Sea Of Incongruity Surrounds Club Asteria: As ‘Ken Russo’ Pushes ‘Opportunity’ On TalkGold Ponzi Board, World Bank Qualifies ‘Director’ Claims Made By Promoters

The World Bank confirmed to the PP Blog this morning that a person named Andrea Lucas left its employment in December 1986, nearly 25 years ago. But Lucas was never a member of the World Bank’s board of directors, as many members of business “opportunity” known as Club Asteria have implied in online, MLM-style promotions for the firm.

Rather, the World Bank described Lucas as a former department head among “many” department heads who held the internal title of director of an individual department. Lucas, the World Bank said, was director of the management systems and account department. She worked in Washington, D.C., according to the World Bank’s records.

The PP Blog initially sought comment from the World Bank on March 3 about Lucas and various claims about Club Asteria made by members of the purported opportunity. Some of the claims have been made on the TalkGold Ponzi scheme and criminals’ forum. The World Bank’s name is being used in Club Asteria promos on TalkGold and other websites.

A blurb for Andrea Lucas on the slow-loading Club Asteria website describes her in the first sentence as “former Director of the World Bank,” using an uppercase “D” in “Director” with no other qualifiers. The reference to the World Bank begins seven words into the profile. The profile also lists Andrea Lucas as  “founder and Managing Director of Club Asteria.” No other entities are referenced in the Andrea Lucas blurb.

The blurb makes no mention that Andrea Lucas left her staff job at the World Bank more than two decades ago, when Ronald Reagan was President of the United States and Mikhail Gorbachev was General Secretary of the Communist Party of the now-dissolved Soviet Union.

When Andrea Lucas last worked at the World Bank, George Herbert Walker Bush was Vice President of the United States and still more than two years away from his term as President. The “Black Monday” market crash of October 1987 had not yet occurred, and Iraq’s August 1990 invasion of Kuwait that led to the Gulf War was still nearly four years away. Modern-day accused shoplifter and actress Lindsay Lohan was five months old, and few people outside of Arkansas recognized the names of Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama, a community organizer in Chicago, had yet to enter Harvard Law School or meet Michelle Robinson, who’d become his wife and, later, First Lady of the United States.

Regardless, Lucas and the World Bank are referenced repeatedly in online promos by Club Asteria members. Why the company and promoters had seized on the World Bank’s name when Andrea Lucas last was employed there nearly a quarter of a century ago as a young woman was not immediately clear.

“Real Profit Sharing Program ! No Ponzi !” one affiliate promo preemptively screams. “Club Asteria from the Former Director of World Bank – Andrea Lucas.” The affiliate site includes a photo of a letter dated Dec. 14, 2010, and the letter appears to feature the World Bank’s letterhead and verify the former employment of Andrea Lucas at the World Bank.  It is positioned by the affiliate as a reason to trust Club Asteria.

Why the affiliate would preemptively argue that Club Asteria was “No Ponzi” was unclear.

Another promo describes Club Asteria as “a perfect home based business that specializes in the remittance business of sending funds back home.

“We provide training, opportunities, consultation and one of the most sensational pay plans of our time,” the promo continues. Club asteria (sic) is run by a former Director of the World Bank and it (sic) set to take the net by storm.”

“Ken Russo,” who posts at TalkGold as “DRdave” and promotes one highly questionable scheme after another, announced yesterday that Club Asteria’s membership ranks had soared to 187,481.

The announcement occurred against the backdrop of a December warning by the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force led by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder that visitors to websites and forums should be skeptical of claims.

“Be wary of people you meet on social networking sites and in chat rooms, where investment fraud criminals have been known to troll for victims,” the Task Force warned.

Except for its confirmation this morning that a person named Andrea Lucas once worked for the World Bank and its release of certain details about her employment nearly a quarter of a century ago, the World Bank declined to comment immediately about the linkage of its name to Club Asteria and the promos at TalkGold and other websites.

The bank, however, confirmed it is aware of the claims. Meanwhile, some Club Asteria members are grumbling in forums about the firm’s slow-loading website and spotty customer support. Among the concerns is that the company recruited members under one set of rules, but may be trying to implement a new set that may force higher costs on participants who expect to get paid.

Some Club Asteria members appear to be confused about whether Club Asteria conducts business from the United States or Hong Kong.

How the company makes money beyond membership fees is unclear. Also unclear is whether the firm has significant revenue streams beyond membership fees. Club Asteria appears to publish no verifiable financial data.

The World Bank is the most recent prominent international entity to have its name appear on TalkGold and other Ponzi forums that push highly questionable business pursuits. Last year, members of the purported MPB Today “grocery” program, which operates as an MLM, flooded websites and social-media sites such as YouTube with references to Walmart.

It is common in the MLM sphere for affiliates to trade on the names of prominent business entities even if no ties exist. Walmart’s name also appeared in promos on the Ponzi boards.

TalkGold, MoneyMakerGroup and ASAMonitor are referenced in federal court filings as places from which international Ponzi schemes are promoted. Even if Club Asteria is a legitimate enterprise, the mere fact it is being promoted on the Ponzi boards raises troubling questions about whether its revenue stream is polluted by proceeds from any number of fraud schemes operating globally.

In recent weeks, federal agencies such as the SEC and CFTC have taken actions against schemes promoted on the Ponzi boards. Meanwhile, the FTC announced an action this week against an online enterprise that allegedly was not policing its affiliate sales force properly.

The FTC charged Lester Gabriel Smith and Legacy Learning of Nashville, Tenn., with disseminating “deceptive advertisements by representing that online endorsements written by affiliates reflected the views of ordinary consumers or ‘independent’ reviewers, without clearly disclosing that the affiliates were paid for every sale they generated.”

In bringing the case, the agency held Smith and Legacy accountable for claims made by affiliates.

“Whether they advertise directly or through affiliates, companies have an obligation to ensure that the advertising for their products is not deceptive,” said David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Advertisers using affiliate marketers to promote their products would be wise to put in place a reasonable monitoring program to verify that those affiliates follow the principles of truth in advertising.”

See the FTC news release on Legacy Learning, which was assessed a $250,000 penalty.

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65 Responses to “Sea Of Incongruity Surrounds Club Asteria: As ‘Ken Russo’ Pushes ‘Opportunity’ On TalkGold Ponzi Board, World Bank Qualifies ‘Director’ Claims Made By Promoters”

  1. Great Job Patrick!

    With an Alexa of about 2,100, Club-Asteria certainly has a tremendous amount of traffic and interest, many of whom will be deeply disappointed when the promised/inferred returns do not materialize. (The Black Box)

    The more people who read your blog and pause for a moment to ponder the improbability of the claims will be greatly pleased when the math begins to weigh down the hype.

    I’m hoping you do eventually get a further comment from the World Bank that will further distance them from this project.

    Thanks for your great efforts.

    ARWR

  2. I seem to remember something about slow loading websites and sketchy payouts, along with TOS changing daily in other “opportunities” that turned out to be scams. It has all the hallmarks of being yet another scheme that is about to fold it’s tent.

    But, come on!! Telling someone on a website that this is “NO PONZI” is like a man grabbing a woman from behind at night and saying he is “No Rapist”. It has little value and even less credibility!!!

  3. In a quite lengthy update from Andrea Lucas, she used terminology as “forced” and “mandated” participation in revenue generating opportunities in Club Asteria or you would not get paid. While this should have been a warning shot to all the members, many saw this as being a “positive” turn of events. Of course no-one knows just how much this “forced” and “mandated” participation in these “opportunities” is going to cost.

    Their main problem right now is they have way too many free members, and this is a ploy to get them to paying members. If the cost is too high, this will backfire big-time to their membership count. We think the free members are at least 40% of the total membership, and could be as high as 55%. Thus all payments currently being made cannot keep up with the volume of coming payment requirements, a pyramid Ponzi scheme.

    What the members are also not considering is that for them to just break even with their costs it will take about 18 months, depending on whether a silver or gold member, and of course the amount invested in Club Asteria. Some have calculated that it will take 24 months, and others 36 months before they break even at the dollar amount they invested. But as long as “I got paid” is the extent of due diligence, many people will be suckered into joining. They think they are already in profit because they have received payments.

    They extended the matching bonus through March, or I believe this would have already collapsed. This extension has only delayed the inevitable collapse. They will be lucky to make it through this month, but the bonus extension may allow them to make it to the end of April before serious cash flows issues begin to happen. They are sinking under their own weight. The members just don’t know it yet, and many don’t want to even think about it. After all, we “negative thinkers” don’t know what we are talking about.

  4. […] Director" Andrea Lucas- because it looks as if EX is the appropriate word and Director isnt. Sea Of Incongruity Surrounds Club Asteria: As ‘Ken Russo’ Pushes ‘Opportunity&#821… "Keeping an Eagle Eye on Cyber Crime" Reply With Quote + Reply […]

  5. Don’t forget that it is being pushed hard at the MMG forum by stroesdegoz/manolo, 10bucksup, and several others.

  6. I’m just curious, have any of you attempted to contact Andrea Lucas and speak with her to get her side of the story and end speculation? Patrick, if you are giving Club-Asteria the benefit of the doubt (AND giving yourself an out) by saying “Even if Club Asteria is a legitimate enterprise, the mere fact it is being promoted on the Ponzi boards raises troubling questions…” then don’t you think you’d want to try to make that contact? Anyone can talk about ANY company on a board that they’ve joined. Kind of like a Phil Piccolo… granted, Phil normally doesn’t just join an ‘opportunity’ – he is the one running scams, but simply because someone you don’t like is talking about a business on one of the boards you don’t like, I still think you ought to do your due diligence… not just sit back and surmise what you think ‘might’ be going on. I’d really like to see you do this, Patrick. Call up and get a hold of Andrea, let them tell you what they’ve actually been doing to help people – check out what they’re saying for yourself and THEN make your determination. I am not involved with Club-Asteria but I know some of the people involved – and they are good people. I’m quite sorry that someone with questionable character is promoting them on a board you consider to be a scam/criminal site – but I do think you need to do a little more due diligence… after all, you are the one doing all the reporting here, right? Take care.

  7. MyEthix: but simply because someone you don’t like is talking about a business on one of the boards you don’t like, I still think you ought to do your due diligence… not just sit back and surmise what you think ‘might’ be going on.

    MyEthix,

    I didn’t report what I think “might” be going on; I reported what IS going on. There is no “speculation” involved. It is a plain fact that Club Asteria is being promoted on notorious Ponzi boards.

    That its program is being hawked on TalkGold and MoneyMakerGroup should be of grave concern to Club Asteria and ALL of its members.

    There is no reason to doubt that “good people” are involved in Club Asteria. At the same time, there is every reason to believe that misfortune befalls good people because of the Ponzi boards.

    I suggest Andrea Lucas read these stories (below). If you haven’t spent much time on this Blog, I suggest you do a search for TalkGold. Search function is in the upper-right corner.

    http://patrickpretty.com/2010/05/31/kaboom-affidavit-in-pathway-to-prosperity-case-paints-picture-of-wanton-criminality-complaint-references-talkgold-asamonitor-moneymakergroup-posts-united-states-throws-down-gauntlet/

    http://patrickpretty.com/2010/08/23/kaboom-feds-release-info-on-alpha-trade-group-forex-scheme-with-ties-to-mexico-panama-records-suggest-scheme-was-collapsing-even-prior-to-promos-on-talkgold-moneymakergroup-forums/

    http://patrickpretty.com/2011/02/10/talkgold-ponzi-and-criminals-forum-deletes-sticky-thread-on-instaforex-firm-named-defendant-in-cftc-sweep-used-payment-processor-whose-contact-person-is-referenced-in-international-money-launde/

    http://patrickpretty.com/2010/10/22/updatesnews-asa-ponzi-forum-now-redirects-to-cashx-com-arthur-nadel-gets-14-years-in-florida-ponzi-case-brought-by-obama-task-force-former-indiana-pastor-who-bilked-christians-convicted-of-securit/

    http://patrickpretty.com/2010/05/31/requiem-for-the-forum-pimps-court-documents-in-legisi-case-reference-secret-service-moneymakergroup-ponzi-forum-sec-has-postings-from-legisis-private-forum-too/

    Patrick

  8. Several random thoughts occur to me after reading “MyEthix” post

    Does the fact there are many “good people” resident in Libya somehow excuse the behaviour of Muammar Gaddafi over so many years ??

    Does what the Colonel “says” he is doing or why he’s doing it counteract the reality of what’s happening/happened in Libya ??

    Without the resources available to law enforcement agencies, how does one “prove” beyond a shadow of doubt the fraudulent nature of an online “opportunity” ??

    After all, even WITH such proof, there are some who STILL believe AdSurf Daily was and indeed, still is, legit.

    AFAIK, this blog, like any of the usual suspect “naysayer” forums is available at any time for Ms Parker and/or any of the Club Asteria management to explain her/their position, thereby eliminating any chance of the facts being misrepresented or misunderstood in translation.

    Just think of all the publicity and public exposure available to them. And all for free, too.

    Ooops.

    Maybe not.

  9. Yes Patrick, i agreed with MyEthix. Why don’t you call Andrea or meet her and get details as much as you can. So many bloggger make their own commenst and posting just to get rating and then asked people to stay away.. be a positif and responsible before blogging.. get a real facts. Not assuming.. i know many see Club-Asteria as investment but the company is not dealing with any investment. She is providing a good program. Read the news from her.

  10. Bob: Why don’t you call Andrea or meet her and get details as much as you can.

    Bob,

    Why don’t YOU call Andrea and get a copy of the company’s audited and certified balance sheet and a breakdown of paid vs. free members? Get a copy of the SEC waivers and all documents that explain why Club Asteria is not selling unregistered securities as investment contracts, along with documentation on how a program that promoters describe as a passive investment program is not, in fact, an investment program.

    How much cash is Club Asteria making from the sale of actual products as opposed to membership fees? Is that sum sufficient to offset any Ponzi/pyramid concerns?

    Or do you think the “I got paid” posts on the notorious Ponzi forums are good enough?

    Along those lines, why would a promoter preemptively claim that Club Asteria was not a Ponzi? Did that promoter, who was writing on a sales website as opposed to the Ponzi boards, have access to Club Asteria’s accounting records, banking records and other records to determine conclusively that it was not a Ponzi?

    AdSurfDaily, which also was being promoted on the Ponzi boards, had a LAWYER appear in a video to explain why ASD was not a Ponzi.

    Guess what happened — $110 million later.

    Patrick

  11. Oh boy… okay, let’s try this again. NO ONE is disputing what you’ve said about TalkGold or any of the other boards – I’m in total agreement with you there. I’m strictly talking about Club-Asteria as a company – and the fact that someone has decided to try to promote them on TalkGold, MMG etc. and that the company cannot control those doing it. I don’t like TalkGold or any of the other forums that turn a blind eye to what gets promoted… seems they are all for whatever will put money in their pockets, legal or not. So, if we can dispense with the assumption that I am stumping for or championing those types of entities maybe we can get on the same page? When I referred to what is going on, I meant checking out the company on it’s own merits… not on the fact that someone has decided to try to promote it on some board. Believe it or not, many average people (the ones getting taken for a ride on the boards) find something they like or think is a good opportunity and the ONLY place they know is TalkGold or MMG.. they are not aware how these boards are viewed by people who know better. And because you have these types of scenarios going on, you can’t automatically assume the company itself is bad. People think that being the first to be able to post an opportunity that they are involved with on MMG or TalkGold is going to get them a lot of recruits and they’ll have it made… there is a lot of ignorance. And, quite frankly, I don’t think Andrea or any of the others are even aware of these boards — or even you, for that matter. All this stuff is not a part of their world… and maybe they should be aware of it… if for no other reason than to prohibit members from posting on public forums.

    littleroundman… WHO is Ms. Parker???? Libya??? Seriously… I could sit here and pontificate about Afghanistan but that isn’t going to make my point any more valid, either.

  12. Patrick – the reason Bob is suggesting that YOU do the work is because you’re the one over here making very thinly veiled accusations. Maybe you’re right. But maybe you’re wrong. You’ve been right about a lot of things – but have you ever been wrong about anything? The bottom line is that it’s not anyone else’s duty to do the legwork for you. If you’re going to make the accusations, you should be getting the material to back it up.

    admin:
    Bob,Why don’t YOU call Andrea and get a copy of the company’s audited and certified balance sheet and a breakdown of paid vs. free members? Get a copy of the SEC waivers and all documents that explain why Club Asteria is not selling unregistered securities as investment contracts, along with documentation on how a program that promoters describe as a passive investment program is not, in fact, an investment program.How much cash is Club Asteria making from the sale of actual products as opposed to membership fees? Is that sum sufficient to offset any Ponzi/pyramid concerns?Or do you think the “I got paid” posts on the notorious Ponzi forums are good enough?Along those lines, why would a promoter preemptively claim that Club Asteria was not a Ponzi? Did that promoter, who was writing on a sales website as opposed to the Ponzi boards, have access to Club Asteria’s accounting records, banking records and other records to determine conclusively that it was not a Ponzi?AdSurfDaily, which also was being promoted on the Ponzi boards, had a LAWYER appear in a video to explain why ASD was not a Ponzi.Guess what happened — $110 million later.
    Patrick

  13. MyEthix: Patrick – the reason Bob is suggesting that YOU do the work is because you’re the one over here making very thinly veiled accusations.

    MyEthix,

    Are you Bob’s spokesperson? The reason I ask is that you appear to be speaking authoritatively on behalf of Bob.

    What should Club Asteria do with any proceeds that came in from TalkGold and MoneyMakerGroup? How does it know it is not receiving ill-gotten gains from, say, the alleged Pathway to Prosperity Ponzi scheme?

    Or any of the hundreds of schemes promoted on TalkGold and the other Ponzi forums?

    Do you think it odd that the World Bank’s name is being used in the very first sentence of the Andrea Lucas blurb on the CA site when she last worked there 25 years ago?

    Does it strike you as peculiar that so many CA members have seized on the World Bank’s name? Why would promoters take the time to convert a letter from the World Bank to an image file, and then post the image file in promos for CA?

    Patrick

  14. I’m sorry, Patrick. Did I strike a nerve? And what about Bob’s post was so hard for you to understand – or mine for that matter? Look, if you’re going to sit here and throw accusations around, stop being so intellectually lazy, do your homework and call the woman. Why is that so hard? Like I said above, MAYBE you’re right… MAYBE you’re wrong. FIND OUT. That’s all anyone is asking…

    How do you propose that Club-Asteria determine where each lead comes from? How does any company who is involved in marketing screen leads??? Do you have everyone wanting to join answer a questionnaire about where they heard about you and if they come from a message board, tell them they can’t join? Ridiculous…

    If Andrea was A/THE Director for World Bank 20 some-odd years ago, would I find it strange for her to list it on her resume? NO. That is part of her life… why wouldn’t she? Is that part of her life somehow nullified because it was 20 years ago? I’m not sure how long ago you were the editor at [admin], but I’m quite certain it has shaped you both personally and professionally… and it would be preposterous for anyone to suggest that you not mention it. I DO, however, think that if she was A Director (emphasis on ‘A’) and not THE Director (there is a difference in terminology there) that this ought to be corrected on her bio if it is not accurate.

    By the same token, do I think it is strange that people are repeating that she was the Director of the World Bank or converting images? NO. Because in their minds it lends their opportunity credibility. None of this is difficult to understand… it’s human nature and it’s sales and marketing either at it’s best or it’s worst, depending on your take.

  15. You do in fact realize that there are no ads on TG for this program. You do realize that Talkgold is a public forum where people can post whatever they want and other members are free to refute these very posts. Why are the forums getting blamed? The program itself is the one who should take the heat. A forum is just that, a forum for members to discuss these schemes, whether legitimate or not. If one member wants to make claims which are incorrect, that doesn’t mean the scheme is “being promoted by the forum”. Goto the forum and post the facts yourself to refute these claims.

  16. By the way, Patrick, check your logs… I’m never on here and I’m not sure if I’ve ever posted here before. Mr. Edgington knows who I am – I’m not some scammer. If I think something is being done wrong, I’m the first person on it – even if it’s unpopular with my friends. Anytime I have ever said something about someone or some company, it is because I have FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE or I have someone else of Mr. Edgington’s caliber whom I trust who has firsthand knowledge. I don’t like to see people or companies denigrated when all someone has is suspicion. Please get some hard facts about THE COMPANY and then get back to everyone.

  17. Mr/Ms “Ethix”

    I refer you to your statement above: “I am not involved with Club-Asteria but I know some of the people involved – and they are good people”

    What does that actually mean, in terms of discussing whether or not Club Asteria is a fraud ??

    What are you inferring ???

    That you know “good people” who are members of CA and it therefore follows Club Asteria is also “good” ???

    If “good people” are victims of a fraud, then the fraud and fraudsters get a free pass ???

    Are you an accountant ?? lawyer ?? SEC investigator ?? been watching HYIPs for a while, have you ???

    With how many real life frauds and/or fraudsters are you / have you been involved ???

    Does the word “ponzi” mean anything to you ??

    If you ARE genuinely unaware of the “Ms Parker” of whom I speak, might I respectfully suggest you spend a few minutes fully acquainting yourself with the whole Andrea Parker – Club Asteria connection before you pass judgement on those who seek to expose their fraudulent activities.

  18. MyEthix: If Andrea was A/THE Director for World Bank 20 some-odd years ago, would I find it strange for her to list it on her resume? NO.

    That’s not the question I asked you — and YOU know it.

    So, let me put it to you plainly: Any number of Club Asteria promoters are trading on the World Bank’s name. The disingenuous seed they are planting is that the World Bank endorses CA — and YOU know it.

    How about this website promo:

    “Club Asteria” A site of “World Bank’s former Vice president Andrea Lucas”

    “It is a Human Development Program & a revenue sharing site.It’s not a Scam/MLM. Our Aim is to Make you $400 per week after investing $340 in 1.7 years”

    So, now it has gone from “Director” to vice president of the World Bank.

    In fact, the vice president claim and the World Bank’s name are in a HEADLINE in 24-point type. And the deck uses the word “investing.”

    So, what should Club Asteria do with the money that came in from that site?

    What should it do with the money that came from affiliate claims on Facebook that enrollees can earn “5 Figures if you active networker.”

    “50% monthly referral bonus”
    “up to 30% group bonus unlimited deeps”
    “NO, This is NOT INVESTMENT”

    And the Facebook CA affiliate also declared it not to be a “Ponzi” and used the World Bank’s name.

    And what about claims that imply Andrea Lucas is a current director of the World Bank and that Lucas and the World Bank are one in the same, such as this one:

    “life time income wth help of world bank director”

    That Andrea Lucas once worked at the World Bank proves nothing in and of itself — and yet scores and scores of affiliates are trading on the World Bank’s name.

    Patrick

  19. Rodrick: You do realize that Talkgold is a public forum where people can post whatever they want and other members are free to refute these very posts.

    Except for when TalkGold goes on a binge to ban the naysayers.

    At the moment, the 110-page Club Asteria thread that has been active for nearly a year is situated right next to an ad for a “program” that is advertising a return of 9,860 percent in six hours.

    So, the Club Asteria thread is helping put eyeballs on that ad and others. And the World Bank’s name is being used in the CA thread.

    I’d say that leads to significant confusion about what is real and what is not.

    Patrick

  20. I’m strictly talking about Club-Asteria as a company – and the fact that someone has decided to try to promote them on TalkGold, MMG etc. and that the company cannot control those doing it

    Oh but they can, and if they are legitimate, they should have a clear policy about where their members promote this program. Any company that has no control over their members, who in turn promote that same company on ponzi boards, is not going to be viewed seriously by many.

    The excuse that “we cannot control what our members/IBOs etc say” by companies who push dubious products is getting a bit worn out. Deceptive advertising on behalf of any company is against the law. It’s that simple.

  21. Wow! What a wild allegation from…err what’s your name again?

    Well that is a problem. You hide your real identity and you dont specify names of people you talked with in World Bank. Did the “interview” happened at all? I doubt.

    One thing is for sure…Ambulance-chasing lawyers get rich by blackmailing companies…Right aka Patrick Pretty?

  22. admin:
    Except for when TalkGold goes on a binge to ban the naysayers.At the moment, the 110-page Club Asteria thread that has been active for nearly a year is situated right next to an ad for a “program” that is advertising a return of 9,860 percent in six hours.So, the Club Asteria thread is helping put eyeballs on that ad and others. And the World Bank’s name is being used in the CA thread.I’d say that leads to significant confusion about what is real and what is not.Patrick

    Except for the fact that Members in that thread are claiming that the club asteria is a scam, and even moderators over there are warning against Club-Asteria. If anything that thread is currently helping members avoid the program. Not to mention the thread at the Money Makers Group forum links to this very post. Forums in my opinion are not the culprit here. Its certain members at the forums and the programs themselves. That’s all Im saying.

  23. Lol so that is why mrGSH, a moderator in Talkgold, hates Club Asteria. He knows the forum will be on a hot spot once ambulance chasing lawyers go after them in a US jurisdiction. That is why, with all the hundreds of obviouslt scam HYIPs that is being promoted in their forum, Club Asteria is the one he hates.

    Also notice that naysayers rarely target HYIPs? Because they will get no money from somebody who is located in Russia or a 3rd world country.

    Lol. And I notice these “naysayers” like baylee and umbertino come in pack. My theory is that they are a group of ambulance-chasing lawyers, or just one person with multiple ids.

  24. Daniel: World Bank. Did the “interview” happened at all? I doubt.

    Time spent on phone: 26:22. Number of emails since March 3: three.

    Patrick

  25. Also take notice there are hundreds of forums located within USA that promotes among other things online opportunities. Why is aka Patrick Pretty not going after them? Because they are chicken feed! They are run by small folks thus they really have next to nothing, even though they are doing the same thing that aka Patrick Pretty announces as scam.

    Aka Patrick Pretty is a self-proclaimed scam-buster scammer. What a hypocrite.

  26. Daniel: One thing is for sure…Ambulance-chasing lawyers get rich by blackmailing companies…Right aka Patrick Pretty?

    So, I’m an “ambulance-chasing lawyer?” I’ve been called a lot of things, but “ambulance-chasing lawyer” is a new one.

    Daniel: And I notice these “naysayers” like baylee and umbertino come in pack. My theory is that they are a group of ambulance-chasing lawyers, or just one person with multiple ids.

    And baylee and umbertino are “ambulance-chasing lawyers,” too? And they come in a “pack?”

    Patrick

  27. Yes Patrick Pretty. If you are so righteous then why not post your real name?

    I could accuse Mickey Mouse and Gadhafi are running an illegal online scheme, but of course I am so brave because I am an anonymous person.

  28. Daniel: why not post your real name?

    Lately, because of the DDoS attacks. And because of the “Rat Bastard” emails. And because of the number of explicit/implicit threats against this Blog. And because of threats to start “fires” and make “war.”

    Things such as that.

    Daniel: Also notice that naysayers rarely target HYIPs?

    Is this your first time here, Daniel?

    I suggest you use the search function in the upper-right corner. Type in “HYIP” — without the quotes.

    Patrick

  29. Daniel: If you are so righteous then why not post your real name?

    He has, on several occasions. If you ponzi playing idiots knew how to do the slightest piece of “due diligence”, you would know that.

    Where does the money to pay the punters in Club Ponzi come from?

  30. Yes. Bigtime HYIPs. HYIPs that you know you can bilk money from.

    DDOS attack happens online regardless of your real identity. If you continue witchhunt against your targets while hiding on an alias, then people will start to suspect your true motives.

  31. Lol. So you continue making accusations while hiding under a false identity.

    Sounds like just another scam to me.

  32. Daniel: Yes. Bigtime HYIPs. HYIPs that you know you can bilk money from.

    You mean in my role as an “ambulance-chasing lawyer.” Man, Daniel. You’re just full of conspiracy theories.

    Patrick

  33. HOW WE CAN HELP THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN
    Posted on: 17-Mar-2011
    No matter who we are or where we live, when we look into the hurting eyes of the victims of Japan’s earthquakes and tsunami, we see our own families, our own children and our own communities — and know it could happen to any of us.

    Always remember Club Asteria’s main goal is to help end the cycle of poverty by providing relief to people that do not have the ability to help themselves. We do this as a company, but we are also a family of hundreds of thousands of individual members, all joined together in our culture of caring and giving.

    Some events cause suffering on such a massive scale that the world comes together in a common cause. In times like these, we feel Club Asteria and our members should be on the front line, showing other companies and individuals the path to social responsibility and caring.

    Because of the recent tragic events in Japan we are asking you, our members to join us in reaching out a helping hand once again.
    Club Asteria will immediately add additional funds to our Philanthropic Foundation over the next 15 days to directly help those that have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Some of these donations will be earmarked to the local Red Cross, World Vision, UNICEF and Save the Children, among others.

    How You Can Help

    You can help by putting in a little extra effort into your Club-Asteria business over the next 15 days. We are asking you now to just use one extra hour each day to focus on the things that generate additional revenue, such as product and service sales as well as memberships:

    • Purchase and sell any of our products from our e-commerce platform
    • Sign up for your e-wallet and load a little extra money onto it
    • Purchase a Prepaid MasterCard for yourself and your family
    • Utilize our entrepreneurial education program
    • Introduce people to the benefits of Club Asteria

    With these additional steps we can show the world what Club Asteria and our members can do together and what we really stand for. Your will be rewarded not only emotionally and spiritually, but you will also see greater financial rewards: as you put forth the extra efforts to generate relief for the Japanese, you will generate more income for yourself.

    We have confidence that our members — even more than our company by itself — will continue to do great things to help improve the lives of people all around the world.
    Let’s work together and really make a difference in this moment of human crisis.

    Sincerely,
    Andrea Lucas, Managing Director
    All Of The Club Asteria Team & Network Directors

  34. OK. Now we’ve gone from “Director” to “vice president” to “Chairman” of the World Bank:

    “Hi, club Asteria is founded by former world bank Chairman.”

    “running in 141 countries worldwide,21 years experience,its main aim is to
    eradicate poverty by giving micro-loans.If u pays $20 monthly for
    life-long by taking gold membership,you earn weakly $400 for lifelong
    from 19 th Month.No-referrals.But,If u refer one member, U get $9
    monthly for lifelong.But how to join? how one can pay dollars from
    Indian rupees?Please call me or study the below table and joining
    process.I will also provide dollars.”

    Patrick

  35. The last post by Club Asteria is representative of something we see all too often when there is world tragedy. People are using the Japan crisis (as they have used every other crisis) to boost their businesses by appealing to people’s better natures.

    Help Japan Without Being Scammed

    Find out why the FBI issued warnings to American who want to help Japan recover from the March 2011 earthquakes and tsunami. Discover how to safely help Japan without falling victim to scammers. Learn how to give to charity and make sure your money really is going to help Japan.

    If anyone wants to help the victims in Japan there are several charities where you can insure that 100% of your donation reaches them.

  36. Talk about “incongruity”

    Posters with names like “Daniel” “Rodrick and “MyEthix” attacking anonymous posters.

    The same posters using the fact “MrGSH” supposedly “hates” Club Asteria as evidence Talkgold and/or Club Asteria are somehow legitimate.

    Said posters are demanding “proof” yet accuse Patrick of being:

    1) a lawyer
    2) an ambulance chaser
    3) an extortionist

    without so much as a single fact with which to back up the claims.

    Obviously that old thing about “what’s good for the goose” doesn’t apply in the world of HYIP ponzi apologists.

  37. Well, since Daniel thinks Patrick (the attorney ambulance chaser) is on a witchhunt about Andrea, maybe Daniel should do a little more research before shooting off his conspiracy theory mouth. A little background on Andrea Lucas and Hank Needham are in order.

    This is not Andrea’s first rodeo. She and Hank were involved in mycashexchange.com, a scam. Shock, surprise. Matter of fact Hank has been involved in several illegal cash gifting schemes, ASD, and AVG (ASD’s offshore clone). Andrea has been involved with Hank for quite some time. Not only was she involved with mycashexchange.com, but also AVG and I would not be surprised if in ASD as well. But Andrea was also a broker for Credit Restoration Brokers, LLC, of which the owner was fined by the FTC for deceptive advertising, and failing to provide the services claimed. She sure knows how to pick winning organizations.

    So this squeaky clean image of Andrea is not true. But then maybe someone should ask Andrea just through whom is all of Club Asteria’s charitable works being done. For Club Asteria is not licensed as a philanthropic organization, and therefore anyone contributing to Club Asteria for these efforts cannot deduct their contributions from their taxes. Now all you have to do is ask Andrea if you wanted to donate say $5,000 to Club Asteria to be used for their Japan assistance fund, to whom should you make out your check. If she says Club Asteria then ask what is their nonprofit EIN, or what charitable nonprofit agency they are using for all their corporate donations. Wanna bet she won’t tell you?

    They also claim they will be providing travel benefits, but are not registered as a travel agent. They are a money exchanger, but not registered as a money exchanger. When Club Asteria first burst on the scene, a post on TG said they were a nonprofit corporation. Yet no such filing was ever made to the IRS or to the State of Virginia. When this was exposed, the link was immediately removed. Kind of odd don’t you think for such a legitimate corporation.

    As for using TOWAH, this organization has been connected to at least 3 other Ponzi’s, and their contracted web designer has designed websites for 3 major scammers out of Europe; and has destined sites for GPP, HCI, SNGInvest (to name a few) which are all scams/Ponzi’s. Great associates Andrea works with right Daniel?

    As Patrick has already pointed out, therer is zero, none, zilch, nada, goose-egg, nil evidence there is any outside income being generated by Club Asteria to continue paying a return on the members investment into Club Asteria. Just like ASD, all revenue is generated from new members and their referrals. Had they not continued the matching bonus for March, my estimate is this would be in dire trouble right now. By doing so they have bought themselves about another 4-6 weeks more time before major cash flow issues. Thus why Andrea announced that members would be “forced” or “mandated” to purchase serices to be paid as a member.

    They have way too many free members, and this has to stop or it will collapse before the middle of April. There is still a chance this will implode before the end of this month if they can’t get the programs in place that are mandated for the members to purchase to continue to be paid. Even then, they are running on borrowed time.

  38. She is involved with CA up to her neck. Saw a lot of videos with her and even an interview on some TV network. She is promoting CA consciously.

  39. Patrick Pretty = extortionist.

    Go f* yourself.

  40. Quick note: “Daniel” and “Pokwang” are posting from the same IP.

    This sort of thing has happened before, of course. When Ponzi allegations were raised against the INetGlobal autosurf by the U.S. Secret Service in February 2010, some INetGlobal “defenders” created multiple usernames and posted from the same IP.

    In the instance of INetGlobal, some of its “defenders” asserted that the U.S. government was both a “Nazi” enterprise and a “Socialist” enterprise. Same incongruity existed with AdSurfDaily and AdViewGlobal.

    Briefly, a Secret Service undercover operative was introduced to INetGlobal by an ASD member, according to court filings. Both ASD and AVG members preemptively denied that either “program” was a Ponzi scheme.

    ClubAsteria members are preemptively denying CA is a Ponzi scheme. Members of Ad-Ventures4U, a big surf in 2009, also preemptively denied that the surf was a Ponzi scheme.

    I got called a “fag” in that one.

    Now, according to “Daniel” and “Pokwang,” who post from the same IP in “defense” of Club Asteria, I’m an “ambulance-chasing lawyer” and an “extortionist” who should “[g]o f*” himself.

    While I was covering AdViewGlobal, a purported lawyer warned me that, “If you keep pushing it now the toes you are stepping on might start stepping back. Looks like they have some fire power behind them now.”

    AdViewGlobal failed 22 days later.

    Three weeks earlier, the purported lawyer asserted that the surf had executed a “[p]retty damn impressive turn around.”

    Separately, “Ken Russo” reports today on TalkGold that things are in fine fettle at Club Asteria:

    “3.24% per week means just under 13% per month!” “Ken Russo” exclaims.

    But ClubAsteria is neither a Ponzi nor an HYIP, according to its members.

    Patrick

  41. Daniel: Lol. So you continue making accusations while hiding under a false identity.

    So, what you’re saying is that “Pokwang” and “Daniel” AREN’T false names, then ???

    One can’t question whether or not your “facts” in defense of Club Asteria are true or false though.

    Mainly because you haven’t provided any.

  42. Best thread in months! The rats are jumping off the sinking ship at Club Hysteria. Expect more hit and run Ponzi players posting at the PP Blog.

  43. Don’t you just love it when the Ponzi shills come out to play!

  44. Pokwang: Patrick Pretty = extortionist.

    “Pokwang”, I presume you’ve heard the saying, “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.”

    Allow me to provide a definition for the word extort: “To wrest from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity; to wrench away (from); to tear away; to wring (from); to exact; as, to extort contributions from the vanquished; to extort confessions of guilt; to extort a …”

    Source: http://www.google.com/dictionary?langpair=en%7Cen&q=extortion

    Bottom line: Unless you present documentation re Patrick being an extortionist, you remove all doubt that you are a fool.

    -PWD

  45. If Bob or any of his fellow scam followers are involved with any program then it is a scam and one should steer clear.

    Pokwang is probably another alias of Bob who probably is “Big Mouth” Guenther

  46. I’m kinda leaning toward it being a TG mod, or their favorite attack dog, Buster.jmvho

  47. Quick note: NonEnglish comments in this thread will not be published.

    “Pokwang” now apparently believes that it is somehow helpful to Club Asteria to create multiple forum identities, switch languages to a Western Pacific tongue and demand that the foolish PP Blog “shovel it.”

    This was after the earlier prompt in English for the Blog to “Go f*” itself.

    This, of course, is just the most recent example of the madness that plagues MLM-style programs. Over at Scam.com, some of the supporters of MLM seem to believe that calling MLM critics “bigots” and “haters” somehow will help the trade improve its negative image.

    We’ve now received eight comments from “Pokwang” or “Daniel” from the same IP. Not a single one of them says anything about the merits of Club Asteria. Each and every one of them is a total deflection — and now, “Pokwang” or “Daniel” is dialing it up by switching to a different language.

    Some readers may find value in this post, which is about international mass-marketing fraud:

    http://patrickpretty.com/2010/06/02/pathway-to-prosperity-case-a-subject-of-discussion-in-washingtons-highest-power-corridors-website-of-u-s-attorney-general-includes-link-to-case-info-as-part-of-mass-marketing-fraud-educational/

    Patrick

  48. Where did Daniel go? I thought he would at least make a half-hearted attempt to challenge the “facts” that I presented about Andrea. So much for all his “facts” about Club Asteria and Andrea. And just when it was starting to get fun.

    Guess when you can’t hide behind the skirts of the mods at MMG and TG, you put your tail between your legs and run away. Another Ponzi shill bites the dust.

  49. This is my post on MMG CA’s thread. Least you could do is make a reference to it, not just c/p. ;)

    Jayson: She is involved with CA up to her neck. Saw a lot of videos with her and even an interview on some TV network. She is promoting CA consciously.

  50. Oh, a recent news on CA: seems that Club Asteria has stopped paying. Some withdrawal requests have been denied over at MMG.

    Start racing to the finish line?

  51. This week Club-asteria DISAPPROVED ALL CASHOUT?!!!!!!

  52. Okay, little fat man… you’re about to get on my last nerve. I never accused Patrick of anything. I thought he needed to do more due diligence. That is all. I never made any wild accusations and the ONLY freaking reason I came to this board is that someone who regularly posts here – who doesn’t particularly care for Club Asteria – sent me a link. The only reason I said anything at all is because I hadn’t heard any of this stuff before about them and it came as a shock. I know some people involved – yet I never became involved myself and when I read all this stuff, I wasn’t seeing ANYTHING other than accusations being made off the fact that this opp was being promoted on a board by people other than management. I simply think you need more proof than that. I did have a conversation with Lynndel “Lynn” Edgington after my last round of posts here and he explained some things to me about what he perceives is going on and Lynn generally knows what he’s talking about, so I defer to him BECAUSE HE’S DONE HIS HOMEWORK. But you’re not going to sit here and lump me in with any of the crazies making looney accusations! I don’t know anything about your ‘HYIP’s’ and could really care less about them – THIS crap is NOT my life… but it sure seems to be yours. If you’re going to accuse me of doing ANYTHING other than asking Patrick to get MORE INFORMATION then you’re a liar!!! Get your facts right, bird brain! Why don’t you pull your head out of Patrick’s backside and get some fresh air… it might help you out a little bit.

  53. MyEthix: Okay, little fat man… you’re about to get on my last nerve.

    How IS that Nobel prize for Literature nomination going, then ????

  54. littleroundman:
    How IS that Nobel prize for Literature nomination going, then ????

    You’re a freak. Go chase parked cars, toadie.

  55. I am a proud Club-Asteria member. I put in a request for a cash out over this weekend. This morning a got paid.

  56. Update: I requested funds to be transferred to my cash card this morning (Monday) and in less then 1 hour funds were available.

  57. John Mark: Update: I requested funds to be transferred to my cash card this morning (Monday) and in less then 1 hour funds were available.

    John,

    You are welcome to show your proud support for Club Asteria here. Please know, however, that I will not publish any more of “I got paid” posts from you or other CA supporters.

    The reason is that an “I got paid” claim means nothing in and of itself. All successful schemes “pay” — until they stop paying, that is. Some schemes also have been known to make selective payouts to keep the illusion of a successful, solvent company intact.

    I’ve noted that a TalkGold poster who purports to have friends in Club Asteria has said today that he (or she) is “afraid this one is going to end soon.”

    Have any take on what “this one” means?

    Separately, the same poster was hawking something that claimed participants would “Receive $100 Bills | All Day | Everyday.”

    Any take on that?

    I’d be interested in your thoughts about the CA threads on TalkGold and MoneyMakerGroup and MyCashForums and other sites associated with Ponzi schemes — and whether you believe the money you just received from CA is “clean,” given the fact the “program” is being widely promoted on Ponzi forums.

    Patrick

  58. Patrick I only said that I got paid because someone posted that “This week Club Asteria had DISAPPROVED ALL CASHOUT!!!” That’s all. My purpose is not to defend or accuse anyone. I just stated a fact. CA, if they so choose, would be able to speak for themselves. You asked my opinion. You equate CA with “Ponzi” schemes merely because sites that promote “Ponzi” Schemes promote CA…I am not familiar with these sites…nor whether they only promote Ponzi sites… but such comparison is not necessarily logical or conclusively true.

  59. John Mark:

    I was always told you were known by the company you keep. Try as hard as I could, I could not locate one company that was a recognized legitimate company that advertised on Talk Gold or MoneyMakerGroup. In fact, there is not one thread there having a discussion about any legitimate company.

    This raises the question that Patrick has already asked, and no-one has answered that supports Club Asteria. That question is, “Why would a company that was legitimate be advertising and having their company associated with financial forums that are known “only” for their advertising and promotion of scams/Ponzi’s?”

    Toss in the usual shills for all scams/Ponzi’s promoting this to the masses, and you further degrade the legitimacy of the company. Most “real” companies would defend their reputations to the hilt, but not Club Asteria. Now, want to try again?

  60. Lynn,
    As I said before…I have no idea what these sites are about and I am not about to join them to find out…I have been under the impression that THEY are the ones promoting CA (as per previous threads.) Now assuming these media are that “bad” and CA itself is actively engaged in advertising there (as you have implied) my personal opinion is that it would be wise to remove such ads…(“guilty by association” type of thing…)

  61. Here is a post from CA!
    Last update Posted on: 24-Mar-2011

    HELLO FROM THE BAHAMAS

    This week the Club Asteria team is meeting here in the Bahamas at the beautiful Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. The ocean, the beaches and the pools are beautiful, but nevertheless, with all of the beauty around us, we are spending our time in meetings planning all of the new products and services we are going to bring to our members. We have some very exciting systems, tools and programs that we are working on for your benefit. All of our programs are designed to help you make more money and be more successful in every aspect of your life.

    What we are also talking about is having several events in the near future in resorts close to our membership base where we could feature our benefits and the wonderful contributions we are making to the world. It would be so exciting for all of us to be able to personally meet each and every member who has contributed to the overall success of everything we are doing here at Club Asteria.

    We hope that you are using our educational platform, e-commerce and e-wallet programs currently because we know that they will help you. As always, we wish each of our members the best of everything in life and hope that you will all work hard and smart to reach your maximum potential.

    Andrea Lucas
    Managing Director

  62. FROM THE “HORSE’S MOUTH”

    How Does The Revenue Sharing Work?

    We have grown to over 220,000 members. Can you imagine the possibilities for all of us if we all work together? Our revenue share would be at the maximum amount each week if each of us just contributed the time and energy necessary to working on our own Club Asteria business. Our revenue is determined by the support and participation of each of our 220,000+ members. The revenue will go up or down depending on how many members actively take advantage of utilizing and/or selling any one of our programs or services. If anybody has told you something different, they are mistaken and incorrect. We share our revenue that is earned by our membership. There is no guarantee. It would be impossible to guarantee this. We can only share what is earned. To protect the integrity and vitality of the company, this is the only acceptable fiscal policy that we can have. We take very seriously our responsibility to remain financially solvent so that we can serve our membership for many, many years to come. Again, if somebody has told you something different, or you believe something different, you are incorrect.

    This week our revenue went up, which means that more of our members participated and took advantage of utilizing or selling any one of our programs or services. This deserves our congratulation for a great effort to everyone!

    Help Us To Help You

    Our education system is a fabulous learning tool that is every day getting better. Our e-commerce solution is one of the finest e-marketing systems in the world. Our electronic wallet offered by our financial partners can make a great difference to you and your family. If you don’t utilize these programs and services and take advantage of everything that Club Asteria offers, you are not helping yourself. Our services are priceless – but only if you take advantage of them.

    We are privileged to work for you and we hope that you feel privileged to be part of our Club that is striving to make a real difference for you and the rest of the world. When the revenue sharing is announced each week, remember that we are doing our part to bring about the best services and products – you need to do your part as well to maintain the highest revenue sharing. We believe in our Club and all of our members and we know that together we can grow financially and be a vital force in setting an example for the world for many years to come.

    Andrea Lucas
    Managing Director

  63. Hey Patrick can you name some online investment company? which u think legal or legitimate. Yes I also think Club Asteria is a Ponzi scheme, but why are you putting so much effort to prove that? Why don’t you talk about some good and positive one? DO YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY CLEAVER PERSON IN THIS EARTH TO CAPABLE OF IDENTIFYING PONZI PROGRAM?

  64. Gtmc: Yes I also think Club Asteria is a Ponzi scheme, but why are you putting so much effort to prove that?

    Hope you’re not a member/promoter if you think Club Asteria is a Ponzi scheme, Gtmc. If you think it’s a Ponzi scheme — and if you’re introducing prospects and receiving commissions/payments — lots of people could be affected.

    If promoters’ claims of 230,000+ members are true, then Club Asteria now has exceeded the population of famous U.S. cities such as Spokane, Wash., and Boise, Idaho.

    Did you see this article, Gtmc? It notes that the U.S. government now is counting investment-fraud victims by the tens of thousands — enough to fill the largest stadiums in the United States.

    http://patrickpretty.com/2010/12/12/letter-to-readers-reflections-on-1000-pp-blog-posts-the-lionization-of-fools-and-an-unprecedented-crime-wave-that-threatens-national-security-and-is-filling-stadiums-with-victims/

    Gtmc: DO YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY CLEAVER PERSON IN THIS EARTH TO CAPABLE OF IDENTIFYING PONZI PROGRAM?

    No. But I am able to enlighten the public about these schemes. As I noted above, some of them have gotten so big that the victims can fill entire sports stadiums.

    Some are smaller, of course. The Imperia Invest IBC scheme created “only” 14,000 victims. Among the victims, who lost millions of dollars, were THOUSANDS of deaf people.

    http://patrickpretty.com/2010/10/07/bulletin-sec-seeks-shutdown-of-imperia-invest-in-emergency-action-program-pitched-on-same-ponzi-forums-promoting-mpb-today-agency-says-imperia-defrauded-thousands-of-deaf-americans/

    Imperia was promoted on MoneyMakerGroup and TalkGold.

    So was Noobing, which also targeted deaf people.

    http://patrickpretty.com/2010/01/04/deaf-woman-64-says-she-lost-5300-in-noobing-autosurf-and-cant-sleep-at-night-contacts-fbi-and-sheriffs-office-for-help/

    Patrick