Sweet Tooth Sam - The Sequel
Vampires, notwithstanding Buffy, don't really exist do they? But what then what accounts for the undead like quality of vending frauds?
In 2002, "The FTC's complaint against the defendants was filed in June 2002, as part of "Operation Busted Opportunity" - a coordinated attack on business opportunities and work-at-home fraud by the FTC, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and 17 state law enforcement agencies. According to the complaint, the defendants advertised their candy vending machines, called "Sweet Tooth Sam, the Money Making Man," on the Internet, in newspaper ads, and by telephone. The ads contained statements that prospective buyers would receive "500% Profits" or "$4000 per month." In addition, the defendants allegedly directed consumers to call "shill" references." (my emphasis)
Here is a description of who the business opportunity fraudsters were: "The Federal Trade Commission has accepted two separate settlements with the operators of a bogus business opportunity venture. In separate settlements, one settlement with Jesse Alper and the other settlement with Inspired Ventures, Inc., Victor Alper, I.V.I. Management Corporation, and Source Systems, Inc., the defendants are banned from marketing business ventures and from telemarketing. The FTC alleged that the defendants, based in Miami, engaged in deceptive business practices in the sale of their vending machines. I.V.I. Management managed the advertising for the scheme, and Source Systems supplied the bulk candy for the vending machines."
But in Southern Florida, there really is a fountain of youth, at least for criminals.
On January 31st, 2007, the Department of Justice Southern District of Florida had this Press Release: "R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Henry Gutierrez, Inspector in Charge, Miami Division, United States Postal Inspection Service, announced that defendant Samuel Elmowitz entered a plea of guilty today in Miami Federal District Court to one count of an Indictment, charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud. A second defendant, Allen Fialkoff, was arrested on January 29, 2007 in connection with the same scheme.
Elmowitz worked for MasterVend Marketing, Inc. ("MasterVend), a North Miami Beach based company that purportedly sold candy and "snack and soda" vending machine business opportunities to consumers across the United States."
What was MasterVend selling? You guessed it, "Sweet Tooth Sam" vending machines. The indictment against the company can be read here.
What can we learn from this situation, other than using the internet to search on the name of vending machine being sold is a good idea? Well by googling "Sweet Tooth Sam" we find a number of vendors selling their mahcines. Checking on eBay is always a good idea, and we would learn that 25 Sweet Tooth Sam vending machines were available for $499.00.00. Quite a discount. Someone more optimistically is trying to unload 30 Sweet Tooth Sam vending machines for $2760. These would be really good people to have talked with before buying into the MasterVend scheme.
And in case you think this is the end, Eric Barros, listed as the director of MasterVend Marketing is also the director of Vendmasters of America, which appears to be advertising on this website. How very nice.
