The FTC has filed a show cause motion, initiating contempt proceedings against Amare Global (as Amare Global Holdings Inc.), Shawn Talbott, Hiep Tran and Patrick Hintze.

The FTC’s show cause motion stems from a complaint filed against Amare Global, David Chung, Talbott and Hintze on June 2nd.

On the Window Rock docket, shortly after filing this Complaint, the FTC intends to file a motion to hold Talbott, Amare, Hintze, and Amare’s founding CEO Hiep Tran in contempt for violating Talbott’s final order by making false, misleading, or unsubstantiated health claims.

To that end the FTC filed its motion in the Window Rock case on June 11th.

In its motion the FTC reiterates claims from its earlier complaint, alleging Amare Global, Chung, Talbott and Hintze made “misleading and unsubstantiated claims” to market Amare Global.

Those claims, the FTC alleges in its motion, violate a previously granted injunction in the Window Rock case.

It’s worth noting that while the FTC sued current Amare Global owner David Chung in its earlier Complaint, contempt proceeds see Chung swapped out for Amare Global founder Hiep Tran (right).

The Window Rock case, filed in 2004, saw the FTC hold Talbott accountable for making misleading and unsubstantiated claims pertaining to CortiSlim and CortiStress.

Talbott settled the FTC’s case against him in 2005. Talbott’s settlement was for $3.5 million, of which he gave up $1.12 million in assets based on financial representations.

Talbott’s settlement also included a permanent injunction;

The FTC announced two separate stipulated final agreements and orders for permanent injunction today.

The orders also bar misrepresentations of any tests or studies and prohibit claims about the performance, effects on weight, or other health benefits of any dietary supplement, food, drug, cosmetic, or device unless the claims are true, not misleading, and substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence.

It is this injunction the FTC alleges Talbott has violated with respect to allegations made in the FTC’s Amare Global Complaint.

The Federal Trade Commission has asked a federal court to hold in contempt dietary supplement provider Amare Global Holdings, its former Chief Science Officer Shawn Talbott and two others over allegations they violated an FTC order that banned Talbott and those who work with him from making false, deceptive or unsubstantiated health claims.

“Amare, Hintze and Tran knew of Talbott’s prior order with the FTC, but rather than attempt to comply with that order they were all too willing to help Talbott launch a new scheme to take advantage of parents looking for products to help improve their children’s health and adults struggling with their own mental health,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

In filing for contempt, the FTC is seeking compensatory damages for consumers in the full amount consumers paid for the at-issue products.

To the best of my knowledge neither Shawn Talbott or Amare Global have publicly addressed the FTC’s allegations.

Stay tuned for updates as BehindMLM tracks both the FTC’s earlier Amare Global lawsuit and contempt proceedings in the Window Rock case.