North Dakota Shuts Down Firm Linked To Miles
The North Dakota Attorney General’s Office has shut down a Kentucky-based multilevel marketing company (a.k.a. pyramid scam) with South Carolina connections.
The office of North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued a cease-and-desist order last week against Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing of Lexington, Kentucky for “violations of North Dakota transient merchant, consumer fraud, and home solicitation sales laws.”
Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing, FITS readers will recall, is one of the pyramid scams promoted in South Carolina by former Secretary of State Jim Miles and his wife, Betty.
Miles was forced to resign his position as Chief-of-Staff to Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer earlier this year for his role in”Senior Scam,” another questionable business venture – one that funneled tens of thousands of tax dollars into a for-profit shakedown.
He was replaced as Bauer’s Chief of Staff in June by Helen Ann Thrower.
“Multi-level marketing” scams are business models that achieve the majority of their profits by signing up new “investors” rather than producing a legitimate good or service.
They promise big dividends down the line, provided of course you sign up enough of your friends and relatives.
While Miles was let go from the Lieutenant Governor’s office as a result of his association with such disreputable enterprises, the University of South Carolina’s Athletic Department recently swept a similar scandal involving a top Gamecock marketing official (and football announcer) under the rug.
Sad, sad, sad …
WEB EXTRA
Comments
By Jim on December 17th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Jim is one shady character. Anyone associated with him must be considered “shady”
Shady shady shady. What can I say. Shady.
By Eric on December 18th, 2009 at 6:48 am
Karen Floyd, Jim Miles and Andre Bauer took $125,000 of tax dollars and turned it into nothing.
Our money thrown out the window and no one does a thing about it.
Thanks SLED. Thanks Attorney General. Thanks Federal District Attorney. You guys keep up the good work.
By Ynot on December 18th, 2009 at 6:55 am
lots of shady goings on in this state
By Markopolos on December 18th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
The distributors in Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing use Jim Miles name and other notable people claimed to be in the scheme as a means to convay people to join.
By John on December 18th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Jim Miles makes money off Fortune Hi-Tech. His wife is in it up to her neck.
It helps the Mile’s family a lot to be “morally flexible”.
By McDonnell on January 7th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Apparently Fortune Hi-Tech was nailed for an assortment of violations according to the cease and desist order.
By Brent Surratt on January 8th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
folks….
as a member of fhtm – and highly qualified and successful person….let me assure you that FHTM is not only highly reputable….it is likely the future model for business.
It’s easy to sit back and naysay, fhtm has helped myself and multiple colleagues to not only pay our bills, but to help our new folks with an opportunity….
by the way…nearly $800 is paid out for every $299 that’s paid…how is this…well it’s not due to the pyramid!!!!, it’s because we have extensive contracts with much of coorporate america. i.e GE, Verizon, Dish, etc…these companies pay us millions to move their products just like they pay Best Buy walmart, etc…are those retailers “schemes?”
I can humbly say that anyone that doubts FHTM, either doesn’t fully understand it – or likely doesn’t have the fortitude to succeed at most of their ventures in life.
Good Luck, – if you want to learn more about the best opportunity in america – email me at bsurratt@abbaplans.com
By FITSNews on January 8th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Brent-
Really? Please tell us more as we are dying to know how we, too, can become hugely successful like you.
Oh, and how we can have fortitude.
Yes, please tell us more about how we can have fortitude.
-FITS
By McDonnell on January 12th, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Brent, the “extensive contracts with much of corporate America” is not true. FHTM uses a web mall shopping site that connects to thousands of businesses. Also, most of the companies on FHTM Corp website are affiliated programs that FHTM is a reseller for. Travelocity is one of the affiliates that come to mind. Through FHTM you can get a replicated web template for $50 a month, but if you go directly through the affiliate program with Travelocity the web-template is free. Can you see where FHTM is cashing in on sales and coming up with the “nearly $800 is paid out.”
By Jeffrey on March 16th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
First North Dakota now Montana.
FHTM has been ordered to stop doing business in Montana for allegedly operating like a pyramid scheme. I included a link that mentions Jim Miles in the scheme.
Also FHTM makes the news in Montana www dot kfbb dot com.