EDITORIAL: The AdSurfDaily Solution: Form ‘Andy’s Army,’ Target The Government With $50 ‘Rocks,’ Stone ‘Goliath’ With Cash From ASD Members And ‘Other Freedom Fighters Across America,’ Provide Bowdoin’s Lawyers ‘Massive Funds’ To Defeat ‘Giant Common Enemy’
Andy Bowdoin
Two weeks after a purported “sovereign citizen” allegedly opened fire with an AK-47 on a Pensacola seafood store because it was out of crawfish, Floridians may be confronting yet-another bizarre and disturbing drama.
Indeed, members of Quincy-based AdSurfDaily appear to be circulating an email call to raise defense funds for ASD President Andy Bowdoin, accused criminally in December 2010 by federal prosecutors and the U.S. Secret Service of operating an international Ponzi scheme involving at least $110 million.
After earlier evoking the image of the President of the United States to sanitize the ASD scheme, Bowdoin’s apologists now are evoking the image of famed golfer Arnold Palmer and his famed “Arnie’s Army.”
“So now we have a strong chance to build ‘Andy’s Army’ made up of many tens of thousands of caring ASD members and other Freedom Fighters across America who are all joining together in this extremely important fight for Truth and Justice,” the email read in part.
It went on to describe the U.S. government as a “giant common enemy that destroyed Andy’s life and reputation.” The email further accused the Secret Service of seizing “all the ASD member’s advertising money from their accounts” and keeping it.
Curiously, though, the email did not explain that Bowdoin — in 2008 — agreed with the government that money seized by the Secret Service belonged to him, not individual ASD members. Nor did the email explain how the government, which has described Bowdoin as a recidivist felon involved in at least five bids over the years to fleece investors, had “destroyed” Bowdoin’s life and reputation.
After not explaining those two things, the email went on not to explain that the government announced more than two years ago that it was establishing a restitution program through a remissions administrator appointed by the Justice Department and the Secret Service — and that scammed ASD investors would be compensated from cash seized from Bowdoin’s bank accounts.
Three of Bowdoin’s bids to scam investors over the years occurred while he was operating ASD between 2006 and 2008, renaming the company to launch a new Ponzi scheme under a new brand — and coming up with two other autosurfs to scam investors, according to the government. Two previous Bowdoin efforts to defraud investors occurred more than a decade ago, according to court filings.
Instead of telling investors about his true history, he falsely led them to believe he was a highly successful businessman who’d earned a nod for business achievement from the President of the United States. Donations Bowdoin provided the National Republican Congressional Committee were funded with Ponzi proceeds, according to the government.
In September 2009, federal prosecutors described Bowdoin, now 76, as “delusional.” The assertion was made just days after Bowdoin — in a conference call with members — claimed his fight against the government was inspired by a former Miss America.
Crucially, prosecutors alleged nearly two years ago, Bowdoin had told members the seized money belonged to them. But he had told a federal judge that the money belonged to him.
“[T]his con man cannot manage to keep his stories straight,” prosecutors said.
But what the government described as an autosurf Ponzi scheme with at least two other autosurf Ponzi schemes feeding it now is being described by Bowdoin’s apologists as a “wonderful” opportunity.
And the U.S. government, which stopped an alleged Ponzi scheme in its tracks before it could further mushroom, is being described as the “enemy.”
“This same enemy destroyed and stopped the wonderful ASD business that Andy and his staff had continually created for 2 years that was making ASD member’s dreams of Financial Freedom come true,” the email continued.
Although ASD has not been associated with acts of violence, the company is known to have within its membership ranks people who define themselves as “sovereign” beings. In 2008, after the Secret Service seized 10 of Bowdoin’s personal bank accounts amid allegations he disguised a securities business as an “advertising” business and was falsely trading on the name of President George W. Bush to sanitize his scheme, Bowdoin claimed the seizures were the work of “Satan.” For good measure, he said the government’s acts against his company were comparable to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people. When reporters called ASD’s office, they were greeted by Bowdoin’s voice on an answering machine.
Bowdoin assured callers that God was on the company’s side.
Now, nearly three years later — with Bowdoin facing serious felony charges and having lost two federal appeals for more than $65.8 million seized through civil forfeiture while confronting at least one more civil-forfeiture case and a racketeering lawsuit filed by three of his members — Bowdoin says he is out of money, according to ASD members.
The remedy for Bowdoin’s purported lack of funds, according to his apologists, is for ASD members to provide cash $20 and $50 at a time. The money will go into a legal war chest from which Bowdoin, positioned as “David,” can draw funds to stone his enemy in court, with the government positioned as “Goliath.”
We presume the David-and-Goliath reference in the email is figurative, but the language employed by the apologists is disturbing even if no actual rocks will be thrown at the people who prosecute criminal cases and protect the life of the President of the United States while guarding the U.S. financial infrastructure.
“In the Biblical Story of David & Goliath, little David, all alone, threw only one rock with a strong force and deadly aim and killed Goliath with a sharp powerful blow to the forehead,” the email read. “And now each member of Andy’s Army can throw one rock (one contribution of up to $50), and when combined all together will become tens of thousands of these financial ‘rocks’ that are each propelled by the powerful force of Truth, and these ‘rocks’ will strike the common enemy by giving Andy’s Legal Defense Team the massive funds they need to fight and win this giant case for Andy, for ASD and for each of you. Together the combined financial force of Andy’s Army can destroy this giant nightmare and make that wonderful dream described above come true for everyone.”
The new bid to raise funds for Bowdoin follows on the heels of a bid by some Florida members of ASD to raise funds for themselves — reportedly $10,000 to sue the United States in Florida’s federal courts. Dozens of ASD members previously had failed in their pro se bids to derail the forfeiture cases against Bowdoin’s money in federal court in the District of Columbia.
Prior to the failed bids in the District of Columbia, a federal judge was described as “brain dead” if she ruled against ASD. One ASD member called for other members to form a “militia” and storm Washington with guns. Another opined that a federal prosecutor should be placed in a torture rack — with ASD members drawing straws to see who got the honor of turning the wheel.
ASD critics were described as “rats,” “maggots” and “cockroaches” — and these things happened after Bowdoin advised the troops that “Satan” was on the prowl and that God was on ASD’s side.
This madness is hardly limited to Florida.
About the only things for certain is that Andy Bowdoin is no Arnold Palmer, and ASD was no “wonderful” company.
What is was was a criminal mirage that triggered a mass delusion.
Like we keep saying, there’s no telling what these people will do next. I doubt that even IBM’s computer “Watson” could arrive at some of the bizarre things as Andy’s minions can. If we all remember, Charles Manson had a similar degree of control on certain individuals, much as Andy does with some of his cheerleader followers.
This duck quacks, walks and swims as a duck does… it’s a duck, people!! Not a sovereign aquatic entity !!
P.S. No, I didn’t send Andy any money. He has plenty hidden offshore and in other locations.
First, Uncle Andy does not have control over anyone.
Second, it is the lure of easy money that drives these cheerleaders.
Third, Uncle Andy is promising some offshore money if these cheerleaders can get this done.
Fourth, The justice department will win.
Fifth, The justice department will win.
Sixth, wash-rinse-repeat.
Big Joe signing off.
I do wonder how one devolves into the mind-set that the U.S. government is a “giant common enemy” and that the Secret Service seized “all the ASD member’s advertising money from their accounts” and kept it.
It doesn’t make sense to claim those things even if the email is some sort of PR stunt arranged by a perceived Internet Marketing genius. All it does is draw even more negative attention to ASD and give rise to questions about whether the personal safety of public officials and the safety of the public at large is at risk.
The claim the Secret Service seized “all” ASD members’ money is demonstrably false. It also is contrary to what Bowdoin himself told a federal judge in an affidavit Bowdoin signed under penalty of perjury on Aug. 13, 2008. The document has been part of the public record since Aug. 15, 2008.
Fact is, Bowdoin advised the judge it was HIS money. Later, when he apparently believed he was out of earshot of the judge, he told the members it was their money. A transcript of his remarks in a September 2009 conference call is part of the public record of the case.
Moreover, by the time Bowdoin advised the judge under penalty of perjury in the document dated Aug. 13, 2008, that the seized money belonged to him, the Feds already had produced an evidence exhibit that showed that ASD had promised “Advertisers will be paid rebates until they receive 125% of their ad purchases.”
Of course, this evidence became a topic of the evidentiary hearing (Sept. 30/Oct. 1, 2008) Bowdoin asked for before taking the 5th. When one of the prosecutors focused on that evidence in open court, he was derided by the Surf’s Up crew as “Gomer Pyle.”
One of Bowdoin’s apologists explained that the reason Bowdoin took the 5th was because he was “too honest” to testify.
Bowdoin’s then-lawyers were championed by Bowdoin’s faithful as the “Perry Mason” team. When the judge took the evidentiary-hearing matters under advisement, she was described as “brain dead” or “taking a payoff” if she ruled against ASD.
https://patrickpretty.com/2009/10/18/editorial-another-major-thread-goes-poof-at-surfs-up/
Screen shot of section of TOS:
https://patrickpretty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/asdwilltos.png
When the judge ruled against ASD, the same folks once championing his original defense team as the Perry Mason team reversed course. It’s easy to forget that Bowdoin actually submitted to the forfeiture in January 2009, about five months after the seizure.
He also signed a proffer letter and acknowledged the government’s material allegations were all true — before he fired his attorneys without notice and sought to reenter the case as his own lawyer, reportedly after consulting with members of a “group.”
Let me share a theory: ASD had “special” members who were more equal than others. The Feds know who all or some of these people are, and the various email missives from Bowdoin’s apologists over these many months are designed in whole or in part to protect these people — without disclosing they were not ordinary ASD members.
There have been appeals to ASD’s rank-and-file to send cash to pay for lawyers and/or pro se fantasies. It is POSSIBLE — and this is just a THEORY — that some of these folks fear or know they are targets of a government probe/seizure action and that they did not disclose this when participating in appeals to ASD’s rank-and-file to send in money.
In other words, insiders could have tried to plant the seed that the interests of all ASD members were exactly the same and tried to raise funds from the rank-and-file without disclosing that they — the insiders — had more legal/financial exposure than ordinary members.
I have my doubts that ordinary ASD members view the government as a “giant common enemy” and go around describing the Secret Service as “goons” and “Nazis” and the army of “Satan.”
Americans hold the U.S. Secret Service in the highest of esteem. Ordinary people — the people at diners, coffee shops, bowling alleys, golf courses, places of worship, Little League games, soccer games, PTA meetings, graduation ceremonies, homecoming ceremonies for local soldiers and sailors and marines and airmen — would be delighted and justifiably proud if a family member or person they know became a member of the Secret Service.
And yet Bowdoin conjures up images of Satan and the 9/11 terrorists — and projects them to the ASD masses. And his apologists use the language of insurrection.
The figurative message is “Stone them!” It’s hard to decipher the actual message, but the reference to “Freedom Fighters across America” is troubling in an era in which “sovereigns” are shooting up seafood stores because they’re out of crawfish, police officers are getting shot by “sovereigns” and judicial officers are targeted for assassination by “sovereigns.”
There always has been a stunningly high level of disconnect in the ASD saga. Back in May 2009, when the Obama administration was announcing a crackdown on international scammers, the AdViewGlobal people simultaneously were announcing the company had acquired a new facility for members to wire money offshore.
Some ASD members appear to be divorced from reality.
Patrick
As I said before, QUACK…..
Some readers may find value in this story:
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/11/13/disturbing-email-received-by-some-asd-members-suggests-they-could-be-sued-for-participating-in-refund-program-records-suggest-legal-opinion-was-offered-by-man-named-in-complaints-for-unauthori/
Patrick
Other stories:
https://patrickpretty.com/2011/05/22/obtained-draft-of-complaint-some-adsurfdaily-members-say-theyll-file-against-d-c-prosecutors-in-florida-let-the-games-begin-declares-prospective-pro-se-litigant-document-leads-to-questions/
https://patrickpretty.com/2011/01/17/two-days-before-remissions-deadline-asd-members-receive-yet-another-confusing-highly-questionable-email-that-suggests-victims-seeking-restitution-should-tell-administrator-that-program-was-not-an-in/
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/12/21/is-an-adviewglobal-member-unhappy-with-adsurfdaily-members-who-choose-to-file-remission-forms-rant-accuses-filers-of-selling-their-souls-and-destroying-lives/
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/12/13/disturbing-out-on-bail-after-ponzi-arrest-is-andy-bowdoin-giving-marching-orders-email-attributed-to-former-asd-executive-gary-talbert-advises-members-to-tell-claims-processor-they-were-purchasing/
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/11/09/are-asd-members-waging-ongoing-misinformation-campaign-to-suppress-victims-count-and-obstruct-justice-note-instructs-members-not-to-file-for-restitution/
https://patrickpretty.com/2009/12/21/bowdoin-purportedly-tells-asd-member-that-prosecutors-have-finally-admitted-to-screwing-up-email-asks-members-to-look-for-rally-videos-new-flap-starts-on-surfs-up/
https://patrickpretty.com/2009/12/19/purported-andy-bowdoin-christmas-email-with-prayerful-message-causes-a-stir-among-members-asd-president-has-not-refuted-authenticity-of-greeting/
https://patrickpretty.com/2009/09/29/obstruction-asd-spokeswoman-whose-named-appeared-in-secret-service-says-she-instructed-members-not-to-fill-out-government-form-now-appears-to-be-advising-members-to-clam-up-if-contacted-by-agents/
https://patrickpretty.com/2009/04/12/surfs-up-report-about-judges-order-adds-confusion/
Patrick
When I first became aware of ASD over 3 years ago, one of the things that kept troubling me about the members of ASD was: these were supposed to be “business people.” Yet they were acting like everything but business people. And I am talking about before ASD was raided and shut down. The comments they were making on the forums and blogs defied common sense and all explanation. I felt when you were communicating with them via the forums and blogs you were talking to a group of cultists.
I mentioned at the time, if we had thought we had seen it all, we hadn’t. To expect even more bizarre behavior and they would ratchet it up beyond anything we had ever seen before by people who were in a Ponzi and didn’t want to admit it. I realized this when Andy’s background was being exposed demonstrating that he, and all those around him, had lied about his background and business acumen. Their total unwillingness to even consider Andy had lied to them, and defending him saying that those of us exposing him for who he really was were liars. To be honest, they even exceed my wildest imagination of what they were capable of doing, which was proven after ASD was shut down.
To this day, the most ardent supporters of Andy have never ceased to amaze me at the lengths they will go to trying to defend ASD and Andy. As pointed out, many are deflecting their claim they are defending Andy and ASD, but in reality they are out to protect themselves from possible prosecution. This is their way of hoping to minimize action against them.
You would think with all the inforamtion that is now known and available for all to read, they would abandon this cultist loyalty. But this is just the beginning of the wacky and crazy world of these supporters. In short, we haven’t seen noth’in yet. Yes it is going to get even more bizarre as this goes forward.
In over seven years of researching and working in the world of these Internet investment scams/Ponzi’s, I have never seen any group of people like these people. They have taken the defense of a Ponzi to the stratosphere putting all the other defenders of their Ponzi to shame.
And as I began, I have to keep reminding myself these are “supposed” to be “business people.” For they have demonstrated they are anything but “business people.” For if they are now “representative” of business people here in the US, we are in deeper doo-doo than I thought. I still believe these are the exception to the rule, not representative of mainstream business people. But given what is going around us, I am not so sure anymore.
There are a few groups of World Class Crazy I can remember, the people in PIPS come to mind, especially the crew over at ROLCLUB who were saying “any day now” and ‘Bank Negara is only investigating some bad members who were laundering money” (gee, have we heard that one again?)
I think a big reason we still have the ASD All Star Team of Stupid has to do with it being in the USA and being litigatged. Most of these scams simply fade off into the sunset with your money, and without a court case to try to nose your way into, or prosecutors, judges, investigators to insult, it’s hard to keep the interest up. (Another thing ASD and PIPS had in common was a long court case)
Another common thread associated with the cults with the craziest followers is the persistent cheerleading for any number of funds drives, something that inevitably ends with even more people who can little afford it sending money to people who are lining their own pockets, if they aren’t the ones who stole from them in the beginning. (Convicted Felon Bob Guenther anyone?)
Gregg, sadly, it will probably get even stranger as time goes on; Andy will be abducted by aliens, or Lord Xenu or something even more silly and contrived.
I was actually thinking of the CMKM crazies on that one, but yeah….
I’m thinking Andy is gonna get abducted by Federal Marshalls instead of aliens.
One can only hope….