Trivaren Review: Knights pushing cancer cures?

So uh… occasionally I run into an MLM company where I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be a joke or they’re actually serious.

Trivaren is one of those companies.

Launched in late 2011, Trivaren was evidently founded by someone who played one too many games of D&D growing up.

The company refers to some of their affiliates as “knights of the round table” and appears to communicate to them in ye olde English speak.

Back in 2011 the company had its founding affiliates pay large amounts of money to join the company. In exchange, Trivaren promised them commission qualification for two years.

There was a catch though, in that all founding affiliates had to attend a Trivaren “knighting ceremony” to get “knighted”. Some affiliates complained they couldn’t attend the ceremonies to become “honorary knights”, and so Trivaren put the matter to a vote in early 2012 (click to enlarge):

I thought that might have just been a silly inside joke… but here’s how Trivaren describe themselves on their website:

America’s health care system is broke. No cures have been provided in over 60 years. The cost of hospital stays, drugs, surgeries, and insurance are soaring.

The rates of heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory disorders and diabetes have more than doubled in the last 30 years. Obesity is an epidemic and now even our children are paying the price.

Something must be done.

Trivaren believes the only real answers will come in the form of prevention and support through proper nutrition allowing the body to do what God designed it to do, stay healthy and heal when damaged or diseased.

By becoming a Citizen of the Healthy Kingdom you can improve the quality of your life and the quality of other people’s lives all over the world.

Heading up this Healthy Kingdom freakshow is Roy Williams. In his Trivaren corporate bio, Williams (right) describes himself as a “natural health guru”:

Due his knowledge in natural health Roy has been interviewed on radio and TV over 1000 times. He also does a radio program called This Weeks Health Update that has helped thousands learn how to become and remain healthy.

He has been known as the Guru of Good Health on a local TV program for over 15 years, writes a Weekly Health Update newsletter and writes articles for newspapers and magazines.

I wasn’t able to find a concrete MLM history for Williams (too many people share the same name), but his Trivaren bio suggests Trivaren is his first network marketing venture:

Roy researched the network marketing industry and realized he could reach more people by having successful distributors share the story and be paid from their own efforts instead of paying huge amounts for radio, TV and print advertising.

Read on for a full review of the Trivaren MLM business opportunity.

The Trivaren Product Line

Where to begin…

Roy has owned and operated NEWtritional Health Care in North Alabama for the past 13 years and has helped develop 41 health and wellness products, one which is patented and 37 that are under a patents pending.

During this time, he has been shipping products (via word of mouth advertising) all over the United States and to seven other countries.

The first thing that jumped out at me on the Trivaren product page of their website was the health claims made by the company.

Immune

Your immune system is your body’s best line of defense against cancer. Many doctors are now telling us that the average person develops cancer as many as six times each year.

The ingredients in Immune promote natural killer cells and macrophage (white blood cells) activity, which are responsible for locating, recognizing and destroying pathogens such as bacteria, germs, viruses and cancer cells.

Do you seem to catch every cold or flu that comes around? Are allergies and sinus infections common? Do you have age spots on the back of your hands? Have you been diagnosed with hepatitis, cancer, Aids, Crohn’s, diverticulitis, ulcers, gout, arthritis, lupus, heart disease or diabetes?

Almost every degenerative disease today can be the result of a weakened immune system.

Ingredients in “Immune” have been recommended to;

-Fight heart disease, kidney stones and liver disease

–Slow the rate of cell division in cancer and tumor growth and enhance the body’s natural ability to kill existing tumor cells

-Reduce cholesterol and triglycerides and prevent blood clots

-Prevents the accumulation of fatty deposits in the liver, which result in cirrhosis

-Inhibit tumor growth and enhance sexual function

-Strengthen the endocrine glands; stimulate the activity of RNA & DNA in your cells

-Retard the aging process and may prevent cancer

-Help mediate blood sugar (increases when low, decreases when high)

-Involved in detoxification, maintenance of intestinal flora, anti-infective and anti-tumor

-Helps normalize blood sugar, reduces the incidence of cataracts

-Help keep the arteries free from plaque, may lower cholesterol levels

Note that a total of twenty-three benefits are listed. In the interest of readability, I’ve cut it down to the more interesting ones above.

For a full list of the benefits of Immune see the Trivaren website.

Balance

After oxygen, water is the most important nutrient. Water is necessary for every function of the human body.

To maintain health 1 drop in each 2 ounces of water. For advanced disorders 1 drop in each ounce of water.

Trim

Trim is absolutely the most advanced, most effective and fast becoming the most recognized supplement ever developed to help people lose weight and keep it off.

When Trim was first formulated we put 100 people on a 3 day supply. In less than 5 days 78 came back to purchase the bottle. Most of them had lost 2 pounds and reported more energy, and reduced appetite.

Gata

Gata (meaning bread of life) is the fourth most needed element in human nutrition.

Organic sulfur is involved in nearly every metabolic process in the body, and is essential in the regeneration and nourishment of healthy cells.

MSM is a bioavailable source of sulfur present in every cell which…

-Removes inflammation; permits muscles and joints to heal more rapidly.

-Reduces muscle cramps and spasms, relieves Arthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tendonitis, Bursitis, Fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue.

-Speeds wound healing, reduces scar tissue, skin disorders, wrinkles, spots, skin tumors, lesions, burns, and other skin damage.

-Helps the body to heal wounds, burns, and broken bones.

Other conditions that respond to MSM therapy include lung dysfunction, diabetes, candida yeast, post-traumatic pain and inflammation.

Gata Lotion

Are you showing signs of aging? Then you need GATA lotion.

Do you have chronic dry skin? Then you need GATA lotion.

Do skin rashes, acne, eczema, or psoriasis plague you? Then you need GATA lotion.

Any arthritis pain, wounds, burns, sunburns, itching & swelling of insect bites and stings. Then you need GATA lotion.

GATA lotion has proven to be effective temporary relief for bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis, rheumatism, carpal tunnel, sprains, scars, hemorrhoids, diabetic bruising, neuropathy, in-grown toenails, bed sores, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, spider veins, varicose veins, tired feet, gout and shingles.

GATA lotion should be considered for aging skin, age spots, wrinkles and fine lines, complexion problems, contact dermatitis, dry cracked skin, dishpan hands, fingernail cuticles, stretch marks, razor burn and nicks, sunburn relief, frostbite, fever blisters, wasp and bee stings, scar tissue and scar prevention.

Heart

For complicated heart health issues take 3 capsules with each meal 3 times daily.

For moderate heart health issues take 2 capsules with each meal 3 times daily or 3 with first and 3 with last meal.

Mangosteen TM

Used in Asia for centuries as a natural medicine, Mangosteen contains vitamins and phytonutrients of all types but is praised for the Xanthone content.

Xanthones are recognized as some of the most powerful anti-oxidants found in nature. Some of them like Garcinone C have proven to have very powerful anti-carcinogenic affects on the human body.

In other words they help kill cancer cells without affecting the healthy cells.

Unfortunately no retail pricing is available on the Trivaren website, so how much Trivaren’s miracle cures cost is unclear.

It’s also worth noting that a number of “patent pending” codes are provided on Trivaren’s product page (“jmhc2003”, “jmhc2009”, “jmhc2010” and “jmhc2009”).

I punched these into the Patents and Trademark Office’s “Patent Application Information Retrieval”, and none of the codes returned a result.

The Trivaren Compensation Plan

Trivaren’s compnesation plan pays out retail and recruitment commissions directly and residually via a unilevel compensation structure.

Additionally, several share-based bonus pools are also available.

Commission Qualification

In order to qualify for commissions, all Trivaren affiliates are required to meet ‘the minimum monthly qualifying purchase of $45.00 (by) the 28th of each month‘.

The company states that in order for an affiliate to meet this requirement, that it is “essential” to sign up for monthly autoship:

Signing up for your Monthly Autoship Order of $45 minimum Wholesale Volume with Trivaren International is essential to receive Commissions & Bonuses on your Kingdom.

Trivaren Affiliate Membership Ranks

There are nine affiliate membership ranks within the Trivaren compensation plan.

Along with their respective qualification criteria, they are as follows:

• Citizen – pay $45 to join Trivaren (and purchase an additional $45 worth of product to qualify for commissions)
• Serf (non-MLM rank) – purchase at least $45 or more of Trivaren product in any given month
• Squire – sign up for autoship (min $45) and have a downline generating at least $600 a month on your first two unilevel levels
• Baron or Baroness – continue to pay monthly autoship (min $45), have a downline generating at least $600 a month on your first two unilevel levels and $2000 in total downline monthly sales volume
• Count or Countess – continue to pay monthly autoship (min $75), recruit at least Baron or Baroness ranked affiliate, have a downline generating at least $600 a month on your first two unilevel levels and $5000 in total downline monthly sales volume
• Duke or Duchess – continue to pay monthly autoship (min $100), recruit at least one Count or Countess ranked affiliate, have a downline generating at least $600 a month in your first two unilevel levels, at least $2000 in levels one to three and $12,000 in total downline monthly sales volume
• Prince or Princess – continue to pay monthly autoship (min $150), recruit at least one Duke or Duchess and Count or Countess ranked affiliate (cannot be in same unilevel leg), have a downline generating at least $600 a month in your first two unilevel levels, at least $2000 in levels one to three, at least $5000 in levels one to four, at least $12,000 in levels one to five, at least $30,000 in levels one to six and $60,000 in total downline monthly sales volume
• King or Queen – continue to pay monthly autoship (min $200), recruit at least one Prince or Princess, one Duke or Duchess, and one Count or Countess (cannot be in same unilevel leg), have a downline generating at least $600 a month in your first two unilevel legs, at least $2000 in levels one to three, at least $5000 in in levels one to four, $12,000 in levels one to five, $30,000 in levels one to six and $60,000 in total downline monthly sales volume
• Emperor – continue to pay monthly autoship (min $300), recruit at least two King or Queens, one Prince or Princess, one Duke or Duchess (all in separate unilevel legs), have a downline generating at least $600 in your first two unilevel levels, at least $2000 in levels one to three, at least $5000 in levels one to four, at least $12,000 in levels one to five, at least $30,000 in levels one to six and $120,000 in total downline monthly sales volume

Recruitment Commissions

Trivaren affiliates are paid a 25% bonus on the fees paid by a new affiliate they recruit.

Trivaren refer to this as a “Builders Bonus”:

A qualified Citizen will receive a 25% Builders Bonus from the total product purchase of all personally sponsored new Citizens kit/package purchase.

This Builders Bonus appears to be capped based on how much a Trivaren affiliate themselves spent on membership when they joined the company:

This bonus is limited to the amount equivalent to the bonus amount of the package (Basic, Musketeer, Career) you personally are signed up at.

An additional 10% is paid out to the recruiting affiliate’s upline:

A Trainers Bonus of 10% is paid to the sponsor of any Citizen that he or she personally sponsored in his or her genealogy when they sponsor a new Citizen.

Residual Commissions

Residual monthly commission in Trivaren are paid out using a unilevel compensation structure.

A unilevel compensation structure places an affiliate at the top of a unilevel team, with every personally recruited affiliate placed directly under them (level 1):

If any of these level 1 affiliates go on to recruit new affiliates of their own, they are placed on level two of the original affiliate’s unilevel team.

If any level 2 affiliates go on to recruit new affiliates they are placed on level 3 and so on and so forth down a theoretical infinite number of levels.

Commissions are paid out as a percentage of the sales volume generated by monthly orders placed by recruited affiliates (and their retail customers) in a unilevel team.

How many levels of recruitment a Trivaren affiliate is paid on is determined by their affiliate membership rank:

• Serf – 4% on level 1
• Squire – 4% on levels 1 and 2
• Baron – 4% on levels 1 to 3
• Count or Countess – 4% on levels 1 to 4
• Duke or Duchess – 4% on levels 1 to 5
• Prince of Princess – 4% on levels 1 to 6
• King or Queen or higher – 4% on levels 1 to 7

Point Generation

The bonus pool component of the Trivaren compensation plan revolves around affiliates accumulating points. These points count towards shares in three bonus pools, with the pools funded by “profits of the company”.

A Trivaren affiliate can accumulate points as follows:

Recruitment:

• earn 3 points for each new personally sponsored Basic Package
• earn 6 points for each new personally sponsored Career Package
• earn 6 points for each new personally sponsored Excalibur Upgrade
• earn 12 points for each new personally sponsored Excalibur
• earn 1 Point for each Builder’s Bonus earned during the month – example: earn 3 Builder’s Bonuses, earn 3 points
• earn 3 Points for each Trainer’s Bonus earned during the month – example: earn 3 Trainer’s Bonuses, earn 9 points

Purchasing Trivaren products

• earn 2 Points for each monthly purchase of a Gata Retail Case
• earn 1 Point for each 100 CD’s ordered (minimum order of 100 Ultimate Solution CD #1/Product CD’s for points).

Rank advancement

• Earn 12 Points for personally qualifying as an Excalibur (one time only)
• earn 1 Point for each month you personally qualify as a Serf
• earn 2 Points for each month you personally qualify as a Squire
• earn 3 Points for each month you personally qualify as a Baron or Baroness
• earn 4 Points for each month you personally qualify as a Count or Countess
• earn 5 Points for each month you personally qualify as a Duke or Duchess
• earn 6 Points for each month you personally qualify as a Prince or Princess
• earn 8 Points for each month you personally qualify as a King or Queen
• earn 10 Points for each month you personally qualify as an Emperor or Empress
• earn 1 Point for each Leadership Role Medallion awarded.

Selling Trivaren products to retail customers

• earn 1 point for each new personally sponsored Wholesale Customer
• earn 3 Points for each monthly purchase of a Gata Powder/Couples Retail Case
• earn 2 Points for each monthly purchase of a Trim Retail Case
• earn 3 Points for each monthly purchase of a Trim Couples Retail Case
• earn 4 Points for each monthly purchase of a Heart Retail Case
• earn 2 Points for each monthly purchase of an Immune Retail Case
• earn 3 Points for each monthly purchase of an Immune Couples Retail Case
• earn 1 Point for each monthly purchase of a Gata Lotion Retail Case
• earn 2 Points for each monthly purchase of a Mangosteen Retail Case
• earn 1 Point for each monthly purchase of a Balance Retail Case
• earn 2 Points for each monthly purchase of a Vitamin D-5000 Retail Case
• earn 2 Points for each monthly purchase of a Vitamin D-1000 Retail Case

Participating in weird-sounding cult activities

• earn 1 Point for each Knight of the Round Table vote cast (live or email, if it is a live vote being taken, an email vote does not count)
• earn 1 Point for each share of the Jousting Bonus earned per month – example: earn 3 shares of the Jousting Bonus in a month, earn 3 points

Points are accumulated and expire depending on the bonus pool they are paid out on. Each point will pay out once in the three bonus pools offered, expiring once it has been counted.

Royal Bonus Pool

The Royal Bonus is paid quarterly. Points translate into shares in the Royal Bonus Pool as follows:

• 18 points = 1 share
• every 6 points after 18 = 1 additional share

Citizen Bonus Pool

The Citizen Bonus is also paid quarterly. One share in the Citizen Bonus pool is generated when a Trivaren affiliate has accumulated 30 points in the applicable quarter.

After the initial 30 points have been accumulated, affiliates earn an extra share for every additional 10 points they receive.

Empire Bonus Pool

The Empire Bonus is paid out annually and is made up of

• $1 for each product sold that costs over $35
• 50 cents for each product sold that cost less than $35 and
• $5 each time an affiliate pays their annual membership fee renewal

Points translate into shares in the Empire Bonus Pool as follows:

• 70 points = 1 share
• every 35 points over the initial 70 points = 1 additional share

Note that only affiliates who buy in with an Excalibur package ($1299) can qualify for the Empire Bonus Pool.

Loyalty Bonus Pool

The Loyalty Bonus Pool is open to all Trivaren affiliates who qualify at the Prince or Princess rank or higher and who have been on autoship the entire time.

It’s paid out every six months, with each qualified affiliate receiving an equal share of the pool.

Joining Trivaren

Affiliate membership to Trivaren is available at three price-points:

• Basic – $217.90
• Career – $759.90
• Excalibur – $1339.90

The primary difference between the three affiliate packages are commission qualification and the amount of bundled Trivaren products.

Note that all Trivaren affiliates are charged a $59.95 annual fee after their first year of membership.

Also it’s worth noting that the company charges a $19.95 fee to sign up as a wholesale customer (a retail customer who signs up for a monthly autoship order in exchange for discounted pricing).

Conclusion

Usually when I sit down to review an MLM opportunity, it’s usually the compensation plan or products that bring up red-flags. Going for gold in both categories, Trivaren are a regulatory nightmare from any perceivable angle.

For starters there’s the abundance of health claims the company makes about its products. I’ve already covered the more serious ones in the “products” section of this review, but to give you an idea of just how brazen Trivaren are – here’s a screenshot of their products page:

How have these guys been in business since 2012 without attracting the attention of the FTC is a complete mystery.

And if you’re wondering why as an MLM company you don’t run around claiming your products cure cancer, it’s so that your affiliates don’t plaster the internet with similar claims:

Moving onto the Trivaren compensation plan, here we have retail spliced with recruitment commissions and some dodgy looking bonus pools.

The recruitment commissions in Trivaren are straight-up pyramid scheme territory. You pay your affiliate joining fee (the more you pay the higher your potential commission payouts), and then set about recruiting others who do the same.

Then, as long as everyone continues to pay for monthly autoship fees (which are required for commission qualification, a separate red-flag), everyone continues to get paid.

As you move up the compensation plan, in order to qualify for more commissions Trivaren in turn force affiliates to purchase more product each month.

There’s most definitely an underlying “pay to play” element to all of this, which starts by having affiliate membership fees tied into commission eligibility.

Unless a Trivaren affiliate buys in at the highest $1299 “Excalibur” level, there are some bonuses they have no way of earning from.

The whole bonus pool, points and shares components of the compensation plan are a mixed bag. They can work if there’s a strong retail presence within the company, but given affiliates are forced to sign up for autoship – which generates residual sales volume, that it exists is highly unlikely.

And even if it did, it doesn’t negate the fact that points are awarded on the recruitment of new affiliates.

If the majority of the revenue put into the bonus pools is affiliate-sourced, the pyramid scheme problem rears its head again – as affiliates can just focus on recruiting, pay their autoship and collect points which are then converted into shares.

And now some of the more quirkier aspects of Trivaren.

As I went through Trivaren’s policies and procedures, it struck me more than a few times that it all sounded extremely cult-like. Knighthoods, round tables, secret inner circle votes… it sounded like someone in management had a serious hard-on for Knights Templar lore (yes, there’s plenty of references to God plastered all over the Trivaren website too).

The two major things that stuck out to me were Trivaren’t inner-circle and then their super-secret “invitation only” club.

Trivaren refer to their “inner-circle” affiliates as “knights of the round table”:

Knights of the Round Table (KORT) are a special group of people who help make important decisions pertaining to rankings, qualifications, bonuses, changes in the marketing plan including Commissions, Policies and Procedures and in some cases dismissing someone for unethical practices.

This group also vows to protect the Kingdom from outside sources including bills put before congress that could harm our industry.

To qualify to serve on the KORT, a Citizen must achieve the level of Prince or Princess or above.

The KORT is the highest honor within the Trivaren International Kingdom and because of that there are other requirements that will be taken into consideration, such as, but not limited to: attendance at events including area meetings, on line meetings, three way calls, conference calls, creative marketing, and personal relationships with others.

Once all these qualifications have been met you will appear before the Knights of the Round Table along with the management of the Kingdom. A vote will be taken and the majority will carry.

When a vote is taken during a KORT meeting, all members will vote using a white marble for a yes vote and a black marble for a no vote.

The item to be voted on will be read, a short discussion will follow and members will deposit one of the two marbles is their possession into a non-visible container.

Upon completion of all members of the KORT casting their votes, the container will be emptied and the marbles counted. A majority vote is needed to pass the item being voted on.

Votes by the KORT in reference to the Policies and Procedures and the Rules of Conduct will follow the following guidelines:

(1) Only “Knighted” members may vote on this type of vote,

(2) Majority vote carries, however, must be approved by the KORT “Inner Circle”, once approved, must be sent to Trivaren International attorneys for wording and resubmission to the “Inner Circle” to implement.

The KORT Inner Circle is the highest level bestowed upon members of the KORT.

The inner circle is a chosen group of Citizens and in some cases civilians outside the Trivaren International Kingdom that will come together as the KORT Inner Circle “Mastermind” Team.

This group will be utilized for the development of Trivaren International as an advisory group used for the company’s benefit for long term planning and assisting as needed in the Policies & Procedures and the Rules of Conduct.

The placement as a member of the Inner Circle is completely at the decision of the Inner Circle members and there are no qualifications within the Trivaren International Marketing Plan to place anyone on the Inner Circle.

The term as a member of the Inner Circle will expire on December 31st of every odd year, e.g. 2013, 2015.

The head of the Inner Circle is an appointment by the “inner circle” and will remain until appointment is revoked and the head of the “inner circle” may keep any present members he or she desires.

And if that wasn’t culty enough for you, behold Trivaren’s “Private Club”:

Trivaren International Private Club (known as the “Private Club”) is a group of like minded health and freedom oriented Citizens from all areas of the world and all economic and social sectors.

The goal of the Trivaren Private Club is to provide an information highway for all members to build a mutually beneficial successful Trivaren Business to help each and everyone strive to reach their own specific goals and dreams pertaining to their own health and wealth.

The Private Club is for you if you want proprietary and never before revealed information, as well as the personal help from some of the most successful people on earth so that you can achieve your hopes, dreams, and desires.

The Private Club is to remain as a Private Club with NO INFORMATION shared with anyone outside of the Private Club.

Information shared with its members remains the property of Trivaren International and will be relinquished to the Company by its members at its request or upon expiration of or resignation from Trivaren International.

Membership may include association with many highly accomplished leaders from a large variety of industrial, financial, social and political sectors.

Many members may have major professional accomplishments, academic accolades and worldwide reputations.

Members can receive shared knowledge, connections, and expertise, and mentor from those members who are serious about taking charge of their own destinies, achieving wealth, gaining financial freedom, experiencing dynamic health, and reaching high levels of overall emotional well-being.

The Private Club membership list is confidential and will remain so.

No one is authorized to share with anyone to include potential candidates or members anyone’s name or personal information unless authorized in writing from the CEO of Trivaren International in advance.

The Private Club may provide its members with exclusive, confidential, never before released information regarding:

-Information pertaining to reported cures and reversal of diseases
–Investments
–Stock, Bonds & Trading Information
-Real Estate Opportunities
-Wealth Management
-Debt Reduction and living with cash only
-Worldwide currencies and Offshore Banking
–How to take advantage of the Tax Laws
-How to associate with the “right” people (Ozedit: my cult warning alarm exploded at this point)
-And Much More

Membership is by invitation only. All members of Trivaren International Private Club are and will always remain anonymous to the general public.

On the Trivaren Website. Members gain access to the private areas of the Trivaren website.

The information is encoded, encrypted and placed on highly secure worldwide servers. As a member becomes a higher ranking member he is given access to more areas of the website.

Trivaren may release written material on various subjects. Some of this printed material may be out of print and can only be obtained by being a member of Trivaren.

Much of this printed material was NEVER published for the masses but rather printed and held in private libraries for secret private society members.

Much of this printed material could be hundreds of years old and contains information the wealthy elite deemed only for the eyes of the privileged few.

As Trivaren Citizens become higher level Citizens they may have the option of being an apprentice to a very successful high ranking member of Trivaren.

This one-on-one mentoring is unlike anything available anywhere.

The cost to sign-up as a Private Club member is a minimum of $29.95.

So uh, in conclusion: If cults, Knights Templar role-playing, pyramid schemes, FTC investigations and potential unregistered securities issues are your thing, Trivaren might be for you.

For everyone else, there’s… well, anything really.