We have been reading the ongoing story of Tom Shutt and his now-defunct KING'S CROWN GALLERY which was first in Kansas and lately in southern California, and is now out of business.

Initially, we reported his arrest in a 'STING' operation by the Ventura (California) Police Department in which Shutt allegedly sold hand-signed photographs of German ACES of ACES ERICH HARTMANN (2805-+-1993) to a collector. Problem was - the signatures were forged! Shutt was arrested and went to trial in the town of Ventura.

But then the Police Department in Tustin (California) got involved because that is where KING'S CROWN GALLERY was located, and that is where Detective Finney began to get telephone calls from a great many people who claimed they had dealings with Shutt and KING'S CROWN that were questionable and several complaints were lodged with that Police Department. One of those complaints was lodged by a SHARKHUNTERS Member & he recently won his case against Shutt. He was awarded $60,000 from Shutt, who is paying this debt off at the rate of $150 per month!

According to this Member, Detective Finney at the Tustin Police Department is still getting complaints against Shut and KING'S CROWN GALLERY. Finney is working closely with the FBI, the Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspectors and other Federal agencies to gather all the facts and weave the net tighter and tighter. It seems that more charges, state and Federal, will be brought against Shutt and KING'S CROWN GALLEY. We will let you know additional details as they come available.

More on Shutt

In FB #5 of EAGLEHUNTERS, Editor Pen Harms wrote an editorial regarding Shutt that, in effect, said that although he was in trouble with the law for selling photos with forged autographs and for various other fraud schemes, he still did some good because he did bring many of the fighter ACES together for others to meet. That brought a quick reply from GREG DORTCH (3041-1993); EAGLEHUNTERS CHARTER Member (20-1994). He writes:

"I'd like to respond to Pen Harms section 'From the Tail Gunner's Turret'. Pen's last 'soapbox' paragraph in EAGLEHUNTERS #5 in basically true. The ONLY good thing to come out of Tom Shutt's KINGS CROWN GALLERY was the dinners & gatherings for art and book signing. BUT, there are plenty of other galleries that have done the same thing. Shutt just copied what others were already doing but became greedy and started using people's charge card numbers to 'MISTAKENLY' (ha, ha) double charge them so he could float money. Enough of that SORRY THIEF."

I phoned BOB REINHART (3766-1994) to ask about his case. He was swindled by Shutt and recently won a court settlement in the amount of $60,000 which Shutt was ordered to pay off at $150 per month. Yep - only $150 per month to retire a debt of $60,000.

Bob told me that Shutt has made the first three monthly payments on time but failed to make the 4th payment. REINHART is now looking hard for Shutt in an attempt to bring him back to court to face the music all over again. Also, the Tustin police are still working with FBI, Postal Inspectors and Secret Service people to weave a tighter web around Shutt and intend to bring many more charges - including Federal charges. We will keep you informed.