News Update 07-SEP-2014: Herbalife problem in Norway; TelexFree Brazil Exposed; Zeek, TelexFree, and WCM ponzi updates

Remember folks, when you read "news", they better have a source, and it better be a reputable source (or links to a reputable source), and I do try to do that. If I don't, let me know and I'll fix it. If the sources you read don't cite sources... Well, maybe you shouldn't trust them.

I know I haven't updated this blog for a week, so here's some belated updates:

Herbalife Scandal in Norway; False Claims that former Norwegian PM joined Herbalife

Norwegian magazine Kapital broke the news that Gro Harlem Brundtland, former three-time Prime Minister of Norway and former director general of World Health Organization (WHO) was completely unaware that her name was used on the website "Herbashop Norway" where one of the replicated websites proudly claims "Welcome to Gro Harlem Brundtlands Herbashop! ... After only three months I had controlled my weight down and changed pant size from 42 to 36"

Screenshot of the said Herbashop Norway, courtesy of Kapital magazine
page has been since removed

The page had since been removed from the Herbashop website. However, there is no word on whether Brundtland will take further action against Herbalife or Herbashop, or whether Herbalife itself may take some sort of action against Herbashop, which is an independent operation based in Norway by affiliate Dan Ove Tuven. Herbalife has promised an investigation.

Norwegian news Dagbladet claims that several other Norwegian celebrities were also used in various claims regarding Herbalife products, probably without their permission.

In March 2014 Ray Liotta sued Nerium, when he found that Nerium affiliates claimed for months in late 2013 that Ray Liotta's skin condition improved due to use of Nerium products.

(First reported by BehindMLM)


Brazilian News Revealed Shell Companies Allegedly Used by TelexFree for Money Laundering

Coat of arms of Brazilian Federal Police
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Globo news in Brazil have published allegations from Brazilian Federal Police that they believe TelexFree has engaged in money laundering and concealment of assets through various shell corporations by using relatives of Carlos Costa, head of Ympactus, i.e. "TelexFree Brazil". At least two companies are registered to Carlos' daughter Leticia Costa: AgroFruta and Brasil Factoring, and their stocks are allegedly worth millions despite her only declaring income of 60K a year. It's also worth noting that Carlos' wife Jozelia is named as the biggest creditor in the original TelexFree US bankruptcy application.

Brazilian Federal Police suspect that money that was ordered frozen by Brazilian court back in 2013 may have been used illegally to fund these alleged shell companies in order to hide them from authorities. Many of the directors in these companies are TelexFree top promoters, said the police.

You can read the Globo report here in Portuguese

BREAKING NEWS: World Ventures *is* a Pyramid Scheme, according to Norwegian authorities

Norwegian authorities, after an investigation, concluded that World Ventures is a pyramid scheme.

See BehindMLM report for full details.

http://behindmlm.com/companies/world-ventures/world-ventures-a-pyramid-scheme-in-norway/

P.S. I've tangled with some "true believers" of World Ventures before. One of them even cloned this blog except to write stuff claiming I'm a fraud and a crook. I hope they got their heads straight now.