....comes from the scam at Appleton Exploration (AEX.v) that we highlighted the other week in this post. Let's write it lesson in nice, big letters so it can't be missed.
STOCKBROKERS ARE BETTER AT TRADING THAN GEOLOGISTS*
Here are the recent insider deals at AEX.v, which show Karl "leopards and spots" Kottmeier selling out every single share he owned at the same time as a certain Paul Cowley of AEX.v bought chunks of the same.
Appleton Exploration Inc. (AEX) | As of July 9th, 2009 | ||||||
| Filing Date | Transaction Date | Insider Name | Ownership Type | Securities | Nature of transaction | # or value acquired or disposed of | Unit Price |
| Jun 26/09 | Jun 16/09 | Cowley, Paul | Indirect Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Acquisition in the public market | 10,000 | $0.520 |
| Jun 26/09 | Jun 16/09 | Cowley, Paul | Indirect Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Acquisition in the public market | 10,000 | $0.570 |
| Jun 26/09 | Jun 16/09 | Cowley, Paul | Direct Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Acquisition in the public market | 20,000 | $0.610 |
| Jun 16/09 | Jun 15/09 | Kottmeier, Karl Eric | Direct Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Disposition in the public market | -30,000 | $0.300 |
| Jun 16/09 | Jun 15/09 | Kottmeier, Karl Eric | Direct Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Disposition in the public market | -22,000 | $0.330 |
| Jun 16/09 | Jun 15/09 | Kottmeier, Karl Eric | Direct Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Disposition in the public market | -3,000 | $0.335 |
| Jun 16/09 | Jun 15/09 | Kottmeier, Karl Eric | Direct Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Disposition in the public market | -15,000 | $0.350 |
| Jun 16/09 | Jun 15/09 | Kottmeier, Karl Eric | Direct Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Disposition in the public market | -25,000 | $0.350 |
| Jun 16/09 | Jun 15/09 | Kottmeier, Karl Eric | Direct Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Disposition in the public market | -10,000 | $0.370 |
| Jun 16/09 | Jun 15/09 | Kottmeier, Karl Eric | Direct Ownership | Common Shares | 10 - Disposition in the public market | -10,000 | $0.400 |
Note that both transactions went thru at the peak moment on the chart above. Now let's check the biographies of both our players here:
*with the exception of economic geologists, before certain people jump down my throat
Paul Cowley is a professional geoscientist with 30 years experience as an exploration, project, and consulting geologist, including 18 years with BHP in Canada, Chile, and Bolivia. He led a team of geologists at BHP that was responsible for the discovery of 4 gold deposits in the Canadian Arctic that now have resources totalling over 5 million ounces of gold. He was also a key member of yada yada continues here
Mr. Karl Kottmeier is President, Chief Executive Officer, Director of Rockgate Capital Corp. Mr. Kottmeier is a former investment advisor and member of the venture corporate finance team at several brokerage firms. Mr. Kottmeier has over 15 years of practical experience in listing and financing junior companies on the TSXV. Mr. Kottmeier left the brokerage industry to yada yada continues here.Of course, Kottmeier's biog forgets to mention how he got away with "loaning himself" a ton of money while in charge of of a Student's society back in his university days and only missed criminal charges because his pally pals closed ranks, but that's beside the point here. The point is that a self-serving scumbag stock manipulator is a better indication of a stock than an honest but financially naïve geologist.
*with the exception of economic geologists, before certain people jump down my throat