"The Stupid...it Bernd!!"

It's been a while since I've paid homage to the wackadoodle shenanigans of serial scammer Kevin Trudeau's former b.f.f. and alt-health spokesnut, "Dr." Leonard Coldwell, the former Bernd Klein, aka Bernd Witchner (Witchner was the last name of a former wife of Bernd's; he used the name Bernd Witchner on his German passport at one time). For those of you who aren't up to speed on Lenny C's name changes, seriously questionable credentials (I'm being polite for the moment) and other iffy background issues, I refer you to my very first blog post about him, first published in May 2012 and updated in September of the same year. Here is the link. Go read it if you need it. I'll wait.

I've written quite a few times about Coldwell since then -- mostly about his crazy rants on Facebook, including his rants against me (more on that below). More revealing posts have actually come from other bloggers, among them, Salty Droid, Bernie at GINtruth, and Omri Shabat at Glancingweb. These guys have tackled some of the more distasteful allegations that have come out about Coldwell, based in part upon a 2007 police report that, while not resulting in any charges (and the most serious charge would have been something called "forcible fondling"), nonetheless seems very much like a smoking gun.

Yesterday, February 14, Bernie wrote about Coldwell again (actually it was already February 15 for Bernie, since he's in Japan and many hours ahead of the U.S.). It appears that Coldwell has outdone himself in stupidity, having sent an unsigned, undated draft of a legal document to Bernie, titled "COMPLAINT AT LAW FOR DEFAMATION PER SE."

The draft, a defamation complaint against "Omri Shabat a/k/a Jason Michael Jones," is silly on many levels. First off, it was a little crazy to send it to Bernie -- who, as I mentioned, resides in Japan -- since he is not even listed as a party to the prospective lawsuit. But even sillier is the declaration that Salty Droid, aka Jason Michael Jones, who writes the Salty Droid blog, is the same person as Omri Shabat, who writes the Glancingweb blog.

Of note, the document centers around Omri's blog posts, not Jason's. Also of note, Omri is in Israel, and Jason, aka Salty Droid, is not. Granted, Omri's style is somewhat similar to Salty's (though with a distinct English-as-a-second-language note lacking on Salty's, and there are other things, such as ads that the little fake robot would never allow on his blog, and a few other major differences). Omri has his own style and approach. He is not Salty. Salty is not Omri.

At any rate, here is a link to the "defamation complaint" sent to Bernie, with the name of the lawyer and law firm redacted, per the firm's request.

It's amusing that the document mentions all of Coldwell's dodgy creds, including his "honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities." Bernie wrote about that recently as well. That "degree" is from an iffy, unaccredited religious "university" called Louisiana Baptist University.


Coldwell's history of harassment
The February 14 missive is far from the first harassing communication Bernie has received from the Coldwell camp. Previously he received rants and threats from Coldwell via Facebook, usually by private message, and Coldwell also wrote about him on numerous Facebook threads, claiming that Bernie is mentally ill and dangerous. That is pretty much the same claim Coldwell makes about virtually all of his critics, including me, though some of us get extra special treatment. (Now I'm going to digress a little, but only for the next three paragraphs, and mainly for the benefit of those who might not be familiar with the background story.)

As I've mentioned a few dozen times, and I have screen shots to back it all up, Coldwell has told actionable lies about me, such as claiming that I am a former prostitute who has AIDS and has given "bad STDs" to her customers. Here's a post from Salty about one of Coldwell's numerous rants about me. In this rant Coldwell simply says I'm an ex-hooker with STDs, and that I'm being paid by Big Pharma to discredit well-meaning natural cure experts such as Lenny. All lies. Coldwell also says that I am a cancer that needs to be gotten rid of, which has always sounded to me as if he is trying to incite others to harm me.

Here's a post from Bernie regarding one of Coldwell's more recent, and one of his most ludicrous, lies about me. In this one, Coldwell says I'm an AIDS-sick prostitute who now has cancer too because I'm jealous. He also tells the worse-than-stupid lie that I tried to get his buddy Peter Wink (Kevin Trudeau's ex-marketing guy) to fix me up on a date with Coldwell, and when Coldwell refused I flipped out and went on a hate rampage against Coldwell and Wink. 

I know I've written about these before, but I thought it was a good idea to post reminders, for the benefit of newbies, such as lawyers who might be trying to make a decision about whether they really want to represent a lying psychopath. You're welcome, lawyers. If any of you are interested, I have dozens of screen shots of rants and threats Coldwell has made against me.

Anyway, as I said, Bernie had previously been getting most of his communications from Coldwell via Facebook. But now Lenny has stepped up his game. There's that silly "defamation claim," f'rinstance. And before that, he had sent Bernie a more direct threat: a draft of a cease-and-desist letter from an attorney who is associated with the law firm Merritt Webb. Merrit Webb is a name Coldwell had been waving around for a few months as the firm that will be filing a class-action lawsuit on his behalf against Kevin Trudeau. Here's a link to Bernie's hilarious blog post about that. Once again, Loony made a blunder because the document was clearly listed as a "proposed letter." In fact, this is exactly how it was headed:
DATE/PROPOSED LETTER

In the email, Coldwell claimed that Interpol is after Bernie too, but there was no mention of that in the Proposed Letter. In any case Bernie never received a signed copy of the letter by post from the law firm, only the draft via email from Coldwell.

Salty Droid has had his own round of fun with Loony, who famously put a bounty on Jason's head back in September 2012. I've also told this story here before, but this is for the benefit of those who are new or who would just like to relive good times. Coldwell actually offered $500 to the first person who could send him Salty Droid's real name and a current address. All of this info had been made available by Salty/Jason himself long before that, and was easily available on the Web. Coldwell even offered an extra $100 if the person could also send him a recognizable photo of Jason. Here's Jason having fun with that.

Coldwell is all about the confused and mistaken identities. In a March 2013 Facebook discussion, a wacko Trudeau/GIN defender named Eric Graves wrote a scathing comment in response to Coldwell calling some of his detractors "impotent cowards." The comment is not my style at all and I have never accused Coldwell of any of the things of which Eric accused him, but for some reason Coldwell thought it was I. And he threatened me. (My apologies for the language, but I am trying to make a point.)



Was it Lenny or Amy? Or does it even matter any more?
An email I received this morning, February 15, makes me think it is possible that Loony's emotionally troubled young assistant/live-in lover Amy Chappell (who has more recently been going by the name Amy King, at least on Facebook) was the one who sent the email about the "defamation claim" to Bernie. The email I received was sent out on 8:56 PM on Friday, February 14, many hours AFTER Bernie published his blog post about the matter. The date stamp on Bernie's blog post says February 15, but remember that Japan is many hours ahead of the U.S. -- 15 hours ahead of me (I'm on Central Time) and 14 hours ahead of Coldwell (Eastern Time). Here's Amy's message:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amy Chappell
Date: Fri, Feb 14, 2014 at 8:56 PM
Subject: Dr. C filed Lawsuit for Libel/Slander/Defamation- Document Attached
To:

Hello,

I just decided since there were some absurd doubts about some criminal rumors made some time ago (some IBMS Coaches were even believing there could be truth to some ridiculous posts), I wanted you to have first knowledge that we have filed one of many lawsuits to come. Please keep this email and document confidential. Please see the attached document below.
We really appreciate those who have been loyal and trusting in Dr. C

Thank you,
Amy Chappell

Keep this email confidential? Why? If a lawsuit was filed, it's public knowledge. Plus, Coldwell himself has been crowing about the "lawsuits" on Facebook. Perhaps Amy just didn't want Coldwell to know that she sent out an email blast about this "confidential" matter. Anyway, if you want to know a little more about Amy, here she is in action at a Coldwell boot camp in October 2012, explaining why she turned her back on her family and ran away to be with Coldwell, whom she utterly idolizes, and apparently vice versa (in the video just linked to, he describes her as the most important person in his life). Listening to Amy, it is clear that this is a young woman with serious problems. But that doesn't let her off the hook when it comes to harassing bloggers. I just hope for her sake that she wakes up someday.

Frankly it's hard to tell at this point whether Coldwell or Amy sent the missive to Bernie, because the email address from which Bernie received the document simply says "IBMS VIP," and also because as we know, Coldwell has sent out similarly daft things too. But I suppose it really doesn't matter, because Amy has become little more than an extension of Coldwell, and even if she acts independently on his behalf he is still going to ultimately be held responsible.

Update, 20 February 2014
According to the Cook County Record Legal Journal, the defamation suit was actually filed. Here is the record so far, although I do not have a copy of the actual complaint that was filed (or any of the subsequent motions and other documents). The journalist, who presumably got her info from the court docket, reported that Omri Shabat is also known as Jason Michael Jones, so I assume that made it into the final cut. She also reported that the plaintiff claims that his "medical practice" was damaged.

I have no idea what if anything Jason is doing about any of this, nor do I have any idea what if anything Omri is doing about it. It is up to them to make public statements when and if they wish. Stay tuned...


Update, 1 March 2014
I did a little experiment a few days ago -- the afternoon of February 26, to be exact. I took this post down temporarily. Just this one, mind you, and none of the others. Nobody told me to do it, and I wasn't intimidated into doing it. I simply wanted to see if "anyone" would notice and if there would be any response whatsoever. The very next day, there was. I learned that the Feds are coming after me and that I am probably going to end up in the same jail cell as Kevin Trudeau. Great! I'll interview Katie and use that in the Trudeau biography that everybody is telling me I should write. Lemons to lemonade, bitches!


Anyway. It's good to know that Lenny reads my blog and has his minions take "screen shuts." I'm a little disappointed that I've apparently been downgraded from "Cosmic slut" to simply "the slut," but oh, well. Oddly enough, though, it seems he isn't getting a whole lot of support from his Facebook friends about these lawsuit threats. Or any support, actually.

And here's something to keep in mind. Even if every blogger or other writer who has criticized or questioned him were suddenly silenced, it wouldn't change who and what Coldwell is (a foul-mouthed, totally unprofessional megalomaniac with no credible C.V., and that's just for starters), and who and what he is not (a real doctor, for instance). It wouldn't change his outrageous claims about his credentials, his cancer "cure" rates, and his multiple "doctorates" -- and those claims are all over the Internet and were being discussed and ridiculed long before I'd even heard of the little twerp. And it wouldn't change the actionable lies he has told about me... and yeah, I have "screen shuts" too. He is and probably always has been his own worst enemy, and I think that at some level he knows it. I have a feeling that his "legal team" knows it too.

As for me, I find that this song is going through my head these days...


P.S. See the rest of the lawsuit story here.

SciWINtology: One step closer?

As serial scammer Kevin Trudeau cools his heels in jail, awaiting his March 17 sentencing on criminal contempt charges and waiting out Judge Robert Gettleman on the civil contempt thing that has him caged at the moment, the struggle for the remains of his biggest scam, the Global Information Network (GIN) continues. Ohio GIN member Perry Kiraly and his Shimkos, whose motion to intervene in the civil case was denied on January 30, are going ahead with the court part of their Plan B. Previously they had legally established an alternate club, the World Information Network FDN, or WIN. And now, according to Perry, the Shimko is preparing an appeal. Yesterday evening, February 10, Perry sent out a brief update, with attachments that he had sent with previous updates. He urges his readers to read all of the attached documents again... and then again... and then again.

And then again, just for good measure. He asks his readers to keep in mind that Each. Word. Was. Carefully. Selected.

Smells like Scientology! And/or other manipulative, coercive varieties of word-flinging. Given that Perry's biggest champion (besides the Shimkos) in this whole Intervention-and-beyond phase has been Scientology fan Yon Cole, I don't think I'm too far off base for continuing to harp on this. Let me remind you again of this passage from Perry's February 3, 2014 SWGF update, shared on this blog post:

WIN knows where to acquire and has access to the highest level materials which enable one to be happy, and free in ways most couldn’t possibly imagine ...And WIN can truly provide those higher level materials which will pick up where others before us have left off. And enhance the levels others have since passed through.

For more about that, see my previous blog post.

Anyway, here is the February 10 update.

From: Perry Kiraly

Date: February 10, 2014 at 9:28:30 PM EST
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: SWGF Update 02-10-14 Appeal in Process

SWGF Update: PERRY KIRALY

February 10, 2014

Dear SWGF Supporters,
This update is to inform you that Mr. Shimko is in the process of preparing the appeal. Its completion and filing will soon follow. Accompanying the appeal will be a motion for injunction to prevent the Receiver, pending appeal, from continued interference with, or use of, GIN members paid in dues, fees, and cash on hand which currently amounts to approximately $6,000,000.00!

Granting of this injunction and subsequent appeal will put GIN Members in the most powerful position to date to reclaim the assets of GIN that rightfully belong to them.

Attached are copies of the SWGF updates of 02-03-14, 02-05-14 and the Receiver’s reports issued on 01-28-14 and 12-19-13. If you haven’t read these documents read them now. Even if you have read these documents, consider re-reading them; for their importance to members in GIN is paramount in regard to the return of GIN assets.

Some of the many questions that are answered in these two attached SWGF updates of the 3rd & 5th are:

Why this appeal & injunction puts GIN members in a very powerful position to compel the return of GIN’s assets which includes the Intellectual property as well as cash.

Why buying assets from the Receiver is not a good option.

What the true mentality of the Receiver is -- using his own words.

The golden opportunity that has arisen from this situation in the creation of WIN for the club’s future.

How to stand with and contribute to this valiant effort by those that truly embrace the ideals upon which the club was founded.

Read the attached SWGF Updates carefully and thoroughly. Each word in them was carefully selected to deliver an important point. Then contribute to this battle for the club and its future.

Thank you,
Perry Kiraly*

*As a post script to this update, let me make it clear that I am a citizen of the United States of America and have exercised my 1st Amendment right to express my opinion herein. I am not a lawyer and nothing in this update/opinion should be construed as legal advice. The information herein is my personal opinion and provided solely for educational purposes. The opinion expressed in this update is not meant to suggest or encourage any course of action without consulting with an attorney or one licensed to practice law. Everyone must evaluate and make up their own mind on any course of action they take.

The important message is that you need to send money to continue to feed the Shimkos.

If you need to get up to speed on some of those documents Perry mentioned, you can find what you need on this Whirled. Not only do I have the February 3rd and 5th SWGF updates, but I also have links to relevant court docs, including the receivers' reports. Here are those links:

• http://cosmicconnie.blogspot.com/2014/02/kevin-trudeau-update-katie-still-caged.html
• http://cosmicconnie.blogspot.com/2014/02/kevin-has-birthday-and-win-soldiers-on.html

That's it for now... stay tuned. Meanwhile, if you have nothing better to do, I want you to read this blog post again. And again. And again. Then read it backwards. Then print it out and read it upside down. Or stand on your head to read in onscreen -- same difference, except the blood will go to your head. Then print it out and hold it up to a mirror and read it again. Really think about what each word means. If you discern any hidden messages, let me know.

Hidden transcripts, media whores, and the lipstick on the pig

GIN doesn’t exist :: it’s the lipstick on the pig … after you wash it off with a hose that whore pig is going to tart right back up. It’s the pigs involved that need to be stopped if anything is going to be stopped … not the shell corporate entities organized in the name of young Ukrainian wives.*
~ Salty Droid, December 11, 2012

Since there's no earth-shattering new news in the saga of serial scammer Kevin Trudeau, and I'm too distracted in a good way with real-life stuff to go back and finish one of a dozen or more half-finished blog posts about other topics, I'll just copy and paste some of my comments from recent Facebook threads, and add a few paragraphs and links to make it seem a little more substantial. If you've already read the content below, I apologize for the redundancy and for my own laziness. But here goes anyway.

Recent court transcripts now available -- for those who want to go to the hassle of getting them
Two documents were filed on February 6 in Trudeau's ongoing civil case, but aren't available yet through PACER and won't be until May 7. One doc is the transcript for the December 19, 2013 hearing and the other is the transcript for the January 30, 2014 hearing. If anyone is interested in pursuing this and possibly obtaining the transcripts before they are released to PACER, the instructions are on the docket as follows:

Document 818, filed 02/06/14:
TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS held on December 19, 2013 before the Honorable Robert W. Gettleman. Court Reporter Contact Information: Nancy L. Bistany, CSR, RPR, FCRR, nancy_bistany@ilnd.uscourts.gov, (312) 435-76

IMPORTANT: The transcript may be viewed at the court's public terminal or purchased through the Court Reporter/Transcriber before the deadline for Release of Transcript Restriction. After that date it may be obtained through the Court Reporter/Transcriber or PACER. For further information on the redaction process, see the Court's web site at www.ilnd.uscourts.gov under Quick Links select Policy Regarding the Availability of Transcripts of Court Proceedings.

Redaction Request due 2/27/2014. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 3/10/2014. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 5/7/2014. (Bistany, Nancy)

..........................

Document 819, filed 02/06/14:
TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS held on January 30, 2014 before the Honorable Robert W. Gettleman. Court Reporter Contact Information: Nancy L. Bistany, CSR, RPR, FCRR, nancy_bistany@ilnd.uscourts.gov, (312) 435-7626.

IMPORTANT: The transcript may be viewed at the court's public terminal or purchased through the Court Reporter/Transcriber before the deadline for Release of Transcript Restriction. After that date it may be obtained through the Court Reporter/Transcriber or PACER. For further information on the redaction process, see the Court's web site at www.ilnd.uscourts.gov under Quick Links select Policy Regarding the Availability of Transcripts of Court Proceedings.

Redaction Request due 2/27/2014. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 3/10/2014. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 5/7/2014. (Bistany, Nancy)

If I were getting paid for doing this I would certainly go the extra mile and nab the unredacted transcripts while they are available. As of now, though, I'm kind of adopting the Katie attitude and platitude: "Care, but not that much." But if you want to go get them and share them with me I won't argue with you.

Tabloid(ish) editorial calls out Katie and his infomercial enablers
The New York Post has been criticized as a tabloid-ish newspaper, perhaps a baby step above The National Enquirer but a few giant steps below the New York Times -- although for better or worse, the division between highbrow and lowbrow, or respectable and "yellow," journalism is becoming ever more irrelevant. Be that as it may, the Post's Phil Mushnick came out with an editorial on February 8, 2014, calling out TV execs for helping perpetrate Kevin Trudeau's frauds by accepting his infomercials. My friend Julie Daniel found this and shared it on one of the Facebook forums.

Mushnick's editorial contains some minor inaccuracies; he indicates that Trudeau is in jail right now for fraud, which isn't technically true. Right now he's in jail for civil contempt (related to probable fraud, I'll grant that), and is awaiting sentencing on his criminal contempt conviction (also related to probable fraud, and there may be more criminal charges forthcoming). For now, though, Katie's in the cage for civil contempt. Mushnick also insinuates that Kevin Trudeau isn't Katie's real name but may just be a "TV stage name." But everything I've read indicates Katie's real name is Kevin Mark Trudeau -- though granted, he has used other aliases over the years for various purposes. The meat of Mushnick's editorial, though, is pretty sound. He thinks that the TV networks and stations should be held more accountable for running Katie's infomercials, and that the lame pre-infomercial disclaimers just "don't cut it."

Of course Mushnick is hardly the first person to call out TV networks and stations for their complicity in Scamworld; I've mentioned it a few times on my blog (including on this November 2012 post; see under "Media: a two-edged sword"). Salty Droid and other critics have also made note of it more than once -- not just in relation to Trudeau but to other infomercial fraudsters as well (e.g., Anthony Morrison). Then there are selfish-help gurus who are not known for their infomercials but have achieved fame and infamy in their own way -- such as one of The Secret's "teachers" James Arthur Ray, who was enabled for years by prominent talk show hosts and their producers. Even after having been charged, tried, convicted, and imprisoned of killing some of his followers, Ray has some big-time TV and infotainment media in his corner.

But back to Katie. On the thread about the Mushnick piece, Julie wrote, "I have decided that maybe to pull off a con as good as the one's kt is behind it takes a village." Indeed.

And what about all of the enablers and partners and pals behind the scenes -- those who have profited by helping perpetrate the lies and fraud? Like ITV Venture's Donald Barrett (who produced some of Katie's most notorious infomercials)? And Reno Rolle (who helped Katie create and promote his first books, and is even now profiting from his association by being one of the producers of a fictionalized movie about Katie)? And Janine Nubani Contursi (she's everywhere Katie is and has been for years)? What about Trudeau's foreign cohorts, such as Lee Kenny, who's safely in the UK for now? What about cohorts he may still have in Australia, Europe, and other parts of the world? It's been argued that these folks were only doing what they were hired to do or told to do by Katie, and that Katie is the true mastermind. But as Julie says, it takes a village -- and in Katie's case it's a global village.
 
My guy Ron had a good point, though, when he wrote: "If the TV stations were to be required to vet all the infomercials, they'd also have to vet the claims of all products that appear in their commercial spots, and would likely begin using network/station management's personal agendas as litmus tests... And besides, we already know that the media are whores, right?"

Right. 

And the rebrand plays on
Meanwhile, the struggle for control of Trudeau's big flopportunity the Global Information Network, or GIN, continues. The fate of the rebranded (new logo, no Katie) GIN remains uncertain but there are, as noted in recent blog posts such as this one and this one, some passionate contenders. At the moment it appears to me that the current GIN establishment has the best chance of assuming control of GIN, but you never know what's really going on behind the scenes. (Some are saying that the original folks interested in buying GIN have dropped out, but I've heard buzz to the contrary, so I am taking a wait and see attitude.)

While you're waiting for more news, if you're feeling a little rundown and hormonally imbalanced or erectiley dysfunctional and/or challenged by electromagnetic fields (EMFs), and if Fred Van Loony's swamp water and/or E-Pendant hasn't worked for you, why not sample a little bit of raw, vegan, "wild crafted" and egregiously overpriced pine pollen from the Kramers' GIN Store? A February 7 email sent from the GIN Store bore this header:
Boost Testosterone and Block EMFs for Under $70 (Website glitches fixed)

Imagine your spouse, family, and friends commenting on how much younger you look!

Imagine experiencing these benefits in just the next few days!

Yes, just imagine! And keep on imagining, because with placebos, imagination is the key.

Oops, there I go sounding like one of those naysayers again. After all, according to one of the testimonials in the email, a man named Todd in Utah took the pine pollen and oh my, on the very first day, he "definitely experienced a boost in sense of well being, strength, and even confidence." And he apparently woke up the next day with a boner. Goodness.

Actually, the bit about blocking EMFs refers not to the magickal pine pollen but to a special magickal frauduct called the Performance Amulet Bracelet, a $24 value that you get free when you order your pine pollen for only $64 plus shipping and handling. But you have to do it by midnight February 8, so you're already too late. Oh, well. Better luck next time.

The special brand of pine pollen that the GIN Store is peddling is "Surthrival," which, when you say it, sounds like you have a speech impediment. But hey, don't listen to me. Maybe you need to buy some and take it, and maybe, as promised in the promos, you'll get a renewed spring in your step, which all of your friends will notice, and they'll shower you with compliments, especially if you're wearing your GIN Strong hoodie.

I'm sorry, but I can't think about pollen without thinking about this.


Anyway. In light of all of the bad press Katie and GIN have been getting, the big branding challenge remains. I've discussed this matter here before, but the way I see it is that the big branding dilemma the GIN "leaders" are faced with now is figuring out how to appeal to two opposing factions:

1. Those who want nothing more to do with Kevin and the lies on which he originally built GIN -- lies such as the mysterious GIN Council; Kevin's background in a seekrit group called the Brotherhood, and so forth. In addition many people have a very bad taste in their mouths from the many broken promises -- the bonuses and incentives not paid out, the seekrit knowledge promised but never delivered. These people may always associate GIN with Kevin, which, from the perspective of those trying to promote GIN, is not such a good thing.
2. Those who still very much love or admire Kevin and fear that GIN will be an empty shell without him -- but are willing to do anything to carry on his legacy. These people won't let Kevin's name die either, no matter how hard the leaders might work to de-Kevinize GIN.

I realize there are gray areas and that many people fall somewhere in between those extremes, but it seems to me that those two factions are the major points of concern.

Can GIN leadership have it both ways and somehow manage to win the hearts and wallets of Katie haters and fans alike? Maybe. In the end, though, it may be that shoving Katie into the background is probably the way to go for now in order to trick... oops, I mean to appeal to the most folks. It will also be one way to convince the court that GIN deserves another chance at life. Accordingly the GIN site has been scrubbed clean of Katie, and at least one of his big GIN lies has been publicly negated -- the one about the apocryphal "GIN Council."

But there's this to consider: Many anti-KT ex-GIN, having given up on ever getting money owed to them, will at the very least be expecting apologies -- big time apologies -- from the leadership. If they can't get an apology from Kevin, which would no doubt give them the most satisfaction but which seems the most unlikely, they'll expect the leaders to apologize. And if they have lost a lot of money in GIN, they will probably not be satisfied with anything less than a full scale renouncement of Kevin on the part of the GIN leadership, and possibly some intense self-flagellation on the part of some of those same leaders.

But then... um... this could alienate the Trudeau fan base. What to do? Well, that's GIN's problem. I'm sure they're busy planning their strategies even as I write this.

Some may be asking:. What is GIN without Kevin Trudeau? Well, ask yourself what Landmark Education is without Werner Erhard (the founder of the 1970s selfish-help craze est). Of course their rebranding involved several name changes over the decades, but they are still a farce to be reckoned with in the selfish-help industry. And yes, I know I have used this example several times before but it seemed appropriate to bring it up again. Here's more from Mother Jones about Landmark; this is from 2009. And here's a whimsical graphic that compares Landmark and Scientology and other selfish-help and LGAT trends.

But I digress. The advantage GIN leaders and any eventual owner(s) have is that the public has a short memory and a seemingly endless capacity to be taken in by hucksters, so the anti-KT contingent should not be much of a problem long term.

And the passion of Trudeau's remaining fan base cannot be overestimated. It is both pathetic and frightening that so many folks still seem so worshipful of Kevin and that they really seem to believe he has some sort of magical or messianic powers. This belief is still being ruthlessly exploited and I have no doubt that even though Katie is caged for now, there are some folks who do not actually believe that he really is even remotely magical or messianic -- but they have a stake in encouraging others' beliefs in that regard.

In other words...the lies and manipulation continue.

What seems clear is that people are desperately fighting to keep GIN alive and/or to form a GIN spinoff or ripoff, no doubt hoping it can be a cash cow for them -- either again, or FINALLY. Perry Kiraly's World Information Network (WIN) is one case in point.

Insidious brainwashing
Others -- the truly brainwashed -- are simply desperate to cling to what they have come to see as their "family." MLMs and cults alike nurture this type of sick dependency. Scientology does it -- and Kevin certainly did it and now his minions are carrying on his work. Read the Rick Ross cult education forums and you will see this same story repeated over and over.

In this July 2012 post I discuss some of GIN's Scientology-like indoctrination tactics. I linked to some suggested GIN "checklists" that were almost disturbingly obsessive, including the 515-question "Monthly Checklist" that included these little gems to reinforce belief in both GIN's scammy MLM and the scummy leaders. Though apparently not official GIN material, they were, as I have now come to understand even better, congruent with the GIN mindset.

6. Would you rate your belief that the MLM, network marketing, or referral marketing industry works for those people who work it; and it can and does lead to financial freedom and independence, at a level of 5 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
7. Would you rate your belief that the MLM, network marketing, or referral marketing industry works for those people who work it;and it can and does lead to financial freedom and independence, at a level of 6 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
8. Would you rate your belief that the MLM, network marketing, or referral marketing industry works for those people who work it; and it can and does lead to financial freedom and independence, at a level of 7 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
9. Would you rate your belief that the MLM, network marketing, or referral marketing industry works for those people who work it; and it can and does lead to financial freedom and independence, at a level of 8 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
10. Would you rate your belief that the MLM, network marketing, or referral marketing industry works for those people who work it; and it can and does lead to financial freedom and independence, at a level of 9 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
11. Would you rate your belief that the MLM, network marketing, or referral marketing industry works for those people who work it; and it can and does lead to financial freedom and independence, at a level of 10 on a scale of 1-10?
12. Would you rate your belief that the leadership in GIN has ethics, integrity, experience, and expertise at a level of 5 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
13. Would you rate your belief that the leadership in GIN has ethics, integrity, experience, and expertise at a level of 6 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
14. Would you rate your belief that the leadership in GIN has ethics, integrity, experience, and expertise at a level of 7 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
15. Would you rate your belief that the leadership in GIN has ethics, integrity, experience, and expertise at a level of 8 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
16. Would you rate your belief that the leadership in GIN has ethics, integrity, experience, and expertise at a level of 9 or higher on a scale of 1-10?
17. Would you rate your belief that the leadership in GIN has ethics, integrity, experience, and expertise at a level of 10 on a scale of 1-10?

And so on, and so forth. It is the same type of mind-numbing, maddening, obsessive repetition of the same question, over and over and over, that is employed in Scientology "auditing."

I am now even more cognizant than I was a year and a half ago of the Scientology influence on these checklists, which are actually a creation of GIN member and avid Scientology fan Yon Cole and are part of a web site he created, mygin.ws, to suck people into GIN. (Yon even did a "reverse blind auction" to sell memberships in GIN's early days so he could become a "founder" of GIN.) Yon, as I've mentioned previously, has since cast his lot with Perry Kiraly and WIN, and there's some buzz that the WIN "training" will be based on Scientology content. But for all I know Yon may be hedging his bets and working with the GIN establishment too (in any case, trying to get to the home page of mygin dot ws now leads to the official GIN site -- which may simply indicate that Yon surrendered the domain because he is no longer involved at all in GIN).

My point is this: whatever you do, whenever you're around an earnest GIN leader or one of the earnest, long-winded WINners -- or anyone else who is pushing a GIN alternative to you -- hang on to your wallet. Be especially cautious if you are approached by individuals who are walking with a special "spring in their step," wearing GIN Strong hoodies and possibly sporting pine pollen-induced boners. What they are offering you is nothing you really want.

As for the new rebranded GIN: It may be a new shade of lipstick, but it's still only lipstick, and it probably has all kinds of toxins in it... and that's still only a pig underneath the garish paint.*

* Standard disclaimer applies: no offense intended to pigs or to lipstick. Or to whores.


PS ~ In related news, my pal Bernie at GINtruth.com just got a phony lawsuit threat from Trudeau's ex-b.f.f., Mocktor Loony Coldwell. Read all about it here.

Kevin has a birthday, and WIN soldiers on

Happy Birthday
to serial scammer
Kevin Trudeau
who's in the slammer.

I'm sorry to be all flowery and sloppy and sentimental, but this is, after all, Katie's birthday, and my birthday wishes are sincere. After all, he has made my blogging job so easy and effortless for more than five years. How could I not be filled with gratitude and love? Gratitude, anyway.

Originally today was also supposed to be the day that Katie was sentenced on his criminal contempt charge (Judge Ronald Guzman's court), but for some reason it was changed to Saint Patrick's Day. I expect that before long we'll see an announcement that the sentencing has been moved to Easter, and then maybe to Memorial Day, and then perhaps to the Fourth of July. Meanwhile Judge Robert Gettleman is keeping him in the clink on the civil contempt matter, and he can keep him there until Kingdom Come if he wants to, and Katie won't get to start serving the criminal sentence, whatever that may be, until Judge Gettleman releases him. Between you and me, I think the judges are kind of f-----g with him, but I think maybe that could be because they are finally fed up with his lies. I'm not saying it's right to play games like that, if in fact that's what's being done, but on the other hand...

Anyway, while Katie celebrates his big day in the Big House, the fight is going on for control of his big boondoggle the Global Information Network, or GIN -- whatever "control" of GIN may ultimately mean. Several people or groups have reportedly been making efforts in this direction, and I've reported a few rumors here. Two of the names I've mentioned are Jeff Devine and Greg Kramer, both of whom have recently denied that they are interested in purchasing GIN as individuals. Greg says he only wants to help interested GIN members and ex-members get a fair chance at purchasing GIN when the time comes. We'll see. Both Greg and Jeff are involved in the GINUnited group, which I previously mentioned here.

[Update, added later on:] In addition, Greg has ventured on to one of Abe Husein's older Facebook groups, The Truth About the Global Information Network, to solicit support, in his own politely disingenuous and manipulative way, for GIN United. Here is the direct link to that conversation, for those who can access it. Greg's invitation was not well received, although I have been polite. Apart from the fact that Greg disavows "Kevin worshiping" while reportedly being one of the ultimate Katie worshipers himself, and apart from his usage of that well-worn manipulative tactic of praising even his harshest critics in the convo in order to get them on his side, I caught him in at least one outright lie -- or what seems like one to me. He claimed ignorance of there ever being any products from James Arthur Ray in the GIN Store. Screen shots are below; as usual, click to enlarge. (For the benefit of those who aren't able to access the entire conversation, earlier in the exchange Greg had used the old "separate the message from the messenger" argument in relation to Kevin and the good things he supposedly taught.)

 

Sorry... I'm not buying it, Greg. I have heard that all of the Kramers knew about James Ray's products being in the store and that you also knew of the efforts to dump them once he was in prison. So I have to wonder what else you are not telling the complete truth about. At any rate, James Ray's stuff was still in the GIN Store as of February 2013, when I wrote this blog post about ex-GIN marketing director Peter Wink's faux-heroism. I called Peter out for his own hypocrisy (apparently he was trying to solicit Ray's friendship; see this shot from August 2013). But the one useful thing he did with his February post was provide a thumbnail with a link leading to GIN Store page featuring Ray's products. They do not seem to be there any longer, but they were at one time. Here's a snapshot -- again, this is from February 2013 -- to refresh anyone's failing memory.

In an effort to be fair, let me add that some have said to me Greg has not been involved with the day to day operations of the GIN Store so he could very well have notknown about Ray's products being in the store. Some say I should just give him the benefit of the doubt. Some have even cited his oft-professed Christian faith as being a reason to give him the benefit of the doubt. But given the entire context -- the milieu of lies and manipulation in which GIN and its principals and supporters (professed Christians or otherwise) have operated for years -- I think you can understand my hesitation about giving anyone involved with GIN-related commerce the benefit of the doubt. I have nothing against sincere, practicing Christians, but professed Christianity is not a selling point for me when deciding whether or not someone is telling the truth.

UPDATE, 12 February 2014:
Greg Kramer sent me a message today clarifying that he does not run the GIN Store; someone named William Colaw does. Greg added that upon searching in the GIN Store for James Ray's stuff he found nothing, so he called William to inquire, and William said that all of that merchandise has since been pulled from the shelf.

That of course does not contradict what I wrote about the Ray material having been in the GIN Store in the past. Greg's point, however, seemed to be that he knew nothing about it. Since I want to be fair here, I am passing Greg's message along.
 
Bleat, sink and be Perry
One person who emphatically is in the running is recently defeated but not dejected GINtervenor Perry Kiraly, whose motion to intervene in the civil case was denied by Judge Gettleman on January 30. On yesterday's post I shared his February 3 update and renewed call to arms, but yesterday evening (February 5), he sent out yet another update with an even more passionate call to arms. Or at least it's a call for funds to pay his Shimkos, who are willing to take the fight to the next level and help Perry help GIN members and ex-GIN members take advantage of a golden flopportunity. Perry and gang's fundraising site and communication portal is here. The new club he has started is strategically named World Information Network, or WIN, though I just now noticed that there are a couple of other WINs already, such as this investor's group, and this little Amway group.

At any rate here is Perry's latest update, cosmically annotated in blue as per usual.

From: Perry Kiraly
Sent: 2/5/2014 9:27:27 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: SWGF Update 02-05-14 Take the Shot!

SWGF Update: PERRY KIRALY

February 5, 2014

Dear SWGF Supporters,
Attached you will find copies of Monday’s update and the Receiver’s report issued 01-28-14. [Here is a direct link. ~CC] If you haven’t already read these documents read them now. For their importance cannot be overemphasized in regard to the assets of GIN.

This update is twofold. The first is to reemphasize the importance of the attached documents. The second is to awaken the 3000 or so members that are left in GIN and haven’t contributed to the SWGF; you may want to do so now.

GIN members have never been in a better more potentially powerful position to reclaim and control the assets of GIN then now.

At the January 30th hearing, denial of the SWGF motion to intervene gave all GIN members solid legal standing in the 7th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals. Now an injunction can be filed in that court to stop the Receiver from interfering with GIN FDN assets and money, some 6 million dollars of Member’s dues and fees, for the next 7 to 8 months pending an appeal.

Granting of an injunction against the Receiver means the Receiver cannot continue the collection of his fees and expenses for his services from GIN member’s dues and fees. It additionally means the Receiver will not be able to use the $6,000,000.00 in accounts of Member’s dues and fees (see attached Receiver report of 01-28-14) to pay Kevin Trudeau’s fine – which Member’s do not owe and did not pay their dues to be used for.

As anticipated, after Monday’s update the Receiver’s minions immediately sent out solicitation for bids to buy the club before an injunction is filed to put a stop to all of the Receiver’s interference with GIN FDN’s property and money. Know that a purchase of GIN FDN or its intellectual property form [sic] the Receiver will forfeit all of the forementioned [sic] money including the $6,000,000.00 of GIN Members fees and dues in Receiver controlled accounts.

Ask yourself why any Member of GIN would want to pay more money to the Receiver to buy the club’s assets when the Members of GIN now have the best chance ever to be in total control of their rightfully owned and already paid for property?

Why would any member trust anything the Receiver says or those appointed, endorsed, or controlled by him with six million dollars of Members paid in dues subject to forfeiture to the Receiver if Members buy the club from him? If you are willing to fully confront this issue, to get a clear view of exactly what is going on, ask yourself the following questions:

Why would the Receiver, who claims he is there to help the GIN Members, file a motion just a few days before the January 30th hearing to try and prevent the GIN Membership from having a voice and legal standing in court?

Put another way: why wouldn’t the Receiver want the Members of GIN to have a voice in the court?

And why does the Receiver spend thousands of dollars of GIN member’s dues on a PR (Public Relations) contract, with one who has already denied being paid by GIN, to pacify, placate, and keep calm the membership of GIN? [I assume he is talking about Trudeau buddy Troy McClain, mentioned a few times on this Whirled. ~CC] While the Receiver continues to cut staff and even attempt to sublease the offices the staff works in to save money? PR in this case I think is missing a few letters. PRopagandize is a more accurate term.

And if the answer to those questions are not enough for you I will let the Receiver’s own words speak for themselves as an indicator of his mentality and the extent he is willing to go to collect money. The following is an excerpt from the Receiver report filed 12-19-14 [actually filed 12-17-13; see my link below.~CC], pg.8 (bottom) + pg.9 (attached); Note: this is the Receiver’s lawyer talking to the court:

"Mr. Trudeau has failed to make a full disclosure and accounting of his assets and should remain coercively incarcerated until he does so. For such sanctions to have a coercive effect, Mr. Trudeau must understand that he will remain incarcerated until he takes action to purge such contempt, rather than merely wait for the next status hearing to see if the Receiver has discovered any new assets or has completed his report."

[Here is a direct link to the above-mentioned December 17 Receiver’s Status Report. ~CC]

Rather than continue to set short status dates, the Receiver believes that coercive sanctions will be most effective if longer status dates are set with the caveat that Mr. Trudeau may at any time request a hearing in order to demonstrate that he had taken some concrete actions that have had the effect of purging his contempt.

It appears the Receiver has no qualms about the endorsement of even taking a man’s freedom and locking him in a cage to compel him to pay them money? Is this really the vibration you want to be aligning with and make a deal with, GIN members?! Do you really want to give this Receiver more money than he has already taken from the Member’s to buy back your own property from him?!

Well you don’t have to. Now is your opportunity to take control of the assets that rightfully belong to you. The many that have contributed to the SWGF have made this opportunity happen. Take advantage of it while this brief window of time is open.

Lastly, for those that suggest I have some ulterior motive; that I’m vying for ownership, control or the destruction of GIN, consider this: The Receiver/GIN Co. has terminated my GIN Membership for essentially exercising my 1st amendment right to express my opinion and right to legal counsel. …Seems there was another outspoken member in the club this was done to for the very same reasons… [Seems like this was done to lots of good members even during GIN’s heyday, Perry… back when you were supporting GIN, KT, and possibly supporting these very actions yourself. Ask my friend Paul Wilson how dissenters were treated back in the day. And you DO seem to be vying for control of GIN and working towards the goal of restoring your GINcome stream (or establishing a WINcome stream). ~CC]

Now the Receiver/GIN Co. has suggested my membership was terminated because I started or solicited members for a competing club. But the truth is World Information Network Foundation or WIN was not created to compete with or soliciting members of any club. Its initial formation was out of necessity; that necessity being to provide a legal entity, as a place to rebuild and provide sanctuary for former GIN Members that had had-it with being violated, stolen from and lied to.

WIN was formed to provide a home for those that love the truth and embrace it. Those with this mentality are naturally attracted to WIN.

The quality of the content it will provide is the foundation WIN stands on; for it began in transparency and truth as its foundation with access to the informational source that can, if utilized, free and empower an individual in ways that are nothing short of astounding; and access to that information is what WIN intends to provide to its Members. [I am still wondering about this mysterious "informational source," which is supposedly so superior to anything now available. My best guess:
SCIENTOLOGY.
Am I warm, Perry and Yon? ~CC]

So why do I spend countless hours of my time, and put myself on the front line and at risk in expressing my opinion in these updates? [My first guess would be that it beats safecracking, breaking and entering, and arson.  ~CC] Because I gave my word to hundreds of former and current GIN Members that continue to back me, and are counting on me to present the blunt truth, as hard as it may be for some to swallow, and to do my best to do whatever it takes to look out for and see that their best interests are represented. And that is exactly what I am doing, and why I am doing this.

SWGF has truly completed its mission with honor and afforded the former and current Members with two golden opportunities as listed in the attached update of 02-03-14. [If the mission is running up big legal bills, then… mission accomplished! ~CC]

And GIN Members have one strong play left afforded them by the SWGF and those that have backed it. That play is to have Mr. Timothy Shimko file an appeal and injunction and take this shot at finally controlling the Members rightfully owned and paid for assets. To date Mr. Shimko’s fee & expenses have exceeded that which SWGF has taken in but he is willing to continue if Members are willing to contribute enough to fund what remains of this effort – the heavy lifting has been done. So I call out to those interested in taking this final shot at seeing control of GIN assets returned to the Members - Send in your contributions now to see this play through.

Like life, this is a game my fellow travelers, it’s a big one with big players and big stakes. That’s what makes it interesting. That’s what makes it a game! And if even the most reluctant up to this point jumps in to play…none will even feel the bite it will cost so little. $150.00 from even half of what’s left of the GIN Members, that have everything to gain from a favorable ruling, will overfund this effort. [But the top priority for now is to fund the Shimkos. ~CC]

In our training Caveat Roberts is quoted as defining Character as: "Following through on a decision long after the excitement and emotion of the moment has passed." [But after a while, that could also be a definition of "obsession." Just saying. And… um… Caveat? As in Caveat Emptor? Methinks Perry actually meant Cavett Robert, the late motivational speaker and founder of the National Speakers Association. ~CC]

In the book Think & Grow Rich we are told that one of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat…and the illustration of the story of R.U. Darby is given who, after his long and arduous effort in search of gold, quit just 3 feet from one of the richest veins of gold ever discovered. [Nice use of an egregiously over-told inspirational story that is impossible to verify. Besides, it was the mysterious R.U. Darby’s uncle to whom this supposedly happened. ~CC]

We’re 3 feet from the Gold here people… Take a risk, take a chance, and get in this game for the final round! You’re in this ring called life, and life is sometimes a tough ass opponent - so take a swing and it! It’s what life is all about. It’s the final shot at GIN members gaining control of what’s rightfully theirs. Take the damn shot!! [Or better yet, get out of Scamworld and try to find an honest way to make a living. ~CC]

…and have a nice day,
Perry Kiraly*

*As a post script to this update, let me make it clear that I am a citizen of the United States of America and have exercised my 1st Amendment right to express my opinion herein. I am not a lawyer and nothing in this update/opinion should be construed as legal advice. The information herein is my personal opinion and provided solely for educational purposes. The opinion expressed in this update is not meant to suggest or encourage any course of action without consulting with an attorney or one licensed to practice law. Everyone must evaluate and make up their own mind on any course of action they take.

All I can add to that is to reiterate what Perry said at the end: Have a nice day. And don't forget to go share birthday wishes on Katie's public Facebook page. My friend Kalea Makana shared a nice link to the picture above.

* * * * *

Now more than ever, your donation is needed
to help keep this Whirled spinning.
Click here to donate via PayPal or debit/credit card.
If that link doesn't work, send PayPal payment directly to
scrivener66@hotmail.com
or to cosmic.connie@juno.com
If PayPal, be sure to specify that your contribution is a gift. Thank you!

Kevin Trudeau update: Katie still caged, while GIN & WIN continue propaganda wars

Oh, goodness. February is already five days old and I've been away from my Whirled for most of that time. I did share some of the latest updates regarding serial scammer Kevin Trudeau and his latest court hearing, but it's time for another update. I swear, really I do, that eventually I will get back to my roots -- to the foundation on which I built this Whirled. In other words, I'll write about something besides Katie and his scammy Global Information Network (GIN), which is now out of his control but not dead yet. For now, though, it's back to the Katie saga.

First of all, as noted on the post linked to above, and as you may have known even if you didn't read that post, the upshot of that January 30 hearing is that Judge Robert Gettleman denied Perry Kiraly and gang's motion to intervene (more on that below), and Katie is still jailed on his civil contempt charge, with the next status hearing scheduled for March 19. On the criminal contempt charge he awaits sentencing, currently scheduled for March 17.

As reported by James Hill at ABC News, among several other mainstream journos, Katie pleaded for mercy and even half-jokingly volunteered to be waterboarded to prove he was telling the truth, in lieu of being in the clink even one more day. (I had made note of this in my previous post but I'll bump it up here too.) The judge was not amused. In fact he threatened to leave Katie in the MCC indefinitely, even past his criminal sentencing date, until Katie can purge himself of the civil contempt charge. And he noted again that no matter how long Katie stays in jail on the civil charge, it won't count at all as time served for the criminal one.

Here is a link to the the order signed by Judge Gettleman at the hearing on January 30. Mainly this document concerns the judge's reason for denying Perry Kiraly et al.'s motion to intervene, but as indicated above, Judge Gettleman also stipulated that Trudeau must stay in jail for now on the civil contempt matter.

Here is GINtruth.com's Bernie commenting on some of the latest events.

Meanwhile Katie's phony jailhouse posts on Facebook continue, though not as frequently as before.

Perry and his Shimkos: down but not out
Although I previously reported that the Shimkos had been defeated in court, Perry apparently does not see it that way, and says that his Shimkos are prepared to go on fighting. Couple of days ago he sent this out [there are a few Cosmic annotations in this one. Also note that the embedded links to the Receiver's Report of Jan. 28 are my additions]:

From: Perry Kiraly
Date: February 3, 2014 at 3:02:43 PM EST
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: SWGF Update 02-03-14

SWGF Update: PERRY KIRALY

February 3, 2014

Dear SWGF Supporters,

Okay the details you’ve been waiting for: What exactly happened in court on January 30th?

Well the hearing was very brief regarding our motion to intervene; to paraphrase the gist of what was said the court began with stating that it hadn’t seen the complaint from the interveners and didn’t really know what it is they wanted. Mr. Shimko then responded with his first of approximately 10 words total allowed by the court and expressed that the interveners did in fact file a complaint (note: the complaint made it clear what the interveners wanted).

The FTC attorney then reminded the court that yes the interveners did in fact file a complaint and the court responded stating in essence it didn’t matter because the court was denying the motion to intervene based on untimeliness – specifically stating that the interveners should have filed their motion in 2007. Yes 2007, some two years before the club was launched.

Mr. Shimko then asked the court, "may I be heard?" and the court said "No. Counselor, if you don’t like my ruling, you can appeal it."

The only other relevant comment by the court was in relation to the Receiver. The court suggested that the interveners might have an issue in another court or venue and if they, the interveners (or GIN Members) had an issue with the Receiver’s activities in its handling of GIN FDN the Receiver would have to deal with that on his own with his own budget. This might be of interest to Inner Circle members and others financially harmed by the Receiver’s handling of GIN FDN business commitments and affairs.

So where does this ruling denying the motion to intervene leave the members of GIN - that would like their voice heard and their property returned? Well, in my opinion, it actually leaves the members of GIN in a potentially more powerful position than had the motion to intervene been granted. And here’s why:

Denying the motion gives the interveners standing to file an appeal of this ruling in the 7th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals where three judges unassociated with this case will decide the issue. It also gives us the right to immediately file a motion for a preliminary injunction against the Receiver, which right we did not have in front of Judge Gettleman until he granted our motion to intervene. By denying our motion to intervene, we now have the right to seek an immediate injunction in the Federal Court of Appeals.


The chances of success in an appeal are excellent according to Mr. Shimko since the court essentially made a ruling on a motion it admitted not reading both sides of, and denied it for a reason that was impossible to know at that time by GIN Members. The court stating it did not see the intervener’s complaint, and did not know what it was they wanted, essentially expressed it did not read the interveners motions or responses to briefs in opposition. The court further stated that the interveners (Members of GIN) should have known about this situation at a time (2007) the Members could not possible have known about it since GIN was not even in existence yet.
[While it seems like a Catch-22 situation, it appears to me that in reality the court essentially said that intervention was not appropriate in this specific civil case, which has been going on since 2003 -- particularly since the intervenors did not specify whether they were plaintiffs or defendants. Whether the judge read every word of the Intervenors' complaint or not seems irrelevant. Here's that link again, so you can read the judge's order and decide for yourself. I realize that this one document did not record everything that went on in the court room on January 30 but nevertheless it appears that the legal issues and the judge's reasoning are summed up in the document. ~CC ]

Once an appeal is filed a motion for injunction can be filed to stop the Receive from doing anything with GIN FDN assets and cash. If the Receiver is stopped from selling or using GIN FDN assets, including the now 4+ million dollars of Members’ dues & fees under its control, the GIN Members that wish to buy those assets will be in a powerful negotiating position pending the appeal.

This is so because GIN FDN is losing more and more members every day and is not profitable with the Receiver there, when taking the Receiver’s fees & expenses into consideration, as shown by the Receivers own report (see attached Receiver 2nd Report released 01-29-14 [actually Jan. 28 ~CLS]).

In this report the Receivers released the actual active GIN membership numbers which are in line with what the interveners stated in an earlier release. The interveners stated there were less than 4000 GIN members currently "the Receiver listed the exact number to be 3908, down 45% from after the Receiver came in in August 2013 (see middle pg.2 of the attached report of 1-29-14).

The Receiver’s report further states that GIN made an approximate profit of $118-thousand per month excluding the Receivers fees & expenses (see pg.2 bottom of Receiver report of 01-29-14 attached below). Thus if the Receiver’s fees and expenses are included, of between $125,000 to 175,000 per month, GIN FDN is not profitable with them there.

Further it has been suggested that GIN is not going out of business but in the Receiver’s report it is also interesting to note that they mention now trying to sub-lease the GIN FDN’s office space to save on lease obligations as well as additional staff layoffs to the already significant layoffs to date (see top of pg.2 of Receiver's report of 1-29-14).

Why is this information important? It is important only for the remaining GIN Members that wish to either purchase the GIN assets or have them returned to them at a significantly reduced price.

And therein lays the first golden opportunity. This opportunity is only an opportunity for those that wish to remain with the legal entity known as GIN FDN or acquire, or compel the return of, its assets on principal if nothing else. I list it here because this was the initial focus of the Stand with GIN Fund (SWGF).

The Stand with GIN Fund has accomplished its initial goal of putting the remaining GIN Members in solid legal standing with the court to have a voice. All GIN Members now have legal standing in the 7th Circuit Court. If those that have expressed a desire to purchase the GIN FDN assets or better yet have them returned to them for little or nothing here is your opportunity.

Vote, as described at the end of this update, to have Mr. Shimko file the appeal and injunction and then, if the motion to enjoin the Receiver is granted by the 7th Circuit Court, which is very likely, you will have control of the GIN assets for 7 to 8+ months pending appeal to negotiate a favorable arrangement for the return of GIN FDN’s property to the remaining membership.

SWGF also accomplished an ancillary benefit to the current and former Members of GIN FDN, especially Inner Circle Members. The court in essence stated that the Receiver will have to answer for any improprieties in fiduciary responsibilities with its own budget during its stewardship of GIN FDN. A class action suit is now an option for the collateral damage caused by Receiver interference of GIN FDN business.

Finally, what I, Perry Kiraly, consider to be the ultimate achievement which grew out of the SWGF’s goal to be free from interference; and where the most Golden of the golden opportunities lie is the creation of the World Information Network Foundation LTD or WIN.

WIN, as recently suggested by the Receiver, was not created as a competing club to GIN. Quite the contrary; it was initially set up as a sanctuary where former GIN Members could go. A place free from interference, A place where those tired of funding the Receiver to dismantle what they grew to love, could rebuild. WIN was set up as a place to go where Members are not considered "customers" as the now Receiver/GIN Co. labels them; but a place of reuniting as Members of a family. [There's that familiar meme used by cults and MLMs alike: "We are family!" ~CC]

WIN is not interested in nor in need of that which many of its supporters possess and can freely share with those they consider their family just as one can share a CD of a favorite song. [In other words, if we can't charge out the a$$ for it and possibly make some money for ourselves, we ain't selling it. Or am I just over-thinking this? ~CC]

WIN knows where to acquire and has access to the highest level materials which enable one to be happy, and free in ways most couldn’t possibly imagine [where does this magickal material come from? The Church of Scientology? Xenu? Do tell, Perry. ~CC] ...And WIN can truly provide those higher level materials which will pick up where others before us have left off. And enhance the levels others have since passed through. [This seems like a transparent effort to invalidate the existing GIN material, most of which is now available for free or cheap, at least up through Level 5. ~CC]

WIN now consists of individuals from all over the world; some of the best of the best that recognize the only way out is through. Individuals with the courage to stand up, individuals with the courage to confront and fight and pass through the battleground and fire of circumstances, and prevail.
WIN is now in the process of building its structure and content with the mission, as stated on our web-page winfdn.com of providing the tools, training, events and gatherings that will enable all who wish to take part in and practice them the ability to create whatever they truly want in their life.

This recent court ruling has fulfilled SWGF’s mission. It is complete and two golden opportunities are now before you.

One, utilize the legal standing SWGF has provided and fund the furtherance of a power position to reclaim what’s left of the GIN FDN and its content by way of an appeal and injunction. And know that time is of the essence to act upon this option for there is a short legal deadline on filing an appeal.

And two, transition from that which has fulfilled its purpose - join us now in WIN and help create and be a part of the vision of those willing to do whatever it takes to be happy and free.

Or, as a third choice, vote for both. Utilize the SWGF to take back control of the GIN assets that were so violently taken from GIN Members and support and be a part of the creation and development of WIN – the future home of the highest level training and fighters and advocates for personal freedom this world has ever known.

The choice is yours. Let your vote be cast in whichever endeavor(s) you fund. The method to fund either or both is the same. Go to swgf.info and click the "Donate" button for SWGF and/or WIN. [Or donate to the Cosmic Connie cause. Just a suggestion. ~CC]

My blessings to all of you no matter what you choose.

Thank you,
Perry Kiraly*

*As a post script to this update, let me make it clear that I am a citizen of the United States of America and have exercised my 1st Amendment right to express my opinion herein. I am not a lawyer and nothing in this update/opinion should be construed as legal advice. The information herein is my personal opinion and provided solely for educational purposes. The opinion expressed in this update is not meant to suggest or encourage any course of action without consulting with an attorney or one licensed to practice law. Everyone must evaluate and make up their own mind on any course of action they take.

Old scams never die, they just rebrand
Though the fate of GIN remains in the hands of the court for now, the remaining GIN staff is busy with the rebranding effort, although they seem a little paranoid about what they are willing to share on the fairly-recently redesigned web site. Apparently most of the real info, such as it is, requires a login.

But I have to give them props for the rebranding efforts. Gone is that stuffy old logo that was deliberately designed to look like the seal of numerous government agencies; gone are the staid gold and royal blue color themes. It's all been replaced by an orange and blue motif, set off by a modernistic, faintly sinister looking logo that looks like a combination of a power button on an electronic device and half of one of those portable prayerwalking labyrinth things. I suppose orange and blue is what marketing experts consider a winning combination. A 2011 piece on the shopify.com site says:

Orange radiates ambition and energetic warmth. It also represents passion, originality, and fresh beginnings. Orange paired with cool shades of blue can give off a positive and exciting vibe.

Here's more about colors and branding, from Fast Company.

Orange and blue apparently worked for AT&T Mobility after they took over Cingular Wireless. You might even say that it's been working for the Denver Broncos, notwithstanding that Superbowl 48 fiasco. Now maybe it'll work for GIN, assuming they intend to keep the color theme and design after GIN is sold. Or maybe that whole orange bit is kind of a solidarity statement to honor their fearless ex (for now) leader, who is rockin' the orange himself these days at the MCC.

Anyhow, the GINfolk, not to be outdone by Perry and his pals, are busily spewing their own drama-laden propaganda. This past Friday (January 31) the Kramers at the GIN store (reportedly they are among the contenders who are scrambling to purchase GIN) sent out an email promoting "GIN Strong" T-shirts and hoodies, with a pic of headless models sporting the gear in lovely shades of blue and orange, respectively.

STAND GIN STRONG!
Dear Fellow GIN Members and Associates,

Our club has seen its share of controversy in the last several months. The mainstream media, government agencies, internet cynics, ex-members and other people who do not share the values and the vision of GIN have been obsessive in their efforts to try and shut GIN down. They want us to be denied our freedom of association as club members. But they don’t know who they’re up against!

It is a beautiful thing when thousands of members, who are well trained in the greatest philosophy of personal success ever known to humanity, have taken a stand for our club and have committed to not only remain in GIN, but look forward to growing it beyond anything we can ever imagine! Some people long for GIN to be restored to its "former glory," but many of us believe wholeheartedly that GIN’s best days are still ahead of us!

Many of the greatest movements in history didn’t fully take off until they found themselves in their darkest hours. But once they made it through their wall of fire, they were unstoppable! But the success of these movements was only possible because of the steadfast dedication of their members, and their ability to hold true to what they believed in despite the most persistent opposition. GIN is going through its own wall of fire right now, but remember this – when you’re taking lots of flack, it means you’re over the target!

GIN WILL pull through these days. GIN WILL regroup, recover, and RISE AGAIN! We believe it; let’s create it!

At the GIN Store, we are 100% dedicated to seeing this happen. Our mission is to edify, support and uplift GIN and its members. To help fulfill this mission, we have created a new and unique line of GIN STRONG merchandise for Members and Associates to help you declare your support for GIN to the world! This new line of products consists of T-shirts, Hoodies and Jewelry for you to proudly wear for all to see! This is an excellent way to not only declare your loyalty to GIN, but to support the organization itself, as well as to have something to commemorate this pivotal and defining moment in our club’s history. Watch as your inquisitive friends and family see you sporting your GIN STRONG gear and wonder what it is that gives you that sense of purpose, that spring in your step, that zeal for life, that certainty that your dreams are coming true!

Stand up for your club! Stand GIN STRONG!

To purchase a new GIN STRONG T-shirt or hoodie CLICK HERE

Our line of GIN STRONG exclusive Jewelry is coming soon!

Jewelry! Oh, I can't wait.

Just in case you didn't get enough drama from that, here's one of the latest missives from the GIN web site. Someone had to get this for me because I don't have a login. I think they've even blocked my IP so I can't use anyone else's login. Oh, well. Their loss. Think of the wonderful publicity I could give them. Anyway, here is the post-court-hearing rundown from the GIN office.

GIN Facts
January 31, 2014

Dear GIN Members and Associates,

We are committed to provide you with official, ongoing, transparent and factual updates and position statements. Below are the trending questions that we have received over the past week:

On January 30, did the Judge say that GIN will not or cannot be sold?
No. The Judge did confirm on the record that it is the Receiver's intention to sell GIN as a going concern. There was no talk about shutting GIN down.

Is GIN currently accepting new Members?
Of course! GIN is accepting new Members and Associates every day. We are open for business and pleased to welcome our new Members! Due to recent price restructuring, we have allowed for our exclusive club to maintain a high level of integrity while making the club accessible to a wider range of like-minded people.

When will the next Level V Test or Level VI Training be scheduled?
We are happy to announce a Level V Test and Level VI Training in Chicago, on the days before the first GIN PowerUP! event on February 22. If you are interested, please contact Support@GlobalInformationNetwork.com and an Account Specialist will help you. GIN Staff is working diligently on scheduling more tests and trainings in the coming months. We know that Members are excited to expand their minds and get to a level of unconscious competence. Keep an eye on the site or check your GIN Newsroom for further scheduled trainings.

When is the next major event?
We were all a little disappointed in January. As Members, we all count on the positive vibrations and energy of the sea on our GIN Leadership Cruise. The good news is that we are still hoping for a late spring or early summer major event. Venues and locations have been researched, and pending a transaction and a new owner(s) decision to move forward with the event, GIN Staff is ready to go.

Will Members of the LRT be representing at PowerUP! Chicago?
Yes!

Will there be any Member seminars included in my GIN Membership?
Currently GIN has a Dr. Morter seminar and a Dr. Dale seminar scheduled and GIN is accepting registrations FREE for all Members. The one day Member seminars will continue.

Why is there a fee for PowerUP! events?
The PowerUP! events are a new concept, introducing a whole lineup of speakers and fresh innovative training blended with some of our legacy speakers and fundamental GIN training. These impactful events will likely all include a social event for fun networking with our GIN family! Register for PowerUP! Chicago today and meet us later that evening at Hofbrauhaus Chicago for some live music, German grub and a few shouts of ‘PROST!’ Remember, you can attend PowerUP! Chicago for no cost! If you have become a Member of GIN or have personally enrolled a new Member into GIN since January 1, 2014, email our Member Support Team at Support@GlobalInformationNetwork.com and an Account Specialist will help you register for the event at no cost!

When will the website have more translated material?
GIN HQ is active in continued efforts to make GIN available to more Members across the globe. Audios, videos and written materials are being translated and made available upon completion. The French website is our current priority, however we are moving forward with Spanish and many other languages as well. THIS IS WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP! If you are interested in helping with audio or written translation, please reach out to our International Liaison at Translation@GlobalInformationNetwork.com.

Have the Receivers hired their own GIN HQ Staff?
No. The GIN HQ Staff is the same staff that has built the club from the ground up. There have been no newly hired employees while under receivership. Come see us in Chicago at PowerUP! as we miss our GIN family!

How do I find out more about participating in the purchase of our club?
Although we previously directed you to contact the LRT about a Member acquisition, we are finding that Members are actually gathering on the GIN Community to discuss interest and possible future plans. Please reach out to your fellow GIN Members via the Community for more information.

When will the Receivers be gone?
The Receivers have begun discussions about a potential sale. As the club is sold to a buyer or buyer group, the receivership over GIN would come to an end. Only assets are sold to the purchaser. All liabilities will remain with the estate and will NOT be the responsibility of the new owner. For factual information about GIN’s current status, please read the newly released court documents.

That is all for this week, stay tuned!

As I noted above, when it comes to sharing info the GIN site folks like to play it close to the vest. Even their FAQ page isn't very informative. Or maybe they're just hiding the Q&As from the riffraff such as moi.

And the pages with the legal stuff also betray a distinctly suspicious nature, one case in point being these items on the Membership Requirements page:

3. MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS  
3.1. You represent and warrant that you have been referred to GIN by a Member and/or an Affiliate that is currently in good standing.

3.2. You represent and warrant that if you are an employee, agent or other representative of any federal, state or other governmental agency, including without limitation the Federal Trade Commission or the Food and Drug Administration, you agree to comply with the terms stated in 3.5

3.3. You represent and warrant that if you are an employee, agent or other representative of, or otherwise affiliated with, any media outlet or organization, including without limitation any news or entertainment publication or broadcast agency, you agree to comply with the terms stated in 3.5

3.4. You represent and warrant that you are not falsely representing yourself as a consumer and you further represent that you will not share material, ideas, or intellectual property from the Global Information Network in any way for use in other businesses, media outlets, or potential lawsuits.

3.5. GIN reserves the right to reject any membership application for any reason or no reason at all, in its sole discretion. If you are now or ever have been a member of the Media (print, web, radio or television) or Regulatory Government Agency, please submit your request in writing to join the Global Information Network at compliance@globalinformationnetwork dot com. Approval is at the sole discretion of the officers of the Global Information Network. You will be required to provide proof of identity along with details of your role within that organization. Any person or agent who falsely represents their intention when joining the GIN Affiliate or Member organization, is subject to immediate termination from the organization.

3.6. Any Sponsor who knowingly endorses a member who is intentionally defrauding and/or not pursuing the best interests of the Global Information Network is subject to suspension or termination of their membership. If you suspect that you may in violation of these terms, please email the Global Information Network at compliance@globalinformationnetwork dot com for clarification.

But actually one of the first things I noticed was that GIN is still described as a "multiform foundation established Nevis," and furthermore...

9.6. The party that wants to initiate arbitration shall call a well-established arbitration organization in the country of Nevis and request arbitration with a single arbitrator to begin on a date and time that is mutually agreeable to both parties and the arbitrator, but no later than fourteen business days from the date of the request. The party that initiates the arbitration will notify the other party in writing of the arbitration within one day of making that request.

11.2. This Membership Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the country of Nevis, without regard to its choice of law provisions.

Some things never change.

But some things DO change.
Within the past few days, a couple of ex-GIN members who were, until quite recently, passionate defenders of Trudeau and GIN, have come forward with heartfelt posts in some of the Facebook forums regarding their change of heart. In both cases, revelations about the totally unethical way GIN was being run for years was the big factor in the reversal, and it appears that much of the damning information that influenced their decisions was info that had come out in the court documents. In the end, though, it was their own soul-searching that led to their decision to stop supporting Katie and GIN. One of them pointed out that people who cling to irrational or destructive beliefs will never be won over by ridicule -- something that I have taken to heart, although no doubt I will continue to ridicule the scammers and some of their more nefarious enablers.

When and if I get their permission to quote these people, either by name or anonymously, I will do so. For now, suffice to say that I applaud them for their decision to turn their back on Katie's scampire, and I wish them well. The big sick machine will still go on and on, and there will be no neat and tidy endings... but individual hearts and minds can be changed. 

PS ~ If you'd like to send Katie a nice postcard or letter telling him how much he has changed your life, here is the address -- for now, anyway:
Kevin Trudeau - 18046036
MCC CHICAGO
METROPOLITAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER
71 WEST VAN BUREN STREET
CHICAGO, IL 60605

Tell him Cosmic Connie says howdy. And don't forget to leave a birthday wish on his public Facebook page tomorrow, February 6. He's already getting birthday wishes from people in parts of the world where it's already February 6.

* * * * *

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