Rawman or Raw deal?

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Around the end of May, 2006, I was conned.  

By a franchisor named Robert Morgan, now going by the name of Rawman or Rawman Walking, who was extolling his adoption of the American Association's Franchise and Dealer's Fair Franchising Standard.

Harris Chernow, a very well regarded and respected Franchise Attorney, and Robert Purvin, author of the Franchise Fraud, were also conned. 

The three of us were the attorneys on the AAFD's subcommittee that reviewed and approved of the recommendation that Cuppy's Coffee receive the AAFD's Fair Franchising Award.

We were wrong.  So very wrong.

Shortly, thereafter Robert Morgan's involvment with Cuppy's caused many people to lose their deposit money, around $40,000, and many others to lose much more in SBA approved loans.

Blue Mau Mau has a good story on how people lost money with Cuppy's.

Sean Kelly has an excellent overview of Robert Morgan's dubious past.

After selling business opportunities and franchises, Robert Morgan has transformed himself in the Rawman: "Raw Vegan Athlete, A Holistic Health Counselor, Raw Foods Nutritional Consultant, Herbalist and Mentor at The Sanctuary, a raw food retreat."

Like all victims, I wonder how this could have happened to me.  Could I help others avoiding the predatory Rawman?

Wasn't I smart enough to avoid being conned?  Wasn't I experienced enough to avoid being a patsy?  Why didn't I see Morgan for the con he was?

I want to share with you a very useful checklist that I recently discovered in Dr. Robert Hare's book  Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work.

Dr. Hare is a psychologist who has studied manipulative people for many years, those ranging from narcissistic personality disorder right through to psychopathy.

In his book, Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, Hare describes the typical way a con criminal forges the psychopathic bond.

Here is my summary.

First, the message from the con criminal is that he likes and values you for your strength of character and other talents.  This re-inforces your presentation of yourself to the world.  It is always nice to find someone who really sees us and knows that we are special.

Second, because we trust people who are similar to us, the con criminal has to reflect back our values and beliefs, he is just like me.

Third, the con criminal cements the trust by hearing out our secret fears and promising to keep us safe.

Finally, the con criminal becomes our perfect friend, business partner or lover. We have a unique, safe and trusting relationship and become bewildered when we are betrayed.

"The psychopath's game involves analyzing the individual's expectations and desires, and then reflecting them in psychological mask that is so convincing that the person bonds with him or her. This bonding can take place very quickly, even during the space of one cross-country airplane trip." from Robert Hare's Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work.

Nobody can diagnois a psychopath without extensive training and clincial observation, and it is very difficult even for professionals to diagnose personality disorder.

But if it was me, and I was a woman, before going to Rawman's Sanctuary in Florida, I would read all of Robert Hare's book Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, twice or three times.