Capstone Formations Ltd – a truly remarkable history! Compare and contrast

This might seem to be a very anglo-centric post. Although at first sight this is understandable, this post illustrates the very welcome arrival of Companies House Beta Service that opens up all the available information filed at Companies House – accounts, shareholding, directors etc. available for free. Previously there was a charge for most of this information.

 

This now allows wine producers, whether they happen to be in not only in France, Italy, Spain etc. but also Chile, New Zealand – indeed right around the world – to check out any UK company that approaches them expressing interest in importing/buying their wines. A potentially useful weapon against those fraudsters who seek to place orders, take delivery and then disappear without paying.

My post this week used this Beta Service to expose the fiction that Capstone Formations Ltd is a genuine investment company claiming expertise in fine wine and other alternative investments. Capstone Formations Ltd is particularly interesting as the website is much more sophisticated and polished than most scam sites. Usually there is no mention of the director/directors of these companies. This time there is a detailed, though false, history of James Hutton, the sole director and his company.

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Claims £9.6 million worth of wine traded between 2013-2015 

It is always interesting to compare and contrast!

The history of Capstone Formations Ltd by James Hutton, the company’s director:

He studied at the London school of business and economics and then worked in many financial districts around the world. He has built up a strong reputation in the City of London and has helped 1000s of clients whilst working under the name of some of the largest companies internationally. 

In 2010 James started planning and building his own company  – Capstone Formations Ltd. The limited company was incorporated in 2013. Capstone Formations grew rapidly managing the portfolios of over 2000 clients within the alternatives market. He was able to employ a further 30 staff. 

The company offers expertise in fine wine, gold bullion, property and diamonds. 

In December 2015 Capstone completed talks that had been started at the beginning of the year and merged with Fenbow Fortune Enterprise Ltd, whose business is mainly in the Far East.

Between 2013 and 2015 the company traded £9.6 million worth of wine. Capstone Formations has grown 30% every year since 2013.   

‘Restructuring and diversifying portfolios’

Hutton’s ‘history’ of Capstone Formations Ltd

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The history of Capstone Formations Ltd from documents filed with UK Companies House
Fenbow Fortune Enterprise Ltd, the former name of Capstone Formations Ltd, was formed on 11th December 2013 with Konstantin Nemchukov as the sole director. Nemchukov has 300 company appointments and appears to work for a company formation agents at 3rd Floor, 120 Baker Street, London W1U 6TU.     

Fenbow was a dormant company until early 2016 filing dormant accounts up to 31st December 2015 (filed 4.1.2016).

On 12th January 2016 Nemchokov resigned as director. 26-year-old James Hutton (DOB: January 1990) was appointed as the sole director on the same day. Hutton, described as a builder, lives at Flat 237 Glebe Court, London Road, Mitcham, Lodnon CR4 3NZ. Also on 12th January Hutton became the sole shareholder holding the £1 share capital and the registered office changed to 2 Queen Caroline Street London W6 9DX. This is a Regus serviced and virtual office. 

The following day (13th January 2016) the company name changed from Fenbow Fortune Enterprise Ltd to Capstone Formations Ltd. It has no connection with the US equity company – Capstone Partners, although this may have been a factor behind the choice of ‘Capstone’.

The Capstone Formations Ltd website was registered on 7th January 2016. 

ormation of Fenbow Fortune Enterprise Ltd: 
11th December 2013 

Balance sheet of dormant company – 
Fenbow Fortune Enterprise Ltd with £1 share capital 

Change of company name on 13th January 2016 

from Fenbow Fortune Enterprise Ltd 

 to Capstone Formations Ltd.

 James Hutton’s director’s details

 

My conclusion:
Although it is clear that considerable time has been spent on the website for Capstone Formation Ltd, I prefer to believe the version filed with Companies House, especially as these documents are filed by Capstone. This indicates that James Hutton’s version is complete fiction and obviously designed to fool potential investors that Capstone Formation Ltd and James Hutton have the necessary expertise to advise investors and to manage their portfolios.  

Hutton claims to have studied at the ‘London school of business and economics’ – I can find no record of any such school. He claims a glittering financial career prior to 2010. However, in 2010 Hutton was just 20 years old and the filing of his directorship of the company lists him as a ‘builder’.

Capstone did not start trading until January 12th 2016 at the earliest, so did not trade £9.6 million worth of fine wine. Nor did it merge with Fenbow Fortune Enterprise Ltd – that was merely a change of company name. 

Is James Hutton, a builder from Sutton, the real director or are others involved?

I will be giving James Hutton and Capstone Formations Ltd a very wide berth as I have never had any interest in investing in porkies.