Francesco - you were right, this is priceless!! Keep up the amazing work.
Betsy Combier
Hate Mail from within the DOE
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
I’ve been keeping this one under wraps, but feel there is no real need anymore. Back in October I live streamed myself sitting in a Rubber Room and doing nothing while still getting paid $75,000. I’m hoping most of the taxpayers affected realized I was exposing this for them and not to rub it in. Obviously guilty people don’t put themselves out there like that and don’t forget I am here because I blew the whistle on corruption. That was almost four months ago and I’m still here in the Rubber Room, in the same situation. They tried to give me busy work but haven’t checked on me since early November.
In any case as the media was calling me for interviews and educators around the country were sending me messages of support, one was not too happy with me. Here is the first email I received from what I assume is a fake Yahoo account:
1. From: Kimberly Watkins <kimberlywatkins35@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 5, 2012 at 9:44 PM
Subject: You’re a bum
To: “mrportelos@gmail.com” <mrportelos@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 5, 2012 at 9:44 PM
Subject: You’re a bum
To: “mrportelos@gmail.com” <mrportelos@gmail.com>
You are a bum, and I’m sick of paying for you to do nothing. You were a problem in the school community, and were removed appropriately. If you were a man of honor you wouldnt accept a paycheck anymore. In the private sector, you would’ve been kicked out on the street where you belong. You are obviously incompetent of holding down a position, and you do not belong in any position teaching kids. Be a man and give the money you are collecting back.
Received: from [165.155.200.66] <–Click and see. DOE IP Address
I sent a quick reply to elicit another response and obtain another IP address. They fell for it.
From: Mr. Portelos
Date: Sat, Oct 6, 2012 at 6:39 AM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: Kimberly Watkins
? What do you mean ?
Date: Sat, Oct 6, 2012 at 6:39 AM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: Kimberly Watkins
? What do you mean ?
-Francesco Portelos
2. From: Kimberly Watkins <kimberlywatkins35@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, Oct 9, 2012 at 5:13 PM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: “Mr. Portelos” mrportelos@gmail.com
Date: Tue, Oct 9, 2012 at 5:13 PM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: “Mr. Portelos” mrportelos@gmail.com
You were kicked out of your school. You should be on the street, not getting a paycheck. You are incompetent, and were removed from your position. What don’t you understand about that? You’re a worthless bum.
Received: from [165.155.200.66] <–Click. DOE IP Address
I didn’t respond, but they continued to email me from DOE computers during DOE time (taxpayer paid)
3. From: Kimberly Watkins
Date: Tue, Oct 16, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: “Mr. Portelos”
Date: Tue, Oct 16, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: “Mr. Portelos”
So when are we going to get the money back that you owe us, the taxpayer? We are demanding that you pay the state back for collecting a paycheck for doing nothing and being the bum that you are.
Received: from [165.155.200.73]<–Click. DOE IP Address
I asked “How much do you think I owe ? What formula should I use?” 
4. From: Kimberly Watkins <kimberlywatkins35@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, Oct 18, 2012 at 7:25 PM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: “Mr. Portelos” mrportelos@gmail.com
Date: Thu, Oct 18, 2012 at 7:25 PM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: “Mr. Portelos” mrportelos@gmail.com
There is no formula. The day you were removed from the classroom was the last penny you should have collected. So take every penny you have gotten paid from the second you were told not to come back and give it back to us.
Received: from [165.155.200.74] <–Click. DOE IP Address
I decided to try and get them to respond on a weekend, so I can get an IP from home. It worked.
From: Mr. Portelos
Date: Fri, Oct 19, 2012 at 9:43 PM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: Kimberly Watkins
I’ll email the payroll secretary and see if she can help with the numbers.
Date: Fri, Oct 19, 2012 at 9:43 PM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: Kimberly Watkins
I’ll email the payroll secretary and see if she can help with the numbers.
-Francesco Portelos
5. From: Kimberly Watkins <kimberlywatkins35@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 20, 2012 at 10:42 PM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: “Mr. Portelos” mrportelos@gmail.com
Date: Sat, Oct 20, 2012 at 10:42 PM
Subject: Re: You’re a bum
To: “Mr. Portelos” mrportelos@gmail.com
Just get the money back to the taxpayers you bum.
Received: from [66.108.234.154] ON A SATURDAY
The IP address appears to be from a Time Warner Account. Hook, line and sinker!
In addition to these I also received some comments on my blog. The tone seemed all too familiar and it also came from a NYC Schools computer at 9:27AM. No one has lunch that early.
From: “WordPress” <donotreply@wordpress.com>
Date: Oct 23, 2012 9:27 AM
Subject: [Protect Portelos] Please moderate: “20 Miles from my Family and Students”
To: <fportelos@gmail.com>
Date: Oct 23, 2012 9:27 AM
Subject: [Protect Portelos] Please moderate: “20 Miles from my Family and Students”
To: <fportelos@gmail.com>
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I spoke to one of these DOE Tech Support specialists (dont’ remember which one) who informed me that it can be traced back to the exact computer.
NYC SCI is investigating and assigned case number 2012/5547.
I am under investigation for 20+ allegations. Most of them involve technology. i have not been found guilty of any of them. I basically served all the information needed to apprehend the harasser on a silver platter. They can trace the computer and then cross reference to video surveillance. They could also subpeona Time Warner records.
Nice try, but apparently you had no idea who you were dealing with.