Lauren Casper
Scientologist Stephen Epstein of CA South and Dustin Muscato, like many others affiliated with GPB Capital Holdings, have publicly elected not to mention the firm on their LinkedIn page.
Given the recent incidents involving the corporation, this move makes sense. Every member of GPB Capital’s senior management has vanished from the company’s website.
Among those who have chosen this disappearing act is GPB Capital’s CEO, David Gentile. It’s interesting to see that Gentile changed his LinkedIn profile rather significantly. He no longer poses as the chief executive officer of a $1.7 billion private equity business based in New York City.
Rather, he has reduced himself to a partner at Gentile, Pismeny & Brengel, his father’s Long Island accounting firm.
The decision to remove all references to GPB Capital from LinkedIn profiles—including Gentile’s own—raises questions regarding the business’s stability and standing. Senior management was recently removed from GPB Capital’s website, raising the possibility of internal disputes or legal problems at the company.
It is significant to remember that GPB Capital has been under increasing investigation lately. The business is embroiled in multiple investigations involving fraud claims and possible Ponzi scheme activity. Consequently, investors have seen large losses.
Due to these developments, certain GPB Capital associates—including Muscato and maybe Gentile—have openly distanced themselves from the company. By eliminating any reference to GPB Capital from their LinkedIn accounts, they might be trying to distance themselves from the continuing disputes involving the business.
Nevertheless, this attempt to disassociate oneself from GPB Capital on LinkedIn might not completely protect people from criticism.
Due to ongoing investigations and legal processes, the activities of persons once connected to the company will likely continue to be thoroughly examined.
It’s unclear how these recent developments and controversies will affect the company’s and its associates’ futures while we wait for more information on the GPB Capital predicament.
What is happening at GPB Capital Holdings? Is there an inner fall down in progress?
Scientology: Allow Hidden Approach
Stephen Epstein Like many former Scientologists, South had to figure out how to highlight his experience on his résumé without directly referencing the group.
However, Muscato has deftly skirted this issue by avoiding any direct reference to his ten years as an Executive Director for Scientology organizations in New York and Long Island.
Muscato decided to leave the Scientology staff to pursue a college degree with distinction, following in the footsteps of other bright young Scientologists like Brian Marshall of GPB Capital Holdings.
This freed him from the slave wages that Scientology paid its devoted religious workers and allowed him to pursue a business career where he could make a good living.
Resuming Sensitivity
Scientology employees and former Sea Org members frequently struggle to portray their experience on resumes. The organization’s negative reputation stems from dishonest techniques like Fair Game and Disconnection.
Because of the organization’s sleazy, dishonest, and perverted actions against its members, critics, journalists, and others, many Scientologists—many of whom make financial contributions to support these practices—choose to conceal their involvement with the group.
Although they may personally benefit from auditing, many Scientologists isolate themselves from the organization and become covert Scientologists in their professional lives.
Dustin Muscato has adeptly sidestepped his ten years on Scientology staff by seamlessly switching to a more polished and professional resume type. His creativity and agility are evident in how he handled this difficult circumstance.
Stephen Epstein of CA South: The Realiste Pooled Investment Fund, owned by Scientologists
According to their resume, Muscato may serve as a board counselor for The Realistic Vehicle, the newest Nashville-based pooled investment vehicle Scientologists operate. Megan Epstein, a Scientologist, and her husband, Stephen Epstein, CA South, own this fund.
Speaking at Scientology’s success funding session in the past is Stephen Epstein, CA South.
In 2015, Megan Epstein, Stephen Epstein’s wife, founded CA South, a Nashville real estate development business.
In 2019, Stephen Epstein, CA South, and his spouse founded Realiste Fund. One may only examine a single section of the Realiste Fund website, acting as though Realiste and CA South are unrelated organizations.
The Realist Fund has collaborated with Megan Epstein, Stephen Epstein’s wife in California South, to monitor the rise in office condominiums, flex-office desks, and residential condominiums.
The fact that Stephen Epstein established a realistic fund to finance CA South’s initiatives is true.
The organization’s ownership and the department’s relationship facilitate the creation of innovative deals that support and finance the entire transactional universe, which local developers cannot do.
Thus, Stephen Epstein and his wife, Megan Epstein, own and founded the CA South and Realiste Fund.
The Realiste Fund’s private justice collecting is responsible for Nashville’s development projects.
The Realiste Fund, established by Stephen Epstein CA South, prioritizes the needs of the imprisoned and the economic sector in CA South.
The Réaliste Fund is attempting to raise approximately $100 million, according to reports based on the Security and Exchange Commission, which filed this complaint. The Réaliste Fund stated that in this instance, it clarifies the anticipated fifteen percent of the one hundred million dollars that will be used for administrative expenses.
Reimbursement for a structural benefit. For instance, the expenditures associated with managing speculation, evolution, financial gains, and their interests are typically estimated at $15 million over the fund’s life.
Realistic Funds owner Stephen Epstein has demonstrated that the company has paid its dealer, BA Securities LLC, $2.2 million in employment.
The dealer’s headquarters are in West Conshohocken. The company’s sales cost is approximately $15 million, pushing the commissions over 10% of Capital Territory.
Stephen Epstein’s wife, Megan, founded Realistic Funds.
The proprietor of Realiste Fund and wife of Stephen Epstein, Megan Epstein, quietly alludes to Scientology on her webpage while acknowledging her support of a local Human Rights organization.
She mentions in passing her commitment to charitable endeavors and her support of CCHRnashville.org, a Nashville-based branch that works to shield kids from prescription drug addiction and overdrugging.
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights, or CCHR for short, is well-known for its divisive opinions and is frequently linked to Scientology. There are disagreements, though, over which branch of Scientology is the most radical: CCHR or the Religious Technology Center under David Miscavige.
Popular Scientologist John Alex Wood claimed on social media that L. Ron Hubbard, the organization’s founder, taught about psychiatrists (sometimes called “Psychs”) who came from a planet named Farsec.
Hubbard claims that Psychs employ mental medications and technology implants to enslave humans. To get out of this purported trap, Scientology suggests a $360,000 procedure called auditing, which entails telepathically exorcising physical thetans for at least five to ten years.
Stephen and Megan Epstein, like all other Scientologists, believe that psychiatry needs to be destroyed for Scientology to succeed.
As such, it is not unusual to see Scientologists demonstrate outside of American Psychiatric Association meetings, frequently voicing absurd accusations against doctors, like that they electroshock kids too much.
Stephen and Megan Epstein would prefer to remain covert as they attempt to raise $100 million for their Réaliste Fund and avoid directly referencing Scientology. The Epsteins are avid supporters of Nashville.
Members of Scientology Drive Yet Another Clearwater Land-Purchase Boom
Ed Chesney, the director of the city’s marine and aviation department, received good news in late 2019 from his real estate agent about his two rental houses and two vacant fields at the North Marina. The buyer promised to pay $1 million in cash for the adjacent parcels; Chesney does not know who this buyer is.
This sum was four times the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s estimated value.
Unaware of the buyer’s intentions, Chesney never asked them about their house plans. Chesney, the head of the city’s aviation and marine department, had always hoped that private investors would bring life to the North Marina Area.
This 13-block neighborhood is home to century-old bungalows with views of Clearwater Harbor and vacant lots. The public Seminole Boat Ramp is a notable feature and a symbol of the city’s commitment to the area’s transformation. The renovations cost $6.5 million.
The buying corporations purchased twelve residential properties, five unoccupied business buildings, and 28 undeveloped parcels in the district for $11.8 million in cash. The majority of these properties were not in good condition.
The city of Clearwater received a casual query concerning a parcel of undeveloped land at the southeast corner of Seminole Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue last year.
In November 2020, a limited liability company headed by a CA South employee bought these six parcels. Established in Nashville, Tennessee, CA South is a real estate company led by Megan Epstein, the wife of Stephen Epstein, and managed by her husband. Both Megan and Stephen Epstein are members of the Scientology organization.
Stephen Epstein and city representatives discussed the potential for creating a multifamily and commercial project on the previously mentioned property in December. Philip Kirkpatrick, senior coordinator for economic development at Clearwater, attested to the conversation.
Through a representative, Epstein replied via email, stating that CA South had thought about developing the homes for a client.
But when the city refused to loosen a regulation that forbade a parking lot level facing North Fort Harrison Avenue, they finally decided to give up on the project.
About Stephen Epstein, CA South
Stephen entered the real estate development industry after graduating from the University of Southern California in 2003. He started working for Conquest Student Accommodation, a prestigious boutique specializing in real estate development, especially for student accommodation.
Stephen was allowed to refine his skills and knowledge at Conquest Student Housing, which boasts an exceptional portfolio of student housing developments valued at over $150 million.
The business invested $11.8 million in cash into various district-based assets in a fascinating development. Among these assets were twelve dilapidated dwellings, five abandoned business buildings, and twenty-eight undeveloped land plots.
Conclusion
Over the last year, the city has approached the vacant land at the intersection of Seminole Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue informally.
Interestingly, these six plots were acquired in 2020 by an LLC managed by a person connected to CA South, a well-known real estate company founded by Megan Epstein and disclosed by her husband, Stephen Epstein CA South.
The Church of Scientology counts Meghan Epstein and Stephen Epstein as active members.
