A group I found out about over at Quatloos. They've already been convicted of a pyramid scheme, then came back again running another one while still in prison. So I think we can make an exception and put them straight under Frauds.
http://www.quatloos.com/Q-Forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4694&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=eliteArrests in Brazil
http://208.86.2.42/showthread.php?t=119641Court case in Texas
http://www.supreme.courts.state.tx.us/MiscDocket/04/04913200.PDFOpinion letter from their lawyer.
http://www.eliteactivity.org/content/legal/legal_letters.phpThat same lawyer was suspended from the bar a week later for fraud and other ethical problems.
http://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=Home&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=12943Connecting Us All is still running, but they have a disclaimer on their site.
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http://www.connectingusall.org/content/legal/disclosures.phpBUSINESS AND OPERATING HISTORY
ConnectingUsAll.org is a newly formed organization with no direct history of its own, no track record, no prior years. financials.
Many initial organizers, founders, and/or participants in ConnectingUsAll.org were involved in or connected in some way with Elite Activity, also known as Elite Activity Resurrected, Elite Activity Resurrected Church, Native American Church of Potlatch (referred to collectively herein as "Elite Activity").
ConnectingUsAll.org is a direct outgrowth of the business enterprise formerly referred to as the Elite Activity.
The Elite Activity was premised on a business model whereby a payment was required to join any given cycle.
As new members were recruited, a participant would move up in the organizational hierarchy eventually being in the position to receive gifts from eight other new participants.
Having received eight gifts after reaching the center of one cycle, participants were encouraged to join additional cycles at higher levels.
To request a full description as to how the cycles of the Elite Activity worked, please visit this link.
Connecting Us All, as a new organization, represents an effort to operate fully within the law; however reasonable minds may differ and conclude that Connecting Us All and ConnectingUsAll.org are illegal as a pyramid scheme, or as an unregistered security, or in some other way.
At least one court (Texas) and one administrative agency (Utah Dept. Of Consumer Protection) found that the Elite Activity and its business model, particularly as far as the use of the cycles was concerned, constituted an illegal pyramid scheme.
[Long legal description of pyramid scheme]
The Elite Activity's founder, Harvey Dockstader Jr. was criminally convicted in a Texas state court (USA) for having promoted an illegal pyramid scheme and was sentenced to prison. To request a copy of the trial transcripts or the court's docket for the criminal proceedings follow the following link. Request Court Transcript (PDF)
Harvey Dockstader Jr.'s wife, Maureen Dockstader, is involved with Connecting Us All.
Joe Read and his spouse were issued a citation by the Utah Department of Consumer Protection for operating an illegal pyramid scheme in the state of Utah, USA, in connection with the Elite Activity. The Reads were ordered to cease and desist operations in Utah, and to put a notice on the Elite Activity website stating that Elite cannot and will not operate in Utah.
Joe Read is an officer of Connecting Us All.
It is illegal under state and federal law in the United States to promote a pyramid scheme.
There are many similarities between the cycles used by the Elite Activity and the cycles employed in ConnectingUsAll.org
It is possible that a future governmental enforcement agency may require ConnectingUsAll.org to immediately cease and desist further transactions utilizing the gifting model. If this occurs, any gifts, or monies used for membership fees and the like, would likely be lost and therefore nonrefundable.
It is possible that organizers and/or leaders in Connecting Us All could be charged criminally if determined to be operating in violation of criminal law.
It is possible that a state or federal agency could prosecute all participants in Connecting Us All civilly or criminally....
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And there are at least a dozen more disclaimers following those!
