ever accommodating Hamburg Germany US Consulate, where they were treated to a lecture praising the many accomplishments of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard also used fake war hero feats to awe his adherents (his WWII military record is online at http://www.lermanet.com/L_Ron_Hubbard ) Because the US has officially been faulting Germany for discriminating against Scientologists in past years, it is with great interest that we await the next US State Department report on human rights and religious freedom to see if "Sir Henry" was discriminated against for his part in joining with Hamburg US Consulate to promote Scientology in Germany.]
Hamburg, Germany
March 7, 2002
http://www.mopo.de
Hamburger MorgenpostThe police are now investigating because Randmark identified himself on a Condor flight as a US Sky Marshall
West Point graduate, Vietnam war hero, master of many languages, worldwide operating graffiti terminator and Chevalier Cordon Bleu du Saint Esprit - "Sir Henry" Randmark is really a devil of a fellow. But now his singular Muenchhausen career is probably coming to an end.
It was on the 11.11. (Karneval!) 2001 flight from Palma de Mallorca to Hamburg. With a practiced American accent, Randmark told the flight attendants that he was a "US sky marshal." On grounds of flight security, he would have to have a seat forward. The stewardesses were puzzled, but made arrangements for Randmark's wish. A co-passenger was moved. Then Randmark wanted to inspect the cockpit. The Captain refused. After the plane landed, the airline notified the US authorities. Response: "Sir Henry" was anything but a sky marshal. Randmark will be charged.
The flighty Ami has been conducting his mischief for years in this city. And everybody fell for it. Mainly the rich and the beautiful with whom the man with the Schnauzer liked to associate. But even politicians were taken in by the clever busybody. They were led by Mayor Ole von Beust (CDU), Rear Admiral (ret.) Rudolf Lange (FPD) and Ronald Schill, whose "drug political advisor" Randmark claimed to be for months.
There are many people, however, who were not pleased with "Sir Henry." Harburg TU (Technical University) for example. After having announced that he was the "best graffiti remover in the city," Randmark got the 1999 contract to treat the new administration building with a graffiti-resistant substance. And he did it. With his own miracle treatment. For which he received 80,000 marks. Problem: when the treatment was dried, the beautiful brick wall (200 meters) was white. "The stuff was completely soaked in - it did not exactly make us happy," said TU spokesman Ruediger Bendlin. "We had to get another company to clean it up."
The conversion of "Sir Henry's" "IPA Randmark International" from a GmbH to an AG also turned out backwards. According to a former business partner, "He wanted to sell the business to increase its value." But the three-man operation hardly needed a board of directors and oversight council. His wife Silvia and a few close friends had to try to come to the rescue. But nobody wanted to buy the company. No big surprise, "In order to designate his company cars as part of a professional corporation, Randmark would have had to have merged with a professional company," said the former business acquaintance.
As President of the "American-German Business Club," Randmark did more than have speakers chat about Scientology programs; he also shamelessly exploited the club members. One former club member told MOPO, "He was able to have the annual meeting at the Hotel Hafen Hamburg, where the Club could eat for free. In spite of which Randmark demanded 50 marks from each member to cover expenses."
"Sir Henry," the duke of lies - several weeks ago he and Hamburg's high society celebrated his birthday. Everyone congratulated him on being 65, and Schill gave a speech. But Randmark would not be Randmark if he had not once again bamboozled everybody. The Ami, who is allegedly supposed to be a Latvian, is already 77. Born on January 12, 1925. That is what is documented in his official German records.
"Sir Henry
In the "Who is Who" with an oak cluster
"Sir Henry" helps himself to 50 lines in the Book of Vanity
"Sir Henry" Randmark has had himself immortalized in the "Who is Who" between singer Bill Ramsey and Lead Conductor of the Vienna Volks Opera. With 50 (!) lines and a picture. We would not want to deprive you of a slightly abbreviated version:
Henry Randmark, Businessman (with university degree), Chairman of the Board of Directors of Randmark International AG. Born January 12, 1937 in Los Angeles. (Father Maximilian Shearing-Randmark, Mother Eugenie Duchess of Porohoff). Education: UCLA California, USA. Colonel retired of the US Armed Forces. Graduate of West Point Military Academy. Journalist, Team Chief of interregional television advertising of the Randolph Hearst Syndicate, LA, Calif. In management positions in Puerto Rico, Japan, Germany. Founded IPA Randmark Enterprise in 1992.
1995: Bismarck Medal in Silver with gold oak cluster. 1996: Bismarck Order in Silver. 1997: Bismarck Order in Gold on collar. 1998: Bismarck Medal in Gold. Member of the Association of Respected Businessmen at Hamburg. Chevalier des Ritterordens Cordon Bleu du Saint Esprit.
His wife Silvia Randmark is Comtesse Cordon Bleu-Frankreich 1579. American Chamber of Commerce Hamburg. Member of the Bismarck-Bund. Pres. des American-German-Business-Clubs Hamburg. Honorary member of the Verein zur Erhaltung des 76er- Denkmals. Member of the Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Society. 1st Chairman of the JCEA Miami Society for the preservation of Monuments. Member of the int. Who is Who of Professionals USA. Member of the Life-Fellowship of international Biographical-Centre Cambridge, England (distinguished with certificates and decorations and published in the book, "Outstanding People of the World").
Interests: Riding, swimming, adventure trips, fishing, attaining international culture. Speaks nine languages perfectly.
Decoration for bravery granted by the dry cleaners
Henry C. Randmark really should have been satisfied with his decoration. But he wanted more.
Hamburg, Germany
March 5, 2002
Hamburger Morgenpostby Thomas Hirschbiegel
Henry C. Randmark really could have been satisfied. He had indeed been decorated with the "Medal in Silver with Golden Oak Cluster" by the Bismarck Association for services performed in the fight against graffiti. But "Sir Henry" wanted more, it had to be a proper medal for bravery, and he had his story lined up as a colonel in the Vietnam War. People from the highest circles hung onto his every word when the "Vietnam veteran" told his stories. Randmark proudly appeared in public with his uniform. But something was not quite right there ...
After the MOPO discovered the photo with the row of medals with the "Silver Star," still the third highest distinction for bravery in the USA, and which is only given out for "acts of heroism," we gave Randmark a call:
"Did you receive the Silver Star?"
Randmark: "No, I did not."
MOPO: "But it is on your bar of military decorations."
Randmark: "No, that's not right." Randmark after a pause, "Let me go look."
He called back, and said suddenly, "You are right. The Silver Star is on there. After 31 years it's hard to remember."
MOPO: "So did you get it or not?"
Randmark: "No, I don't have the Silver Star."
MOPO: "But why do you wear the decoration on your uniform when it was not given to you?"
Randmark: "The only way I can explain it is that last year, when I brought the uniform to the cleaner's, I brought it together with that of the military attache back then. Maybe they got mixed something up. I don't know."
A senior Defense Forces officer told MOPO, "It is of course nonsense that an officer would give his uniform to the cleaner's with the decorations still on it. And I would like to know what the address is of the cleaner's who gives out medals of bravery to people."
Besides that, Randmark wears the "Purple Heart" on his uniform, which he wrongly calls the "Purple Star." The Purple Heart is a decoration "for Combat - Action only." The only people who receive this decoration are those who were wounded in battle. But Randmark told MOPO, "I was not a soldier in that sense of the word. I was in drug investigations ("Drogenbekaempfung") in Saigon; I was not on the front lines. I did not take part in battle operations." But Randmark also wears the "Combat Infantryman" clasp, the clasp for US hand-to-hand combat. Randmark said, "That is a decoration for sharpshooting - that is how we translate it into German here."
Randmark explained that he had been on a "Special Mission." He said he had been in the Army from 1966 to 1971, and that he was separated as a colonel. Clearly his career, for which officers normally need at least 20 years, went by like lightning ("Blitzkarriere", related to "Blitzkrieg"). The questions of what rank he was upon entering or about officers school he refused to answer; he said that was all top secret. To the question of whether he was a con man, Randmark said, "That is what you are trying to print."