10.08.08
Microsoft’s Magalhães Laptops Scam and OOXML Scandals in Portugal Associated with Fraud?
That OOXML is a fraud is something we have already shown
Earlier in the year we mentioned João Paulo Sá Couto, who seemed quite likely to be involved in a Microsoft scam. It was only a suspicion backed by circumstantial evidence at the time.
This also relates to the Microsoft OOXML fiasco in Portugal because he is an administrator and company owner (JP Sá Couto), as well as the one who injected his presence into the technical committee that served Microsoft. He voted in favour of OOXML without any participation in technical discussions (correction: it’s Ricardo Mendonça who was sent on behalf of JP Sá Couto). Similarly, in France it was Nicolas Sarkozy batting for Microsoft with zero understanding of the technical details.
“In the latest turn of events, a judge assigned to this case has actually confirmed the accusations.”It turns out now that this man, who promoted Microsoft’s agenda, was recently made a suspect (although not yet accused of being a suspect) on the basis of fraud and for not paying his taxes as he should have.
In the latest turn of events, a judge assigned to this case has actually confirmed the accusations. This means that among those who participated in Microsoft’s OOXML scandals is also is suspect of crime and financial fraud. This does not bode too well for Microsoft, which has always been [cref nothing by trouble in Portugal.
A reader brought to our attention this article from the Portuguese press. Not so long ago we wrote about those low-cost Intel Classmate laptops that would arrive at Portugal. João Paulo Sá Couto (and company) are behind this, branding these laptops in Portugal as “Magalhães”. To those who do not read Portuguese, we have a rough translation of relevant bits of this article.
Title: Producers of Magalhães in sight of Justice
Subtitle: Fraud
The company that produces the Magalhães computer is “arguida” in a process of fraud of VAT evasion which might have cost the sate, in total, more than five millions of Euros.
Beyond JP Sá Couto, one of its administrators is also considered an “arguido”: João Paulo Sá Couto. The administrator and the company are accused of the practice of criminal association and fiscal fraud, along with the other 39 “arguidos”.
The accusation is confirmed by the instruction judge dispatching the pronouncement since the “arguidos” weren’t able to produce evidence that dismantle the District Attorney’s facts of accusation, during the trial phase which would still prevent going to trial.
The company responsible for the mini-laptio Magalhães and its administrator also constitute part of a list of 41 “arguidos” accused of associating themselves to practice a mega-evasion of VAT in the field of informatics. A scheme commonly known as the “merry-go-round fraud” which consists on successive transmissions of the same assets, in circle, among several operators sited in, at least, two European Union states and which is characterized by not delivering the due VAT per, at least, one operator in its own country.
The facts occurred between 1998 and 2001. As can be read in the accusation, it was by the initiative of João Paulo Sá Couto that the company which produces the Magalhães computer assumed the position of final link in the “merry-go-round circuit”, having a gain of 4% over the assets which were factored. The buying and selling conditions would be established by the organization. JP Sá Couto would limit itself to receiving and forwarding the assets.
Given what we have witnessed from Intel and Microsoft, for a company like this to be associated with the Microsoft and Intel is not entirely surprising. Microsoft and Intel have both shown a lot of criminal activity, along with some convictions to confirm this.
“The interesting thing is that this company has had some other ‘wins’ associated with Microsoft.”Further in the article, it states that the company denies the allegations, but if they couldn’t provide evidence countering the evidence, this seems futile. However, there is no prosecution yet.
All in all, they are no longer just potential suspects, they could not provide evidence that would bail them out, and they will now go to trial for fraud allegations.
The interesting thing is that this company has had some other ‘wins’ associated with Microsoft. It happened in the recent past.
There is also an association with with ISCTE, which can found be in a Microsoft press release. They too had a well-known member in the technical committee, allegedly representing just himself, but who is also owner of a company partner to Primavera, another ‘puppet’ of Microsoft.
This is getting very interesting. We encourage our Portuguese readers to help us study this further. █
Highlight: Novell was the first to acknowledge that Microsoft FUD tactics had substance. Novell then used anti-Linux FUD to market itself. 
Highlight: Xandros let Microsoft make patent claims and brag about (paid-for) OOXML support. 
Highlight: Linspire's CEO not only fell into Microsoft arms, but he also assisted the company's attack on GNU/Linux. 
Highlight: Microsoft craves pseudo (proprietary) standards and gets its way using proxies and influence which it buys. 
Highlight: The invasion into the open source world is intended to leave Linux companies neglected, due to financial incentives from Microsoft. 
Analysis: Xen, an open source hypervisor, possibly fell victim to Microsoft's aggressive (and stealthy) acquisition-by-proxy strategy.
Edward Bentogago said,
October 28, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Just because you guys have a bone to pick with Microsoft,-its your problem, doesnot give you the right to rubbish other people.If you think that your “cause” is well served by this kind of atitude then you better investigate your “news” and get it strait.Then give the true story the same space.Otherwise you deserve your “smelly bucket” to bounce back and be dumped on your “own door”.People that are quick to jump on their high horse of “morality” and forget to look back into their own backyard are nothing but oneyed fools.