Is
"Me-Too" Truth-Telling Finally Coming to MLM?
Dear Colleagues,
With an
MLM-owner-promoter now sitting in the White House and Amway's Betsy
Devos presiding over American education, and with the FTC's
humiliating surrender to the influence-buying of Herbalife, many
people are asking about the state of Truth related to "multi-level
marketing." Has the Big Lie won over Truth, they ask me (and I
have asked myself)?
The
merchants of deception are in the
forefront, but truth-telling has not abated. In fact, it is popping
out in new and more powerful formats. There is even a major movie series coming in 2019 on AMC in
which the harmful deception of "multi-level marketing" is
the film's theme and backdrop. Already, reviews of the upcoming film are
connecting it to Donald Trump's real-life promotions of MLM
schemes and the MLM epidemic in America.
Those of us who have
been carrying the torch of truth about "MLM" should also
know that many new
(and younger) messengers are showing up. They are informed,
confident, courageous, and adept
with social media.
One that I
have spent a lot of time helping is a professionally-produced podcast series - the first
of its kind in depth of research - that delves historically and
personally into the dark realities of multi-level marketing. Called
The Dream,
the 12-segment podcast presents never-before-publicized history and
facts and respectfully gives a voice to the millions of people who
were misled into investing their time, money and lives in MLM. For its factual authority
as well as professional and entertaining format The Dream should
be placed alongside John Oliver's immensely popular and unflinchingly
truthful segment on MLM on his HBO
show. I urge you to listen and refer The Dream to others.
Like the
"me-too" movement, which is revealing the extent of abuse
and assault that women (and others) endure, The Dream podcast may be part of a new
movement in which victims of MLM fraud will, finally, be able to come
forward. Their "failures" will no longer be borne in
shame. Their losses can, finally, be seen as not their own fault,
which the MLM promoters falsely and maliciously claimed, but as the
intended result of a financial assault.
Another truth-telling
development related to MLM is the remarkable class-action RICO lawsuit filed against Donald Trump,
principally for his deceptive promotions of the MLM "income
opportunity." This is the first time that MLM's false
and harmful promise of income is the basis of a fraud and
racketeering case brought against
a national political figure. MLM has insinuated itself right into the
White House and brought its treacherous history and inevitable
lawsuits into that office.
At the grass roots level, many new voices of truth-telling are
emerging. Several are mentioned below that offer forums, podcasts,
interviews, and reports on the realities of MLM fraud. This new
generation of voices is not mired in old myths about "good"
and "bad" MLMs. They are not taken in by the pretense that
"MLM is legitimate," and
most of the new voices are no longer focused only on single MLM
schemes. They see through the disguise used by all
MLMs of "sales business" and they understand that MLM's
absurd "products" are only bait for the "endless
chain" trap common to all MLMs. Most of the new voices recognize
"MLM" as a cultic racket. The realities of mass deception
and pyramid fraud are their baselines.
 My own effort at an uncensored
and comprehensive report on MLM is being poured into a new book,
entitled "Ponzinomics,
the Untold History of Multi-Level Marketing and How Direct Selling
Became an American Swindle." It provides a
fact-based history of how MLM came to be, its American business and
cultural roots, and a detailed dissection of its design and
operation. It provides an historical account, naming names, of the
MLM promoters' ongoing actions to evade and mislead law enforcement
and the government officials who have colluded. Beyond its factual
content, this book is an attempt on my part to help change the
language used to describe MLM from the inappropriate, inaccurate and
disguising "business" and "sales" language that
is mostly used today, to proper terms that are used for scams,
swindles, con-games and cultism.
Finally, addressing truth-telling about MLM means acknowledging and honoring
the passing of Jon M. Taylor, author, teacher, and
publisher of MLM-thetruth.com. Jon
was a colleague and friend for 20 years. Until his passing in August,
he provided assistance to millions of people seeking the truth about
"multi-level marketing." His work in identifying the universal and defining elements of
"MLM," revealing that the MLM model itself is a
classic pyramid scheme - and thereby obliterating the distinction
between "MLM" and "pyramid scheme" - was
groundbreaking. That he did it as a Mormon living in Utah was
especially courageous. Utah is where MLM scams are most heavily
concentrated and have a strong and corrupting grip over state
politics and the state economy. It is pervasive in families, churches
and social life there. The LDS (Mormon) church is also based in Utah
and is a major beneficiary of MLM "profits." Jon publicly
and directly warned the top Mormon church leaders about the breakdown
in ethics in taking MLM money. One of Jon Taylor's
signature works, "MLM Unmasked," is still online.
He would be happy to know that others are carrying on the work.
I extend my best wishes to all for
2019. I would be happy to hear of your own experiences or work in
telling the truth about MLM.
Sincerely,
Robert FitzPatrick
PYRAMID SCHEME ALERT
704-334-2047
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