Dear Scott
Your ‘gifting’ of a home to a poor family in the
provinces looks great on paper (in your paid-for Facebook advertisement) but
the questions remain:
(1) Has CCF actually given the $1000 house to the family or is the family renting it from CCF?
(2) How many such $1000 houses has CCF given to families in the provinces? Just one? Five? One hundred?
(3) Did whoever sponsored this one house pay CCF $5000 for the privilege?
(4) How much did you pay Facebook for this sponsored advertisement? A good deal more than $5000 I suspect.
Now, call me cynical, but this advertisement for
yourself (you can’t keep yourself out of photos, can you?) seems to me to be a
crude attempt to deflect attention away from the key question:
Who owns
the land upon which all the houses in Steung Meanchey have been erected?
My suspicion (and please do feel free to correct me if
I am wrong) is that you have given a $1000 house to a family and have given God
knows how many tens of thousands of dollars to Zuckerberg to get an ad for
yourself up on Facebook.
A reality check:
I bought this house (below) and the land around it for a
family in Prey Veng for $3,000. Mum, dad and some of their children were
working in Phnom Penh rubbish dump.
The house is humble but can be repaired. The amount of
land is small but sufficient to grow some fruit trees, vegetables and run
chickens. For the family it is a step up from working in the dump.
I gave the family another $1000 to help with repairs,
to buy fruit trees and to put in a well.
That’s $4000 all up – the same amount of money that
CCF claims to spend on just one child in residential care who is attending a
CCF school.
$4000 to help one child in a family (the CCF model)
whilst mum and dad continue to work in the rubbish dump
or
$4000 to get an entire family out of the dump and into
a home that they own?
If I was a scamster, wanting to raise a lot of money,
I could have a photo taken of myself with the family in front of their new
house, pay Facebook to publish it and present myself to the world as someone
buying houses for poor families. I could then sit back and watch the money flow
into my bank account. It would be an easy scam to pull off (sponsors and donors
don’t ask too many questions) and I am sure that the amount I raised would be
greater than the amount I paid to Facebook for the advertisement.
Yes, there will be some (perhaps many) who look at
your sponsored story and send CCF money – without bothering to ask the kinds of
questions I am asking you; without bothering to ask how many such houses CCF
has supplied to poor provincial families. They will either be unaware of, or
forget about, the hundreds of houses being constructed in Steung Meanchey; will
not bother to ask who owns the land, and hence the houses.
Come on Scott, who owns the land in Steung Meanchey?
Is it you? Your in-country manager? Who
is the happy recipient of 100s of thousands of dollars of free housing?
You can keep putting photos of happy families up
online (paid for out of funds that should be going to help poor families) for
as long as you like but these land ownership questions will not go away.
Keep the heat on this guy, James. Seems that if Neeson and CCF is involved, it is a scam!
ReplyDeleteIs it possible that I understand this correctly? You provided a house AND permanent land for this family (and money for crops) for less money than Neeson provides them a 120 sq. ft. house that he then turns around and rents them??! This is outrageous!!
ReplyDeleteWhere does this $1000 figure come from?
ReplyDeleteI dont believe that you built this house and purchased land for $4000 and gave it all the family. Sounds extremely coincidental that this is the figure that CCF has used. I smell some bullshit here and its coming from camp Ricketson. Stop making up stories Ricketson.
ReplyDeleteThen you must be VERY stupid!!
DeleteWant to come and visit the family? They live in Prey Veng. You can ask them.
ReplyDeleteAnd I bought two other houses in Prey Veng. Each of them, with the land, cost $1,500.
Anyone who has either built a house for a poor family or bought one, knows how much it costs and it sure isn't the $5,000 figure that CCF quotes to sponsors and donors.
More importantly, the actual figure ($1000 or $5,000) is of little relevance in this context. The fact that Neeson has bought one house for one family tells us nothing. Answers no questions
So where does the $1,000 come from? You quote this figure constantly, I just want to know where it comes from.
ReplyDeleteIt comes from inside CCF you stupid fool!
DeleteDear Anonymous 2.09
Delete(1) From within CCF
(2) From my own experience of buying building materials to rebuild a house from scratch and to have it raised three feet. I paid for all the materials myself. The house, made from thin tin and with a corrugated roof, was put up with free labour from within the village – all of whose male members know how to build a house.
(3) From someone who has put up lots of houses for poor families.
Some houses, such as those build by Global Village Housing are more sophisticated, They contain:
“…good quality insulation; diaphanous fabric walls and water collection system, costs $1600. It costs another $200 to deliver and build the house anywhere in the country. The total sum of $1800 includes workforce pay and developmental support.”
http://www.globalvillagehousing.com/en/our-work/2015-01-07-16-42-37
So here is a form of housing GIVEN to families for $1800. Compare this with the $5000 that Scott Neeson asks his donors and sponsors to contribute per house. Where does the remaining $3,200 go?
My point here, whether houses cost $1,000, $1,800 or $5,000, is that anyone reading this could build a house in the provinces, have their photograph taken with the family and then claim to be building dozens (or hundreds) of houses in the provinces.
The problem with these photo opportunity sponsored advertisements is that no-one ever bothers to ask Scott Neeson and others like him for any proof that he is actually doing what he says.
Your full of shit Rickets. Only an idiot would believe you brought a house for a family. You just took these photos to big note yourself because you jealous of Scott Neeson who aactually does things to help people
DeleteDear Anonymous 2.59
DeleteYou are more than welcome to come with me to visit this family in their village if you wish to see for yourself. The same applies for the community of 20 families that I help who live in the dump and for the dozen or so kids whose school fees I am paying. Come along, ask them questions; determine for yourself whether I am full of shit or if I am actually doing what I say I am doing. ANd ten, having seen with your own eyes, ask Scott Neeson to take you to visit the families he has build houses for in the provinces; to take you to visit the community in Prey Veng where (I can assure you) the families do not won their houses and must abide by Neeson's rules to even be allowed to rent them.
Don't take either Neeson's or my word for it; see for yourself.
more photos of Ricketson
Deletehttp://www.gayproject.com/hotgays/teenageboyfriends/03/img/teenageboyfriends_05.jpg
Instead of big noting yourself James, how about telling us the number of $ that you spend on the community of 20 families or the numbers of $ you pay in school fees, your scams are the same as those of Thatcher with his global housing bullshit. Does he pay you commission by any chance for his advertisements.
DeleteDear Anonymous 6.17
DeleteI am a filmmaker/journalist who helps poor Cambodian families to the extent that I am able. I am not an NGO making the kinds of false claims Scott Neeson makes regarding his 'good works' all the time - replete with photos of myself with cute kids, families for whom I have bought a house or old grannies at death's door. Scott Neeson's business model requires lies to keep it afloat - somewhat akin to a ponzi scheme. I n order to keep the dollars flowing into CCF accounts he needs to keep 'rescuing' kids and, more lately, creating the illusion that he is 'rescuing' families by 'gifting' them a home.
In he case of the kids Neeson is bringing in much more than it costs to keep them in institutional care (and breaking up families in the process) and in the case of World Housing he is on a money-spinner. He and his partners are cleaning up on this scam.
Now, having been forced to admit that he is renting to poor families the homes that donors and sponsors thought they were giving to these families, he is trying to divert attention from the expose of his scam by throwing up some photos of a family in the new home given to them by CCF.
I suspect that CCF has actually given this new home to the family. And that is cost somewhere between $1000 and $2000 - not the $5,000 quoted to sponsors and donors.
Now, if Neeson is going to give dozens or hundreds of such homes to poor families in the provinces this is a step in the right direction and he should be applauded for it. My suspicion is that this house is a one off, or one of a few, and is intended for photo opportunities only; that what Neeson wants to do is convince donors and sponsors (remind them) of what a good guy he is. In order to do so he has to insert himself into the photo - even though, according to CCF itself, neither Neeson nor CCF paid one cent for this house. It was given to the family by others and here is Neeson taking credit for it. This is not all that different from Hun Sen taking credit for a bridge build with other people's money.
So, my helping of poor Cambodian families must, of necessity, be modest. I have been doing it for 20 years. I don't talk about it much because, in the context of this blog, it is of no relevance. It has only become relevant because I know, from my own experience, that Neeson and CCF's figures re the costs of building houses are wrong. Very wrong.
Here is a link to homes that cost $2500, are more than 3 times the size (they claim 80 sq meter, but are including the space under the house, so 40 is more appropriate), have solar including a water pump, and water filter and water storage of 3000 liters I think.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.designboom.com/architecture/framework-house-building-trust-international-atelier-cole-cambodia-06-16-2015/
You already know about Global Village Housing. Has solar, large water storage, half the cost depending on which option of house size you pick. Includes transport to remote Cambodian locations.
"building trust international and atelier COLE, in collaboration with habitat for humanity cambodia, present their latest creative housing scheme. ‘framework house’ is a low-cost accommodation project that allows NGOs and government programs to provide families in need with quality, long-lasting shelters. the design is customizable; clients and/or families are able to directly change the looks and environments to fit their needs via layout and material selection. with each dwelling, the ‘framework’ program incorporates lessons on sustainable building techniques, healthy home principles, and presents detailed options for future expansion and investment...."
DeleteDear Scott Neeson
ReplyDeleteWhether this is you or one of your trolls posting these pornographic photos, what do you think is achieved in doing so? Do you think that people reading this blog are going to look at the photos and think: "Oh, what a dreadful person that James Ricketson is, I can't believe a word he says?"
Anyone who thinks this way is not going to be swayed by anything that I write, by the facts. They will believe whatever you say and respond to your latest photo ops with (a) cute kids, (b) poor families you have gifted houses to and (c) old grannies with "What a wonderful man Neeson is."
If you are not going to reveal who owns the land in Steung Meanchey upon which hundreds of houses are being erected, as this would expose your scam for all to see, why not do as you have claimed you are doing for so long - give the houses to the families living in them. Alternatively, set up a scheme whereby they can acquire the title of their home and land over time and use the money raised to help other poor families acquire their own homes. The days of the "White Man's Burden" are over, Scott. We all get the picture: You are a good guy who gave up your millionaire lifestyle in Hollywood to rescue poor kids from their families. There are plenty of people worldwide who believe this so perhaps you should just retire now whilst your reputation is intact and before you suffer the same ignominy that Somaly Mam suffered when her lies were exposed. You have made a small (actually, not so small!) fortune out of 'gifting' homes to poor families. You could cash it in, retire to an island in Greece, write your memoirs, sell the rights to your transformational story to Hollywood, win a UN Peace Prize, go on the world talk circuit (megabucks there) and, when CCF is exposed as a money making exercise, be able to throw up your hands and lament that your 'baby' has been abused since you left by the venal people who stepped into your shoes.
If I were your media adviser, Scott, I'd say that now is a very good time for you to step aside and either allow someone else to clean up the PR mess you have created with your lies or take CCF into a death spiral from which no number of photos taken with the Dalai Lama, with cute kids etc can save it.
more photos of Ricketson
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gayproject.com/hotgays/teenageboyfriends/03/img/teenageboyfriends_05.jpg
Dear Scott Neeson
DeleteI won't even bother to look at the latest lot of photos. I will not delete them and give you the satisfaction of being able to complain that I censor this blog. Rather, I will leave them there to serve as testament to your refusal to answer questions and your hope that if you keep this nonsense up that the messenger will be well and truly shot. You need to trade in your current batch of trolls, Scott, and get some new ones with ideas more original than the posing of pornographic photos.
You are quite a sad creature Anonymous 12:11.
Deletemore photos of Ricketson
Deletehttp://www.gayproject.com/hotgays/teenageboyfriends/03/img/teenageboyfriends_05.jpg
Your a jealous cunt Rickets. A loser. Crawl back under a rock and die. If you try to come back to Cambodia watch your back because theres a few pissed off people whol be watching it closely
ReplyDeleteSomeone seems quite angry at you James for exposing their boss (Scott Neeson), as a liar and a fraud! Keep up your good work!
ReplyDeleteWhere are the journalists from the Phnom Penh Post and Cambodia Daily on exposing this scam of Scott Neeson? Isn't it their job to inform the public of this scam? Where is the press? Where is the un-named editor (Chad Williams)?
ReplyDeletemore photos of Ricketson
Deletehttp://www.gayproject.com/hotgays/teenageboyfriends/03/img/teenageboyfriends_05.jpg
more photos of Ricketson
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gayproject.com/hotgays/teenageboyfriends/03/img/teenageboyfriends_05.jpg
Dear Team Neeson Troll (aka Anonymous 6.06)
DeleteI am not sure what the point is you are making positing the same pornographic photo time and time again but you have certainly made it. I will delete any further posts of this kind.
Good. I hope you do.
DeleteYou think it would be former cops that are doing it? Interesting. There are former cops at CCF also!
DeleteMaybe its Fletcher posting them from his own personal collection, either that or possibly Wes is back on the scene
ReplyDeleteI cannot block you without blocking others so, as of now, any comments of this kind, by idiots such as yourself with nothing better to do, will be deleted as soon as I become aware of them
Deleteseems James doesnt like it when someone gets up and doesnt spout the party line, very interesting rickets
DeleteIt looks like the perverts at SISHA are trying to cause problems for this blog by posting porn. Because it is fairly standard procedure for Victoria cops to plant evidence and stitch up people, to protect yourself and your blog from their depravity and corruption it would probably be best if you switched comments back to needing approval.
ReplyDeleteYou think it would be former cops that are doing it? Interesting. There are former cops at CCF also!
DeleteThe following are excerpts from a letter sent to Sumner Redstone, a major sponsor of CCF, signed by Emily H . The full letter was previously published at Cambodian Children’s Fund blogspot.
ReplyDelete“Then I heard Mr Neeson had employed another policeman to run the Child Protection Unit, Mr Alan Lemon, who had also been kicked out of the Australian police force. This was too much for me and I stopped my contributions. I felt betrayed. “
“Why are two crooked cops running the Child Protection Unit? Then I heard that Mr Neeson had been paying James McCabe while he was doing two years of a four year jail sentence in Australia. If this is true, whose money was going to pay Mc Cabe? Yours? Do you know about Mc Cabe’s criminal record? Do you know about Alan Lemon being kicked out of the Australian police force?”
I think it is important for you to know the people that assist Scott Neeson in his scams.
I can tell you every staff member at CCF former and current are too shit scared to speak out about the bullshit that goes on at CCF. They know CCF will fuck them over if they speak out of turn.
DeleteRicketson is censoring again!!!!
ReplyDeleteDear Scott Neeson Troll
DeleteYou are tiresome. I an deleting the pornographic photos that you persist in posting. It is tiresome
Good, that one Team Neeson, troll needs a psychologist.
DeleteA Team Neeson Troll continues to post pornographic photos and stupid comments so, for the time being, I am putting the comment filter on. I am busy with many other things so do not be surprised in f your comment takes a while to appear.
ReplyDeleteCould it be that the real reason you and your bloggers continue to defame Neeson, McCabe, Lemon, Morrish, APLE and other child abuser hunting organisations, is that many of your actions are questionable and you fear that you may be caught up in an investigation? I can't think of any other reason - after all, why would you criticise these guys when they are dealing with disgusting crimes against children and putting Cambodians in jail. Its not as if any of us could ever dream of doing this type of work.
ReplyDeleteWhat an ignorant hallucinations you have!
DeleteDear Anonymous 6.31
Delete(1) Point out one occasion when, in your opinion,I have defamed Neeson, McCabe, Lemon, Morrish or APLE.
You will not. As you have before (and others like you) you will toss this 'defamation' label around hoping that through sheer repetition, some mud will stick.
(2) Which of my actions do you think are questionable?
Now, just think about this for a moment. Why, if I were to be engaged in anything 'unquestionable' would I wish to advertise myself on this blog? Especially since I am regularly threatened with just the sort of exposure you are talking about? Surely, it would make more sense for me to keep as low a profile as possible.
In addition to whatever good work the CPU might be doing, Scott Neeson and CCF are engaged in scams - the most blatant of which is the World Housing scam. Neeson was never 'gifting' houses to poor families as he has claimed up until very recently. He has been renting them. Given that sponsors and donors have been led to believe that they were giving them to poor Cambodian families Neeson has demonstrated (yet again) his propensity to play fast and loose with the truth.
The key question remains:
Who owns the land upon which these 'gifted' houses have been constructed? This person is now the owner of the houses. And how much are these houses worth? These figures are worth looking at when considering CCF's alleged 'not-for-profit' status.
CCF asks donors and sponsors to give $5,000 to buy one house.
300 x $5,000 + $1.5 million
Sources within CCF tell me that the houses cost $1000 per unit to construct. If so, the owner of the land is being given $300,000 worth of free housing, whilst CCF pockets $1.2 million.
Let's say that my information is incorrect and the houses cost $2,000 to construct.
In this scenario the owner of the land gets $600,000 worth of free housing and CCF gets to pocket $900,000
You can play with these figures in whatever way you like and the result will be the same: The owner of the land upon which the houses are constructed is making a lot of money for doing nothing other than owning the land. And CCF is making a lot of money by doing nothing other than convincing sponsors and donors that it is giving the houses to poor families.
There is a word for this and it is scam.
SCAM
Let me get this straight. Cambodia's three English language newspapers report on a talkfest (conference) organised by CCF but cant be bothered to find out who owns the land and is raking in the cash hand over foot! Does Neeson own all three newspapers?
DeleteWe're BOTH McCabe and Lemon, dirty cops? We're they both kicked out of the Australian Police force?
ReplyDeleteWhile you keyboard warriors slag them off, let's take a look at what Neeson and McCabe are up to today.
ReplyDeleteThe CPU (McCabe) is holding an international summit between Australian/NZ judges and prosecutors and their Cambodian counterparts, and specialists in the child protection field. You can read about it in all three major Cambodian papers.
Khmer Times - DNA Evidence Is Next Frontier for Cambodia’s Crime Scene Investigators -
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/19815/dna-evidence-is-next-frontier-for-cambodia---s-crime-scene-investigators/
PP Post - Capital meet puts focus on crimes against kids - http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/capital-meet-puts-focus-crimes-against-kids
Cam Daily - Police Unit Says Almost 300 Crimes Against Children in 2015 - https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-unit-says-almost-300-crimes-against-children-in-2015-105190/
The MOSVY Minister and a bunch of other social ministry officials joined Neeson to open the 300th World Housing home. MoSVY seem to be huge supporters of the World Housing program btw.
https://www.facebook.com/mosvygov/photos/pcb.1941071046117973/1941070926117985/?type=3&theater
Can't imagine they care about this inconsequential drivel on here. Note that a bunch of judges flew from Australia and NZ to work with McCabe - how does that fit your dirty cop narrative?
Was McCabe sucking off the NGO tit when he was doing time for stealing drugs at gunpoint, while he was supposed to be serving the Australian people?
DeleteWas McCabe sucking off the NGO tit when he was doing time for stealing drugs at gunpoint, while he was supposed to be serving the Australian people?
DeleteWhen the Police Unit says that there were 300 crimes against children in 2015, where they counting the children that Neeson takes from families? He has done more to hurt children than ALL of the other criminals combined!!
DeleteDear Scott Neeson (aka Anonymous 12.59)
DeleteWhen it comes to reporting anything about the Cambodian Children's Fund the Phnom Penh Post has no credibility. The newspaper is just a public relations wing of CCF.
Now that Jim Brooke has eft the Khmer Times perhaps the newspaper might acquire some of the credibility sadly lacking under his tenure.
That said, the CPU initiative is a step in the right direction - if it is for real and not just a public relations exercise organised by Neeson.
In the case of the Phnom Penh Post article is this actual reporting or is it a press release issued by CCF that has been cut and pasted to create the illusion of an article?
"Improving the treatment of child victims in the justice system and introducing a greater reliance on forensic DNA evidence were key goals set yesterday as Cambodian judges, prosecutors and police officials met with their Australian counterparts at the start of a two-day conference on crimes against children."
Who are the "Australian counterparts" being referred to here? Alan Lemon and James Mc Cabe?
Having read the articles all I can say with any degree of certainty is that CCF organised a conference. NGOs organise conferences all the time; just as they write reports all the time. In the case of both the CPU and NGO work in general it is results that count, not reports not conferences.
@ Anon 12.59
ReplyDeleteHow can a man like McCabe who has done time in jail for drug dealing, who was kicked out of the Australian Federal Police for being corrupt be trusted in any position of power? Especially in one of the most corrupt countries in the world. CCF obviously sponsored this talkfest as a marketing exercise.
A PR exercize aimed to fool people.
DeleteRemember Neeson is a marketing man. Nuff said!
DeleteNeeson, Mc Cabe and Lemon are fucking crafty fuckers and clever at self promotion. They know that the media will lap this shit up and just publish whatever Neeson writes for them.
DeleteMcCabe was so crafty he ended up with a prison sentence, kicked off the force, and the public humiliation of being a drug dealing corrupt cop!
DeleteLaughing stock might describe him completely... I want to see where he can become a believable prosecuting witness! I think the defense would love see him on the stand!!
DeleteJames, don’t worry. You are not the only ones watching Neeson and his cronies. There are plenty of people out there watching them and Neeson fucking knows it. That’s why he needs all this media coverage right now to cover his tracks. Smoke and mirrors. And I hear Neeson is shit scared because he knows that there are things you don’t know yet which when you know them, like you probably will soon, will blow his game out of the water.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the ball-less press to ask Neeson any questions? Where is the press to report this Housing scam? Where is the press to report Neeson taking over 700 children from their families? Where is the press to ask who owns the land where these homes are placed? Is the Cambodian press really ball-less, gutless and witless??
ReplyDeleteScott Neeson organizes a conference, sends out a press release and the Cambodian media dutifully reports on it.
DeleteScott Neeson lies about 'gifting' houses to poor families, sets in place a scam that nets 100s of 1000s of dollars for CCF and whoever owns the land upon which the 'gifted' houses are being constructed, and the Cambodian media remains silent!
???????
Or perhaps its just because you are full of shit Ricketson and all of this drivel is simply based around your desire to rubbish everyone who is doing better work than you.
Delete@Anonymous 11.06
DeleteScott Neeson is a liar and a thief
He has been telling anyone who will listen that he was giving houses to Cambodian families.
A lie
The houses were given by people who thought they were for poor people. Neeson lied to them
Neeson took the houses donated to Cambodian families and gave them to someone else.
He is a thief.
Yes a thief and a liar for sure!
DeleteI have read about so many of Mr Neeson's lies here on this blog (and thank you Mr Ricketson for bringing them to our attention) that I believe the word 'pathological' is in order. Mr Neeson is a pathological liar. And the manner in which he has acquired 300 and more free houses, whilst it may not be illegal, reveals that he is a con artist with the morals of an alley cat.
DeleteYes, it is a rare occasion when what Scott Neeson says actually aligns with reality if you do a little digging.
DeleteOn what evidence do you base your assertions Mr R?
DeleteYou do not have any do you ?If you did you would take it to the authorities either in Cambodia or Oz,but you and people like you,deal purely and simply in gossip and innuendo whilst having an agenda which immediately becomes clear to any sane person who reads your insane twisted drivel.
You are entertaining though I'll give you that,in fact I'm sure you'd even give the great Hans Christian Anderson a run for his money.
All the best old boy ,I'll look forward eagerly to the next installment of the "James Ricketson saves the world " fantasy.
Dear Team Neeson Troll
DeleteI will give you one example, of many, of Neeson's pathological lying:
The 'gifting' of houses to poor Cambodian families. They are not 'gifted' at all. They wind up in the hand of CCF - which then rents them and kicks out any tenant who doe snot abode by Neeson's rules.
What rules may they be then, could you please post some documentation so as all interested parties may peruse?
DeleteThank you James.
No disrespect Mr R, but you appear to be a demented ill informed lunatic!
ReplyDeleteAl Jazeera’s Investigative Unit reveals secrets and exposes truths surrounded by silence.
ReplyDeleteThe unit serves the public interest by uncovering malfeasance, wrongdoing and abuses of power.
High time to investigate Cambodia's perverted Child Welfare Industry!