Kevin Trudeau Totally Explained

Everything about Kevin Trudeau totally explained

Kevin Mark Trudeau (born February 6, 1963) is an American author, pocket billiards promoter (founder of the International Pool Tour), salesman, and self-proclaimed alternative medicine advocate. He is known for a number of television infomercials promoting his products, and for several books, including Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About.
Trudeau is a convicted felon with criminal convictions in the early 1990s for fraud and larceny. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sued him numerous times. A federal order currently restricts his ability to promote and sell any product or service. However, he's permitted to promote books and other publications due to free-speech protection under the First Amendment as long as they're not used to promote or sell products or services and don't contain misrepresentations.

Early life

Trudeau grew up in Lynn, Massachusetts, United States, the adopted son of Robert and Mary Trudeau. He attended St. Mary's High School, where he was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" by the class of 1981.

Career

After serving time for criminal activity in the early nineties, Trudeau partnered with his former cell mate and they joined Nutrition for Life, a multi-level marketing firm, where he was very successful. However, he and his partner were sued by the Illinois Attorney General for allegedly running a pyramid scheme. Trudeau and his company entered into a settlement with Illinois and seven other states for $185,000. He spent two years in federal prison because of this conviction (Choi, 2005). Later, in his book Natural Cures, Trudeau claimed that he's since learned from his experience, and is now motivated to help people rather than merely to make money for himself.

1996: SEC and various states

Trudeau began working for Nutrition For Life, a multi-level marketing program in the mid 1990s. However, in 1996, his recruitment practices were cited by the states of Illinois and Michigan, as well as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Illinois sued Trudeau and Jules Leib, who was his partner, accusing them of operating an illegal pyramid scheme. They settled with Illinois and seven other states for $185,000 after agreeing to change their tactics. Michigan forbade him from operating in the state. A class action lawsuit was filed by stockholders of Nutrition for Life for violations of Texas law including misrepresenting and/or omitting material information about Nutrition for Life International, Inc.'s business. In August 1997, the company paid $2 million in cash to common stockholders and holders of warrants during the class period to settle the case. The company also paid the plaintiffs' attorney fees of $600,000.

1998: FTC fine

In 1998, Trudeau was fined $500,000 to be used for consumer redress by the FTC, relating to six infomercials he'd produced and in which the FTC determined he'd made false or misleading claims. These infomercials included "Hair Farming," "Mega Memory System," "Addiction Breaking System," "Action Reading," "Eden's Secret," and "Mega Reading." The products included a "hair farming system" that was supposed to "finally end baldness in the human race," and "a breakthrough that in 60 seconds can eliminate" addictions, discovered when a certain "Dr. Callahan" was "studying quantum physics."

2004: FTC contempt of court and injunction

In June 2003, the FTC filed a complaint in the Northern District of Illinois against Trudeau and some of his companies (Shop America (USA), LLC; Shop America Marketing Group, LLC; and Trustar Global Media, Limited), alleging that disease-related claims for Coral Calcium Supreme were false and unsubstantiated. In July 2003, Trudeau entered into a stipulated preliminary injunction that prohibited him from continuing to make the challenged claims for Coral Calcium Supreme and Biotape.
In the summer of 2004, the court found Trudeau in contempt of court for violating the preliminary injunction, because he'd sent out a direct mail piece and produced an infomercial making prohibited claims. The court ordered Trudeau to cease all marketing for coral calcium products.
In September 2004, Trudeau agreed to pay $2 million ($500,000 in cash plus transfer of residential property located in Ojai, California, and a luxury vehicle) to settle charges that he falsely claimed that a coral calcium product can cure cancer and other serious diseases and that a purported analgesic called Biotape can permanently cure or relieve severe pain. He also agreed to a lifetime ban on promoting products with infomercials. However, that didn't restrict his right to promote books via infomercials.

2005: Trudeau v. FTC

On February 28 2005, Trudeau filed a complaint against the FTC in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. Trudeau also filed a motion for preliminary injunction, which the court denied.
The complaint charged that the FTC had retaliated against him for his criticism of the agency by issuing a press release that falsely characterized and intentionally and deliberately misrepresented the 2004 Final Order. That conduct, Trudeau asserted, exceeded the FTC’s authority under 15 U.S.C. § 46(f) and violated the First Amendment. The Federal Trade Commission responded with a motion to dismiss the complaint for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1), and for failure to state a claim for which relief can be granted under Rule 12(b)(6).
The district court granted the FTC’s motion to dismiss. First, the court concluded that it lacked subject-matter jurisdiction because the press release wasn't “a ‘final agency action’” under “section 704 of the [AdministrativeProcedure Act]”, 5 U.S.C. § 704. Second, the court held, “in the alternative, that Trudeau’s claims failed to state a viable cause of action as a matter of law.”

2005: Trudeau v. New York Consumer Protection Board

Trudeau filed a lawsuit on August 11, 2005, accusing the New York State Consumer Protection Board of violating his First Amendment rights by contacting television stations in New York state and urging them to pull Trudeau's infomercials promoting his book Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About. Trudeau won a temporary restraining order on September 6, 2005 prohibiting the Board from sending letters to the television stations. The temporary restraining order was replaced by a preliminary injunction. However, Trudeau lost a motion to have the Board send a "corrective letter" to the television stations and subsequently dropped all claims for monetary damages. The case is still in litigation.

2007: FTC contempt of court action

The FTC has filed a contempt of court action against Trudeau and the companies that market The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know About, alleging that Trudeau is in contempt of a 2004 court order by "deceptively claiming in his infomercials that the book being advertised establishes a weight-loss protocol that's 'easy' to follow." The action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on September 17, 2007. According to an FTC Press Release, Trudeau claims that the weight loss plan outlined in the book is easy, can be done at home, and readers can eat anything they want. When consumers buy the book, they find it describes a complex plan that requires intense dieting, daily injections of a prescribed drug that isn't easily obtainable, and lifelong dietary restrictions.
On November 19, 2007, Trudeau was found in contempt of the 2004 court order for "patently false" claims in his weight loss book. U.S. District Court Judge Robert W. Gettleman ruled that Trudeau “clearly misrepresents in his advertisements the difficulty of the diet described in his book, and by doing so, he's misled thousands of consumers.” A penalty will be determined at a later hearing.

Publications

Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About

In the book, Trudeau claims that there are "all-natural" cures for serious illnesses, including cancer, herpes, arthritis, AIDS, acid reflux disease, various phobias, obesity, multiple sclerosis, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, attention deficit disorder, and muscular dystrophy, and that these are being deliberately hidden from the public by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission because the government can't regulate and control "all-natural" cures. Trudeau cites an alleged pattern of payoffs, conflicts of interest, and bribery, as well as commissioners from the FDA going to work directly for drug companies upon leaving the FDA and using their clout to protect their companies' interests. Trudeau also argues that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is also involved, shutting down Trudeau and others who advocate "all-natural cures" in order to protect the drug companies' profits.
The New York State Consumer Protection Board issued a warning in 2005 that the book "does not contain the 'natural cures' for cancer and other diseases that Trudeau is promising." It asserted that "Trudeau isn't only misrepresenting the contents of his self-published book, he's also using false endorsements to encourage consumers to buy the book. The Board also alleged that Trudeau is selling the consumer's contact information to other marketers without their consent and hitting purchasers with unauthorized charges.

More Natural "Cures" Revealed

In May 2006, Trudeau published More Natural "Cures" Revealed: Previously Censored Brand Name Products That Cure Disease. This less-publicized book in response to aforementioned complaints that its earlier version didn't actually contain any cures but instead pointed consumers to his subscription website.

The Weight Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You To Know About

In April 2007, Trudeau released another book, titled The Weight Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You to Know About. The book describes a three-phase multi-month plan originally made famous by British endocrinologist A.T.W. Simeons in the 1950s. The first phase involves switching to all organic foods with repeated colonic and liver cleansing. This is followed by a second-phase period of daily hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) injections under the direction of a health care provider. In Phase 3, use of hCG stops, but food must continue to be 100% organic. Other recommended activities include walking an hour a day or more and doing breathing exercises.
Critics note that as early as 1962, the Journal of the American Medical Association warned against the Simeons Diet. Others note that in 1976, the FTC ordered clinics and promoters of the Simeons Diet and hCG to cease making false claims about the effectiveness of hCG and its approval status by the FDA for weight loss. Clinical research trials published by the Journal of the American Medical Association and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have shown that hCG is ineffective as a weight-loss aid.
The online consumer watchdog group Consumeraffairs.com has received many complaints about the book. Additionally, the FCC has filed a contempt-of-court action against Trudeau alleging that the alleged misrepresentations in the book violate a 2004 consent order.

Media interviews

Trudeau has been interviewed by CNN's Paula Zahn, Matt Lauer of NBC's Today Show, and Harry Smith of CBS's The Early Show. Trudeau was also the subject of investigative reports done by Inside Edition, ABC's 20/20 and Dateline NBC.
During interviews, Trudeau has often said that the television program in which he's being interviewed is “owned” by the drug companies. This frequently happens when a statement by Trudeau is refuted as being untrue, such as his statements that the FTC could find no wrong-doing in any case brought against him. In some cases Trudeau has told his supporters, via his newsletters, that he's been “attacked” on a particular program or by a particular interviewer.
He says that he's been offered taped interviews, which he refused. When he requested a live interview, no live interview was granted. On another occasion, he relates that a Good Morning America television crew arrived early in the morning while he was asleep. He says that they started shouting accusations at him and, as he wasn't showered, fed, or dressed, he couldn't come out and answer. According to Trudeau, he'd to call the police to have them removed from his property. The television crew then aired the footage, claiming he denied them an interview.

Infomercials

Trudeau was one of the most prolific producers of infomercials. He stipulated to an FTC ban applying to everything except publications that the FTC concluded would infringe upon his First Amendment rights. All of his recent infomercials advertise his books Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You To Know About (there were at least five different versions of that infomercial, airing in 2004 and 2005) and The Weight Loss Cure. One notable co-host was Tammy Faye Messner.

Pharmaceutical companies

Trudeau argues that pharmaceutical companies "don't want us to get well" because curing disease isn't nearly so profitable as treating it perpetually. According to Trudeau, the corporate profit motive overrides the human desire to truly help people.
   Trudeau says that natural treatments can't be patented and are not profitable enough to justify spending hundreds of millions of dollars in testing, so that'll always lack FDA approval. Trudeau uses herpes as an example, saying that people with herpes must buy an expensive drug for the rest of their lives. He says that if there were a cheap, easy cure for herpes, the FDA and pharmaceutical companies wouldn't want the population to know about it because corporate profits would suffer.
   He frequently cites the number of advertisements on television for prescription drugs and points out that prescription drugs should be advertised to doctors, not the general public.
   He states in one infomercial that there are twelve known cures for cancer but that they're being kept from the general public by the FDA, the FTC, and the pharmaceutical companies. He also says that the FDA and the FTC are two of the most corrupt organizations in America and that there's a long list of chemical ingredients that are secretly not required to be on the FDA ingredients label which are damaging to human health.
   Trudeau offers what some would call a conspiracy theory, claiming that the drug industry and the FDA work with each other to effectively deceive the public by banning all-natural cures in order to protect the profits of the drug industry. In addition, Trudeau says that FDA commissioners who leave the FDA to work for large drug companies are paid millions of dollars. In any other industry, according to Trudeau, this would be called "bribery," a "conflict of interest" or "payoffs." Trudeau also says in his infomercials that the food industry is including chemicals (such as MSG) to get people "addicted to food" and to "make people obese."
   Trudeau has also declared that he'll lead a crusade against the FDA and the FTC and will make an effort to sue companies who promote false claims in advertising, such as leading pharmaceutical companies.

References to scientific studies

One of the major complaints about Trudeau's infomercials is that he makes only vague references to scientific studies, making them impossible to cross-check for accuracy. The same criticism exists for the anecdotal evidence he presents in the infomercials. He doesn't mention names of people who have been cured by his methods. For example, he tells a story in an infomercial about "a friend from England" who came to his house and complained of heartburn. He also references a study done on the antidepressant qualities of St. John's Wort compared to two prescription medications. He claims that the media reported St. John's Wort was "proven ineffective in study," but critics say that none of the medicines tested were effective at combating depression.
Critics say that by not referencing studies to substantiate claims, Trudeau gets into a conflict with the FTC. The infomercials suggest that these subjects will be addressed further in the book, but this isn't the case. Readers of his book are often referred to his website to find Trudeau's suggested natural cures, where a fee must be paid for its use.

Newspaper article

A 2005 Associated Press article by Candice Choi on the infomercials elaborates on the success and problems of the programs. Choi says that by repeatedly mentioning government sanctions against him, Trudeau "anticipated any backlash with his cuckoo conspiracy theory" and can partially deflect any criticism of him or his infomercials. Trudeau's use of the word "cure" is an issue for regulators. Also, bookstores are polled on their decisions to sell or not sell a successful and controversial self-published book.

Other criticisms

No medical training

One common criticism by consumer groups is that Trudeau has had no medical training. Trudeau responds that by not having such, he isn't biased towards pharmaceutical companies and the FDA, and that medical doctors "are taught only how to write out prescriptions" for "poisons" and "cut out pieces of a person's anatomy." (Natural Cures, Chapter 1 - "I Should Be Dead By Now")

No basis in research

Another criticism is that Trudeau's claims are usually not backed by research, and that much of his information is an overpriced repackaging of preexisting natural cure remedies. Trudeau himself acknowledges that the "cures" are not his; he didn't invent them or discover them, but merely believes in them and uses them.
Trudeau's rhetoric is often inconsistent with basic biological facts. In the Shop America infomercial for The Weight-Loss Cure "They" Don't Want you to Know About, he claims that following the protocol detailed in the book switches off the hypothalamus gland, thereby suppressing hunger. He then claims that once your appetite is suppressed, your metabolism will skyrocket, allowing you to eat meals such as prime rib, pasta, and hot fudge sundaes. If the amount of calories burned exceeds the amount of calories taken in by food, then this naturally leads to hunger.

No proof of claims

Trudeau has also been criticized for his inability to provide substantial evidence to back up many of his claims. Although he provides anecdotal evidence, he hasn't provided evidence that such customer claims have been evaluated by a licensed medical practitioner. As such, any claims made by Trudeau or his supporters that his book or other business endeavors have helped people can't be verified and are based solely on testimonials. In instances where Trudeau has been asked to provide proof of his claims, he's misinterpreted medical studies or cited dubious or fictitious studies. This includes, but isn't limited to, a nonexistent 25-year research study involving a natural cure for diabetes at the University of Calgary.

False endorsements

In August 2005, the New York Consumer Protection Board warned consumers that Trudeau has used false claims of endorsements to promote his products, noting that the back cover of Natural Cures includes false endorsements. Further, the NYCPB states that Trudeau's television ads “give the false impression that Tammy Faye Messner opposes chemotherapy in favor of the ‘natural cures’ in Trudeau’s book.” A representative for Tammy Faye said that wasn't true and that she was starting chemotherapy again.

Additional marketing ventures

Audio tapes: “Mega Memory”

Trudeau claimed to have adapted techniques used to improve the memory of the blind and the mentally challenged to create Advanced Mega Memory and Mega Memory audio tapes. His promotion of memory-enhancing products was put to an end by an FTC crackdown, which determined that the programs involved wouldn't enable users to achieve a photographic memory, as the advertising claimed.

Trudeau partners with Donald Barrett and ITV Direct

On September 11, 2006, Donald Barrett and ITV Direct, a direct marketing company based in Beverly, Massachusetts, announced that they'd partnered with Trudeau to market both of his Natural Cures books. Trudeau also worked with ITV to create ITV Ventures, a new MLM group based out of ITV's home office. As of December 2006, ITV Direct has pulled all information concerning both this partnership and Trudeau's books from its corporate website; however, the infomercials have continued to run as of April 14th, 2008.

International Pool Tour

Trudeau founded the International Pool Tour (IPT), with some of the largest purses and prizes given out in billiards. Trudeau's investment into pool brought pool players from around the world out of the woodwork by investing millions of dollars in an attempt to elevate pool as a legitimate sport. However, the IPT was then unable to pay the sums from a tournament in Reno, an event which some critics say had a crushing effect on the pool community as a whole.

List of books and recordings

How to Make $10,000 per Month as a Certified Memory Master. American Memory Institute. (sound recording) 1990.
How to Remember Everything in Your Past Nightingale-Conant Corporation (Niles, IL) (sound recording) 1991.
Advanced Mega Memory Nightingale-Conant Corporation (Chicago, IL) (sound recording) 1992.
Never Forget Another Name Nightingale-Conant Corporation (Chicago, IL) (video recording) 1992.
The Trudeau Marketing Group Opportunity Trudeau Marketing Group. (video recording) 1995.
Kevin Trudeau's Mega Memory : How to Release Your Superpower Memory in 30 Minutes Or Less a Day. William Morrow & Co. (New York, NY) ISBN 9780688135829 1995.
Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days! The Weight Loss Secrets "They" Don't Want You to Know About. Alliance Pub. Group, Inc. (Elk Grove Village, IL) (sound recording) 2004.
Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About. Alliance Pub. Group (Elk Grove Village, IL) ISBN 9780975599518 2004.
More Natural "Cures" Revealed : Previously Censored Brand Name Products That Cure Disease. Alliance Pub. Group (Elk Grove Village, IL) ISBN 9780975599549 2006.
The Weight Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You to Know About. Alliance Pub. (Elk Grove Village, IL) ISBN 9780978785154 2007.
Debt Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About. ISBN 9780979825804 2007.

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