On October 1^st, 2001, a public request for information was initiated via Internet newsgroups specific to the subject of nobility and heraldry.  The post made the following request:

I am interested in hearing from anyone who has had any business dealings or attempted dealings with Antony Boada of British Feudal Investments, Ltd (www.nobletitles.com).

If you have dealt with Antony Boada in the past, are currently dealing with him or know anything of his allegedly fraudulent activities, please contact me at: Jim@FloridaDetectives.com

The above request resulted in correspondence received from several individuals who had purchased titles from British Feudal Investments, Ltd. in the past including the following:

In an email correspondence dated October 3, 2001, Allen ******** (Allen_********@******.com) (Redacted) stated: “I read your message in the Google Heraldry newsgroup requesting contact from people who have had dealings with the above-referenced individual and his company, British Feudal Investments, Ltd. I, unfortunately, am one of those people.  I've lost as much as $20,000 in his scams, although I'm currently attempting to get $5,000 of that back since it is being held by his English solicitors, Pitts-Tucker & Co.”

In an email correspondence dated October 24, 2001, Bob Cousins (bob@lintilla.demon.co.uk) stated:
“I bought a title from this guy. I paid over 10,000 pounds for the title of Viscount of East Grinstead, but when I arrived at the House of Lords to claim my seat I was informed there was no such title and I could be prosecuted for using it. Needless to say the so-called Mr Boada has not replied to any of my emails or letters, and I also spent a lot of money on a coat of arms and a really nice ermine robe, all of which is now money down the drain.”

In an email correspondence dated November 11^th, 2001, Frederic Hogarth, Editor of The Baronage Press (baronage@baronage.co.uk) stated:
“The BFI operation is one of the oldest and most successful "titles" frauds on the Web.  Many of our correspondents have referred to its "impressive website", and its absurd claim to be "peerage lawyers" appears to be accepted unquestioningly by its victims.  An analysis of the speed at which the "titles" disappear from his advertisements (presumably sold) suggests that at the prices advertised Boada is making a lot of money, a lot of money indeed.”

In a follow up email correspondence dated November 17th, 2001, Frederic Hogarth, Editor of The Baronage Press (baronage@baronage.co.uk) stated:
In the matter of the claim to be "peerage lawyers" --

A "peerage lawyer" is a term without legal protection.  However, it is understood within the legal profession to describe a lawyer well versed in feudal and peerage law who acts for claimants in the presentation of cases submitted to the Committee for Privileges in the House of Lords.  Such cases would concern succession to a peerage title and, if accepted by the Committee, would result in a Writ of Summons being issued to the claimant, such Writ being the de jure recognition of the claimant's succession to the title.  (Owing to the very recent legislation abolishing the hereditary rights of peers to sit in the House of Lords, the formal procedure for recognition of succession to a title may be amended, but that will not affect the meaning of the term "peerage lawyer".) 

British Feudal Investments and Mr Antony Boada appear unqualified to describe themselves as peerage lawyers, not being known at any time to have acted for or advised claimants to British or Irish peerage titles, or to have appeared as counsel before the Committee for Privileges in any matter whatsoever.

In an email correspondence dated January 7th, 2002, Gilles B******, (******.*****@cec.eu.int) (Redacted) stated,
“I recently purchased a "title" from the above mentioned company which, according to the Manorial Society of Great Britain is not a genuine one.”

In an email correspondence dated January 27th, 2002, Alan B. Lewis, (Alan.B.Lewis@email-tc3.5sigcmd.army.mil) stated:
“I have used Antony, Marquess of Alesso ( later Baron Chafford ) to order a religious knighthood and a title ( both pieces of paper he sent ). I also sent in money for a coat of arms from the Knights of Malta and to get those same coats of arms registered by the Royal House of Lusignan. I sent the money for the 1st in Jan. of 2000 and money for the 2nd in Dec. of 2000. I have gotten nothing for my money.”

In an email correspondence dated February 8th, 2002, Robert O. Smith, (ros@seligsealing.com ) stated:
“I collect historical documents.  I am not interested in 'noble titles'.  I was contacted by BFI in February 2000 regarding feudal incorporeal properties after assuring that I was not a 'Robert Smith' from a company in the UK, known as MSGB for whom Mr. Boada had no good to say.  I trusted BFI to deliver as we had discussed by telephone and e-mail."

In short, they did not deliver as agreed (it was a joke actually) and I retained a solicitor in the UK (Mr. J. D. Gray late with Palser-Grossman).  It continues to date.  Of late, BFI has offered a trade plus additional cash from me which they want prior to giving Mr. Gray a copy of Deed.  This, of course, won't happen (a purchase based on a gentleman's agreement that documents are correct and will be delivered with contract).”

In a follow up email correspondence dated February 18th, 2002, Robert O. Smith, (ros@seligsealing.com ) stated:
“I have sent the second copy of the statutory declaration (Pitts-Tucker sent an incomplete copy the first time, this after several months of "waiting for court dates" and/or my personal favorite, awaiting the "arrival of documents from Greece") for your review which states that Boada resides in Florida and he is an attorney, etc.  It also makes reference to an Albanian decree giving Boada authority to perform several functions which I have been told it does not.  ...  I also have faxed letterheads copies from BFI which refers to Boada as an attorney.”

Robert O. Smith faxed several documents regarding the above, including a duplicate copy of the Letter of Reference dated October 10, 1999, on the letterhead of Republic Security Bank, West Palm Beach Office and signed by Mark T. Williams, Operations Supervisor. This is an idential document referenced earlier in this report which the Republic Security Bank stated was a fake.

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