Probably more than you cared to know but there certainly appears to be a a story here:
asensioexposed.com
Who is Bill Wexler?
Asensio's work is widely promoted on Internet chat boards. One of his longtime cheerleaders is Bill Wexler, who also gives short-selling advice of his own.
Both Wexler and Asensio present themselves as dedicated fraud-fighters. Both love to exaggerate, use inflammatory language, and make dire predictions. Both practice guilt by association. It's little wonder that some believe Wexler is Asensio.
Actually, the two differ more than enough to rule out the notion. Which does not rule out the possibility that they are business associates who have worked together for years.
Bill Wexler Basics
Wexler has hosted two discussion boards at Silicon Investor: Bill Wexler's Profits of DOOM, and its successor, Bill Wexler's Dog Pound. Both have served as billboards for his stock picks, which he has also publicized on Yahoo message boards.
Like a traditional analyst, Wexler would "initiate coverage" on a stock. But the similarity ended there. His short recommendations were more akin to Asensio's "fraud alerts." Initial commentaries were followed by a steady stream of further accusations about his targets--and occasionally, even plans to contact regulatory authorities. Anyone who disagreed with him was promptly denounced as a "shill."
One thing Wexler did not do was reveal his qualifications. But through his posts, he cultivated an image--that of a fabulously wealthy independent investor, living in the Bay Area and writing under his real name. One who could be counted on to answer any criticism with a reminder of how rich, how smart, and how right he was.
Until late in May, 2002. When without notice, the normally combative Wexler suddenly vanished from his site.
Where Did Wexler Go?
Why Wexler abruptly stopped posting at his Dog Pound is unknown. But by the summer of 2002, his self-portrait as an independent investor had run into some resistance. One reader asked if Wexler was "part of Elgindy's outfit," a reference to the short-seller arrested for an alleged racketeering and extortion scheme. Wexler broke his silence to say he was simply taking some time off.
Another observer pointed to a recent message that named nine short picks. Wexler was asked to explain the astonishing coincidence of all nine turning up in the holdings of a hedge fund located in the city where he lives. And not just any hedge fund, but Asensio's longtime client, West Highland Capital.
Wexler never answered the question. |
