Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Blackthorne News

 Information from Cassandra Yorgey, journalist

Catskills Halloween Market - Government Corruption and Conspiracy 

(copy/paste from original post)

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Catskills Halloween Market at Blackthorne Resort by Jeff Mach - Proven Government Corruption & Conspiracy to Commit Fraud
“You can’t touch Mach’s Catskills event” is just one of the many rumors that circulate about the Blackthorne Resort that plays home-base to Mach’s criminal enterprise. Well, I can, and I did, and I’m going to tell you all exactly why a sexual predator and con artist thinks he’s untouchable in Durham, NY (where the Blackthorne Resort is located). It’s long, and it’s complicated, and it ends with government corruption. 😮
Blackthorne Resort is in Durham, NY, which is part of Greene County. Blackthorne is owned by Roy Handel and Dale Handel. Roy’s wife is Patricia (Patty) Handel, and she is the District 9 Legislator for Greene County. That is, ultimately, why all the complaints about Mach have been covered up in Durham, and in Greene County. Let’s take a look at the complaint process that disappears information about Mach’s criminal activities.
I am a journalist, so I reached out to the Durham Town Supervisor Shawn Marriott on May 18 as a routine request while covering the Odditorium Carnival. The Durham Police Department also referred me right back to Shawn Marriott on May 29, and said my press request would be forwarded to the department Sergeant. On June 2 I contacted the Greene County Sheriff’s Office and forwarded them information regarding Mach’s crimes. That same day my press request to Greene County Administration was forwarded to Patty Handel. I had initially asked to be directed to Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden. Patty Handel returned my call on June 9, and claimed she did not know why I was forwarded to her and that she was not the correct contact. My two calls to the Town of Catskill Supervisor Patrick McCulloch were not returned. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Shawn Marriott is also the Commissioner of the Durham Police Department and is employed by the County as a Sergeant. This whole town sent me, a journalist, in circles by obfuscating roles and titles, bouncing me back and forth between themselves. 🤡 🤡🤡
On May 29 I contacted Troop F of the NY State Police, and on June 3 I spoke with Jennifer Alvarez who referred me to the State Attorney General’s office to file a complaint. Additional communications with her indicated it’s also appropriate to escalate this matter to the FBI because it involves victims of fraud in multiple states.
On June 1 I contacted the Greene County District Attorney Joseph Stanzione, and on June 9 I forwarded evidence of government corruption in Durham, NY.
There is significant evidence linking NY District 9 (Durham) Legislator Patricia Handel to a criminal conspiracy to commit fraud via Mach. Current evidence indicates Mach’s threat to have me illegally arrested as a journalist traces back to Handel and Shawn Marriott (Town Supervisor, Commissioner of Durham Police Department, and Greene County Sheriff Road Sergeant).
Hot on the trail of government corruption, I went poking around to see what else I could find — and it turns out this is not the first time the Town of Durham has been accused of corruption! There is a recent lawsuit that went through legal purgatory accusing Handel and Marriott of “blatant favoritism” towards Blackthorne Resort resulting in illegal actions taken by the Town of Durham. Interestingly, the NY State Department of Health (NYS DOH) is also listed on this lawsuit that names Handel and Marriott. Mach himself also alleged a connection to the DOH in his leaked group chat, along with the Town of Durham administration and police department. (https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet?documentId=eCB6GgaabiIxuVQnt2sy/Q==&system=prod)
While investigating the corruption allegations, I received two separate and unrelated warnings that I should fear retaliation for providing journalistic coverage of this news story. I take these warnings seriously, and as such I would like to do what is known in the crudest of colloquial terminology as “DROP A BIG F*CKING D*CK ON THIS ROOM”.
How do we do that? Every single person and vendor from The Odditorium Carnival needs to file a report with their local police department and the Village of Ballston Spa Police Department regarding the fraud; and the NYS Attorney General’s office to report the allegation of government corruption in Greene County covering up the criminal fraud.
Vendors from Wonderplace Alpha in Lake George or The Catskills Halloween Market at Blackthorne Resort who would like to report fraud should follow the same procedures, but may be routed to different authorities than Odditorium vendors.
Those who would like to file complaints of fraud or other illegal activity from the Catskills Halloween Market at Blackthorne Resort events should also contact me immediately. Because there is evidence of a coverup and retaliation, turning over evidence to me as an independent reporter allows me to give an additional layer of protection to my sources.
As a journalist, I have access to sources and submitted evidence that is not public knowledge. I thoroughly vet and verify my resources, however, in an ongoing investigation it is not appropriate for all information to be publicly released. I take protecting my sources very seriously. The evidence I need to pursue a journalistic investigation has a lower bar than what is needed for a criminal investigation by law enforcement authorities.
While Mach is putting on a ridiculous public rodeo 🎪 of personal drama that is captivating to watch, I caution his victims to keep their focus on actionable crimes that need to be investigated by authorities and not just a journalist. My power as a member of the Fourth Estate is bringing truth to light, but it is held up by the individuals who take action to make sure my posts are spread to the public and to get the evidence to the people in positions of authority who can act on it.
In addition to the lawsuit, a complaint was filed with the Greene County Board of Ethics against Patricia Handel and Shawn Marriott in 2023. This complaint filing outlines a repeated and systemic pattern of retaliation, using the police force as Blackthorne’s personal thugs — consistent with what Mach himself has claimed publicly and privately. I have submitted a request for copies of the report findings connected to the complaint, however, I have not yet received a response.
This is a still-developing news story, and continued updates will provided as they become available.

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Monday, March 23, 2026

Doug Waterbury update

 https://www.syracuse.com/crime/2026/03/central-ny-landlord-accused-for-decades-of-coercing-tenants-for-sex-now-arrested-on-sex-charges.html


Central NY landlord accused for decades of coercing tenants for sex now arrested on sex charges

Sunday, March 8, 2026

New event warning

 *I am not the original poster, however, I do have a link to sited sources of these claims if it is requested*


Warning to B-spa friends and others:

DO NOT ATTEND THIS EVENT!!!

JM is a con-man, pedo, groomer, sexual predator, sleazy POS human. 

Do not support his event. Warn your friends not to attend, warn vendor/performer friends not to participate (they WILL get screwed over) 

Even if you see someone just "interested" in this event, message them. There is more evidence of his dirty dealings and bullshittery than I can put here, but feel free to ask if you need clarification. 


***copy/paste to share this post, I will not make it public***




Friday, December 20, 2024

Wyndonshire Renaissance Faire (Winchendon, MA) part 2

Firstly, EVENT TO SUPPORT INSTEAD: FaeGuild Wonders is running the inaugural debut of NorthFolk NightMarket on February 22-23 (2025) and the second annual Enchanted Orchard Renaissance Faire on May 2-3 (2025).


Archived page here (in case it changes): https://web.archive.org/web/20241220141224/https://wyndonshirerenaissancefaire.com/ 

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Copy/paste of text: 

On Event Cancellation, Rumors That This Event Was Stolen, and an apology to Faeguild Wonders

A note from Jeff Mach Events

There are two sets of very ugly rumors going around about this event, one about our personal character, one that it was “stolen” from the people who put it on last year. We address the rumors about our company on the Jeff Mach Events website, but we would like to theft issue:

Did the town steal this event?

Yes, basically. To be clear, we do NOT think the town broke any technical laws; they’re too clever. But “stole”, if not legally, certainly morally, seems very likely. We’re not accusing the town of breaking any laws; they’ll just sue us, and they have big lawyers.

But based on our experiences working with them over the past two months, and especially in the past week, we absolutely believe that, within the letter of the law, the town took advantage of the previous Renaissance Faire, saw an opportunity to make a great deal of money, and effectively worked to cut Faeguild out of the process. We sincerely believed we were putting in an honest, low-cost bid…until the town’s actions.

The town first claimed to us that they were upset about the ‘theft’ allegations to the point where they were going to issue cease and desist notices. They also asked us to suspend our own statement. Then, with no warning and no discussion then or now, they locked us out of our event access, even though we still have a contract with them. They ceased most communications with us, except to assure us multiple times that we were still working together and going forward.

The town then refused to make that statement and effectively told us that public relations were our job…even public relations purely involving them, their actions, and allegations against them which didn’t involve us in any way. When we pointed out that we needed to address the fact that the entire community clearly thinks their event has been taken from them, the town first stalled us, then offered us money to take the blame and walk away, and when we refused, the town began to threaten us with lawyers, which is where we are now.

We believe that Faeguild Wonders put their heart and soul into this event and had every reason to expect they would be hired.

The town is being disingenuous about our reputation, but it was literally the second email we sent them. They knew about our alleged dishonesty, which is not true, and we have to wonder if they considered it a feature instead of a bug. We have to wonder if the town picked us, not just because we’re mavericks, but because they thought we’d go along with what, honestly, in our opinion, looks like people making a very ugly cash grab out of what was previously a very beautiful community event.

We still have our contract. We’re still putting this event on unless we hear otherwise, and if the town wants to cancel our contract, it needs to pay us the amount in the contract.

We apologies for the actions of the town, and cannot account for why they would treat their community, and the Renaissance Faire community, this way.

Yours truly,

Jeff Mach Events

p.s. The public official who decided to attempt lawfare instead of dealing with either your community, or our company, in a fair manner, is:

Brian Croteau
Director of Public Works & Facilities
978-297-5411
BCroteau@winchendon-ma.gov



TO GET IN TOUCH, JUST EMAIL

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Nothing new in the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/867697607955323/

Discussion here on the event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/625241356584840/?active_tab=discussion 

Some screenshots for evidence: