Questions raised about “authenticity”of David Wood’s meltdown
After a series of videos were published on Facebook last week, it was assumed David Wood was having a meltdown.
On June 13th Wood’s brother, William Wood, confirmed David was on drugs and claimed he had been admitted to a rehabilitation facility.
William also claimed David would be “removed from a leadership position” in Empower Network “for no less than a year”.
A few hours ago a new video surfaced. The disturbing contents strong suggest Wood’s “meltdown” is nothing more than an elaborate marketing ruse.
The “Entreprenonymous” video is branded in the style of Anonymous. It contains leaked WhatsApp chat logs from a group David Wood purportedly set up on June 12th, after his Facebook lime video.
The group was titled “Please listen it is urgen” [sic] and after creating it, Wood added “hundreds of stunned industry influencers”.
Four minutes after creating the group, Wood posted:
Please wait. I am sending you all proof.
A “proof” video was published ten or so minutes later, in which Wood points at and “commands” a tree to start growing flowers and open then.
In a voice message published to he group, Wood then claims if people don’t listen to him, that “everyone and everything is going to die”.
So here’s the deal, the kingdom of God is coming and we have seven years, minus seventeen days, I believe that I explained that, okay?
Uh, and uh, you must listen. Everyone in this group must listen and if you don’t, everyone and everything is going to die.
In another voice message directed to Tera Mangan, Empower Network’s Communications Manager, Wood orders her to contact former Empower Network affiliate Vick Streizheus.
So, here’s the deal. I contacted everyone in my phone and, uh, that I know for sure will not cause problems. Okay?
And then I sent that video (the flower growing one).
Hey Tera, you need to call Vick Streizheus right now. Now. It’s urgent.
Through Big Idea Mastermind, Vick Strizheus was head of the largest Empower Network affiliate downline. Citing regulatory issues with Empower Network in South Dakota, Strizheus publicly left the company in early 2014.
Why David Wood ordered Tera Mangan to call Strizheus is unclear.
Echoing the healing claims he’d made on Facebook earlier, Wood then “heals” everyone listening in.
I have a gift for all of you. You’re all cured.
You don’t have cancer anymore. Teri, you don’t have HIV anymore. None of you have AIDS anymore. None of you have any diseases anymore.
That’s my gift to you.
Next up Wood addresses Empower Network Marketing Director, Rob Rammuny, claiming he’s the “Antichrist”.
The Antichrist is Rob Rammuny. And if we do not initiate a worldwide block of him from everywhere, right now, the world will end.
After publishing another video in which he snaps a kitchen knife from its plastic handle, David’s brother William appears and publishes a 48 second voice message to the group.
William publicly asks David to “please stop sending messages” and claims David’s “behavior is a mistake”. He apologizes for David’s behavior and states David “is not well right now”.
David replies, “Will. You will not interfere.”
This ties into William Wood’s “David’s gone to rehab” Facebook post.
The video cuts away from the WhatsApp group into a private conversation with an unknown individual.
When asked about his behavior, David claims “he’s fine” and it’s “all part of the show”.
Anonymous: Dude, what’s up with the WhatsApp thread with everyone in it? Are you alright?
You taking anything that might be throwing you off
David: No. That’s all part of the show. I’m fine.
Anonymous: Nothing else?
David: I’m just sick of everyone’s disloyal shit. Isn’t this stuff I’m doing genius though?
Even better than the paper burning video I did to hand Sharpe his ass.
I actually thought of burning $100 bills just to rub it in that my lawyers got him to back off and let me keep his money.
David Sharpe co-founded Empower Network with Wood in late 2011. Citing health reasons, Sharpe left Empower Network in 2014.
In a Facebook video published on early 2016, Wood revealed Sharpe had a 40% controlling interest in Empower Network.
When he left Sharpe demanded his fair share of the money. Wood declined and claimed the “money wasn’t there”. Lawyers were called in and the two eventually reached a settlement.
Sharpe was paid out less than his 40% share and Wood agreed to drop a non-compete clause in Sharpe’s contract.
In the 2016 video, David Wood “forgave” Sharpe and claimed he’d hated his guts for two years.
As the conversation between the anonymous source and Wood continued, Wood reveals the forgiveness video was just a ploy to keep top Empower Network affiliates from leaving.
Anonymous: I totally thought you were serious when I saw that one (the forgiveness video).
David: I was serious… about putting that thief Sharpe in his place.
But mostly, I just knew it would work to keep Lawrence and Trace and Mike Martin and the Christian coalition around.
You can count on the ‘Christian’ pity every time. LOL.
Anonymous: Don’t you think people might worry about you for real though?
David: That’s the idea!
They’re like little sheep dude. Time to reign them all back in.
Like that crap Justin and D pulled jumping over to Record’s deal. Total BS!
He’s a copycat, team stealing thief and D’s a borderline psychopath.
And Alex and Anna jumping over to Michael Force’s deal. Force is such a thief, dude. They’re idiots.
They’re all in bed with a thief.
Justin Verrengia is a former top Empower Network affiliate. Wood supplements the text conversation above with the following voice message:
So stuff like this, let me give you an example.
So fuckin’ Justin comes, fuckin’ is a thief in the middle of the night. That fuckin pisses me off and so, they can get the fuck out. You know what I mean?
And I’ll replace him with ten thousand new people. Cuz the thing is man I can go create a hundred Justin Verrengias a year. Right?
I’ll just push them in the waterfall (laughs), I’m just jokin’ right?
But you know the thing is, seriously right, I don’t need these people.
Back to the text conversation…
Anonymous: Yeah, but you’ve got people like Mack out there shining a bad light on this.
After recruiting over 2900 affiliates into Empower Network, Mack Mills, formerly Mack Zidan, departed Empower Network in 2013.
At the time Mills accused Wood and Empower Network of defrauding him.
David: Mack’s a phony. No one believes I shifted his commissions to Vick and it was only $500K – not $700K!
I’m going to get his Facebook account shut down again.
So uh, David Wood didn’t pay Vick Strizheus commissions earned by Mack Mills. But if he did, it was only $500,000 and not $700,000 as Mills claimed…?
Riiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Wood goes on to call out Michael Force, owner of Digital Altitude, as also being a thief.
Yeah Force is a total thief dude. Like a literal straight thief with everything.
So I’ll talk to you more about that too, I know more.
He gave all the leaders free accounts with all the products, so none of them had to buy in. Which makes them act unethical too, you know?
As the conversation continues, Wood appears more than aware of what he’s doing.
David Wood: I’ll create a thousand more Justins and Alexs with this stuff I’m doing right now. They’re replaceable.
Anonymous: I don’t know dude, if anyone figures this out where does that leave the existing employees?
David Wood: They won’t figure it out. Trust me. They never do.
Will is going to come in and play the clean up. Employees will find jobs. They always do.
I’m about to pop another video into the WhatsApp thread. Going to snap a steel knife and pretend it’s a miracle!
They’re going to wonder if I’ve lost it! 😉
Then in comes the good old blind Christian forgiveness!
Anonymous: Wow dude, I don’t know.
David: Watch, you’ll see I’m right!
Anyway it goes, I’ll be too “crazy” for anyone to try and get money from.
Shaq’s a muslim shiek! He doesn’t need the money!
Praise Allah!!!
As Wood stated, the next day all of his meltdown videos were deleted from his Facebook profile and William Wood’s “David is in rehab” video was posted to David’s Facebook page.
So where do we go from here?
Did David Wood orchestrate a public meltdown to stop people demanding earned Empower Network commissions from him?
With Empower Network in steady decline over the past few years despite a string of marketing resuscitation attempts, it’s a very real possibility.
Why not torch the barn, disappear for a year and then try to start all over again?
Rehab and drugs could very well be the new “I was homeless in a van!” pitch Wood is counting on to revive his business.
The only thread of the mess I’m not satisfied with are the wounds Wood had on his face and chest. They could be self-inflicted but that’s still a long way to go for a ruse. Then again, if you’re truly desperate…
Ethically meanwhile there are some very serious questions about David and William Wood’s conduct. Assuming, of course, that this is indeed nothing more than a marketing ploy.
Thoughts?
Footnote: The video referenced in this article was published to a YouTube account bearing the name “Ace Reddy” on June 18th.
Titled “David Wood Goes Crazy on Facebook – Part 2.”, it can be viewed below:
Update 19th July 2021 – As of July 2021 the video “David Wood Goes Crazy on Facebook – Part 2.” has been deleted off YouTube.
I had previously linked to the video here but as the video is no longer available have removed the link. /end update
We are anonymous… we don’t forget, expect us! Catchy tune… *jazz hands*
Update 20th June 2017 – In a new Facebook video William Wood has questioned the authenticity of the video referenced in this article.
Following a “short conversation” with David Wood today, William also announced he’s leaving Empower Network.
This be some of that “Christian pity” I guess:
Who knows, maybe Wood specifically picked drugs as marketing angle because it ties into Sharpe’s past.
what a stunning cunning criminal mind!
this is a very novel and creative way of shutting down a ponzi and stealing everyone’s money. once poor david wood is ‘rehabilitated’ he can reboot his ponzi again!
but i guess not all ponzi scammers can use this method for shutdown and reboot because considerable acting skills are required to pull off that manic deranged persona act.
david wood just added a super special page to the ponzi 101 excuses handbook.
You go on a holiday or what? Missed so much drama the past few weeks! 😀
nope. just dealing with a horrible family medical emergency 🙁
i’ve been reading in though!
Ah fair enough. Hope it all worked out.
June has been pretty crappy here too. See it easily being the worst month this year. Come on July, hurry up already.
Interesting side note that all of Digital Altitude’s top leaders have been comped into the company. Meaning they did not have to pay the $60,000 to get All In.
David Wood is an icehol.
I have long suspected major issues with this guy, it’s in his eyes and physique, that’s the power of NLP for you!
David Sharpe comes across as the much more stable character.
yes ………….and lol.
Haven’t checked in on MLM stuff for 3 years (with Med School prep and all)… seems like I haven’t missed much. Keep up the good work Oz.
No, you definitely haven’t missed anything. This is like an ongoing crazy show to just sit back and watch but don’t be stupid and join for any reason. I have a heart but this man is evil IMHO.
The plot thickens:
Maybe Will wasn’t in on the ruse and now he’s butthurt?
Miners inhale coal dust until lung problems become an occupational hazard.
Athletes wreck their muscles until mobility problems become an occupational hazard.
Pyramid scammers inhale delusion and wreck their minds and it’s not surprising that batshit craziness is their occupational hazard.
If you start at the position that pyramid schemes are a way of empowering people and feeding the unbanked blah blah, then over time one of two things will happen:
Either you think about what you are doing and come to the realisation that actually you are the scum of the earth, or you run away from the truth and wrap yourself in more delusion, until the time comes when you start talking about how the apocalypse is coming and you can cure cancer with your mind.
I’m certainly not suggesting Dave’s “meltdown” video isn’t a hoax, and have publicly expressed my skepticism elsewhere. However, this “hoax” exposé video is, in itself, a hoax, or at least the last segment about Dave’s “side conversation” where he admits his meltdown is a hoax.
The sound quality between all three audios in this presentation are completely incongruous and obviously were not recorded at the same time. What really gives it away is that the 8:17 audio was clearly recorded while Dave was driving, yet his 8:15 audio is indoors, as is his entire WhatsApp session from 7:50 to 8:50.
Also, the original producer of this presentation is hiding their identity, which begs the question, Why? If everything presented is truthful, what do they have to fear? The only motive for anonymity would seem to be to avoid accountability.
Presenting this information as coming from some mysterious, “entreprenonymous” source (only they wear gas masks rather than Guy Fawkes masks) only reduced its credibility, where as openly identifying the source and how they obtained this information (thus allowing it to be subjected to vetting) would essentially substantiate it.
Finally, the person who made this hoax video public, as I understand it, was Mack Mills (via his Facebook page). Mills is an ex-Empower Network leader who’s departure was not amicable, and who has a motive to discredit Dave.
@Len Good points and the audio might very well be cobbled together from different times, which puts a big question mark over the legitimacy of the WhatsApp private conversation.
What makes no sense then is William Wood leaving. If David is in rehab and not pulling a publicity stunt, why would the two of them be at odds over the future of the company?
Wouldn’t Will wait until David has “recovered” before entering into discussions about the future of the company? The only explanation I can come up with is Will might have asked David for a (temporary) controlling interest in Empower Network and David refused.
That leaves the company in limbo, which prompted Will to bail.
I also took the “anonymous” angle of the video as a direct response to Wood’s litigious reputation. His wife Ashley Needles has brought it up multiple times over the years. Mack Mills has stated he’s received cease and desists. And then there was the David Sharpe mess.
To be clear, I didn’t say Dave’s meltdown was a hoax, just that the exposé of his hoax is a hoax.
Another (of several) curiosities was that Dave conducted what appears to be a multi-day workshop in his home where, just four days before his “meltdown”, he also shot a lengthy, but completely lucid video entirely about, perhaps ironically, always being your “true, authentic self”. His brother was in attendance.
empowernetwork.com/dailyshow/Episode-214-Stop-your-bullshit-and-speak-from-your-heart
David Wood’s Empower Network Facebook profile is 404.
The latest is that while he was in rehab for 2 days, someone just “closed the bank accounts”. He wants to come to FL to open an account, but he cant leave Costa Rica because he has an unpaid medical bill and he would have to spend it out of the money for commissions. Interestingly enough, the banking ‘situation’ is one sided. It’s still trying to charge me to be a member of something I cannot use. I just filed an online FTC Complaint. People are waiting around in blind faith for commissions. It’s sad. It had a great concept. Can’t anyone duplicate it and name it something else?