In the helicopter industry? Beware; HELOCHEF!

This is a "repost" of my report of a scammer from last year. I thought it might need freshening and I wanted to bring it up because I know John R. Buckingham is still out there and actively ripping people off. This man is the best liar; he should be in Hollywood acting. He will resort to anything to get what he wants. I would consider him even dangerous. While I fell prey to him through a "romance" scam I guess you could say, I think most of his victims have been through his work in the aviation field. He is a helicopter mechanic (and claims to be an inspector; but I doubt the veracity of that). If you or anyone you know has any business with helicoptors; look out for this guy lurking around your hanger. He uses the helochef handle on a lot of the helicopter websites (Just Helicoptors for one). He claims to be a "chef" which I guess is why the combined words in the name. If anyone needs any info on this guy or wants some help in getting him arrested and prosecuted, please contact me. Between myself and some other victims of his that I know, maybe we can get him stopped. Oh, yeah, another really despicable thing he does....claims to be a Christian. That's the big thing he used on me.

Hi biird, thank you for posting. Can you please include some more information here about this scammer? First, it will help if you post it because it will show up in searches. Secondly, we need evidence of his scam in order to keep this information posted here. Let us know if you need help with this, we're glad to help.

Yes, I know the guy. I worked with him for a year 2004-2005. I never trusted him from the moment I first spoke with him. He managed to con close to $30,000.00 cash from everyone from company vendors to local people. He told them whatever he felt like to get them to feel sorry for him and give him money. After he was fired from his job, people started calling asking for him and wondering about when they were going to get him to pay them back, or how was his "cancer" treatment going, or was he okay after he was mugged, and did he ever find his credit card? It was pretty amazing when the stream of call started to come in, we kept a log of stories and money given out and that is what it added up to.
Sorry you got sucked in...it's hard to catch someone who works off of other's good nature. I believe it will all catch up to him one day..if it hasn't already!!

I'm not sure what I can add to my post; as I stated, this is really an update to my original scam posting from last year. I wanted to "freshen" it as i know when things are fresh, they come up on Yahoo and Google searches near the top. My goal is to at least make potential employers of Buckingham aware of his past dishonarable business dealings. The more I poke around, the more people I hear from that he has cheated, lied to and just plain stole from. What I do have a problem with is how the FAA still allows him to hold a license. I guess they don't really care about the moral character of people, just that they pass whatever technical qualifications they need to be licensed. So; here are the facts again as best as I can give them;
JOHN R. BUCKINGHAM DOB 1956 (?) LICENSED HELICOPTER MECHANIC, LAST KNOWN TO BE IN PORTLAND OREGON AREA, HAS WORKED IN ALASKA WHERE HE SCAMMED A NUMBER OF PEOPLE OUT OF THOUSANDS, HE IS A PROFESSIONAL LIAR; WILL TELL ANYTHING TO GET WHATEVER HE WANTS/NEEDS. I SUSPECT HIM OF HAVING A DRUG PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NOTHING TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT CLAIM; JUST MY GUT FEELING. HE RIPPED ME OFF FOR THOUSANDS CLAIMING HE WAS USING THE MONEY ON A JOB. I DO CONSIDER HIM TO BE DANGEROUS,ONCE AGAIN, MY GUT FEELING. I CAN PROVIDE PICS TO IDENTIFY HIM IF SOMEONE NEEDS THEM.
If there is anything else you think I should mention or tell about this horrible man, please let me know. I've given up ever getting my money back. I only want to see him stopped from harming anyone else and hopefully put in jail and have his freedom taken away. He certainly doesn't deserve to walk among honourable, decent people.