Author Topic: Kevin Trudeau's ten-year sentence "they" don't want you to know about  (Read 970 times)

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benjipwns

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http://news.yahoo.com/video/kevin-trudeau-sentenced-10-years-222051722.html

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/tv-pitchman-kevin-trudeau-10-year-sentence-22947552
Quote
Best-selling author Kevin Trudeau, whose name became synonymous with late-night TV pitches, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday for bilking consumers through ubiquitous infomercials for his book, "The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know About."

As he imposed the sentence prosecutors had requested, U.S. District Judge Ronald Guzman portrayed the 50-year-old Trudeau as a habitual fraudster going back to his early adulthood. So brazen was Trudeau, the judge said, he once even used his own mother's Social Security number in a scheme.

"Since his 20s, he has steadfastly attempted to cheat others for his own gain," Guzman said, adding that Trudeau is "deceitful to the very core."

Trudeau, whose trademark dyed black hair turned partially gray as he awaited sentencing in jail, showed little emotion as the stiff sentence was handed down at the hearing in Chicago.

Addressing the judge earlier in a 10-minute statement, Trudeau apologized and said he's become a changed man. He said he's meditated, prayed and read self-help books while locked up at Chicago's Metropolitan Correctional Center.

"I have truly had a significant reawakening," said Trudeau, who was dressed in orange jail clothes. "If I ever do an infomercial again ... I promise: No embellishments, no puffery, no lies."

While Trudeau appeared calm throughout the hearing, one of his supporters interrupted the judge at one point and began to speak. After cutting the judge short a second time, the man dropped to the floor and refused to leave. U.S. marshals carried him out of the courtroom.

Jurors convicted Trudeau of criminal contempt in November for defying a 2004 court order barring him from running false ads about the weight-loss book. Despite the order, he aired the infomercials at least 32,000 times, according to prosecutors.

He sold more than 850,000 copies of the weight-loss book, generating $39 million in revenue, prosecutors say. And the judge agreed with prosecutors that the amount of loss stemming from Trudeau's deception was more than $37 million — nearly the amount in revenue.

But in remarks Monday asking for a sentence of less than two years for his client, defense attorney Tom Kirsch said the harm Trudeau caused was minor compared to fraud in which some people are cheated out of their life savings.

"A 10-year sentence might be appropriate for a defendant who destroyed lives," Kirsch said. "(But) Trudeau — if he swindled anyone — swindled them out of $30 (the price of the book)."

Another defense attorney, Carolyn Gurland, added that Trudeau's legal troubles had already cost him his businesses and his home, and nearly all his other worldly possessions.

"He has a suitcase containing his personal artifacts. That's what he has left," she said.

But Guzman showed little sympathy, appearing angry as he said that Trudeau had thumbed his nose at the justice system by violating multiple court orders since the 1990s.

"He has treated federal court orders as if they were mere suggestions ... or impediments to be side-stepped, out-maneuvered or just ignored," the judge said.

Trudeau's weight-loss book describes a grueling, 500-calorie-a-day diet, as well as hormone treatments. The deception, Guzman explained, came in Trudeau's infomercials that misrepresented the contents of the book as laying out "a simple, no hunger ... diet-free method of losing weight," which enticed more people to buy the book.

Trudeau became rich selling millions of books with titles such as "Natural Cures 'They' Don't Want You to Know About" and "Debt Cures 'They' Don't Want You to Know About," touting them in commercials with a news-interview formats.

..

His weight-loss book, which once topped best-seller lists, was the focus of the criminal conviction for which he was sentenced. It also was the subject of related civil case brought by the Federal Trade Commission, in which Trudeau was ordered to pay a $37 million judgment.

In that civil case, Trudeau said he couldn't pay the judgment because he's broke. But FTC lawyers balked at that claim, accusing him of hiding money in shell companies. Trudeau, they noted, has spent lavishly in recent years, including $359 on two haircuts.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2014, 11:31:03 PM by benjipwns »

benjipwns

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Re: Kevin Trudeau's sentence "they" don't want you to know about
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2014, 11:07:38 PM »
Quote
Winter Skye • 3 hours ago
Big Pharma and the Illuminati don't want people to spread the word about alternatives to their poisons. Anyone cheering this news is either a shill or an idiot.

Kara

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Re: Kevin Trudeau's sentence "they" don't want you to know about
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2014, 11:26:59 PM »
Quote
Jurors convicted Trudeau of criminal contempt in November for defying a 2004 court order barring him from running false ads about the weight-loss book. Despite the order, he aired the infomercials at least 32,000 times, according to prosecutors.

I've heard of driving it like you stole it, but this is ridiculous.  :lol

benjipwns

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Re: Kevin Trudeau's ten-year sentence "they" don't want you to know about
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2014, 11:33:00 PM »
In the one infomercial he actually talks about how the government told him to stop but the information was just too important so he had to get back on the air and get it out to the public.

I love the fact that he has a cult of supporters and that they refer to him as "KT" like the woman in the video.

Takao

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Re: Kevin Trudeau's ten-year sentence "they" don't want you to know about
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2014, 11:57:38 PM »
i wonder how many canadians this man has fooled because i see his infomercials on a lot up here

Great Rumbler

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Re: Kevin Trudeau's ten-year sentence "they" don't want you to know about
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2014, 11:59:16 PM »
I thought this was about Gary Trudeau ripping people off by tricking them into buying his comics, and I was gonna say "Yeah, his comics were never funny so I can see why people would be upset."
dog

benjipwns

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Re: Kevin Trudeau's ten-year sentence "they" don't want you to know about
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2014, 12:06:56 AM »
i wonder how many canadians this man has fooled because i see his infomercials on a lot up here
I think you might be confusing this guys work with news reports on the Liberal leader.

Broseidon

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Re: Kevin Trudeau's ten-year sentence "they" don't want you to know about
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2014, 12:27:34 AM »
Thought this was about the politician dude
bent

Brehvolution

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Re: Kevin Trudeau's ten-year sentence "they" don't want you to know about
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2014, 08:57:07 AM »
Kudos on the thread title.
İZH