For the moment this should be kept firmly in the "gossip" column, but I’ve now had multiple reports of strange goings on with international groups that had previously had some affiliation with TEAM.
First of all, and best confirmed, is that IBS, or International Business Systems, a UK based organization I believe to be mostly downline of US Diamond Fred Harteis, has been declared "not in good standing" by Amway and the IBS Diamonds and many Emeralds have had their contracts terminated.
IBS was founded by Diamonds Jerry & Mandy Scriven and Pat & Greta Gregory. I’d heard previously that the Scriven’s contract had been terminated, it appears the same may have happened to the Gregorys. (update: and Butlers downline of Scriven)
A poster in the forums who is apparently quite familiar with the DTI case has the following to say about IBS –
What I have read of the DTI’s complaint the DTI did in fact review much of IBS’s BSM and it appears some of their material represents a greater liability of exposure for Amway than any of the BWW or N21 BSMs. It was simply because of the company structure of IBS (a partnership rather than a limited corp.) that they were not and can not be pursued by the DTI.
Reports I’ve received from the recent Amway Expo’s held in the UK indicate that IBS Diamonds were not in attendance, with the two main IBO speakers being Founder’s Crown Ambassador Peter Müller-Meerkatz of World Wide Diamonds (Germany) and Double Diamond Trevor Lowe of Network TwentyOne.
Perhaps more surprising is a report I’ve received out of South Africa, where IBOs that have recently been affiliated with TEAM via Fred Harteis and IBS have apparently been solicited by a US-based Diamond for an IBS-affiliated gambling multi-level marketing setup!
A gambling-based MLM by the name of World Games Inc (WGI) spread rapidly throughout Europe several years ago, a quick google finds it failed and was "sold" to a new company, Aspiritus, which, surprisingly enough (not) is a gambling-based MLM. I’ve no idea if this is what IBS is looking at, but if any of this is true, I’d strongly recommend any IBOs considering switching sides do their due diligence – in most parts of the world, promoting gambling without a licence is illegal. Furthermore, promoters of WGI were prosecuted in several countries, and one of the people behind WGI and Aspiritus, Gregory James Kennedy, has apparently been involved in numerous frauds, including illegal pyramid schemes.
Hopefully no Amway IBOs are considering going anywhere near this kind of thing.
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