zeekrewardsFrom time to time BehindMLM gets enquiries as to the status of victim claims, as well as payments issued by the Receive to Zeek Rewards victims.

Obviously the Receivership themselves are too, with the Receiver publishing a June 18th update to clear up some of the confusion.

First the big news, with victims of Zeek Rewards set to be issued a second distribution payment.

I am pleased to announce that we will be making a second partial interim distribution to all Affiliates who hold Allowed Claims on the next Court authorized distribution date (July 31, 2015).

This second payment will bring the amount returned to Zeek Rewards victims to 60% of funds invested.

Second, some additional information as to the “rising tide” method use to calculate distribution payments:

The rising tide method of loss calculation is designed to make every recognized claimant equally whole (as a percentage of their investment).

Take for example two recognized claimants, each of whom invested $10,000 into the Zeek Rewards Ponzi scheme. The first claimant received nothing back from Zeek Rewards while the scheme was operating.

The second claimant received $4,000 out of Zeek Rewards before it was shut down. Under the rising tide method, the second claimant is deemed to have already received 40% of her investment back, while the first claimant has received nothing back.

When we made the first partial interim distribution of 40% the first claimant received $4,000, but the second claimant did not receive a distribution check.

When the second interim partial distribution is made, the first claimant will receive an additional $2,000, and the second claimant (who did not get a first distribution) will receive $2,000.

This will ensure that both claimants have received 60% of the amounts they invested.

According to the Receiver, and somewhat surprisingly, some Zeek investors have complained about this method of calculation.

While some Affiliates have complained about the rising tide method, I believe it is the most fair way to make the Zeek Rewards victims equally whole; two investors put $10,000 into the scheme and each will receive $6,000 total, whether it was received from the scheme itself, or from distributions from the receivership, or a combination of both.

How on Earth is that not fair?

An investor perhaps putting themselves on a pedestal and wishing to screw over everyone else for their own benefit aside, everybody getting back an equal share of what they put in (there’s only so much seized funds to go around), seems pretty legit fair to me.

Third we have clarification on the quarter payment schedule, namely that these aren’t scheduled quarterly distributions, but rather the timeframes within which distributions can be made on existing claims.

There also has been some confusion about our quarterly distributions. Some mistakenly believe that they will receive a distribution every quarter. There was a first partial interim distribution and will soon be a second.

Each quarter we send distribution checks only to claimants who completed the claims process since the last quarter.

Those who for whatever reason didn’t complete the claims process, naturally miss out.

Unfortunately, nearly 50,000 claimants with recognized claims have not received a first, nor will they receive a second, partial interim distribution.

The only reason for this is that those 50,000 claimants have not electronically signed the Release and OFAC certification available through the claims portal.

For those still unclear on the signing of these documents, the Receiver has announced “an instructional video” is on the way.

Bear in mind the 50,000 investors who fall into this category haven’t as yet had their claims cut off. But it will eventually happen in the future should they fail to sign the required documents.

We have received calls and emails asking that we cut off the recovery rights of the 50,000 recognized claimants who have not completed the process and distribute their share of distributions to those who have.

That day may come, but it has not yet.

I will give each claimant with a recognized claim every opportunity to receive their share of the recovery. Nonetheless, I implore everyone to promptly complete the Court required process.

Sometime before the end of the receivership I will have no option but to ask the Court for permission to distribute all remaining receivership assets to only those recognized claimants who have completed the process.

In the meantime funds are being set aside to honor these claims if the 50,000 investors in question get their act together.

We here at BehindMLM will of course continue to direct those enquiring about their claims to the Receivership’s claims portal.

Looking forward,

After this second partial interim distribution, the receivership will maintain sufficient funds to pay those claimants who have not yet, but hopefully will, electronically sign the Release and the OFAC certification, and sufficient funds to allow the receivership team to continue to pursue additional recoveries for the ultimate benefit of eligible Affiliates.

We are not going to hold onto money that we could otherwise distribute to victims.

We are in negotiations or litigation with financial services firms to recover tens of millions of dollars for Affiliates.

The litigation against U.S and foreign net winners (those who took more money out of the scheme than they put in, essentially holding the victims money) is progressing. I remain confident that we will succeed in all of these efforts.

Unfortunately, litigation is never quick, and once we have judgments against the net winners, in amounts exceeding $200 million, we will have to collect on those judgments.

I don’t anticipate making a third partial interim distribution for quite some time because the funds for such a distribution will largely have to come from litigation recoveries that will take quite some time.

Oh and finally, get a load of this:

I know and understand that recovering only 60% of your investment is not what you want. I have read letters from and spoken to many of you. I know the hardships that Zeek Rewards inflicted on thousands of people.

It may be no comfort, but a 60% recovery by victims of a Ponzi scheme is unusually high, and I am proud that the receivership team spends less as a percentage of total recoveries than any receivership of which I am aware.

Bloody hell. You invested in an $850 million dollar Ponzi scheme chasing fraudulent riches, be glad you’re getting anything back at all.

Who are these people?