Kevin Trudeau: you too can be an infomercial huckster!

 
Though still languishing in Camp Cupcake, aka minimum-security cage FPC Montgomery (Alabama), awaiting the results of his appeal (more about that momentarily), serial scammer Kevin Trudeau (aka KT, aka Katie) and his buds are busy keeping his legacy alive. GIN, the Global Information Network, seems to still be humming along (complete with a single-level Referral Bonus Program, if the current Member Agreement is any indication), and Katie is still dictating the inspirational nonsense for his Facebook fan page.

And then there's the infamous baccarat scam, visited some time back on Omri's Glancingweb, and mentioned a few times here as well. For nearly two weeks and possibly longer, a sponsored link has graced the Facebooks, popping up on the right-hand side of the screen on various pages, timelines, and forums with Katie's smiling face. I first noticed it on January 6. It leads to a site called Baccarat Revealed, which is owned and operated by Katie's UK cohort Lee Kenny, who remains, for the most part, out of reach of the U.S. Feds. Currently the baccarat flopportunity is going for $297 US, though the site claims that it has "sold consistently for over a year at $997."
 

But the thing that really made me open my eyes was something I saw on Facebook the other day: a promo for Katie's much-talked-about Infomercial Secrets course, for which, claim the promoters, many people have paid $50,000. And now it can be yours for... are you sitting down?... only $997 (there's that magickal Interwebz marketing number again!).



The promo popped up on my feed because it was shared by one of my Facebook friends via a page called StartUpPlan UK. Oddly enough, the promo now seems to be missing from the page; maybe they got a little bit too much flak about it. StartUpPlanUK is a little cagey about some of their information; instead of sharing the URL to their web site, you have to ask for the URL.

Anyway, the original promo leads to this web site, which is also pretty cagey about its ownership and origins. However, if you follow the "Add to Cart" link you will see that it is a UK URL. My first guess was that Lee Kenny is also behind this one. There don't seem to be any links to company-specific "legal" pages on the main promo page. But if you go to the payment page there are links at the bottom of the page to Paypal legal pages.

My other guess is that anything that benefits Lee -- whether it's the baccarat scam or the infomercial scam -- will ultimately benefit Kevin personally and will more than likely remain out of reach of the Feds.
Looking at the URL of the main site, I noticed it's a Kajabi URL, about which our pal Salty Droid has had a few things to say.

My friend Kenneth, former GIN member and Katie fan, tells me he watched a part of that course and got a glimpse into Katie's unethical marketing strategies. He said Katie shows you how to sell something by playing on people's insecurities and weaknesses, and says Katie stresses that even if you have a great product, folks aren't going to want it unless it meets some emotional need. Well, that's pretty much the way Scamworld works. (I know it's pretty much the way most consumer marketing works, and has for decades -- particularly in the cosmetics and personal-care products industries -- but it's still reprehensible.) That's prolly the crux of the Infomercial Secrets message, anyway: appeal to people's emotions, especially their negative or baser ones. The rest will no doubt just be Katie gabbing about logistics and so forth -- information that he claims is "25 years in the making," but some of which may be outdated.

What probably isn't mentioned in Infomercial Secrets is that his infomercials were what landed Katie in nearly two decades of the legal troubles that ultimately got him into Camp Cupcake, a place from which, despite his joyous screeds on Facebook, he is fighting desperately to escape.

Escape from Camp Cupcake... will it happen, and if so, when?
Meanwhile, as noted and quoted in my previous blog post, Katie's legal defense team is furiously working on the appeal. On Katie's Facebook page yesterday (January 17, 2015) there was this:

Kevin Trudeau Appeal/Legal Updates!
Hello All. I hope everyone has had a wonderful Holiday Season. First, thank you all for the massive amounts of cards and Holiday wishes I have had the privilege and honor of receiving over the last months. I am deeply humbled and appreciative of all your love and support. I return the love and positive energy to you! As you know I have appealed my conviction of contempt of court, (because I am 100% innocent), and I appealed the 10 year sentence as being excessive for contempt of court. (10 years is one of the longest, if not THE longest sentence for contempt of court in the history of America). Contempt of Court is NOT a felony, nor even a misdemeanor.

All the briefs have been submitted. You can read our briefs by sending an email to KTlegaldefense@gmail.com and requesting a copy. [I uploaded the initial ones myself months ago. For links, see this blog post, under "Camp may be fun..." Or see the direct link (to the briefs only) here. ~CC]

Now I wait. The appeal is being heard by a panel of 3 appellate judges. They will rule and make a decision any time now, although it could take up to 18 months before they make a decision. I have a feeling I will hear the decision by the middle to end of the year, although it could be sooner than that or later.

I am asking the appeals court to overturn the verdict of guilty and issue a complete acquittal (not guilty) on the grounds that the government had the burden of proof to show that I KNEW I was violating the order when I made the infomercials and I KNEW I was committing a crime (instead of my belief that I was exercising my First Amendment Rights, which is what I 100% believed I was doing). They government provided absolutely NO evidence as to my intent or state of mind and NO evidence that I KNEW I was committing a crime. Thus I SHOULD be found not guilty, because I am innocent.

IF the appeals court does not acquit me, then we are asking that the case be dismissed because the Government violated the Speedy Trial Act by not bringing the case to trial within the time frame under the Act.

If the appeals court does not dismiss the case as requested, then we are asking them to order a new trial because Judge Guzman did not allow me to use my belief in the First Amendment as a defense. I was forbidden to even say the words First Amendment in court. He also would not allow me to show all the evidence I had proving that I am innocent. (it is all explained in the court briefs we submitted).

Thus a new trial should be ordered where I will be allowed to show ALL the evidence PROVING my innocence.

If the appeals court does not allow for a new trial, then we are asking them to reduce the sentence from 10 years to a max of 6 months because the original Judge who issued the order to show cause for contempt said this was to be "treated" as a misdemeanor with a max of 6 months incarceration if found guilty.

Whatever happens is perfect.. There are no good or bad outcomes other than OUR thinking makes it so. Remember, 99% of all is off the radar screen. What we might THINK is the best outcome, might not actually be for our highest good. Simply know that all IS perfect, as Source/God is ALL things. Everything is one. Thus, perfection at ALL times.

Will Keep you posted!

...and after that he went on a bit about his Nuggets of Gold newsletter, which, of course, I snarked about in my previous post. When you make a "contribution" of $19.95 per month ( "you must hit 'Make this payment recurring – monthly button'") or a one time "contribution" of $210.00, you receive his special, Katie-energy-infused newsletter for a whole entire year. In that newsletter, he will share never-before-shared seekrits, blah-blah-blah.

As many of you may recall, a newsletter is how he started his "Natural Cures" scampire years ago (which was actually launched to feed his legal defense, according to court documents), and consumers are still complaining about signing up, wittingly or unwittingly, for "recurring" payments, and then not being able to disentangle themselves from the scheme when they want. Here's one of the best-known sites that has complaints about Trudeau. Presumably the current scheme, sponsored by the Legal Defense Fund that was formed some after the receiver took over, is tied in somehow to the Feds, so that proceeds will go towards his legal defense, and anything left over will go towards paying down Katie's FTC massive fine... but you never know.

Still... does anyone really believe that Katie has any new seekrit information to offer?

In an email sent over the past couple of days by one of his minions, Katie was a little more specific about the dates of the appeal.

Please forward and subscribe! Written by Kevin Trudeau

My appeal oral arguments have been set for Feb 24th in front of 3 Appellate Judges in Chicago.  It is not open to the public. But the audio recording will be up on the 7th Cir Court website within a few days of Feb 24th. (you can read all my appeal briefs online as well)I should get an answer on my appeal as early as April (although very unlikely that fast). More likely, the answer will come between June and the end of this year (although it could take longer). The outcome, and timing, no matter what is is, will be Perfect! The Universe has it  Perfect all the time! (most just don't realize it until much much later, if at all)

All IS perfect right now..so feel great NOW (like me!)Now, more exciting and very good news. (all news is just news, it is your THINKING that makes it good of bad..thus ALL news to me is GREAT!)To help pay off the legal expenses and continue to get legal representation, The Kevin Trudeau Legal Defense Fund (KTLegalDefense dot com) will be marketing a monthly emailed newsletter/training course called "Kevin Trudeau's Nuggets of Gold".

It is time for me to start sharing the revelations and breakthroughs in training/awareness/manifesting, that I have been eluding [sic -- though "eluding" is actually unwittingly accurate ~CC] to over the last year on my face book posts! (Kevin Trudeau Community Face book page)The first newsletter (Feb Edition) will be emailed to all who subscribe, immediately. It is already written and ready to send to you RIGHT NOW!

...and after that he went on and on again about his Nuggets of Gold newsletter. He's really flogging that thing.

This is and will be a very special, and a very powerful newsletter/training course for you. The "Lessons" will be like nothing you can imagine. They will be unlike anything you have experienced in my training, or any training ever before. They WILL have a monumental impact on you and the releasing of your abilities.These lessons are no intended to "replace" any training/courses/books/clubs/seminars/events etc that you are already participating in or involved. Rather, they will  "add to" and "supplement" what you are already doing to increase your material success, happiness potential, and life experience. I believe they will make everything work better, faster..and EASIER in your life.

Each month the emailed newsletter/training course will contain:-a lesson/message with training/energy/knowledge that will help you manifest your dreams/desires, achieve inner bliss/harmony/joy, and attain complete freedom in all areas of your life on all dimensions. This material will help to "release your abilities" to a level never before attainable. The material/knowledge is coming from new downloads I have had since making it through the "wall of fire"...and many other mental/spiritual experiences that I have had the unique and rare opportunity to discover over the last year during my amazing adventure. [I still wonder about that McMiracle he mentioned in December 2013. ~CC]

I have eluded [sic... again] to many of these in my posts on the Kevin Trudeau Community Face book page over the 12 months. (you can go to that page and read them if you have not already read them. I encourage you to do so, as those posts/messages are powerful)...

...Each issue will be upbeat, motivating, inspiring, positive, revolutionary in it's [sic] material/data and method of teaching, and will simply be a groundbreaking educational/training/awakening "course" for Successful Daily Living! It will make you feel great after every reading. The messages/lessons will be embedded with "strong awakening energy" that will have a beneficial effect on all who read it.

Subscribers and I will have a special bond and connection, as I will always be so "personally" appreciative, directly, to each and every subscriber in a very intimate way.

I encourage you to consider subscribing to "Nuggets of Gold'. You will be helping me personally. (For which I will always remember)  And YOU will be benefitting tremendously from the material/training and life changing energy transfers that you will be receiving each month.

All proceeds go the the Legal Defense Fund (the law Firm of Winston and Strawn) for all my (KT's) legal expenses past, present and future, and the expenses of managing the website.Each Newsletter is written by me (KT) personally.Please share this message/email with as many people as you can. Email this to every one you know. Talk about it in Social Media. Text people...call them. Spread the word.

Post this on the internet, in as many places as possible. Really promote this. Get the word out.Those who do the lots of promotion of this will be honored and recognized at the first event for your efforts, as well as in all Newsletters.This is exciting. The best is yet to come for all of you. Please accept my humble and sincere thank you for all your love and support over the last years as this "adventure' has been unfolding. You are a part of history. You are seeing in "real time' the training in action. You are lucky. You are special. YOUR thoughts and vibration has [sic] brought us together in this powerful  intimate way.

The next Chapter is about to begin.....be on board!With love and respect to you.....KNOW with certainty....I WILL see YOU at the TOP!
KT

See you at the TOP... does he mean the top bunk? Oh, I guess I've already used that joke here.

Anyway. I'm still working on getting my PACER account up and running, after which I will be able to download and share more court documents and really catch up on a lot of what is going on behind the scenes. I have a feeling that despite Katie's promise to keep his minions updated on the court happenings, and his assurance that you will be able to see copies of everything by sending an email to his legal defense fund, there's a lot he's leaving out, as has always been the case. I'll try to fill you in as much as I can.

Meanwhile, thank you for the donations... keep 'em coming. I will be back with much more, very soon.

PS ~ When do you think Katie will be released from Camp Cupcake? My good friend Julie Daniel posed a question on the public Facebook forum, GIN Network Truth. Want to play? Here's the link.