Tag: Franchises, Business Opportunities, and Investments

In November 2018, the FTC announced that a federal district court in Maryland issued an order temporarily shutting down the largest overseas real estate investment scam the FTC has ever targeted. According to the FTC, the scam was established by Andris Pukke, a recidivist scammer currently living in California, and he perpetuated it even while serving a prison sentence for obstruction of justice. The alleged scheme took in more than $100 million, marketing lots in what supposedly would become a luxury development in Central America known by several names, including Sanctuary Belize, Sanctuary Bay, and The Reserve. The FTC alleged that the defendants misled consumers when selling these lots, lying about how risky investments in the development were, how the development was funded, what would be done with money paid for lots, what amenities the development would have, the timeframe those amenities would be built, consumers’ ability to resell lots, and Andris Pukke’s involvement. Several defendants settled prior to the January 2020 trial.

In late August 2020, the district court issued its verdict, finding in favor of the FTC. In early 2021, the court issued final orders against Andris Pukke, Peter Baker, Luke Chadwick, John Usher, and the corporate defendants, limiting what types of business they can engage in moving forward and entering a $120.2 million judgment against them. The defendants appealed and largely lost. During the appeal, Luke Chadwick settled, turning over certain assets and agreeing to a modified order further limiting the types of business he can engage in. After the appeal, the district court entered an order confirming that Andris Pukke, Peter Baker, and John Usher must turn over $120.2 million as well as the corporate defendants and their assets to compensate their victims.  In August 2023, the FTC sent approximately $10 million to consumer defrauded by the Sanctuary Belize investment scheme. In February 2026, the FTC announced a second redress mailing to consumer victims of the scheme.

The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $222,000 in refunds to consumers harmed by a deceptive mortgage relief operation known as Lanier Law. The scheme collected thousands of dollars in upfront fees from homeowners by promising to lower their monthly payments but then failed to deliver. As a result of a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission and the State of Florida, a federal court has ordered so-called “trucking automation” company RivX to cease its operations over allegations the firm has scammed consumers out of millions of dollars with deceptive promises of trucking industry investment opportunities.

The complaint filed by the FTC and the Florida Office of Attorney General alleges that RivX, along with its owner Antonio Rivodo and company executive Noah Wooten, have used deceptive claims of guaranteed income to entice consumers to pay $75,000 dollars or more to buy trucks that they often never received. 

In August 2024, the FTC and the Florida Office of Attorney General alleged that RivX, along with its owner Antonio Rivodo and company executive Noah Wooten, have used deceptive claims of guaranteed income to entice consumers to pay $75,000 dollars or more to buy trucks that they often never received. The scheme collected thousands of dollars in upfront fees from homeowners by promising to lower their monthly payments but then failed to deliver. A federal court has ordered so-called “trucking automation” company RivX to cease its operations In January 2026, the FTC announced two court orders resolving the complaint against all defendants in the case

At the FTC’s request, a federal court has temporarily halted the operation of a sprawling business opportunity scheme that has taken in millions of dollars from consumers with bogus promises of huge returns. The scheme has operated since at least 2018 under several names, including “Blueprint to Wealth,” according to the FTC’s complaint. Three individuals and a company owned by one of them -- Business Revolution Group -- are charged in the complaint with operating the scheme. The defendants in the case agreed to settlements with the FTC that include monetary judgements, industry bans, and prohibitions on certain conduct. 

In September 2025, the FTC announced it was returning $666,631 to consumers defrauded by a sprawling business opportunity scheme.

 The FTC asked a federal court to stop Air AI from using allegedly deceptive claims about business growth, earnings potential, and refund guarantees to fleece small businesses and entrepreneurs.

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal court temporarily halted  a business opportunity scheme known as Click Profit, which took millions from consumers by falsely promising consumers that they could earn big profits through online sales.

In a complaint, the FTC alleged that Click Profit and its owners deceived consumers by promising they could make large sums in “passive income” using a proprietary system powered by artificial intelligence. The system supposedly enables consumers to sell goods through online platforms such as Amazon, Walmart, and TikTok. Click Profit also deceived consumers by claiming to be affiliated with major companies like Nike and Disney as a ploy to convince consumers to turn over tens of thousands of dollars each, according to the complaint.

In August 2025, the FTC announced that under a proposed settlement, Click Profit and its owners will be permanently banned from the industry and will be required to turn over cash, real estate, and personal property that will be used for consumer redress.

In June 2024, the FTC filed suit against FBA Machine and Bratislav Rozenfeld (also known as Steven Rozenfeld and Steven Rozen) alleging that, in a business opportunity scheme, they falsely guaranteed that consumers could make money operating online storefronts using AI-powered software. The defendants allegedly failed to deliver on the promised earnings claims and defrauded consumers out of over $15 million.

As a result of the FTC’s complaint, a federal court issued an order temporarily halting the scheme and putting it under the control of a receiver.

The FTC later added Amanda Peremen, Rozenfeld’s wife, as a relief defendant in the case. The amended complaint alleged that, though not directly involved in the scheme, she received proceeds from it.

In July 2025, the FTC announced that Rozenfeld will be permanently banned from selling business opportunities in settlement of FTC’s allegations and will be required to turn over the contents of multiple financial accounts and any funds realized upon the sale of real estate property. The proceeds will be used for consumer redress.

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal court has temporarily halted a bogus credit repair scheme known as The Credit Game for promoting a series of lies and deceptions. The FTC alleged the scheme’s operators lied to credit reporting agencies regarding information on consumers’ credit reports and pitched consumers a supposed business opportunity that was essentially starting their own bogus credit repair scheme.

In a complaint filed against The Credit Game and its owners, Michael and Valerie Rando, the FTC alleged that the company has illegally charged consumers hundreds and even thousands of dollars for credit repair services of little to no value and told consumers to “invest” their COVID-19 governmental benefits on their unlawful services. In some cases, the company’s “services” included filing false identity theft reports with the FTC and encouraging consumers to take actions that were unlawful. The FTC asked the court to immediately halt the company’s illegal operations, appoint a receiver, and freeze the defendants’ assets. The court issued a temporary restraining order doing so on May 3, 2022.

As a result of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, the operators of “The Credit Game,” a credit repair scheme that cost consumers millions of dollars, face a lifetime ban from the credit repair industry in proposed court orders filed today.

Michael and Valerie Rando and their companies, first sued by the FTC in May 2022, would also be required to turn over a wide array of property that would be liquidated and used to provide refunds to consumers harmed by the scam.

The FTC issued more than $3.5 million in refunds to consumers harmed by a credit-repair scheme called ‘The Credit Game.’