Walter Bowart: Scam Artist

Note, March, 2007:

Seven (7) years have now passed since this was written. I never received the book I ordered, nor was my money refunded. I also continued to receive e-mail from other victims of Walter Bowart's scam operation. There is no doubt in my mind that Walter Bowart is a scamster and a liar.

BEWARE OF WALTER BOWART

NEWS BULLETIN 2-11-00

WALTER BOWART A SCAM ARTIST?

Here follows my recent letter to Walter Bowart, head of the Freedom of Thought Foundation:

Attention Walter Bowart:

ONE YEAR AGO I sent you a money order for $100.00 in good faith as my membership fee to FOTF.

I was promised a copy of Operation Mind Control as well as other "membership benefits". To this date I have received NO membership benefits whatsoever and have still not received my copy of the book. I have sent you numerous e-mails over the past year, inquiring as to why my book has not arrived. During this time I have received only ONE response from you: stating that my book would be "on the way" in a couple of days.

You said that a "snafu" with your volunteers, who were "handicapped" had held things up. This was over 6 months ago, and still my book has not arrived. Since then I have sent several more e-mails, asking you to cancel my membership and return my membership fee. There was no response from you and I have not received my money back. I have retained copies of all e-mails as well as the carbon copy of the money order made out to FOTF.

Your organization purports to be legitimate; yet the evidence of your negligence and disrespect for your "members" clearly negates any such legitimacy. I have heard similar testimony from others who were taken in by what I can only assume to be a scam operation. I cannot afford to lose $100.00.

And I've had enough grief from the perpetrators of mind control! I don't need more grief from opportunists who claim to oppose mind control but appear to be cashing in on the troubles of victims/survivors who join your organization in good faith. I will send out a warning in my electronic newsletter exposing the fraud of FOTF. And I will file suit for mail fraud and misrepresentation. I demand my money back immediately.

Barbara Hartwell Addendum: When I e-mailed this to Bowart, I received a notice that his address had "permanent fatal errors" so my letter could not be delivered. How convenient. (For Mr. Bowart, that is.)

About a week ago I forwarded this letter to selected parties whom I had reason to believe may have encountered problems with Mr. Bowart and his organization. Without exception, every person who received this letter had a story to tell...none of which were flattering to Mr. Bowart. In fact the original recipients forwarded my letter to their associates and as a result I was sent some very disturbing testimony; certainly more than I'd bargained for!

Pending further investigation of Mr. Bowart and his shady operation, more bulletins will follow. Meanwhile, does anyone else who was ripped off want to join me in a class action suit for mail fraud? Your comments would be appreciated.

Mr Bowart, are you out there? Are you listening? Then hear this: Your shagging days are numbered, so you better clean up your act and cough up the cash! I no longer want a copy of your book. Considering the source, I have great reservations in regard to your credibility. But maybe I'll borrow your book from a friend and write a book review.

Barbara Hartwell

February, 2000

LETTER TO THE EDITOR FROM RESEARCHER KATHY KASTEN
RE WALTER BOWART

Barbara:

I would appreciate it if you would forward this e-mail message to everybody you "cc'd" on the matter of whether Walter Bowart is involved in a "scam" operation.

I finally heard from Walter. Apparently, as he has always been on the forefront of helping victims, and doing factual research into mind control, he has been a target. Recently, once again, the FOTF computer was deliberately crashed, and all information with regard to his Freedom of Thought files was lost. However, Walter explained to me, it has been a couple of years since he was directly involved with FOTF. Apparently volunteers have been running FOTF. He along with you is disappointed that the volunteers have let people down. Walter is aware that most of the people requesting his book are researchers like himself, and promises me that he will look into the matter; he understands that people sent money in good faith. He will attempt to remedy the situation and make sure people receive the book. It may take some time, and Walter asks for everybody's patience in this matter.

KK

EDITORIAL COMMENT

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT FOUNDATION: WHAT'S THE REAL DEAL?

Kathy Kasten is a fellow researcher with whom I have been in contact through the internet. In the course of these communications we have exchanged information and viewpoints about a number of issues related to mind control, the trials and tribulations of targeted individuals and the like. Though Kathy and I don't always agree about these issues, I do believe her to be an honest person and respect her work as a researcher. In any case, since I welcome letters to the editor, the recipients of my news bulletin of Feb.11, headlined: Is Walter Bowart A Scam Artist? should have a chance to hear what she has to say.

As for myself, I can only say that I did do my best to give Mr. Bowart the benefit of the doubt. As stated in my last letter to him, which I published in an attempt to finally get his attention- as well as a redress of grievances- I had waited for OVER A YEAR to receive my copy of Operation Mind Control. I had waited, similarly -and patiently I might add- for any of the promised "membership benefits" to materialize. Only one of my numerous letters was answered, in a cursory fashion, by Mr. Bowart himself. Or at least by someone who signed his name. This last was around 6 months ago.

Mr. Bowart seems to want to blame his allegedly wayward volunteers for "letting down" the FOTF members, who joined HIS organization and sent HIM money in good faith. But in my opinion Mr. Bowart should accept that responsibility himself. Volunteers can hardly be held accountable for Mr. Bowart's apparent shortcomings as an administrator. As for the "patience" Mr. Bowart is asking for -through his intermediary- speaking for myself, I have already exhausted my store.

I also have to wonder why Mr. Bowart needs an intermediary to speak on his behalf. I find it disturbing that Mr. Bowart was not willing to make the effort to contact me directly, as well as the others -how many I don't know- whose money he has taken without a word of explanation, nor any attempts to address their complaints.

According to the testimony of others -who have asked me not to use their names- the checks and money orders have been cashed- long ago. I would think that if Mr. Bowart is truly interested in helping victims, that he would have considered the needs of those victims. As for the researchers, many, like myself, are also survivors of gov't mind control programs. Most of us are living hand-to-mouth, as the harassment has driven us into a state of relative poverty through reduced circumstances; if not outright financial destitution. We -of all people- cannot easily absorb the loss of $100.00.

Kathy says that Mr. Bowart has also been targeted. If so, I can certainly empathize with him. I too have had my computers deliberately crashed, along with a lot worse. At the most extreme end of the spectrum, the several attempts on my life have shown me just how far the perps are willing to go to stop anyone who is a threat to their agenda. However, Mr. Bowart is still responsible to exercise due diligence in his dealings with the members of his organization, whether or not he has chosen to have volunteers run it; and whether or not he has become a target. It's a simple matter of integrity.

As to why I joined the FOTF? I joined because I was led to believe -through Mr. Bowart's literature- that my membership fee would be used for the purpose of activism and advocacy on behalf of the many victims who were subjected to the atrocities of mind control. It was also the only way to obtain a copy of Operation Mind Control. Or so I thought at the time.

I am not well-acquainted with Mr. Bowart. I only met him once, briefly, after hearing one of his lectures at a conference in Atlanta. As a journalist, I was there on a press pass. I was given to understand that Mr. Bowart is respected by many people as a forerunner in mind control research. That's why I was interested in hearing him speak and why I was interested in reading his book. But Mr. Bowart's lecture did not contain any 'news flashes' -at least not for me.

I grew up in a CIA/military intelligence family. I'm a survivor of CIA black ops; utilized for many years as a deep-cover operative - at times, under mind control. After my many years of personal experience with the black ops world of spooks, including my own family members, I think I have a pretty accurate perspective.

When I speak publicly about mind control, whether at conferences or on radio and TV, the information I deliver comes from direct experience as a victim and a witness. If the perps didn't KNOW that I KNOW what I am talking about, they would have little concern about the material I am disseminating. And I would not have become a target in their many and varied attempts to neutralize me.

The bottom line is this: Speaking only for myself, I certainly have received no "membership benefits" through Mr. Bowart's Freedom of Thought Foundation.

I have repeatedly asked Mr. Bowart to cancel my membership and return my membership fee. I still have not read Mr. Bowart's book, as I've had no chance to get possession of it. But as far as I can tell, there won't be any compelling new information that I am not already aware of.

And since Mr. Bowart is presumably now aware of my position on this matter, I will simply repeat my original statement:With all due respect, Mr. Bowart, PLEASE RETURN MY MONEY AND CANCEL MY MEMBERSHIP.

Thank you,
Barbara Hartwell
February 18, 2000