A Dallas District Court judge today blocked Stream Energy from using proprietary technology and information to launch a new mobile phone service after social commerce leader Solavei sued Stream for stealing trade secrets gathered during extensive merger talks.
Seattle-based Solavei sought the injunction to halt Stream and its marketing arm, Ignite, from using trade secrets and other intellectual property in launching a mobile phone service sold through an online direct-marketing platform – exactly the type of social commerce business pioneered and continuously innovated upon by Solavei. Stream’s mobile business was set to launch on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, at an event in Las Vegas.
“Without benefit of Solavei’s confidential information and the guidance and explanation provided during due diligence, Defendants could not launch this new business – particularly not in a matter of months,” the lawsuit states.
Solavei provides high-quality, low-cost and contract-free mobile phone service in the United States. The company’s core business strategy combines social media, referral marketing and mobile service.
Stream is a Texas company involved in the direct marketing of retail electric service. Senior Stream executives named in the lawsuit are Chairman Rob Snyder, CEO Mark “Bouncer” Schiro and CFO Renee Hornbaker along with top Stream associates who were bound by specific confidentiality agreements.
In
Tag Archive for MLM Lawsuits
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Zeek Rewards Receiver Sues 22 Australian Leaders
by Ted Nuyten • • 0 Comments
Zeek Receiver Kenneth Bell has filed on 29 December a Federal lawsuit entitled “Bell v. Bjerring et al”. Gert Bjerring is the largest fish in the pool with $826,000+ in Zeek Rewards commissions.
How an USA court has jurisdiction over Australian citizens has to be proven, however Australian Zeek Rewards net winners are most likely not pleased, the USA is going after them…
According to the lawsuit:
“Because Zeek’s net winners “won” (the victims’) money in an unlawful combined Ponzi and pyramid scheme, the net winners are not permitted to keep their winnings and must return the fraudulently transferred winnings back to the Receiver for distribution to Zeek’s victims”.
Gert Bjerring of Queensland, Australia, $826,801.73
David Mitchell of New South Wales, Australia, $298,802.10
Nicola Holloway of Queensland, Australia, $273,009.36
Sam Fawahl of Victoria, Australia, $232,564.55
Warren Hickey of Queensland, Australia, $159,757.73
Paul Mandelt of Western Australia, $128,913.02
Kelvian Hansen of Queensland, Australia, $111,799.43
Anni Thompson of Queensland, Australia, $95,566.00
Ann Audrey Hickey of Queensland, Australia, $83,487.05
R&J Thumm Family P/L as Trustee for Thumm Investment Trust, Australia, $80,130.26
David Cane of Queensland, Australia, $77,296.57
Donna Walton of Queensland, Australia, $76,730.36
Michael Georghiou of Victoria, Australia, $74,968.93
Thomas von Eitzen of Queensland, Australia, $74,854.07
Bradley Ferries
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Dutch Justice Closes Down Pyramid Game PlanB4You
by Ted Nuyten • • 0 Comments
Justitie legt voor miljoenen beslag op rekeningen PlanB4you uit Den Bosch om piramidespel
DEN BOSCH – Justitie heeft beslag gelegd op de bankrekeningen van PlanB4you en van de directeur. Dat bedrijf, dat voor kort een kantoor in Den Bosch had, zou zich voor 2,5 miljoen euro schuldig hebben gemaakt aan oplichting en witwassen.
De FIOD, de opsporingsdienst van de Belastingdienst, doet strafrechtelijk onderzoek naar het bedrijf. Het vermoeden bestaat dat PlanB4you zich schuldig maakt aan een piramidespel, dat ook wel ponzifraude heet. Hierbij betaalt het bedrijf deelnemers met de belegging van de inleg van nieuwe klanten. De oprichter eigent zich dan meestal een bijzonder hoog rendement toe.
‘Makkelijk geld verdienen’
Via YouTube en bijeenkomsten probeert PlanB4you nieuwe klanten te strikken. Het bedrijf houdt ze daarbij voor dat ze makkelijk geld kunnen verdienen door dagelijks tien keer op advertenties te klikken. Daarnaast zouden potentiële klanten makkelijk geld kunnen verdienen door anderen over te halen deel te nemen aan het project.
“Deze deelnemers komen dan als het ware onder de aanbrenger te hangen wat weer extra inkomen oplevert voor de aanbrenger. Naast het klikken op de banners heeft PlanB4you ook nog een webshop waar goederen tegen ‘hoge’ kortingen kunnen worden aangeschaft”, aldus justitie.
Invallen in Nederland en andere
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TelexFree Receiver Stephen Darr Speaks Out
by Ted Nuyten • • 0 Comments
In 35 years of handling bankruptcy cases, Stephen Darr has seen plenty of ugly. He has doled out funds to creditors of an asbestos company and a machine gun maker and to victims of several Ponzi schemes.
But nothing comes close to the scale of the TelexFree Inc. bankruptcy. Never in history has a trustee been responsible for divvying up the assets of a company that prosecutors say defrauded 2.1 million people, from Boston to Uganda.
Darr, an accountant by trade and senior managing director at Mesirow Financial Consulting in Boston, is the court-appointed trustee charged with paying out claims to victims who believe they are owed more than $1 billion in the case. TelexFree was purportedly a long-distance phone company, but in reality generated most of its money by luring a stream of small investors from 2012 until it was shut down earlier this year, according to prosecutors.
Many Brazilian immigrants risked — and lost — large portions of their savings, in hopes of reaping the generous returns that were promised.
“I feel very sympathetic toward these people,’’ Darr said. “They lost a lot of money. They deserve to get it back, and it’s my job to get it back to them as
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Trévo Adds To List of New Car Qualifiers
by Nicole Dunkley • • 0 Comments
Trévo’s explosive growth as a young company has been well-documented over the last few years, and the Life and Health Coaches behind that growth are reaping the benefits of their hard work.
Tonbara Inoma Batubo, Brou Epse Yapo Chia Ann Marie, and Amani Blaise Kouame have been gaining momentum since each of them joined the company in 2013. Just one year later, that momentum has resulted in sales worthy of a new car!
Tonbara Inoma Batubo, from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, joined Trévo in October 2013, and in the 13 months since has already earned an Emerald Elite Executive rank, and qualified for a new car.
Meanwhile, Amani Blaise Kouame and and Brou Epse Yapo Chia Ann Marie, both from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, joined Trévo just over a year ago, and each has already earned an Emerald Elite Executive rank and qualified for a new car, as well.
“We implemented our Car Bonus Program with the purpose of rewarding the Life and Health Coaches that have gone above and beyond with their Trévo business,” CEO Mark Stevens said. “These three individuals have shown an extraordinary commitment to expanding their personal business and the Trévo brand, and we are so pleased to reward them for those
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Nu Skin Force For Good Foundation Funds $300,000 Building Of New School In The Philippines
by Nicole Dunkley • • 0 Comments
Nu Skin’s Force for Good Foundation donated nearly $300,000 via Singapore Red Cross to build a new school for young children in Albuera, Philippines, adversely impacted by Super Typhoon Haiyan. The Nov. 8, 2013, storm killed an estimated 6,300 people and nearly annihilated the provinces of Samar and Leyte.
Nu Skin’s funds helped pay for Calingatan Elementary School that accommodates up to 270 children with 15 classrooms and additionally serves as an evacuation and relief center. The educational facility was constructed to be earthquake and typhoon resistant and is also equipped with solar panels to conserve energy.
The new school was dedicated in a ceremony, Nov. 5, 2014, attended by Nu Skin sales leaders and employees, and Secretary General for Singapore Red Cross Benjamin William, Albuera Mayor Ramon de la Cerna and other Albuera government officials. Students enrolled at the school were also presented with Nu Skin tote bags containing notebooks, markers and colored pencils.
“We are very happy for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people in this community. This project gives the children a chance to better their lives as they and their families move on after the Haiyan tragedy,” said Jasmine Yang, Nu Skin Regional
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Zija International Wins 7 MarCom Awards
by Nicole Dunkley • • 0 Comments
Zija International recently received several prestigious 2014 MarCom Awards, which recognizes excellence in marketing communications, design, branding, product packaging, etc. Platinum is the highest award possible, followed by Gold. Zija received the following:
PLATINUM
New Product Materials, Zija International
Branding, Améo Essential Oils
Product Launch, Améo Essential Oils
GOLD
Branding, Ripstix Supplements
Product Launch, Ripstix Supplements
HONORABLE MENTION
Integrated Marketing, Améo Essential Oils
Integrated Marketing, Ripstix Supplements
It’s been a whirlwind year at Zija International with the launch of these two exciting new product divisions. We’re honored to have been recognized for our hard work and for the final products.
The competition has grown to perhaps the largest of its kind in the world, with over 6,000 entries per year. A look at the winners shows a range in size from individual communicators to media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies.
MarCom Awards is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The Association oversees awards and recognition programs, provides judges and sets standards for excellence. A complete list of Platinum winners can be found on the MarCom Awards website at www.marcomawards.com.
About Zija International
Although the company has been in business for only a few short years, it has experienced impressive growth year after year and been recognized as one of
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Herbalife To Settle Class Action Lawsuit, Denies Any Liability
by Ted Nuyten • • 0 Comments
On October 31, 2014, global nutrition company, Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) entered into a settlement agreement that, if approved by the court, will resolve a class action lawsuit against the company.
The company has been aggressively defending itself against the plaintiffs’ allegations set forth in Bostick v. Herbalife ever since the lawsuit was filed in 2013. Yet, the potential cost, as well as the distraction, disruption and burden of prolonged litigation on the company and its management team, led the company to decide that the terms set forth in the settlement agreement provided the best path for moving forward.
The company notes that the settlement does not contain an admission of liability or wrongdoing and still asserts that the suit has no merit. Additionally, the company notes that the plaintiffs’ counsel acknowledge that a finder of fact could reasonably conclude there is substantial demand for Herbalife product and Herbalife is not in violation of the law.
Mark Friedman, general counsel of Herbalife, stated:
“We are fully confident that we would have prevailed. Settling this matter, however, is in the company’s best interest as it allows us to put it behind us and focus on the future growth of the company.”
About Herbalife Ltd.
Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF)
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Paul Burks – ZeekRewards President Charged For Operating $850 Million Ponzi Scheme
by Ted Nuyten • • 0 Comments
The president and founder of ZeekRewards, Paul Burks, has been indicted on federal charges for operating an Internet Ponzi scheme that took in more than $850 million dollars, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, USA
The criminal indictment was returned on 24 October 2014 by a federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte, charging Burks, 67, of Lexington, N.C., with wire and mail fraud conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, and tax fraud conspiracy.
Russell F. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Division and Thomas J. Holloman III, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI) join U.S. Attorney Tompkins in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, from January 2010 through August 2012, Paul Burks was the owner of Rex Venture Group, LLC (RVG), through which he owned and operated Zeekler, a sham Internet-based penny auction company, and its purported advertising division, ZeekRewards (collectively “Zeek”).
The indictment alleges that Burks and his conspirators induced victims – including over 1,500 victims in the Charlotte area – to invest in their fraudulent scheme, by falsely representing that Zeekler was generating massive retail profits from
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Class Action Complaint Against ACN And XOOM Energy
by Ted Nuyten • • 0 Comments
Oladipupo Adesina files this class action (Case 3:14-cv-00562-GCM) complaint in the USA – North Carolina on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated.
The class action alleges that ACN and XOOM used a fraudulent and deceptive bait-and-switch sales model to get customers to switch to the XOOM Energy Simpleflex flexible energy plan with a low promotional rate offer and energy savings, and then charging customers exorbitant, non-competitive rates after the promotional period.
It also alleges that ACN and XOOM concealed certain material information regarding the upward trend of the customers’ energy rates and that ACN IBO’s and that ACN’s and XOOM’s websites fraudulently state that consumer would save money on their energy bills and that the consumers’ rates were competitive.
It is further alleged that ACN and XOOM make the cancellation process lengthy and difficult, with cancellation taking up to two billing cycles.
The complaint cites numerous online customer complaints about the plan.
According to the class action complaint:
“ACN and XOOM sales pitch is in reality false and misleading in that the rates actually charged to consumers are not competitive and bear little relation to prevailing market conditions. As a consequence of this scheme, consumers across the nation are essentially being scammed out of