Subject: Who is Armen Victorian? - 5/5 From: Don.Allen@p3.f2112.n2430.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Don Allen) Date: 17 Mar 94 05:26:25 GMT Byline: Will the real Armen Victorian Please Stand up? These newspaper articles courtesy of John Alexander. NOTE: Since I could not easily reproduce the English symbol for the currency denomination, pounds, I have notated as such using brackets [...] to denote. - Don =============================================================== -- From the Daily Mirror - 06/06/1989 ------------------------- STOLEN ORCHID RACKET An orchid smuggler made a fortune by plundering rare specimens to sell to plant collectors, it was alleged yesterday. Henry Azadehdel, 37, from Nottingham, was said to have "raped beauty spots from around the world." At the Old Bailey he admitted five charges concerning the orchids. The court was told he tricked experts from Kew Gardens where he could find the orchids. Then he mounted expeditions to remote jungles to steal rare and valuable plants. The case was adjourned until today. * End * --From the Daily Express, June 6, 1989 -------------------------- ORCHID SMUGGLER WHO PLUNDERED THE WORLD by Joe Wood A smuggler "raped the world's beauty spots" of valuable orchids to line his own pockets, a court heard yesterday. Henry Azadehdel, 37, travelled the globe seeking endangered species of orchids, some of which have since become extinct. Then he smuggled them back into Britain and sold them on the black market to collectors desparate to get their hands on the rarest specimens, the Old Bailey was told. In just under three years he made more than 250,000, [pounds] said Mr. Andrew Mitchell, prosecuting. He added that Azadehdel collected plants of "astonishing beauty," specialising in rare slipper orchids which he uprooted in China, South America and Borneo. Mr. Mitchell said "With a total disregard to conservation, preservation, countries of origin and international law, Azadehdel has raped beauty spots around the world of some of their most precious assets to feed an obsession with orchids and to fatten his bank account." Customs officers who raided Azadehdel's home in Prestwood Drive, Aspley, Nottingham, seized 350 rare plants worth 42,000. [pounds]. Yesterday, Azadehdel, who was born in Armenia but is now a British citizen, pleaded guilty to smuggling orchids and failing to to declare to customs officers that he was bringing a jaguar skin into the country. Mr. Mitchell said Azadehdel was well known in the orchids world. He even has a plant which he found in China named after him. EXPERTS Posing as an amateur enthusiast interested in preservation, he supplied plants to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. But his real aim was to glean information from the experts to use on his orchid hunting expeditions. Scientists at Kew began to suspect he was a professional smuggler and alerted Customs officers. Azadehdel was arrested at Heathrow when he returned from a trip to Ecuador and Peru on December 6, 1987. Fourteen plants wrapped in newspaper were found in his luggage. He claimed he had bought them for 1.30p [one pound thirty pence] and had no idea they were orchids. Mr. Mitchell said "With his vast experience and knowledge he was clearly lying." The case continues. * In Britain, most rare species of wild flowers are protected - but only where notices exist, a Law Society spokesman said last night. * End * 1/4 M [POUNDS] PLUNDER BY ORCHID SMUGGLER By Steve McKenlay A former diplomat smuggled rare orchids from all over the world and sold them for 250,000 [pounds] on the black market. Henry Azadehdel, 37, befriended experts and pumped them for secrets on where some of the world's most sought after plants were buried. He plundered limestone cliffs in Borneo and jungles in South America searching for precious species that could be wiped out in one picking. But when customs men found 335 orchids worth 42,000 [pounds] in his suitcase at Heathrow Airport he calmly claimed to have picked them up for 1.30p. [one pound thirty pence] "The defendant has imported, harboured and sold, either in this country or abroad, orchids worth tens of thousands of pounds," Mr. Mitchell, prosecuting told the Old Bailey. "With a total disregard to conservation, preservation, countries of origin and international law, Azadehdel has raped beauty spots around the world of some of their most precious assets to feed an obsession with orchids and fatten his bank account." Azadehdel, 37, an Armenian who worked as a diplomat in Iran before fleeing the Khomeini regime, came to England in 1979 and worked as an insurance salesman in Nottingham. EXTINCT He admitted four charges of smuggling, harbouring, offering and selling restricted orchids yesterday. The court heard Azadehdel sold plants to Kew Gardens. A Californian dealer admitted buying 20 near extinct sanderianum for 20,000. [pounds] He even discovered a new species in China. Botanists named it (text unreadable - Don). His downfall came when Kew orchid curator Dr. Phillip Cribb became suspicious and set a trap. Dr. Cribb hid a collegue in a cupboard as a witness and quizzed Azadehdel about his dealings. Customs officers later arrested him as he arrived at Heathrow from Lima. Mr Maurice Aston, defending said: "His life-long hobby of orchids has ceased. He no longer has a collection and has no desire to collect." Azadehdel, who will be sentenced this morning, said "I have been shipwrecked, chased by drag traffickers, and fed by the chief of a clan of head hunters. "I've been to places where no white man has ever been. I'm proud to have extended the boundaries of science." * End * --No source or date given -------------------------------------- SEX SECRET OF AN ORCHID SMUGGLER By Howard Sounes A plant smuggler plundered the world's beauty spots for exotic orchids to turn on his wife. Armenian-born Henry Azadehdel made love to his English wife Sarah surrounded by the scent of rare orchids, which he smuggled in from the Far East where they are famed as aphrodisiacs. "We had some particularly nice epithytics hanging from our bedroom ceiling," blushed mother-of-two Sarah, 31. But inside the greenhouse of the couple's home in Long Eaton, Nottingham, were up to 750 specimens worth 42,000. [pounds] Many were protected species smuggled into Britain by Azadehdel to sell on the black market. Last week at the Old Bailey Azadehdel, 37, was jailed for 12 months with eight months suspended sentence after admitting smuggling, harbouring and selling restricted orchids. He was also fined 10,000. [pounds] Profits from the bizarre trade allowed the couple to move into a 100,000 [pounds] home in Aspley Park, Nottingham. They even invited neighbours in to admire their collection until it was raided by customs. Some of the orchids were sold to collectors for 3000. [pounds] Sarah, who says she didn't know her husband was breaking the law, said: "Things got out of hand when Henry was given two orchids as a wedding present. He just got over enthusiastic and sold a few to help us out." * End * -- The Sun - 07/06/1989 ---------------------------------------- JAIL FOR RAIDER OF THE LOST ORCHIDS By James Lewthwaite Orchid dealer Henry Azadehdel was behind bars last night - vowing that he never wants to see another bloom. The greedy adventurer, who made a fortune from plundering the world's beauty spots for protected rare orchids, was jailed for 12 months at the Old Bailey. Judge Derek Clarkson suspended eight months of the sentence, but fined 37- year-old Azadehdel 10,000 [pounds] and ordered him to pay another 10,000 [pounds] costs. PASSION He called the father-of-two's orchid dealing "cynical, ruthless, commercial exploitation." Azadehdel's lawyer Maurice Aston said: "He no longer wants to collect or see another orchid as long as he lives." The smuggler will have to give up another passion while inside - UFO spotting. Azadehdel, of Aspley, Nottingham, is listed in a spotters' bible and specialises in "people kidnapped by aliens." * End * -- Daily Mirror - 07/06/1989 ------------------------------------ BLOOMING CRIME A man was jailed for four months and fined 10,000 [pounds] yesterday - for smuggling orchids. Henry Azadehdel, 37, who admitted illegally importing and seling restricted orchids, had "raped beauty spots around the world" the Old Bailey heard. He was caught with 15 plants at Heathrow Airport and 348 more worth 42,000 [pounds] were found at his Nottingham home. * End * -- Daily Star - 07/06/1989 -------------------------------------- ORCHID RAIDER IS GIVEN 4 MONTHS Orchid smuggler Henry Azadehdel, 37, was jailed for four months at the Old Bailey yesterday for plundering the world's beauty spots. He also got eight months suspended and was ordered to pay 20,000. [pounds] Azadehdel, who survived shipwreck, disease and headhunters on his quest for rare plants, said later "I never want to see an orchid again." * End * --No source or date given --------------------------------------- JUDGES FREE SMUGGLER OF RARE ORCHIDS A businessman who smuggled rare jungle orchids into Britain was released from prison yesterday after the Court of Appeal decided a 12-month partially suspended sentence was too severe. Three judges also reduced a 10,000 [pound] fine on Armenian-born Henry Azadehdel, aged 38, imposed at the Old Bailey last June, and set aside an order to pay 10,000 [pounds] prosecution costs. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew had welcomed the original sentence, eight months of which was suspended, but Mr. Justice Gatehouse, sitting with Lord Justice Watkins and Sir Bernard Caulfield, substituited a six-month sentence and suspended the balance. His fine was cut to 2,500, [pounds] but a 200 [pounds] fine for making a false customs statement was upheld. Mr. Justice Gatehouse agreed that Azadehdel, of Aspley, Nottingham was a mere amateur who used the authorities at Kew to glean information for his criminal activities. * End * -- Evening Post 01/05/1991 ------------------------------------ NOTTS HELP POURS IN Kind-Hearted Notts people and businesses have made a huge response to an urgent appeal for supplies to Kurdish refugees. Already more than three tons of food, blankets, tents and clothes have been taken to Nottingham YMCA in Shakespeare Street. Boots has donated 18,500 [pounds] of Farley's Rusk - enough to fill a 40ft trailer. And Ollerton Miners' Welfare has taken delivery of 400 tons of baby food. This is being taken to the Iran-Iraq border on Friday in a massive airlift organised by Nottingham businessman Dr. Armen Victorian. Dr. Victorian, 40, of Aspley, said that enough aid to fill ten Boeing 747s had already been donated nationwide. And the first flight will leave Heathrow Airport on Friday. Dr. Victorian said: "The response has been great. I can't emphasise enough that every little drop counts." However, he believed it was time the Government did something to ease the plight of the Kurdish refugees. "How can the Government sit back and do nothing when so many British people are coming forward and giving so much?" Dr. Victorian plans to spend some time in Iran helping to distribute the supplies and set up a field hospital with 30 volunteer nurses and doctors. "Afterwards I will be coming back and helping to organise the next airlift until the Government gets its wits together and does something," said Dr. Victorian, a self-employed researcher based in Nottingham. The chief executive of the nottingham YMCA, Roy Blacker, said that he expects the amount of provisions to triple in the next week. "People have been bringing things in constantly since the appeal was launched last Thursday - someone even brought in a dozen fur coats. "The response of the public has been tremendous." * End * --Source unknown, approx date Jan 1991 ------------------------- THE SECRET PAST OF APPEAL MAN A Notts man who helped launch a massive appeal to help Kurdish refugees has been revealed as the same man convicted at the Old Bailey for smuggling rare orchids from around the globe. Dr. Armen Victorian, who has received widespread praise for his efforts for the Kurds, received a suspended jail sentence two years ago. But he was convicted under a different name - that of Dr. Henry Azadehdel. He also hit the headlines claiming he had evidence of a UFO being shot down in South Africa and the spacecraft's inhabitants being taken to the U.S. Speaking from his home in Bodmin Drive, Aspley, Dr. Victorian said "I have nothing to hide about my past." He said he had remained silent because he wanted to put the past behind him and did not want to jeopardise the aid operation and was still seeking to prove his innocence over the orchids case through the European Court of Human Rights. Others who have had dealings with Drr. Victorian have praised the work he is doing. Lorraine Goodridge, of Toquay, who organised the Gulf Appeal, said "I speak to Dr. Victorian every day. He is wonderful." YMCA appeal coordinator Helen Johnstone said the collection had broken all previous appeal records. * End * -- End of articles -- Don -- Don Allen - via ParaNet node 1:104/422 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: Don.Allen@p3.f2112.n2430.z1.FIDONET.ORG ----------------------- * Forwarded from "UFO" * Originally by Don Allen * Originally to Bob Soetebier * Originally dated 16 Mar 1994, 22:45 > **While browsing through the message bases, I > noticed the following haranquing from Don Allen to All** > DA> * Forwarded from "MUFON_PUBLIC" > DA> * Originally by Bob Dunn > DA> * Originally to All > DA> * Originally dated 8 Mar 1994, 22:07 > Thanks for adding to the continuing "Aviary" saga, by > passing along the Hansen article on John Alexander (and > C.B. Scott Jones, et. al.) > Please continue to pass along anything further you find > out about these "birds", Laurence Rockefeller, Phlock, > Pandolfin, Dames, etc...along with anymore definite NSA > leads, too. Who knows...maybe one of these days one or all > will decide to pull a "Jonathan Livington Seagull" and fly > the coop! ;) When Bob Dunn posted this I had a hunch to follow up on what would motivate that muckraker extrordinare, Armen Victorian to be on a rant now . I called up George Hansen and asked him about the information and apparently, Victorian in his usual style sends the article around to quite a few people and Hansen was one of those people. I also called up Ron Pandolfi at the Science & Technology Directorate at CIA to get some background about Victorian's FOIA requests and he expressed his opinion that it may soon be a question of legal consideration on honoring FOIA requests from foreign nationals on the behalf of the CIA. There were some other peripheral issues that we spoke about as well, but I wish to make very clear that Mr. Pandolfi was expressing his own opinions and not necessarily reflecting a position of "official policy" of the CIA. I realize that for a Ufologist to speak with a member of the CIA is similar in perception to a Christian talking to the Anti-Christ, since Ufologists tend to view the CIA as "the enemy" . Actually I enjoyed the call and found Mr. Pandolfi has a sharp sense of humor. Mr. Pandolfi is a friend of John Alexander and I know this from a previous call to him from last year when the "AIR #1 Report" came out. It seemed only fair that I should ask him for any comments he may have when I read Victorian's article to him about Mr. Alexander. Again, I must re-iterate that these comments were only Mr. Pandolfi's personal opinion and in no way constitute a "official" position on behalf of the CIA. Mr. Pandolfi expressed his opinion that he may have worded the response to Mr. Ortiz at Los Alamos differently regarding Armen Victorian had he been in Mr. Alexander's position. Mr. Pandolfi did tell me that he had checked on a earlier claim of Armen Victorian (real name = Henry Azadehdel) that Mr. Victorian had worked for "British Intelligence" and had submitted a request to the British Government to verify this claim but had not received any confirmation back on this claim. My own personal opinion is that Victorian is hardly "spy material". I did manage to get ahold of Victoria Lacas-Alexander, John Alexander's wife in a phone call and had a lengthy chat with her and although she did know the Victorian article was out, was not aware that it was being sent out over the computer networks at this time. Mrs Alexander is a MUFON member, but is not familiar with the computer UFO networks and conferences. I explained the purpose of my call to her and what had caught my eye in the Victorian article was a statement that Mr. Alexander had made that he had newspaper articles that seemed to refute some of Victorian's claims. I also asked her if she would, please pass on to her husband John the fact of my call and if he would like to make a public statement on the Victorian article. Some time later, I receive a phone call from Mr. Alexander himself, who was at work at Los Alamos. We discussed the article and he denied making any phone threats to Martin Cannon and also denied that his wife, Victoria made any threats to Cannon. There is the fact of a tape being circulated by Mr. Cannon which some people have heard about, but which I have not heard and so can not attest to what is behind it. This in itself may be a straw man or may have to do with a personal matter between Victoria and Martin Cannon. I'm not so sure that it's "proof" that "Cannon was threatened because he was too close to the truth". I'm not convinced of that myself. I did attempt to contact Mr. Cannon, but he was not in on two calls I placed. I asked Mr. Alexander if he would make available the newspaper articles he has on Armen Victorian and he faxed them to my work place. I will be posting these in a separate message, plus I talked with Mr. Alexander about his work in the Non-Lethal area and he also faxed an article about that too, which I will scan and make available. My own personal feeling is that Mr. Alexander was getting the short end of the stick in the Victorian article and I also expressed this sentiment to him as well. I've seen in the past when Armen Victorian has attempted to impugn people on the flimsiest of "research". I also think way too much "conspiracy" is being made over the Non-Lethal work that Mr. Alexander is involved in. I asked Mr. Alexander if he cared to make a public statement over Victorian's article but he declined stating he has no interest in getting involved in a public pissing contest with him and Victorian. I'm sorry to say that in the short call, I did not get a chance to ask him about the Aviary or him being "Penguin" but perhaps an opportunity might be forthcoming in the future if he is of such a mind. You have to realize when you talk to people like Pandolfi and Alexander that they are very limited to what they can say because of security restrictions and oaths they must adhere to. None of what Pandolfi or Alexander expressed to me in phone discussion is to be construed as representative of their respective employers, and is their own opinions only as stated. None of what was expressed to me was in any manner "classified" information. The whole reason behind these calls is because there is always two sides to a story and I'm interested to find out what the other side is. Don -- Don Allen - via ParaNet node 1:104/422 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: Don.Allen@p3.f2112.n2430.z1.FIDONET.ORG