State has no records of Berg's firm (Nick Berg)

The Daily Local ^ | 05/14/2004 | JONATHAN TULEYA

[calcowgirl]

Prometheus Methods Tower Services Inc., the business that cost Nick Berg his life in Iraq, has no records with the Pennsylvania Department of State.

The company that specialized in building communications towers never registered with the Pennsylvania Corporation Bureau, said Brian McDonald, spokesman for the state department.

McDonald conducted a search of the bureau’s online list of registered businesses, but found no matches.

The same search done by a Daily Local News reporter produced the same results -- several businesses contained the word "Prometheus" in their names. Only one is located in West Chester, and it is not related to Berg’s business.

Companies are not legally required to register with the state, but McDonald explained it is usually the first step an owner takes.

"You’d be very foolish not to register your business with the department," he said. "It is nearly impossible to exist without doing it."

Registering allows an owner to set up his business’s tax structure. It also establishes how the business is run, for example, whether or not it is for-profit or nonprofit.

"It is basically the infrastructure by which businesses are set up in the commonwealth," McDonald said.

McDonald added it is possible the business could be listed in the bureau’s records under a different name.

Searching the statewide yellow pages online found two company names containing the word "Prometheus" in Philadelphia. One is an Internet consulting business.

An employee at the second one, which is called Prometheus Radio Project, said it was not affiliated with the business owned by the local man slain in Iraq by members of al-Qaida.

Officials at the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service said state and federal laws prohibited their agencies from providing any records they had of Prometheus Methods Tower Services -- even whether the company had ever filed a return.

"Any information that we get or is contained on a tax return I can’t release," said Steve Kniley, press secretary for the state revenue department. "It is considered confidential under tax law."

Tax records become public information only if a lien is filed against a business. According to Kniley, there are no liens against Berg’s company.

Bill Cressman, spokesman at the IRS’s Philadelphia office, said the only companies with public tax records are nonprofit corporations.

At least one person claims he can confirm Prometheus’ existence.

Jay Shur, who works at the radio station WCHE 1520 AM in West Chester, said on Wednesday he was in the process of hiring Berg to build a communications tower for the station when news of his death came out.

The station was awaiting approval of plans from both the borough and an environmental agency before construction could begin, according to Shur.

"There’s a lot of paperwork to go through, and the area we were looking at was a marsh- land so we had to get clearance," he said."When I do get the OK, I’ll have to look for another contractor."

Michael Berg briefly spoke about Prometheus during a press conference Thursday morning outside his home.

"My son was not over there to make money," Michael Berg said. "My son’s business, which was very profitable before he went to Iraq ..I will make good on anything the company owes anybody, but it’s pretty much going to be defunct."

It is unclear how many employees Prometheus had. Michael Berg spoke of a "foreman" during the press conference. However, Nick Berg traveled to Iraq alone.

Staff Writer Jill Nawrocki contributed to this article.

[texasbluebell]

Not only that, but the connection to Philadelphia caught my eye.

[Ann Archy]

"Pometheus Methods" Tower Service. What would the "service" be by using the Zeus and Prometheus analogy do you think? Pirating...SPYING?

[tsomer]

Now wait just a minute, I wear Birkenstocks!

So do I. They're comfortable, dammit.

They're good camouflage. You should see the suburban liberal's reaction when this bikenstockster straightens them out.

[quack]

With copies of my license(in my name) and certification(also in my name) as well as a copy of my insurance(again,in my name). The individual is certified,not the company.I do have it set up as a DBA though,which has my DBA name on my license.Thing is,there is another company in the state(miles away) that has the same name.That's why I have to use the DBA.

Any search for that particular business name will show results for "that" business,not mine.It's pretty common with small business.

Also,I re-read my post.That sounded terrible.My apologies. Here is the Penn state code sight. http://www.pacode.com/secure/browse.asp Only thing I could find was that his "ficticious name" couldn't be registered as an .inc.Not much in regards to his type of work on there.

[ValerieUSA]

Nick spent entirely too much time reading obscure material and writing e-mails with bizarre references to fall within the range of normal guy in his 20s. It looks like code to me.

[SuziQ]

Yes, the footwear says it all.

I don't think so! I'm just about as conservative as they come, but Birkies are the only brand I wear because they are the most comfortable shoe I've ever put on my feet!

Don't judge a book by it's cover. The man may be an idiot, but not because he wears Birkenstocks.

[Ann Archy]

My current, totally unfounded, totally unsupported, speculation is that his 'Prometheus' is part of 'Prometheus Radio Project' and he was there to try to set up radio broadcasting of Left Wing propaganda to undermine the troops and the war. Of course, I could be proven wrong in a second... but in looking at what PRP is... it sure would make sense YOU SAID.............My current, totally unfounded, totally unsupported, speculation is that his 'Prometheus' is part of 'Prometheus Radio Project' and he was there to try to set up radio broadcasting of Left Wing propaganda to undermine the troops and the war. Of course, I could be proven wrong in a second... but in looking at what PRP is... it sure would make sense.

OMG!!! I think you've NAILED IT!!!!

Wondr if they can trace money to Bergs back to George Soros or Ford Foundation? Bet they will.

[SuziQ]

They think I wear ugly shoes but its because my feet don't hurt when I wear them, its NOT a political statement.

Heh, a fellow conservative Birkie wearer!

[Mo1]

This kid was not a conservative and he did not support Bush and this war

I'm almost afraid to say what I'm thinking this kid was doing over there

But I will say .. I think his father is lying threw his teeth

[dead]

Now wait just a minute, I wear Birkenstocks!

Hippy.

[PhiKapMom]

Berg being here in Norman with Moussoaui was on the front page of the Norman Transcript yesterday. Looks like Berg gave him a computer and set him up with an emal account -- same computer the FBI was after in Minnesota.

[bonfire]

Yep, something ain't right with this family. "spy" keeps floating around. If Berg was a spy he sure was a lousy one.

As I feel horrible for his parents, Nick might be alive today if they had raised him "right".

[PhiKapMom]

Berg was a friend of Moussoaui, the 20th hijacker, while here in Norman according to reports. No Israeli agent if you ask me!

[OldEagle]

I agree that the coincidence of two Prometheus companies in West Chester and one being controlled by George Soros does not meet the smell test. Can any of you advanced researchers make a connection? Even the time line would be interesting. And what about Papa Berg's money? Where does/did it come from?

[Mo1]

My current, totally unfounded, totally unsupported, speculation is that his 'Prometheus' is part of 'Prometheus Radio Project' and he was there to try to set up radio broadcasting of Left Wing propaganda to undermine the troops and the war.

With all the different articles and stories floating around ... That makes the most sense

[Ann Archy]

Sorry....I don't believe the BUS story.

[DainBramage]

What would the "service" be by using the Zeus and Prometheus

Intercepting radio comunications, or encrypting thier own perhaps?

[PhiKapMom]

It is being reported in Norman that Berg let Moussoui have a computer -- the same one the FBI checked in MN. They knew each other here in Norman according to what I heard this morning.

[TheSpottedOwl]

That sounds like 60's stuff coming out of the Birkenstock age... not from a 26 year old.

Altered emails wouldn't surprise me a bit, but my kids listen to Pink Floyd, Ozzy, Black Sabbath, and quite a bit of other bands from the 70's onwards. It wouldn't surprise me that he would know lyrics from Arlo Guthrie albums, since his folks probably played it constantly.

I'm not a fan of Arlo's, either.

[WI Conservative 4 Bush]

Weird to me: The kid Nick Berg seems to have been able to travel freely, with no harrassment, around Iraq on two different trips. Then, he gets picked up by the Iraqi police, who hold him for a couple weeks because his story/demeanor raise their suspicions. Then, he gets out of Iraqi custody and is offered safe/free passage to America. HE TURNS THE OFFER DOWN. A scant 3 days later he goes missing. I'm sorry, but this guy Berg's life is full of coincidences.

One other thing. The elder Berg is not helping his cause by so blatently letting the terrorists off the hook and blaming Bush/Rummy. It's so transparent, and illogical that rationaly people dismiss this guy.