DOJ file James Merril criminal trial brief (TelexFree)
In a September 28th trial brief filing, the DOJ claim TelexFree was
a massive pyramid scheme that roped in about a million people worldwide and caused about a billion dollars in losses.
TelexFree paid participants a yearly return of over 200% without requiring them to sell anything.
All they had to do was (a) pay TelexFree $1425 and then (b) spend a few minutes cutting and pasting tiny classified ads to a handful of web sites every day.
The company paid participants to recruit others too, but never required significant sales of an actual product.
Unsurprisingly, TelexFree collapsed; by April 2014 it owed its participants about $5,000,000,000.
At Merrill’s trial, currently scheduled for October 24th, the DOJ plan to
prove that TelexFree was a Ponzi and pyramid scheme (and) that Merrill knew this almost from the beginning, and yet continued to actively promote the company and profited from its illegal proceeds.
The DOJ’s filing is 46 pages long, so in the interest of brevity I’ve condensed the brief with only minimal commentary.
Read on for a brief of the DOJ’s case against James Merrill. [Continue reading…]
Kairos Technologies leaders arrested in Belarus
According to news reports out of Belarus, thirty local Kairos Technologies leaders were arrested yesterday. [Continue reading…]
BitRising Review: Six-tier matrix cash gifting scheme
There is no information on the BitRising website indicating who owns or runs the business.
BITRISING is a semi-automated system created by 3 individuals, who are funding and Founding members.
The BitRising website domain (“bitrising.com”) was registered on the 11th of September 2016, however the domain registration is set to private.
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…]
Ultimate Business World Review: UBW Coin Ponzi points
Ultimate Business World claim to be based out of Estonia and operate in the digital currency MLM niche.
The company claims to be owned by Manhattan Securities, however no further information about this company is provided.
The Manhattan Securities website only displays the message: “Website is currently updating and will be online soon!” The domain itself was registered over a year ago.
A website frequently cited in the Ultimate Business World Terms and Conditions is that of Manhattan Funding, which today redirects to the Ultimate Business World website.
All three domains, Manhattan Securities, Manhattan Funding and Ultimate Business World have been registered privately.
Credited as Chairman of Ultimate Business World on its website is Paal Aschjem (right).
Paal is renowned throughout his international network for his role as the founder and longtime Chairman of the Norwegian–Estonian Chamber of Commerce, the Chairman of the Foreign Investors Council in Estonia, International Vice President of Junior Chamber International and the president of JCI Association of Senators in Europe.
Paal has developed several major companies in Norway and Estonia during the last 20 years.
A flyer hosted on the Norwegian embassy for Estonia website recommends Aschjem as the person to speak to if you’re interested in ‘networking/events with Norwegian companies established in Estonia‘.
Possibly due to language barriers (Aschjem is originally from Norway but now resides in Estonia), I was unable to put together an MLM history.
Read on for a full review of the Ultimate Business World MLM opportunity. [Continue reading…]
Global1Entertainment money laundering & wire fraud case confirmed
Back in January of 2015 Chuck King claimed the FBI was actively investigating Global1Entertainment and owner Rick Maike.
The status of the FBI investigation, indeed even whether it took place, has remained unknown for a year and a half.
There have been no official updates or subsequent information pertaining to the investigation released.
Today BehindMLM can reveal the DOJ filed a verified complaint for forfeiture against Global1Entertainment and Maike on January 14th, 2015.
The reason you’re only finding about it now is up until July 1st, 2016, the case was filed under seal. [Continue reading…]
OneCoin serve cease and desist to journalist over Ponzi claims
The revelation that London police have officially launched an investigation into OneCoin has gained widespread media attention.
In an article published a few hours ago in The Mirror, Andrew Penman confirmed
a spokesman for City of London Police confirmed that detectives from its Economic Crime Directorate are investigating suspected fraud linked to OneCoin.
According to their website, the Economic Crime Directorate ‘is recognised as the national policing lead for fraud and is dedicated to preventing and investigating fraud at all levels‘.
Carter-Ruck, a law firm representing OneCoin in the UK told Penman that
neither the FCA nor the City of London Police have contacted our clients.
The scope of services Carter-Ruck provide to OneCoin is unclear. On their website the firm lists Media Law, International Law and Commerical Disputes as practice areas.
In his article, Penman reveals that one service Carter-Ruck provide is the attempted silencing of journalists who report on OneCoin. [Continue reading…]
DOJ file witness/exhibit lists for upcoming Merrill trial (TelexFree)
In preparation for James Merrill’s upcoming October 24th trial, the DOJ has filed exhibit and witness lists.
In total the DOJ are looking to enter 618 exhibits into evidence and call up forty-three witnesses. [Continue reading…]
Sann Rodrigues to plead guilty to visa fraud
In May of 2015 TelexFree top investor Sann Rodrigues was arrested for visa fraud.
Rodrigues initially plead not guilty, however a Status Report filed back in August strongly suggested a plea agreement was on the table.
As part of a plea agreement filed on September 28th, Sann Rodrigues will now plead guilty to visa fraud. [Continue reading…]
OneCoin buys WeShare Crowdfunding cash gifting scheme
WeShare Crowdfunding was a cash gifting scheme launched in mid 2015.
WeShare Crowdfunding itself was a reboot of the Gold Crowdfunding gifting scheme, both owned and operated by James C. Hill (below right).
By mid 2016 WeShare Crowdfunding had collapsed, leaving the majority of affiliates with loss.
At the time a reboot through another unnamed gifting scheme was announced, with WeShare Crowdfunding executive purportedly offered positions in the new company.
While WeShare Crowdfunding management appeared set with cushy management positions in a new company, affiliates were not so lucky.
The proposed reboot would see their WeShare Crowdfunding balances wiped entirely.
Whether or not any of this actually transpired is unclear. Today the WeShare Crowdfunding website still has the same June 2016 collapse message published.
What we do know is that, seemingly out of the blue, yesterday OneCoin announced they had purchased the WeShare Crowdfunding affiliate-base. [Continue reading…]
OneCoin declared just $3.8 million in revenue last year
OneCoin represent themselves as a billion dollar company.
Earlier this year in March, OneCoin claimed it’s Ponzi points had a market cap of $3.34 billion USD.
Another marketing spiel routinely trotted out is the claim that OneCoin is the fastest company in history to reach one billion dollars in revenue.
A new report from the Bulgarian media outlet Capital suggests otherwise. [Continue reading…]