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[Mtnchick]

If Witchel is gone what does this change about Prosper?

Just that some rats are faster leaving a sinking ship than others.

[Nora_Lenderbee]

Why do you choose to defamate character of a free man?

[Risk_Reward]

this came from the cache.. sorry if it's so long
http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:ewsEjjhwqnYJ:thefanafiproject.wordpress.com/+thefanafiproject.wordpress.com&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

The FANAFI Project
My Peer Lending Adventure!

Which Witchel? Who Cares!?
August 15, 2008
I have been following the news by one Bamalucky about the supposed arrest of John Witchel of Prosper.com fame. I did my own digging and found that there was a 23 year old John Witchel who is a confirmed former Senior at Stanford that participated in the following incident is indeed the same John we know…

“Student arrested in April smokebomb incident

STANFORD — Stanford police have arrested a student on felony charges stemming from a smokebomb incident that disrupted sorority “rush” week in April, investigators said.

John Brown Witchel, 23, a senior majoring in political science, admitted to making the incendiary devices after police linked him to the crime through credit card receipts, Sgt. Rick Tipton said.

Tipton said the timing components of the devices were of a brand sold only by Radio Shack stores.

“We found that one person using credit cards had bought the clocks,” Tipton said. “He was trying to cover his tracks by going to different stores on different days.”

Tipton said once it was established that the clocks were purchased by Witchel, other receipts showed he also purchased at the Radio Shack stores other items used in the devices, such as batteries, wire and solder.

Witchel surrendered Wednesday, June 5, and was booked into Santa Clara County’s North County Jail in Palo Alto on suspicion of felony arson and possession of a destructive device in and around a college campus. He was released after posting bail.

Tipton said Witchel’s apparent motive was disruption of the sorority event.”

And… CUT! The one thing Bamalucky neglects to mention here is A) he’s served his time for his crime (college hijinx/prank, nobody was hurt, blah, blah, welcome to college anarchism) and B) hasn’t resigned because of the uncovering of this old, old news, but for personal/professional reasons completely unrelated to this old news (have you even asked Prosper about this Bama before posting?). In fact I find it highly likely that Bama is trying to dredge up old news for the argument he and other Prospers.org people are attempting to make… That Prosper.com is just a house of fraudsters and scam-artists. This is completely unfounded and isn’t logical I mean, who the hell would fund such a thing (Pierre Omyidar isn’t that stupid, nor are the VC’s who plugged into it)? So let me ask this, who are we to re-judge those who have served their time for their crime? Do we not let felons out each day in this country after they have gone through the correction process to go out and attempt normal lives? Stop picking a fight with Prosper people! If you are unhappy, shut up and leave already and get on with your lives! Some of us still believe that peer lending can and will work. Why do you choose to defamate character of a free man? Go volunteer or something, geez! Pisses me off to no end when people cry about something they can just go away from. Cut your losses and move on and stop trying to pick fights with people who don’t care about you anymore than I do (see definitions for ‘nano’ or ‘micro’)! At the end of the day, this whole thing is pointless, who cares what he did in the past anymore and wht you had for breakfast this morning? It’s done, move on already! Who’s next, Chris Larsen for some odd petting zoo incident back in the late 70’s? Please stop! It’s not cool to be pissing in other people’s coffee, it tastes bitter enough without your rancid flavoring!

John, if you read this… Good luck with whatever endeavors are before you as the forward path is more important than the path previously traveled! Be in peace.

Bama… Write something newsworthy or just go away, you detestable, heartless creature. How would you like it if people did this to you and smear your name? Leave it alone!

This is from the 8/15 entry.  There was also an 8/16 entry.

[Urbi_et_Orbi]

Jeff is now officially bipolar.  Good grief.

[112233]

This is from the 8/15 entry.  There was also an 8/16 entry.

yeah, I couldnt get it. apparently he deleted it faster than google could cache it.

[jmathree]

From his LinkedIn profile it sure sounds like he is no longer with Prosper

John Witchel’s Experience

    *
      Chief Technology Officer
      Prosper Marketplace

      (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Financial Services industry)

      May 2005 — August 2008 (3 years 4 months)

      I co-founded Prosper with my partner, Chris Larsen. I was the lead designer and architect of Prosper.com.

      As CTO, I oversaw all product development and engineering.

      I was also a member of the Board of Directors

This must have been updated late last night or this morning, because it was in the present tense when I saw it yesterday.

[Urbi_et_Orbi]

This must have been updated late last night or this morning, because it was in the present tense when I saw it yesterday.

+1

[ira01]

full disconnect. not even on the board

As one of the two co-founders, JW must own a substantial amount of Prosper stock, entitling him to sit on the Board (Board seats are obtained by shareholder election, basically with one vote per share).  For him to give up his Board seat, there must be a huge backstory to his leaving.  I wonder what the quid pro quo was. 

[Urbi_et_Orbi]

We know he has been under heavy pressure from the Board and the VCs for some time to get his crap together.  It looks to me like things finally came to a head and, considering JW's poorly managed temper, I can only imagine how this all went down.

I agree with Ira that there must be one hell of a back-story here.  Also, let's not forget that Witchel is the one who has been running Prosper day-to-day since the beginning.

This development is extremely noteworthy.

ETA: We are (and perhaps rightfully so) focusing our discussion on Witchel, but I do think it's important to keep in mind that Witchel's departure appears to have coincided with the departure of Prosper's top information security and fraud prevention executive. 

[ira01]

I do think it's important to keep in mind that Witchel's departure appears to have coincided with the departure of Prosper's top information security and fraud prevention executive. 

Who?  Isn't Doug the fraud prevention guy?

[beerbud1]

I do think it's important to keep in mind that Witchel's departure appears to have coincided with the departure of Prosper's top information security and fraud prevention executive. 

Who?  Isn't Doug the fraud prevention guy?

No, Pigoski is/was.....

[112233]

I do think it's important to keep in mind that Witchel's departure appears to have coincided with the departure of Prosper's top information security and fraud prevention executive. 

Who?  Isn't Doug the fraud prevention guy?

No, Pigoski is/was.....

no replacement? was it that useless of a position?

[Urbi_et_Orbi]

I do think it's important to keep in mind that Witchel's departure appears to have coincided with the departure of Prosper's top information security and fraud prevention executive. 

Who?  Isn't Doug the fraud prevention guy?

No, Pigoski is/was.....

no replacement? was it that useless of a position?

Looking at the performance of Prosper's crack fraud detection efforts, isn't it obvious?

[mothandrust]

If the break was an amiable one, there would have been a cover story that they could float to explain the departure--"pursuing other opportunities" or "for personal reasons".  The silence suggests that the break was anything but amiable. 

[AmexFan]

Between lipstick and ding dongs, I think I'm starting to understand some metaphors.