Posted on 05/14/2004 3:43:32 AM PDT by 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 bureaus 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 Bergs business.
Companies are not legally required to register with the state, but McDonald explained it is usually the first step an owner takes.
"Youd 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 businesss 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 bureaus 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 cant 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 Bergs company.
Bill Cressman, spokesman at the IRSs 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.
"Theres 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, Ill 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 sons business, which was very profitable before he went to Iraq ..I will make good on anything the company owes anybody, but its 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.
Wish we could get more details on the dates. Nick quit Cornell Dec. 98 so spring semester 99 at OU makes sense but apparently he stayed out of school until fall semester 99. Why would he still be in Norman, OK over a year (Feb/Mar 01)later to ride on the same bus with Moussaoui? Atta and al Shehhi were in Norman in July 2000 which is closer for a timeline. Could Nick have met up with Atta first?
Someone on another thread mentioned he was getting more involved in religion - isn't that the same story we hear about converts to the religion of peace?
Hey.... Norman was a hopping place then. If you recall.. Bob Stoops won his National Championship during that time frame. Berg was probably just a fan wanting cheap student tickets :)
Thought the religion he was getting more involved in was Judaism, not Islam. There was mention by his family of him going to Temple more often.
Dad's living off his teacher retirement and mom's making dolls. So, where is Nick getting the money to travel the world? One time he's unemployed to has to go to Iraq to make money. Then dad says he not there to make money. Then he says there's no contracts in Iraq. Then he's losing thousands while detained. He turns down pocket money and a ticket home. Then he's going home, sailing around Turkey, and leaving stuff at the Al Fanar hotel for his return trip to Iraq where there's no job prospects....
Oooops, forgot. ping.
Personally, I think this is a guy who was wanting to get involved with Al Queda.... but didn't fully understand that being jewish was going to be a REAL trust issue with them.
OMG! Bergs are knee-deep in anti-war possibly...maybe PROBABLY anti-American stuff.
What's the COMMIE NGO hat's in the same town as the Berg's??
The father also was railing against The Patriot Act!!! Wonder Why??
Speaking of Bricks...there was some refererence to Bricks on some link abut Prometheus on this thread. WEIRD.
"Tower climbing"
Both of my sons did tower climbing for repair and maintenance of cell/microwave towers for about a year. Great money but you are on the road for weeks at a time all over the country. They got tired of never being home. They rock climbed as a hobby prior to working for tower companies. They would send me horrendous pictures of them in the heavens on a tower, hanging from a strap. I got vertigo just from looking at them.
South Dakato???
How do you Know he wasn't a friend of Moussoui"? That has NOT been established. Everyone just gives their COMPUTERS away???
Yeah, why would a Pennsylvania resident leave an Ivy League school to transfer to...Oklahoma?
I'm assuming he had no roots/ties to Oklahoma prior to '98. What, he decided to go back to school, put on a blindfold, picked up a dart and threw it at a map of the U.S., and had it land on Norman or something?
Just weird.
PING. Thanks
Norman Okla was a real HOTBED.
I think you may be exactly right about him sitting somewhere watching the whole passing scene,probably sipping drinks with the "director" of the project,critiquing it. By now they should recognize that they are going to have to do a better job of rehearsing the lines and developing the roles of the families of the "stars".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.