• Typical Red Flags of Ponzi Schemes

    Last week the FBI posted an article on its site, A Pyramid of Lies, that told the story of the Gentry Ponzi scheme in rural Tennessee. Ponzi schemes are pretty easy to spot if you know the red flags. Even […]

  • Why MLMs are Pyramid Schemes

    Multi-level marketing companies (MLMs) are nothing but pyramid schemes. Oh sure, there are websites that go to great pains to discuss the difference between MLMs and pyramid schemes. But when you boil it down, MLMs are indeed pyramid schemes, and […]

  • Signs of Fraud

    There are many signs of fraud occurring within companies or with individuals. What are some of the signs we may see that indicate fraud is occurring? During a fraud investigation I am looking for signs that things are wrong. What […]

  • Herbalife Manipulates Distributor Earnings Numbers

    When Herbalife settled the case brought against it by the FTC, it appeared the company may change how it was doing business. It was said that the company was going to start making truthful claims about earnings. But the most […]

  • Return on Investment for College Degrees

    Sometimes it is fun to get away from the topics of fraud and divorce. I thought these were some great resources on some of the highest paying jobs to help you figure out where you might get the greatest return […]

  • Jeunesse Is a Pyramid Scheme, Says Expert

    In October, a billion dollar class action lawsuit was filed against Jeunesse, alleging that the multi-level marketing company (MLM) is actually a pyramid scheme. Truth in Advertising summarizes the lawsuit: The lawsuit, which was filed Oct. 12 in California federal district […]

  • Year-End Tax Planning Tips for Consumers

    Now is the time when everyone scrambles to get their tax situation in order. There are some tax moves you should make BEFORE the end of the year, so act now. I was interviewed in 2008 on CNBC about year-end […]

  • WorldVentures Pyramid Scheme Lawsuit

    Back in May, a class action lawsuit was filed against multi-level marketing company WorldVentures. This is the travel MLM that encourages distributors to share photos of themselves holding signs saying “You Should Be Here.”  It is marketed as a direct […]

  • Short Seller Marc Cohodes About Face on Overstock

    Former hedge fund manager Marc Cohodes has been a long-time critic of Overstock.com and its wacky CEO, Patrick Byrne. The criticism dates back to the days when Cohodes was at Rocker Partners, a company that was sued by Overstock along […]

  • Stella & Dot

    Stella & Dot sells jewelry, handbags, and other accessories for women. It was founded in 2003 by Jessica Herrin, and Blythe Harris joined the company in 2007. The company calls its distributors Independent Stylists. 2014 Income Disclosure Statement 2015 Income […]