Aero Entrepreneur “Baby Branson” Faces Fraud Investigation
After his Varsity Express airline flying between Oxford and Edinburgh failed to take off…
Raising your profile in the MSM is a great laxative to help get a new venture moving but that sort of scrutiny comes at a cost. Do it right or prepare for the backlash.
At the weekend The Sunday Times printed the following headline:
Varsity Express: Baby Branson’s bogus business -The 23-year-old would-be airline tycoon admits his latest venture was built on a lie
As the Times pointed out, there was widespread sympathy for what appeared to be a business setback for a plucky young British entrepreneur, Martin Halstead. That is, until a closer inspection revealed his career blip involved more than just misfortune – investigations of his business methods revealed ‘numerous failings’ including the use of a fictitious name.
Yesterday the BBC reported:
Police are investigating claims of fraud involving a company which ran flights between Oxford and Edinburgh.
Thames Valley Police received two complaints about Varsity Express, a business set up by entrepreneur Martin Halstead, dubbed “Baby Branson”.
…
Mr Halstead, 23, has denied he, or the company, committed fraud.
Whatever the outcome, mud sticks. So once this episode is behind him, there’s only one solution. He’s going to have to become extremely loaded to restore his image.
If there’s one thing the British establishment doesn’t mind, it’s the rich and dodgy.
June 22, 2010
I’ll vote for rich and dodgy. This man will go a long way. True, I’m still a bit miffed that the ticket I bought back in 2005 to fly with his upstart Alpha One Airways from Edinburgh to Isle of Man was cash wasted. His airline folded. But no doubt I’ll make good one day when I can sell the tale of being the first person ripped off by Martin Halstead.