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 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.
Yep, Caleeefornia is different.
Thanks.
I am just reporting what I heard on the local news here in Norman -- I have no idea to its validity but I do know that the apartment complex where Moussaoui and his two roommates stayed won't say if Berg lived there.
There seems to be an overlap as they are reporting that Berg did not immediately leave Norman. Also one of Moussaoui's roommates was advised to go to Pakistan to join up with the Chechnen movement.
Local people are trying to connect Berg to the three guys, Moussaoui and his two roommates.
Do know if Berg had withdrawn from OU, his email account would have been killed immediately so he didn't withdraw, but he didn't return for the spring semester either which puts him in an overlap with Moussaoui. Heard rumors of a white kid being with Moussaoui and his two friends for a long time -- in fact, we used to see a white kid with the guy with the long beard who was Moussaoui's roommate around Norman but I cannot remember what he looked like.
I didn't see any pictures of Pete Tridish..fake name pronounced Petri Dish...where is the picture and who do you THINK it is??
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.
Probably more than a mere coincidence.
Until I just read an article about meeting at the Norman mosque, I didn't even know we had one. Also heard they were all together at the Huffman Center which is the fitness center on campus for students. The two roommates that Moussaoui was with were still in custody the last I heard and I personally hope they never return to Norman. Berg used to go to the Huffman Center all the time according to reports.
The one friend of Moussaoui scared me -- wouldn't have wanted to me him in a dark alley. Used to see him around town and his eyes would look right through you -- cannot imagine him at the Huffman Center but he used to sign in there with Moussaoui.
Been a strange week -- the gas station we used to go to for several years is being sold and the people are returning to the ME. I have seen more and more ME types in the station in recent months -- never used to see any there. The owner was really nice but recently was not so friendly so I started going to 7-11. Also heard that very few ME's types are enrolled at OU for next year (Thank You God!)!
Seems our Arab population associated with OU may be shrinking all of a sudden. Why now when not after 9-11? All I know is that I heard at lunch the Feds are back here searching about ties.
No tinfoil needed. The Terry Nichols trial is bringing out more and more items that point to a ME connection to the OKC Bombing which screams out Al Qaeda.
Just read an article that Moussaoui was sent $30,000 by Atta who he also met at a motel -- same motel that McVeigh and John Doe #2 were staying at one time. How is that for coincidence?
Conversely,if the information is not true,through intent to deceive or carelessness,it can be very dangerous and play right into the plans of the enemy,whomsoever that enemy may be.My misinformation was carelessness and I apologise,thanks for setting the record straight.
Everything seems to be slightly grossly different than the father's take.
That is what is so strange.
He didn't just meet Moussaoui on bus IMHO. Beginning to think he was the white kid I have heard about and personally saw that hung out with Moussaoui's roommate who was one scarey person.
LOL. In many many ways! :-)
ROFL... cute. :-)
Ties of Moussaoui, his two roommates, and Berg according to the rumor mill at the local Mexican restaurant my daughter and I went to for lunch. Our waiter was on staff of the OU paper and we have known him for awhile. He heard about it yesterday after the whole article came out about Berg in the Norman Transcript. Said they are checking records for the Huffman to see if there is an overlap and rechecking computer records.
Wow. Keep us posted, please. This could be a real scoop!
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