The End of the Wicked

This morning I logged on and read that TV pitchman Kevin Trudeau has been sentenced to ten years in prison.  It seemed like the right time to publish this post I put together recently which talks about Trudeau and other famous scammers. 

I don't talk about religion much, but since there are so many people of faith invested in the dinar I thought it might be a good idea to venture out on a certain topic.  In Psalms. 73:3-19 David mentions that he struggled with the fact that dishonest people often prosper while honest people struggle.  He says:

3  ... I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" 12 This is what the wicked are like-- always carefree, they increase in wealth. 13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. 15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 

David concludes that the wicked may appear for now to be impervious to any consequences for their actions, but in the end they will surely face the music.  Submitted for your approval ...

Don Lapre

Remember a guy named Don Lapre?  He was known as the king of infomercials, appearing in late night spots for nearly 20 years pitching everything from a classified ad "get rich quick" scheme to 900 number businesses to MLM to vitamins.  In 2011 he was charged with 41 counts of fraud and committed suicide at the age of 47.

Dave Del Dotto

Before him there was a real estate infomercial guy named Dave Del Dotto.  He ended up paying a $200,000 fine for defrauding investors in 1996 and wisely retired from the infomercial game.  He went legit and founded a successful winery in Napa Valley.

Robert Tilton

One man who was inspired by Del Dotto was televangelist Robert Tilton, whose 5,000 member megachurch in the Dallas area dwindled to a congregation of about 300 before being dissolved in 1996 after he was the subject of an ABC Prime Time Live investigation on televangelists.

Kevin Trudeau

Another popular infomercial guy is a douche named Kevin Trudeau.  He also pitched a number of products on television for 20 years before being incarcerated.  From Wikipedia:

He was convicted of larceny and credit card fraud in the early 1990s, and in 1998 he was sued by U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for making false or misleading claims in infomercials promoting his book The Weight-Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You to Know About. In 2004, he settled that action, by agreeing to pay a $500,000 fine and consenting to a lifetime ban on promoting products other than his books via infomercials.   On Nov. 29, 2011, theSeventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a $37.6 million fine levied against him for violating that 2004 settlement. Additionally, on remand, the district court modified its final order, requiring that he post a $2 million bond before engaging in future infomercial advertising.   In April 2013 he was reported to have filed for bankruptcy to avoid fines and stay further Federal prosecution.   In September and October 2013, he was twice briefly jailed for continued failure to pay fines related to his conviction, pleading poverty while continuing to live a lavish lifestyle.   In November 2013, Trudeau was convicted of criminal contempt and incarcerated.

Here's a good journalistic piece on Trudeau.

Klee Irwin

Do you recognize this creepy guy?  He's Klee Irwin of Irwin Naturals, a company that makes bowel cleansing kits which are pitched through infomercials as well.  He was ordered to pay over $2.5 million in fines for fraud and unfair business practices.  Seems the only thing getting cleaned out was the bank accounts of his customers.

Bernie Madoff

Federal Bureau of Prisons - Inmate #61727-054

Then of course there's the story of Bernie Madoff, the famous investment manager who bilked investors out of billions before being charged and convicted of investment fraud.  He ran his investment firm/ponzi scheme for nearly half a century before it all came tumbling down on him.  He's now serving what amounts to a life sentence in a prison in North Carolina.  





I could include a few dozen more if I had the time.  Scammers have been hawking worthless crap on TV and the internet since they were invented.  Everything from diet pills/supplements to exercise equipment to winning lottery techniques to miraculous stock trading software.  But I think I've made my point.  I'm bringing all of this out for a couple of reasons.  First, you should know that 90% of what you see in infomercials and investment enticements is BS.  This is why we have the BBB, Consumer Reports, the SEC, the FTC ... etc.  Always proceed with caution with any claims that sound dubious, and double check everything.  And second, this should serve as a warning to scammer wannabees.  You might get away with it for awhile, but judgment day always comes.  You might be riding high on the naivety of others today, but you're going to be brought down eventually. 

The bible also says "Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich." (Prov. 28:6)    In other words, you're better off honest and poor than a rich douchebag.  (That's the Sam I Am paraphrase.)

All of these people made millions by defrauding the public.  They all appeared successful and untouchable at one time, but they all had to pay the piper when the music ended.  Such will be the fate of those behind the dinar scam.


For further reading:

http://www.infomercial-hell.com/

http://www.quackwatch.com/

http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/financial-planning/investment-scams1.htm

http://www.johntreed.com/Reedgururating.html#anchor496881