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FIB - Scams 101

What did and did NOT occur ...the facts

Posted By: ginky
Date: Tuesday, February 12, 2008, at 9:34 p.m.(pst)

In Response To: LIES LIES LIES! Katie Yeakle/Michael Masterson/MARK FORD AWAI Scam Artist (Chuck Skidmore)

Hello,

Since this thread is prominent in Google, I thought I'd respond to
it.

I purchased all articles from the Miami Herald and Palm Beach newspapers concerning Mark Ford/Michael Masterson.

Fact 1: He was NOT convicted of fraud. Therefore to say he is guilty of
fraud is a misrepresentation of the facts.

Fact 2: He DID agree to a fine without admitting or agreeing to wrongdoing.

Fact 3: Paid $3,000,000 to the government and made $200,000 available for refunds.

Fact 4: He did say: "I never did anything I thought was flagrantly wrong," he said. "But I made these little compromises. And somehow, at the end of it, I was on the other side of the river and I didn't know how I got there."
But he said the fight with the government is over.

"It's settled," he said, "and as far as I'm concerned, I'd like to move on."

Fact 5: The settlement also called for Nadel -- a former newsletter publisher and Boca Raton synagogue founder -- and Ford to have nothing more than a consulting or "passive minority interest" in a direct-mail company.

That would mean he is NOT a major owner in awai. And probably is only a consultant and likely receives royalties or some sort of compensation for his content contributions.

Fact 6: This is the ONLY case involving him that newslibrary.com showed in
their database search of hundreds of newspapers. That would mean it's NOT
a fair representation of the truth to say he has a long history of fraud or
anything of the sort.

Fact 7: NO criminal charges were ever filed:

"But no criminal charges have been filed. Instead, if the government decides it wants to keep Nadel's and Ford's $6.6 million, it would have to get an order from a federal judge. A hearing would be conducted, and the government would have to prove the crime in a civil proceeding."

Whoever wrote the above statements did not fairly present the facts of this
situation.

I might point out that Wesley Snipes is having his own legal troubles but
that does NOT mean he isn't a great actor. Similarly, Michael's bad business
judgment isn't a reflection on his copywriting abilities.

As to the content of the awaionline courses and reports, they are some of the
best money can buy.

a. I don't work for awai or early to rise
b. To my knowledge I've never met Michael Masterson in person nor talked to
him over the phone.
c. I'm not married or dating anyone on any business related to Agora.
d. I don't speak at their seminars.
e. I don't have an unspoken axe to grind as other posters on this thread
apparently do.

Ginky

>> In American Writers and Artist Inc.'s weekly ezine (Issue #287 July
>> 23, 2007), Katie Yeakle, Executive Director, AWAI, wrote a piece obviously
>> trying to counter the information in this message board. In it she states
>> " ...we refuse to promote get-rich-quick schemes that promise lots of
>> money..."

>> Yet, here are direct quotes from the AWAI products web page.

>> Retire This Year! …and Still Make More Money Than Most
>> Doctors.

>> Imagine… Making $30,000… $50,000… $70,000… Even $150,000
>> Per Year Or More – In Just a Few Hours Per Week

>> Write a Web Promo in 7 Hours… Watch It Bring in
>> $2.5 Million in Sales… Collect Your $27,500 Fee…

>> You Could Make $200 to $2,000 a Week Taking Snapshots in Your Own
>> Backyard

>> How to Earn Up To $10,000 on Your First Letter!

>> This Essential Guide to Networking Can Help You Turn Any Casual
>> Conversation Into a $100,000 Marketing Effort.

>> And Yeakle claims they don't get involved in "get rich
>> quick" products? Just plain LIES. These people wouldn't know the
>> truth if it hit them in the head.
>> Real bottom dwellers.

>> So here we have Michael Masterson (aka Mark Ford) and his documented
>> history of scams, money laundering, mail fraud and phony sweepstakes...
>> and Ms. Yeakle who can only be described as a boldface liar. And now a
>> Palm Beach TV News team considering doing an investigative feature on
>> them! Excellent!

>> A little advice for all you other clowns connected to AWAI... Bob Bly,
>> Paul Hollingshead, Don Mahoney, Will Newman, John Forde, Clayton Makepeace
>> and the rest... time to separate yourself from this den of thieves while
>> you can. I wouldn't even show up at the rip off bootcamp coming in October
>> in Delray Beach. Call in sick.

>> COMING SOON - MY NEWLY UPDATED 50 THINGS ABOUT MICHAEL MASTERSON/AWAI
>> COPYWRITING SCAM!

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