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All conmen, all hoaxers
Finance, by Joze Biscak, joze.biscak@finance-on.net March 5, 2001, 22:22 The question is not merely rhetorical: did we the media truly fall for the media manipulation with the story about the alleged world computer champion Matjaz Rogelj? I assert categorically that we did not. Because there was no media manipulation - it was just a plain con job and a fraud with which the smart-aleck boy from Komenda conned 13.5 million tolars out of the Ministry of education. And this was the point where the fraud should have ended. But it did not. If Matjaz Rogelj really wanted to fool the media and show that we the journalists do not verify our information sufficiently, and that was why we fell for his story, he would have arrived at the Brniki airport Saturday noon as he had announced. He would have simply clapped his hands and said "Bravo, you have exposed me. A little late, but nevertheless. I did not spend the money that I took from the Ministry of education, and to appear more credible, I will now return it with interest." Maybe I would have smiled myself. I say "maybe", because my sense of humor left me the moment I realized that somebody was having fun with my money. And when it is just before the resolution almost certain that the young man is a crook (I even feel a little sorry for him). There can be no excuse for such a fraud. Even Joey Skaggs said that he tried "to be optimistic to find some solution that would excuse the actions of this boy" but could not find any. But one can not trust him either - he was a first rate media manipulator and hoaxer. The stress is on "he was." For me personally he no longer is, though I have even liked him in a way until now. The man first climbs on the wagon when the matter seems to drop in his lap, than realizes that things are heating up and withdraws. We journalists have done what our professional duty requires of us - we have followed the trail of information, which pointed that Skaggs himself might be behind this affair. But he lied. Straight into our faces. No, mister Skaggs, this is not a hoax, this is just a hooligan lie and a bad joke. But some think that Skaggs can be checked out. A certain tabloid newspaper scolded Slovene media that they themselves had not fallen for the Matjaz Rogelj's hoax and later Joey Skaggs' manipulation. OK. Maybe. But the same newspaper had a few days earlier declared Mladina's photographer Miha Fras as the recipient of a municipally sponsored apartment of the city of Ljubljana, only because he was supposed to be the "court photographer" of Vika Potocnik (the Mayor). Which is in fact completely false. If they had checked their information, they would have found out that it was the case of Milan Fras, a world renowned artist (Laibach) who can fill up any hall in London, New York or Munich. But the newspaper rather believed and relied upon rumor mongering of a certain city councilman. The statement of this councilman could have been verified since recipients of all city sponsored apartments are published on the internet; while Joey Skaggs' claims could not be verified. One had to rely on his honest word - and his balls. For if he had any, he would not have changed his mind after only one night because of a "trivial matter" - the measly few million tolars that Matjaz Rogelj had swindled out of the Ministry of education. It would be only right if now the police question also Skaggs and Alkalaj - if the indictment against Rogelj is issued so they can tell how much they knew about the affair. If we journalists have learned something from this story, so should they. Even if it is in the courtroom. P.S.: I admit, it is easy being a general after the battle. But the story is not over yet. And I as the writer of this commentary will in front of witnesses eat this commentary if it turns out that Matjaz Rogelj is an honest man, and Alkalaj and Skaggs only jokers.
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