In the roughly two months we have had this blog, there have been nearly 700 comments. 700. Not all of them are supportive of what we are doing here and that's fine. We are grateful that these people chose to express themselves calmly and without name calling and they are entitled to their opinion. And for those reasons, we published their comments and would do so again. It shows that dissenting opinions can be offered without being offensive and resulting to childish and obscene name calling.
But the vast majority are people whose lives have been touched in an ugly way by Michael Tonello and Donna Lehtonen. He started a blog and allows commenters on it malign total strangers with unproven allegations. She chimed in, repeatedly. His own posts did the same thing as his commenters. He continues to do that to this moment, as far as we are aware. He has allowed covert and outright threats to be posted. People have related stories of being threatened at home and at work because of things written about them on PFA. Some we have published; others, we have been asked not to publish and we respect that. In fact, we have received many comments with information and have been asked not to publish them and we have respected that, too. We appreciate the tips and ask you to keep it coming.
He has allowed the posting of information that would identify people in the real world. Obviously, this has put them at risk of real, not "I'm posting as anonymous so I can hide behind that and call you names" harm. And he and his followers think that's ok.
He admits to having posted fake reviews of his book under various names and he thinks that's ok too. Maybe the book would have stood on its own merits but because of his admission, now no one will know how many of the reviews are from honest readers or from the author trying to pump up book sales. Interesting that he appears to have so little faith in his own work.
He admits to having posted as various people on a number of forums and he thinks that's ok too. Remind yourself of some of the things he did as those alters. And ask yourself if any of these things are truly ok.
We can't help but notice that when he was denying being the owner of PFA he blustered as Michael J. Tonello. Hey all you fans over at PFA - feel lied to by him yet? He's still hiding behind the name of the blog. He's still denying the real reasons for starting it. And he still thinks it's ok.
We don't. And we're proud to keep saying it.
28 comments:
I am one of their victims. Lies were spread about me by Michael Tonello. Fortunately for me, none of my friends believed them and there were no professional repercussions. BUT, that does not make it right. Michael Tonello is the worst. I hope he is proud.
Thank you for providing a safe place for MT's victims to unite and take a stand.
Proud you should be for exposing this heinous man and his side kick for what they are doing to innocent people (or shall I say VICTIMS?) for ZERO apparent reason.
I applaud this blog, it's owners, and all who participate here in the name of setting things straight, and I will always support you.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
A Victim of Michael Tonello.
You say: "Interesting that he appears to have so little faith in his own work."
I would hazard to guess this is a very insecure individual, having read of his past and recent actions towards other people. It's the work of a desperate man, who really should know better, one would think.
Curious...
I'm also one of his victims. PFA is an infested ground for people who are genuinely unfulfilled in their lives. Like the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. A couple of anonymous posters other than MT and DL also jumped onto the evil bandwagon - you must think it's fun. Well, I don't think so. You're getting your hands soiled. Your lives aren't turning out too well? It's called karma. What goes around, comes around. In case you're thinking that your bit of fun being malicious is for now, just so you know, karma will bite you from behind when you least expect it. Far-reaching arms, they say.
So now all that MT can come up with is pointing his finger and laughing at a member of PF's posts? I'm sure every fashion forum has its eccentric members, but thanks to MT we have a one man army to point them out! Thanks MT. We had no idea. You are such a genius and a savior for showing us that some of the members of PF are a bit silly. It's a purse forum. We are all silly. At least we are not pathetic.
has anybody actually evidenced these threats or like much thats said here is it all just speculation. If nothing can be posted to prove what has been said are you not just posting Gossip like Tonello is accused of doing?
To englishmaninnewyork - I have had unwelcome real life contact of a threatening nature because of information about me posted on PFA. I am absolutely not going to put my name to this or any other comments here. Why? So I can be stalked some more? I spoke to the police and there is enough information that's been posted on PFA to pursue a complaint of harassment. The question is how much that would cost me to do. So hell yeah. I'm all in favour of people seeing what the real deal over there is and for more people to know what he and his followers are up to.
Englishmaninnewyork: IP information (from emails) can be supoenaed & is admissible in court as proof of stalking & harassment. Opinions are not necessarily protected speech in many states anymore due to new cyberstalking-cyberharassment laws. If the the intent is to harass, alarm or annoy the person targeted then its a crime that can be prosecuted. Impersonating someone on facebook in order to harass is also being prosecuted too. Just read about a case of two kids who did this to harass a classmate & both are being prosecuted even though theyre only in grade school.
To englishmaninnewyork: you still need to hire legal counsel to subpoena Blogger to give up IP information for a blog and there has to be probable cause (which I have been told there is in this case, and lots of it - also enough for a criminal prosecution under the law where I live, but the people behiind PFA would have to be served). Doing all of that is not inexpensive. I have also sought opinions from cyberstalking experts and there is nothing to prevent PFAs owners from just starting another blog and doing it all over again. My hope, and that of others who have been targeted by PFA for reasons we can't figure out, is that he will move on to something else.
MT thinks he is protected because he lives in Spain. He's not. If he does another book tour, the book tour locations will be public and at set locations at specific times. That makes it easy to notify the venue, tell police of his location and also have legal papers served on him.
He won't be doing another book tour - at least, not at Harper Collins expense.
I have filed a report to the authorities where I live, and have a case number filed for charges pending if anything further occurs to me personally. That's how far it went in my situation with Michael Tonello. Hope that answers your question.
Regardless, what 50 year old man harasses young women on a purse website? What a creepy thing to do...I mean, honestly, doesn't that strike anyone else as completely revolting?
Has someone at Harper Collins been told about Michael Tonello's activities? Now that would be a good idea. I hope they google him.
Maybe the rumored second book is just that . . . a rumor.
Revolting is the perfect word to describe Michael Tonello.
"I have filed a report to the authorities where I live, and have a case number filed for charges pending if anything further occurs to me personally. That's how far it went in my situation with Michael Tonello. Hope that answers your question."
Bravo! It is HE who can tighten his own noose.
"Regardless, what 50 year old man harasses young women on a purse website? What a creepy thing to do...I mean, honestly, doesn't that strike anyone else as completely revolting?"
If he is really that age, and this is all that has become of him, it's a FAIL in one's life scoreboard. He can stop his craziness and still have a chance to make good and go to heaven.
I understand all your answers but they are all speculation. If what you all say is correct about IP email identification and enough evidence existing then why didn´t anyone undertake anything when he was recently filming in the states with Bravo. It was mentioned often enough on this site so why didn´t anyone do anything. I can sit here and say Micheal Tonello has ripped me off but it wouldn´t be true. Even if it was it doesn´t back up facts. If the facts are so true as people say then actions speak louder than words. Yes bringing a case is expensive but if one is soooo sure then courts also award costs to the victor. I´m sorry but I belive that there is more behind this blog than meets the eye.
RE: May 16 - 12:29--He posted on EH that he would be in Cali soon. I don't recall the details and also that he may buy a beach house in Provincetown. In this thread:
http://www.effenhaute.com/forum/yaf_postst2987p12_Bringing-Home-The-Birkin--CHAT-with-the-author-Michael-Tonello.aspx
englishmaninnewyork, the readers of this blog come from all over the world. You are assuming it's an inexpensive thing to a) track someone down from halfway around the world, b) engage legal representation in two countries and c) proceed with a court case. It isn't. Knowing someone is filming with a company, for example, doesn't tell you where there are - that would have had to be researched, too. You are free to not believe that there has been no wrongdoing. We can tell you people have suffered actual harm because of PFA and that yes, the cost of making that right is very high. We don't think, however, that it is impossible that some person or persons WILL take legal action and seek justice that way. From everything we've read, they are certainly entitled to it.
@May 16 3:44 & 8:16... Yes, Michael Tonello is really in his 50's; born July 19, 1958. That makes him almost 53 and gosh yes, it is relly creepy to think that a 53-year-old man is so obsessed with girls and women and their purses. WEIRD!
@englishman: you obviously know more about tonello's movements than anyone here does. the next time he's in a specific place at a specific time, please do tell. having a clairvoyant in the house might be useful.
Actually I don´t know his movements but the Bravo this was mentioned on the posts here on this blog. I arrived at this blog over the purseforum blog and just can´t understand how this blog came to be. I don´t see any evidence that would warrant any police investigation as many would wish. I see alot of empty accusations with no backing behind them. Lack of evidence is justified by excuses about stalkers etc etc. It is assuring that the internet offers a certain amount of anonymity but apart from spiteful comments this retheoric remains a simple cat fight
englishmaninnewyork said...
I understand all your answers but they are all speculation. If what you all say is correct about IP email identification and enough evidence existing then why didn´t anyone undertake anything when he was recently filming in the states with Bravo. It was mentioned often enough on this site so why didn´t anyone do anything. I can sit here and say Micheal Tonello has ripped me off but it wouldn´t be true. Even if it was it doesn´t back up facts. If the facts are so true as people say then actions speak louder than words. Yes bringing a case is expensive but if one is soooo sure then courts also award costs to the victor. I´m sorry but I belive that there is more behind this blog than meets the eye.
May 17, 2011 3:04 AM
englishmaninnewyork said...
Actually I don´t know his movements but the Bravo this was mentioned on the posts here on this blog. I arrived at this blog over the purseforum blog and just can´t understand how this blog came to be. I don´t see any evidence that would warrant any police investigation as many would wish. I see alot of empty accusations with no backing behind them. Lack of evidence is justified by excuses about stalkers etc etc. It is assuring that the internet offers a certain amount of anonymity but apart from spiteful comments this retheoric remains a simple cat fight
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Englishmaninnewyork:
What was mentioned on this site was Michael Tonello's friend Donna's post (as Hermesmerized) on EffenHaute that he had signed an agreement with Bravo.
Nobody here knew anything about him recently filming in the states, nor did they post it here. So it is obvious that you do know quite a bit more about Mr Tonello than the average blog reader/poster...
So do tell us next time he's going to be around...
Plus of course there is that poster on PFA called EnglishmaninNYC, who is obviously another incarnation of Michael Tonello - Mr Tonello's writing style, especially when writing about other resellers is very easy to recognize. Maybe you should hire a ghostwriter.
Don't anyone go and point out exactly what it is that Michael Tonello is trying to fish. You fall into his trap, he is gonna go and delete the evidence.
PRINT SCREEN whenever you see anything that can be used against him in the court of law. He is sneaky. He will delete stuff and claim he'd never written it.
Anonymous wroteWhat was mentioned on this site was Michael Tonello's friend Donna's post (as Hermesmerized) on EffenHaute that he had signed an agreement with Bravo.
Nobody here knew anything about him recently filming in the states, nor did they post it here. So it is obvious that you do know quite a bit more about Mr Tonello than the average blog reader/poster...
So do tell us next time he's going to be around...
Plus of course there is that poster on PFA called EnglishmaninNYC, who is obviously another incarnation of Michael Tonello - Mr Tonello's writing style, especially when writing about other resellers is very easy to recognize. Maybe you should hire a ghostwriter.
It was mentioned about him being stateside and the bravo thing so I put two and two together. Anyway I´m not going to trawl all the comments again to see who wrote what. Someone here however is doing this and I suspect as I already posted that there is more to this blog than meets the eye.
Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned and I would go out on a Limb to say this Blog is the handywork of an enemy of Tonello and nothing else.
The englishmaninnewyork is a clue to my identity and nothing to do with some poster on the PF. The assumption alone demonstrates the paranoia of the commentor who read too much into my casual statements
Write Bravo & ask about MT filming with them.
DL is a mentally ill lonely woman who is under his thumb & will do anything to help him try to look good.
They are both pathological liars.
Anonymous said...
Write Bravo & ask about MT filming with them.
DL is a mentally ill lonely woman who is under his thumb & will do anything to help him try to look good.
They are both pathological liars.
May 30, 2011 12:58 AM
Why would I have to write to Bravo and ask when I can see him on their promos?
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