http://www.sltrib.com/news/1877777-155/utah-couple-got-big-salaries-during

Does anyone have knowledge if Curtis L. De Young and his wife Michelle are Mormons? Apparently the Draper/Riverton Utah firm has been running a Ponzi, siphoning off funds to friends and overpaying themselves. The SEC shut them down and the FBI is not commenting on an investigation. There is $24 million missing and again, greedy Utahns are left without retirement funds.

The story in the SLTrib doesn't say:
http://www.sltrib.com/news/1877777-155/utah-couple-got-big-salaries-during

But in the comments, it is verified that they are/were. I added 'were' because surely their bishop has called a court of love on them, right? Right?

Here's the comment that confirms their mormonosity:

laytonian to HelenMarKimball • 4 hours ago
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Mormons Christians?
Curtis DeYoung answered...

I know that Mormons are Christians because they are one and the same thing. He is our Lord and our Savior. We believe that it is only through Christ and His mercy that we can be saved. Our love for Christ leads us to live the way we do. We strive to live how Jesus did when he was on the earth and do our best the keep the commandments that he has given to the world. The Book of Mormon helps us to learn and understand more of those commandments and the things that he taught. It is simply another testimony of Him and of His divine role in God's Plan of Happiness.

http://www.mormon.org/me/8dqc

Poop! I just read on in the comments section... This isn't the same Curtis DeYoung...

But searching further, on the Perp's FB page (https://www.facebook.com/CurtisDeYoung/) you can go to the "about" page and see his friends, one of whom is his daughter, who is solidly mormon: https://www.facebook.com/CurtisDeYoung/

So, yes, High Criminalhood quorum member DeYoung is a mormon. Be sure to see the movie!

pyramids run rampant in Mormon Utah. There are so many that I personally can remember with my extended family within the last 25 years that have tanked.
1) gold in Beliz
2) insurance policies on people suppose to be dying
3) steroid vitamins
4) plane ticket discount pyramid
5) filter water
6) ionized ball that was suppose to replaces detergent
7) health and beauty products

the list goes on... and on...

My mom got sucked into #2 my sleazy TBM cousin signed her up.

Thanks for the laugh.

My jay dub aunt got suckered into that one.

And also the shoe magnets.

My youngest sister bought into the magic washing machine balls. They were just plastic spheres filled with blue-dyed water, and I said so the first time I saw them. She sold my mother one for seventy bucks! They ignored me, because I was a known agnostic. What the hell did I know? Now they have no balls and use soap like everyone else.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2015 01:12PM by donbagley.

Another scheme that my TBM ex fell for was an alleged internet "mall" but it was just like every other Ponzi scheme, as you had to get others to pay into it. This was big about 16 years ago, but I guess it fizzled away as I haven't heard of it in years.

My TBM nephew was supposedly a computer expert who worked for Microsoft, and he bilked thousands of dollars from my father and uncle and brothers, to start his own computer company in Sandy, Utah. Within a year, it "went bankrupt."

Turns out, that a business was never registered in the first place.

Turns out, that the nephew never did work for Microsoft.

Turns out, that the nephew didn't graduate, and didn't attend classes at BYU, but lived off of my father's tuition and book money, and went on expensive dates and weekend trips. My father paid for his housing and meals and car.

Turns out, that he went right on ripping off family members and friends--some of them a second time! He's still going strong, with his millions.

Family members are always hurt the most. Many of our Mormon neighbors have lost their houses and retirement, due to buying into fake TBM businesses. One con-man was a stake president, and he declared bankruptcy, and is still going strong, in his next neighborhood. Another neighbor conned his brother and his sister, and they all had to move away, but the con-man went to Federal prison. This was the only person I ever heard of that was actually punished.

I am a Mormon and have been a victim of a gold mine con. Later I graduated from the university of common sense. The vast majority of Mormons are honest people. Unfortunately, those that live their lives with integrity want assume that those of their religious persuasion are of the same heart and mind and are easy targets...Hunan nature like Murphy's Law, is ever present. There will always be evil among the good, be they Mormons, Catholics, Protestants....nothing new here, even those who selectively pick on the Mormons. Why? Are they the standard by which all should be judged? If not, why not leave them alone?

but what other religion has the dream mine con ?

I can confirm Curtis L Deyoung, CEO of APS in Riverton Utah is, in fact a mormon. I dated one of his daughters. I think the reason he, and other creators of ponzi schemes in Utah, are able to be so successful at the craft is due, in large part, to the trusting nature of those belonging to the LDS faith and those of their respective area congregations. People like Deyoung realize they can take advantage of this trust and, therefore, create these schemes to defraud their fellow neighbors. Quite sad.

Then he, like other con men of his stature, knowingly fleece their fellow worshipers having followed in the footsteps of their very own founding fathers, Joseph & Brigham, on down.

Doing it in the name of God just makes their actions more egregious IMO. They're taking the life savings from those who have worked and sacrificed to be able to have a modicum of living standard in retirement.

That is so criminal, words can't begin to express the disgust he deserves.

Can't find online where he's been convicted yet, only indicted. There is another Curtis DeYoung, convicted of felonies and serving time in Florida. That DeYoung was born in '88, so he could easily be the child of this Curtis DeYoung.

A chip off the old block, no doubt.

So many minor Mormon leaders are into affinity fraud, that many have actually done prison time. Minor GA (Regional Representative) R. Dean Udy went to federal prison for 1-15 years, but still sits in prison. L. Wynn Johnson did only one year in prison for the Bonneville-Pacific scam (I think the sentence was also 1-15 years). Because he had health problems, they let Johnson sit out most of the year at home with an ankle bracelet, and allowed him to go to the temple. That means that the LDS church gave him a recommend, even though he was technically imprisoned. After his release, he was called to a stake position over the objections of many whom he had fleeced. Then a couple of years later he and his wife went on a seniors mission where they were guest professors of economics at BYU-Hawaii.

"The Lord writes straight with crooked letters, son." ...Pa Cartwright, "Bonanza"

"The state thought to have the most affinity fraud per head is Utah, where 60% of the population are Mormons."

According to The Economist magazine.

http://www.economist.com/node/21543526

Mormons aren't just gullible, the state legislature passed a law making pyramid schemes legal.


"PSA (Pyramid Schemes Alert) conducted an analysis of the proposed new Utah and found it to be the opposite of what it claims to be. Promoted as a consumer protection bill that tightens restrictions on pyramid schemes, the proposed law is, in fact, a special interest bill written by the pyramid sales scheme industry and designed to benefit pyramid sales schemes at the expense of consumers. The proposed law legalizes sales schemes that previously would have been prosecuted in Utah under the existing law."

http://pyramidschemealert.org/PSAMain/news/UtahScamState.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2016 06:24PM by Devoted Exmo.

Mormons do lead the nation in affinity fraud. It seems that con artists are either drawn to the profiles of the trusting Mormons who are easy prey - or they are born from the rank and file Mormons - maybe due to the environment that encourages MLM and Ponzi schemes such as is the case in Utah, unlike other states and federal regulations prohibiting it.

An update to the "Pyramid Scheme Alert" from 2006 showing the anti-affinity laws on Utah's books that were basically reversed by the same guys who were arrested and are mentioned in this 2014 update on MLM's in Utah.

"Utah’s Top Cops and Biggest MLM Promoters Arrested
Mark Shurtleff

Former Utah Governor, Mark Shurtleff, the nation’s biggest MLM backer in a state government, has been arrested on bribery charges

Back in the USA, the MLM industry has touted as one of its great promoters the former Attorney General of Utah, Mark Shurtleff. While still serving as a public official, Shurtleff appeared to have publicly endorsed the MLM, Usana and he was instrumental in opening Utah up to more MLM pyramids.

Now it is reported that Shurtleff has been arrested in Utah on bribery charges, along with another former Attorney General of Utah, John Swallow, who was also a major MLM backer.

According to the Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, the prosecution included the cooperation of the FBI. Gill announced that Shurtleff and Swallow are accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from businesspeople. The charges come with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

Both Swallow and Shurtleff were nationally known as governmental defenders and promoters of MLM in Utah and nationally, the state with more MLM headquarters per capita than any other. According to a 2012 investigative article in Harpers Magazine by Jeff Ernsthausen, Shurtleff received campaign contributions totaling more than $475,000 from members of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) since 1999, accounting for 14 percent of his donations from sources other than the state Republican Party.

The DSA writes the “code of ethics” that MLM member companies are supposed to follow. The Harper‘s article noted, after itemizing DSA member contributions to Shurtleff, noted that “unsurprisingly”, Shurtleff was a major MLM backer.

Shurtleff famously appeared as the state’s top law enforcement officer at DSA member and MLM, Usana’s national meeting in 2004 to apparently endorse the company publicly. As reported in the Salt Lake Tribune in a 2011 piece on MLM influence in Utah by Steven Oberbeck, Shurtleff “walked onto the stage in Salt Lake City. ‘Good morning, Usana,’ he shouted. ‘And I have some news for you. Last night I talked to Governor Huntsman, and he agreed with me that it is now time to change the name of our state.

‘From now on we will be known as Utana.'”
Another publicized connection between Shurtleff and MLM, was with the MLM scheme, Pre-Paid Legal, which also had been a DSA member. Pre-Paid Legal was a publicly traded stock with the symbol, PPD. It was frequently sued for deception and pyramiding, and later was taken private with a leveraged buy-out, followed by the change of its name to LegalShield, a current DSA member. The Shurtleff/Pre-Paid Legal connection allegedly involved campaign money to Shurtleff from PPD, a lucrative book purchasing deal by PPD to the profit of Shurtleff, and possible help from Shurtleff in squelching a federal investigation of PPD. According to an article in the Salt Lake City Weekly by Eric S. Peterson, the multi-level marketing scheme, Pre-Paid Legal Services had donated $130,000 in campaign funds to Shurtleff between 2003 and 2008. Shurtleff also received $7,400 in donations to his 2009 Senate race from employees of Pre-Paid Legal, and Shurtleff’s political action committee, the PAC for Utah’s Future, received $15,000 in donations from the company in 2010.

Quoting from the article, “Author and Tea Party activist Candace Salima says that when then-Attorney General Mark Shurtleff approached her in spring 2009 about publishing his historical fiction novel with her Valor Publishing Group, he told her that he hadn’t finished writing the book – but that he could guarantee a pre-sale order of 100,000 copies. Salima says that the company that Shurtleff told her was willing to buy 100,000 copies… which, Salima says, would result in over $100,000 in royalties being paid to Shurtleff – was Pre-Paid Legal Services…. At the time, the company was being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission for making misleading statements to its customers.”

Shurtleff’s greatest contribution to MLM in Utah, with national ramifications, was his leadership role in changing the state’s anti-pyramid scheme law to one that exempts MLM and also inhibits the ability of victims to sue an MLM in Utah. For a full review on the changed law in Utah that now protects “product-based” pyramids see, 2006 special report, Utah Legislature Passes Pyramid Scheme Safe Harbor Amendments,by Robert FitzPatrick.

On Shurtleff’s successor John Swallow’s ties to MLM, the Harper‘s investigation reported that “Of the $680,000 he has raised for his election campaign to date (June 2012), $114,000 can be traced to Utah-based DSA member companies, their executives, or their spouses.”

http://pyramidschemealert.org/specter-of-illegality-stalks-multi-level-marketing/

Why not leave Mormonism alone? Two reasons:

1) The religion, itself, demands credulity from its members. "Doubt your doubts." That's the stupidest thing ever. It should be, "Investigate your doubts," or "learn which of your doubts alert you to what you should avoid, and which are symptoms of fear, anxiety, or insecurity." How about, "Know thyself." A so-called prophet of God who tells you to turn off your brain in order to keep believing God, is probably using God as the lure in his own get-rich-quick scheme.

2) At any time, the Mormon church can call a halt to scamming. The tip-top could decree that religious leaders may not use any members as potential investors in any business scheme. Full stop. Any leader caught doing so will be summarily dismissed. How easy was it to decree that children of gay parents would not be baptised? It would be just as easy to stop Mormon leaders from preying on any Mormon congregation. Why don't the leaders decree this? It makes me wonder if being able to scam members is the offer needed to retain leaders.

Anyone hear about Prolifix Nutrition? It's a LLC in Hurricane, UT. Supposedly one of my siblings is working there, if there is a there. It looks sketchy.

Nope, but Hurricane is a really cool place to visit!

It's the closest "big" little town to Zion's National Park. I loved it there, but not enough to want to live there. Well, there are some areas that look user friendly. It's just the further out one gets from St. George, the more rough the mugshots get on the crime blog. Seriously.

Hurricane is no exception.

It has the Old Wild West feel to it. Many old cowboy westerns were actually filmed near there. That may be the reason why. :))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKC8pSFg1Vw

I was going to be the first person to 'like' their FB page, but then I realized, "hey, that's not who I am..."

In the early seventies, I was contacted in Utah by a female I had previously met at church when she was single. She explained that she and her husband would like me to be their guest at a meeting to learn of a great business opportunity. They pulled up in a very old Ford that ran like it couldn't make it out of the parking lot.

The "great business opportunity" turned out to be a pyramid scheme, but I don't think they fully realized it. I quietly listened to the bullshit presentation and invited them back to my apartment to discuss it. The wife said that they sought me out because of my business degree and experience and really wanted to know what I thought about it.

It turned out that she and her husband, a graduate student at BYU, had saved ten thousand dollars to be able to pursue his advanced degree. All their savings had been given to the scheme with the promise of making a great deal of money. For everyone they got in, they would be paid $5,000 so they would quickly "recoup their investment" with just two "converts" (they actually used the term). Anyone after that would "provide positive cash flow". The scheme presenters used business terms in unclear and sometimes misleading ways, but most of the participants would likely not have been aware of it.

I asked how many conversions they had thus far. They said they had really tried and got several people to go to presentations, but none had joined. I pointed out that $10,000 was a great deal of money for most people to have readily available (a brand new mid-priced car cost much less back then). I tried to be gentle and explained what they had really got themselves into and that they had likely lost all their money.

She replied in a somber voice that I "was their last, best hope". I apologized, but said that I was not going to join at which time she completely broke down and sobbed almost incoherently. They left soon afterword and I never saw them again. I truly felt sorry for them as they were a sweet couple who let greed get the best of them. I have never forgotten that night or this sad experience.

Our little corner of Davis County was

1. Shakley
2. Diamonds (being held for your safety with all the gold in California in a bank in the middle of Beverly Hills in somebody else's name)

In my area essential oils is the current scam.