Zeek

New filings by federal prosecutors in the criminal case against Zeek’s Paul Burks reveal that a grand-jury investigation was under way within days of the SEC’s Aug. 17, 2012, shutdown of the “program” and confirmation by the U.S. Secret Service that it also was investigating Zeek. Burks was subpoenaed by the grand jury on Aug. […]

BULLETIN: (4th Update 9:13 p.m. EDT U.S.A.) Accused Ponzi schemer Paul Burks ran a “pyramid scheme” known as FollowMe1X2 that was a precursor to ZeekRewards, federal prosecutors say. A quote about FollowMe1X2 that appears in a prosecution filing today also appears verbatim in a post on the MoneyMakerGroup Ponzi forum dated Sept. 4, 2010, by “charlieone.” […]

In a May 6 announcement, Zeek Rewards’ receiver Kenneth D. Bell shares important news with international Zeek members who have been unable to cash checks from the U.S.-based receivership estate. “Many foreign Affiliates have reported that they are unable to deposit or cash their distribution checks due to local banking fees and regulations. We filed […]

“It is the biggest announcement I’ve ever made in my career.” — MLM attorney Kevin Thompson on the hiring of Kevin Grimes, Jan. 9, 2015. 2nd UPDATE 5:35 p.m. ET U.S.A. Zeek Rewards receiver Kenneth D. Bell accused Idaho MLM attorney Kevin Grimes last year of providing “substantial assistance” to Zeek’s Ponzi scheme and, in […]

BULLETIN: (10th Update 11:20 p.m. ET U.S.A.) Zeek Rewards receiver Kenneth D. Bell has sued nearly two dozen Australians, alleging they were “winners” in the Zeek Ponzi- and pyramid scheme and that money they received came from victims. Bell previously sued winners in the United States and Canada. One Aussie is alleged to have received […]

This just in from Kenneth D. Bell, as published on the receivership website and dated Dec. 19, 2014 (bolding added): ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE RECEIVER – December 19, 2014 The Receivership will no longer withhold taxes from distributions paid to affiliates. If the Receivership previously withheld taxes from a distribution, we will issue a new check […]

BULLETIN: (8th Update 10:09 p.m. ET Dec. 18 U.S.A.) Payment vendor for a Ponzi-board “program?” More than two years after the shutdown of Zeek Rewards by the SEC, Plastic Cash International, a credit-card processor and would-be debit-card vendor for Zeek, said it has been “rendered insolvent as a result of the misconduct of [Rex Venture […]

URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: (3rd Update 10:03 a.m. ET Dec. 10 U.S.A.) The federal judge presiding over clawback cases against alleged Zeek Rewards “winners” has dismissed jurisdictional challenges and a claim by the winners that Zeek was not selling securities under the Howey Test. The rulings mean that clawback claims seeking millions of dollars […]

Kenneth D. Bell, the Zeek Rewards receiver, published an announcement last night that certain Zeek claimants from outside the United States who received a distribution check were unable to deposit it. Here is the announcement, dated Oct. 30, 2014 (italics/bolding added). ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE RECEIVER – October 30, 2014 Various foreign claimants have reported that […]

BULLETIN: New court filings today in the Western District of North Carolina show that the court-appointed receiver in the Zeek Rewards Ponzi- and pyramid-scheme case has sued 26 alleged “net winners” in Canada. Each of the defendants allegedly received at least $50,000, according to filings by receiver Kenneth D. Bell. More . . .

URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: (3rd update 9:15 p.m. EDT U.S.A.) Alleged Zeek Rewards operator Paul R. Burks has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Charlotte, N.C., on charges of wire and mail fraud, wire- and mail-fraud conspiracy and tax-fraud conspiracy. Burks, 67, of Lexington, N.C., is the third Zeek figure to be […]