argent-global-network-logoThere is no information on the Argent Global website indicating who owns or runs the business. The company claims only that

Our team of skillful international marketers has 50 years of experience, comprehensive industry knowledge and is abreast with the latest online advertising trends. We have a team of the best international marketers from all four corners of the world who create result-oriented and smart online advertising to help you achieve business success.

The Argent Global website domain (“argentglobalnetwork.com”) was registered on the 30th of May 2013, and lists a “Victorien Rival” as the domain owner. An address in the US state of Florida is also provided.

A Google Maps search on the address provided, reveals the supplied to address to be a residential location:

A YouTube account is linked off some Argent Global Network webpages, which appears to belong to Rival himself:

youtube-account-link-victor-rival-argent-global-network-source-code

youtube-account-victor-rival-argent-global-network

Videos uploaded on the account reveal Rival marketing Argent Global Network itself. Also note that the screenshot above closely resembles the Google Maps location provided on the Argent Global Network domain registration.

victor-rival-owner-argent-global-networkI wasn’t able to find any further MLM history on Rival (right), however he does appear to be a real individual. Florida Division of Corporations records reveal that a “Victorien Antoine Rivel” registered “Team Wealth Unlimited” as a fictitious name in 2008 (note that Rival appears to switch surnames between “Rivel” and “Rival”). The registration expired at the end of 2013, which coincides with the launching of Argent Global Network.

Rivel registered Team Wealth Unlimited with partner Gilbert Sandy Dupoux, however whether or not Dupoux is involved in Argent Global Network is not clear. Also not clear is why Rivel’s name does not appear anywhere on the Argent Global Network website.

Read on for a full review of the Argent Global Network MLM business opportunity.

The Argent Global Network Product Line

Argent Global market advertising, which is displayed on their website.

The Argent Global website also has an online shopfront populated with seemingly random third-party products, however this doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the MLM business opportunity.

I also observed problems with the “add to card” button being greyed out on alot of items:

inactive-add-to-card-button-argent-global-network-shop

The Argent Global Network Compensation Plan

The Argent Global Network compensation plan revolves around affiliates buying one of three packages:

  • Basic – $150
  • Basic Plus – $300
  • Premium – $60
  • VIP – $1200
  • VIP Plus – $2400

Argent Global Network limit how many package positions an affiliate can invest in, determined by how much they pay in monthly membership fees:

  • Silver ($10 a month) – 5 packages
  • Gold ($50 a month) – 20 packages
  • Diamond ($100 a month) – 100 packages

Weekly ROI

Attached to the three packages above are varying weekly ROIs, advertised as payable for up to 52 weeks per package purchased:

  • Basic – $10 weekly ROI ($520 total)
  • Basic Plus – $20 weekly ROI ($1040 total)
  • Premium – $40 weekly ROI ($2080 total)
  • VIP – $80 weekly ROI ($4160 total)
  • VIP Plus – $160 weekly ROI ($8320 total)

Referral commissions are also available on the above package investments, paid out according to how much an affiliate pays in monthly membership fees:

  • Silver – 5% on level 1 and 2.5% on level 2
  • Gold – 7% on level 1 and 3.5% on level 2
  • Diamond – 10% on level 1 and 5% on level 2

Recruitment Commissions

When an affiliate recruits a new affiliate, they paid the following recruitment commission fees:

  • Silver – $2
  • Gold – $10
  • Diamond – $20

Residual recruitment commissions are paid out using a 2×21 matrix. A 2×21 matrix places an affiliate at the top of a matrix team, with two positions directly under them:

binary-MLM-compensation-plan

These two positions branch out into another two positions, and so on and so forth down a total of 21 levels. Filled positions in the matrix represent (either directly or indirectly) recruited affiliate investors.

How much of a commission is paid out, depends on how much an affiliate and their recruited downline pay in monthly membership fees:

  • Silver – 10 PV
  • Gold – 50 PV
  • Diamond – 100 PV

Personal Volume (PV) is used to calculate an affiliates share of the membership fees paid by all Argent Global Network affiliates.

Silver Affiliates

  • less than 200 PV and recruit 2 new affiliates – 25 cents per affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 5 levels
  • 300 PV – 25 cents per affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 10 levels
  • 500 PV – 25 cents per affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 15 levels
  • 700 PV and recruit 8 new affiliates – 25 cents per affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 21 levels

Gold Affiliates

  • less than 200 PV and recruit 2 new affiliates – 35 cents per Silver and $1 per Gold and Diamond affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 5 levels
  • 300 PV – 35 cents per Silver and $1 per Gold and Diamond affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 10 levels
  • 500 PV – 35 cents per Silver and $1 per Gold and Diamond affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 15 levels
  • 700 PV and recruit 8 new affiliates – 35 cents per Silver and $1 per Gold and Diamond affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 21 levels

Silver Affiliates

  • less than 200 PV and recruit 2 new affiliates – 40 cents per Silver, $1.50 per Gold and $3.50 per Diamond affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 5 levels
  • 300 PV – 40 cents per Silver, $1.50 per Gold and $3.50 per Diamond affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 10 levels
  • 500 PV – 40 cents per Silver, $1.50 per Gold and $3.50 per Diamond affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 15 levels
  • 700 PV and recruit 8 new affiliates – 40 cents per Silver, $1.50 per Gold and $3.50 per Diamond affiliate in the matrix, paid out down 21 levels

Joining Argent Global Network

Affiliate membership to Argent Global Network requires a monthly membership payment:

  • Silver – $10
  • Gold – $50
  • Diamond – $100

A free membership option also exists, requiring an affiliate to spam the internet for 60 days before being able to invest in one of the five available packages.

The primary difference between affiliate membership fees paid is the rate of commission Argent Global Network pays them.

Conclusion

Despite the illusion of external revenue by way of advertising and a shopping storefront on their website, Argent Global is just another cookie-cutter advertising based Ponzi scheme.

The storefront on the company website is populated with products likely sourced from third-party affiliate deals. The Joomla plugin used is a simple enough e-commerce platform.

Various advertisements from reputable companies also appear on Argent Global’s website, but they are little more than images attached to the homepages of said companies. No tracking information is attached to any of the links.

The images used appear to be sourced from genuine advertising campaigns of the companies, none of which have anything to do with Argent Global Network. They simply copy and pasted the images, plugged them into the RokSproket Joomla extension and attached URLs pointing to the company’s own websites.

The advertising depicted on Argent Global Network’s website serves no other purpose than to provide fodder for the company’s investors to market with, and lend a false air of legitimacy to the company.

The implication the reputable companies are going to pay for advertising on what is otherwise a Ponzi scheme marketing site is laughable.

The reality is that all Argent Global Network are doing is taking the new money they receive via packages, and using it to pay out existing investors. Similarly, the monthly membership fees charged are recycled through the matrix, and used to pay out those who recruit the most investors into the scheme (or recruit others who achieve this).

This is reflected in Argent Network’s “no refunds” refund policy:

Package purchases are final and non-refundable.

The reason they can’t offer refunds, is because the money is used to pay off existing investors.

Once new affiliate package investment stops, Argent Global Network will naturally run out of funds to pay off existing investors. Said investors are unlikely to see this coming, due to the 52 week ROI nature of the scheme.

The collapse of the Ponzi side of the business will then lend itself to a collapse of the pyramid side of the business, as nobody is likely to stick around paying monthly membership fees if they’re not collecting their weekly ROI.