Defi Synergy fails to provide ownership or executive information on its website.

Defi Synergy’s website domain (“defisynergy.io”), was privately registered on December 23rd, 2023.

On March 2nd, 2024, Defi Synergy uploaded a video to its official YouTube channel titled “Launch Defi Synergy“.

The recording is of a Zoom webinar, primarily attended by what appears to be middle-aged to elderly US residents.

Hosting the webinar was Texas resident James Prewitt.

Prewitt made a name for himself as a National Director in the YTB Travel pyramid scheme (aka YTB International).

Circa 2010, Prewitt’s YTB Travel marketing hook was convincing religious leaders to scam their followers.

Following regulatory action from California in 2008, YTB Travel began a drawn out collapse over the following years. YTB Travel would eventually go on to file for bankruptcy in 2013.

Prewitt and wife Marcia followed YTB Travel co-founder Scott Tomer into Surge 365.

Surge365, aka Surge Three Sixty-Five, launched in 2015. Not surprisingly, Surge365 is another travel-themed MLM recruitment scheme.

Today Surge365’s website is still up. Tomer is now Chairman of the company and the Prewitt’s appear to have moved on to cryptocurrency.

Getting back to Defi Synergy’s launch video, James Prewitt goes on to introduce Maryland resident J. Scott Whitney (aka Scott Whitney).

Whitney claims to have “been in the crypto space since 2016”. I can’t speak to that but can confirm Whitney was promoting the non-crypto MLM company Asirvia in 2017.

What I can confirm is Whitney is a serial promoter of MLM crypto Ponzi schemes. Whitney appears to promote fraudulent investment schemes under “A Team United” branding.

Seemingly in preparation for Defi Synergy’s launch, Whitney has attempted to delete his promotion of fraudulent MLM crypto investment schemes.

Nonetheless, two MLM crypto Ponzi schemes we can tie Whitney to are NovaTechFX and Vortic United.

NovaTechFX was an MLM crypto Ponzi scheme that collapsed in February 2023.

Vortic United was a Boris CEO MLM crypto Ponzi that collapsed in August 2023.

Given he’s actively deleting his scamming past, whether Whitney promoted other MLM crypto Ponzis in the lead up to Defi Synergy is unclear.

The third name we can tie to Defi Synergy is Bob Bearden, who Whitney introduces as his “partner”.

Bob Bearden promoted Visalus, Jeunesse and QuiAri, before transitioning to MLM crypto fraud with NovaTechFX.

As of February 2024, an ongoing SEC investigation into NovaTechFX is underway.

As always, if an MLM company is not openly upfront about who is running or owns it, think long and hard about joining and/or handing over any money. [Continue reading…]

Deana Lozano has voluntarily dismissed her case against Pruvit.

Lozano filed suit against Pruvit in June 2023. In her suit Lozano alleged Pruvit claimed its products contain “no artificial flavors”, but in fact used petrochemical derived flavoring. [Continue reading…]

BitClub Network scammer Joby Weeks has had his bail conditions downgraded back to home incarceration.

A February 22nd petition filed by a Pretrial Services Officer requested the change, pending an also requested bail review hearing. [Continue reading…]

Gift Dreams fails to provide ownership or executive information on its website.

Gift Dreams’ website domain (“giftdreamsglobal.com”), was privately registered on July 25th, 2023.

As tracked by SimilarWeb, Gift Dreams is primarily being promoted across South America; Argentina (58%), Venezuela (15%), Bolivia (7%) and Colombia (7%).

While its website is presented in English, Gift Dreams’ official Terms and Conditions is in Spanish.

Gift Dreams’ Terms and Conditions document was authored by “Leonardo Parra”. Possibly due to language barriers, I wasn’t able to find anything further on Parra.

As always, if an MLM company is not openly upfront about who is running or owns it, think long and hard about joining and/or handing over any money. [Continue reading…]

Flyback Solutions fails to provide ownership or executive information on its website.

Flyback’s website domain (“flybacksolutions.com”), was privately registered on October 10th, 2023.

Thanks to some preliminary research from BehindMLM reader Melanie, one name we can attach to Flyback Solutions is Dennis Nowak.

In a Flyback Solutions webinar held in November 2023, Nowak is cited as Flyback Solutions’ CEO.

Nowak, who on his LinkedIn profile claims to be based out of Switzerland, appeared on BehindMLM’s radar in mid 2019.

At the time Nowak was a suspect in a Swiss investigation into MyCryptoWorld, Infinity Economics and We Go Crypto.

MyCryptoWorld was an MLM shitcoin pump and dump scheme. Infinity Economics and We Go Crypto were non-MLM crypto fraud schemes.

Unfortunately the outcome of the Swiss investigation is unclear.

After his stint as a crypto bro, Nowak fell back on his position in LavyLites.

LavyLites is a Hungarian MLM company that appears to have been in decline for most of 2020.

Circa mid 2016 BusinessForHome clocked Nowak’s LavyLites income at $80,000 a month.

Nowak’s LavyLites income collapsed toward the end of 2020. In October 2020, Nowak published an email begging Lavylites pay him an alleged one million euros in unpaid commissions.

Nowak threatened legal action but as far as I know nothing came of it.

Nowak went on to launch Elixoo in early 2021.

Elixoo, since collapsed, was a pay-to-play MLM pyramid scheme built around bizarre meteorite powder supplements.

As always, if an MLM company is not openly upfront about who is running or owns it, think long and hard about joining and/or handing over any money. [Continue reading…]

GSB Global has received a securities fraud cease and desist from Texas.

Respondents named in the Texas State Securities Board’s February 29th order are GSB Global, Carson Williams, Sheila Thompson, Patrick Snider and Keneth Henderson. [Continue reading…]

Back in December 2023 BehindMLM published its first Frequense review. We found a particularly basic MLM opportunity with two forgettable products.

And for some reason Frequense was selling clothing, of which they had more lines than supplements.

Turns out, although it wasn’t disclosed on their website, Frequense was in a prolonged “beta-testing” prelaunch phase. Following several delays, Frequense launched earlier this month.

Today we revisit Frequense for an updated “full launch” review. [Continue reading…]

An investigative report from Norway has provided insight into Anthony Norman’s criminal case in Sweden.

As per a February 8th report from Kapital, “the money trail leads to money laundering and international organized crime.” [Continue reading…]

Bionix fails to provide ownership or executive information on its website.

Bionix’s website domain (“bionix.company”), was privately registered on December 5th, 2023.

Over on Bionix’s official YouTube channel, we find a marketing video narrated in Russian.

Bionix’s official Telegram channel is also split between English and Russian:

From this we can ascertain Bionix at the very least has ties to someone who speaks Russian.

As always, if an MLM company is not openly upfront about who is running or owns it, think long and hard about joining and/or handing over any money. [Continue reading…]

Ataash fails to provide verifiable ownership or executive information on its website.

Ataash names “Arthur Henry Chapman” as its Chairman and founder on its website. Beyond a name though, no further information is provided.

Over on YouTube we find Ataash marketing videos featuring Fiverr style marketing videos (an actor standing in front of a greenscreen):

Ataash’s website domain (“ataash.com”), was privately registered on November 24th, 2023.

In an attempt to appear legitimate, Ataash provides shell company certificates for the US and UK.

Due to the ease with which scammers are able to incorporate shell companies with bogus details, for the purpose of MLM due-diligence these certificates are meaningless.

Numerous spelling and grammatical errors on Akaash’s website suggest it is run by non-native English speakers.

As always, if an MLM company is not openly upfront about who is running or owns it, think long and hard about joining and/or handing over any money. [Continue reading…]