Friday, March 29, 2024

Bogus Woolsey letter mailed to Johnson County mineral lessors

Many Johnson County residents that had previously signed mineral leases to Woolsey Energy Corporation recently received a letter stating the lease agreement has been terminated. The letter, like the one pictured here, received by Freddie Meyer of Vienna, was printed on company letterhead, dated September 2, 2014, and claims to be signed by Wayne Woolsey, CEO of Woolsey Energy.

Mark L. Sooter, manager of parent company Woolsey Operating Company in Wichita, Kansas said in an emailed statement to The Vienna Times Tuesday morning, “The Woolsey Companies have been made aware that letters have been received by some mineral owners that have signed an oil and gas lease with Woolsey Companies. The letter states that the leases have been terminated.  We were supplied a copy of the letter by a lessor that received it in the mail.”

According to Sooter, “These letters are forgeries and were not sent by Woolsey or any affiliates of Woolsey.  The appropriate federal and state authorities have been contacted and we expect an immediate investigation.”

“We have been advised by our attorney to not comment further until the investigation is complete,” he said.

Anyone receiving such letter should handle it as little as possible and contact Marion attorney Ron Osman’s office immediately. Complete details can be found in a half page advertisement in this week’s edition of The Vienna Times and Goreville Gazette.

According to Osman, the forgery has been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigations.