A Genuine Special Order black paint Leica M Owned by Busby Cattanach. Offered for Sale by Third Man Cameras in Stuart Florida.
Many of you may remember Henry Obert (aka Henry Obertiii) and Erica Obert, the hapless “Leica Experts” pawning off repainted Leicas with all sorts of faked provenances on Ebay a few years ago. ( https://leicaphilia.com/caveat-emptor-again/ ). It was a fairly transparent scam, although a number of folks with more money than sense ended up buying “genuine” black paint lenses and/or bodies for stupid money from these morons. My sense: if you’re stupid enough to fall for the con, you deserve it.
It took only a few internet searches from the comfort of my home and I discovered that Mr. and Ms. Obert were garden-variety crackheads who had bought a large stock of excess Leica parts and went into business faking black paint items and then selling them on Ebay under the moniker of “Third Man Cameras.” Some quick correspondence with Ms. Obert – Third Man’s “Office Manager” – easily uncovered the whole scam. It didn’t hurt that a few Google queries uncovered mugshots for both from a crack cocaine arrest.
Just for the hell of it, having nothing better to do, today I did an updated Google search for these two and found a 2018 arrest for Henry – a felony charge of, apparently, selling counterfeit concert tickets. That’s his mugshot for that arrest over on the right. Apparently, the internet notoriety drove him out of the Fake Leica business and into fake concert tickets. Erica, meanwhile, having apparently moved on from both Henry and her job as “Office Manager” of Third Man Cameras, is currently waitressing in Tuscumbia, Alabama.
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UPDATE JULY 10, 2020
And then, one final search found this, which is sad for the poor bicyclist Mr. Obert recently hit and injured while driving impaired:
JENSEN BEACH — A Port St. Lucie man was accused of hitting a bicyclist while he was driving under the influence in Martin County.
Henry Obert, 44, of the 3300 block of Southwest Vendome Street in Port St. Lucie was arrested on one charge of driving under the influence causing serious bodily harm to others.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers said around 7:35 p.m. Thursday they were called about a bicyclist hurt after being hit by Obert. When troopers arrived, they said they found the bicyclist seriously injured. It is unclear what hospital the bicyclist was taken to and what his condition is Friday. Despite multiple attempts, a spokesman for FHP was unable to be reached. Troopers said the crash happened at Jensen Beach Boulevard and Northeast Sunview Terrace in Jensen Beach.
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