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Snooki -
Montel Williams -
Gwyneth Paltrow -
Donald Trump -
Jenny McCarthy -
Jamie Lee Curtis -
BK Boreyko -
Mike Lindell -
Kardashian/Jenner Family -
Kim Kardashian -
Kevin Trudeau -
Dr. Oz -
Kate Hudson -
Louis Daniel Smith -
Penélope Cruz -
Lindsey Duncan -
Peter Popoff -
Jennifer Lopez -
Ralph Lauren -
Jesse Willms -
Phillip A. Flora -
Donald Barrett -
Ajit Khubani -
Bernie Madoff -
Paula Deen -
Robert Jarvik, MD
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Snooki
Shameful Act:
Everyone’s favorite Jersey Shore washup, Snooki fell back into the limelight with her shocking weight loss transformation. But how did she do it? Snooki endorsed a product named Zantrex in poorly filmed commercials and her own social media outlets. Zantrex promises “Rapid Fat Loss” and “Incredible Energy.”Penalty:
A class action lawsuit was brought against the makers of Zantrex for false advertising claims. One of the defendants named is none other then Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi.Where is she now:
Other than being the target of this false advertising lawsuit, she is expecting a second child with her baby daddy/fiancé. -
Montel Williams
Shameful Act: Oh, there are so many. Montel is the pitchman for a variety of questionable products, including Tommie Copper, the maker of copper-infused compression clothing that claims you will feel better and live positively if you wear the clothes. He is also a spokesman for Lifelock, which promises to relentlessly protect your identity by charging a fee for many services you can actually get for free. Montel also helped market online lender MoneyMutual, which was ordered in March 2015 to pay a $2.1 million penalty and shut down its high-interest payday loan activities in New York after a government investigation. The probe also resulted in Montel having to withdraw his endorsement.
Penalty: Williams has been named in a class-action lawsuit against MoneyMutual for allegedly aiding the loan schemes.
Where is he now: Maybe trying to commune with Sylvia Browne, a psychic some called a con artist, he regularly hosted on his show before she passed away in November 2013.
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Gwyneth Paltrow
Shameful Act:
The actress finds herself on TINA.org’s radar for claiming (without proper scientific evidence) that products from her Goop health and lifestyle line can treat a variety of diseases. From crystals for treating infertility to perfume for alleviating anxiety, illegal health claims abound on the Goop website.Penalty:
TINA.org reported these findings to the California Food Drug and Medical Device Task Force. Time will tell if the agency takes action.Where is she now:
Still living and working in La-La Land. -
Donald Trump
Shameful Act:
Allegedly bilking millions of dollars from people who attended his eponymous for-profit Trump University by engaging in an aggressive upselling scheme and then failing to deliver on promises made in advertising that students would learn his real estate secrets.Penalty:
Agreed to pay out $25 million to settle fraud allegations against the defunct Trump University.Where is he now:
President of the United States and facing a whole new set of ethical and legal scrutiny about using his position as Influencer-in-Chief to promote his businesses. -
Jenny McCarthy
Shameful Act:
Jenny McCarthy has a lot on her plate. Playing the role of sacked television host, Vemma endorser, and president of an anti-vaccine group could be quite demanding. But she doesn’t stop there, and adds to the list with another unfortunate endorsement. Using her model resume, she’s selling Blu eCigs and gets to have a smoke “without the guilt.”Penalty:
Maybe all this was to blame for her getting fired from the View? A Senate hearing brought up the images of Jenny McCarthy as an example of a marketing tactic to teenagers. Shockingly it seems as if the ads have disappeared.Where is she now:
Probably thinking up her outfit for her next sketchy product endorsement. -
Jamie Lee Curtis
Shameful Act: Continuing to endorse Dannon after the company had Curtis mislead consumers in its Activia commercials. The FTC made clear that “[i]n truth and in fact, eating one serving of Activia daily is not clinically proven to relieve temporary irregularity and help with slow intestinal transit time.” Although Dannon paid the FTC $21 million for the false claims made to consumers in Curtis’ ads, Jamie doesn’t seem to care about all the consumers that she deceived. She’s still pushing the product.
Penalty: On the contrary, Jamie continues to get paid for her endorsements.
Where is she now? Still spokeswoman for Activia Yogurt – but now she’s telling you that you have to consume 3 Activias a day (that’s 21 per week) in order to get any digestive benefits.
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BK Boreyko
Shameful Act:
Running multi-level marketing companies that twice landed him legal battles with the FTC. The first time, the FTC took him to task for inappropriate health claims tied to a New Vison supplement billed as a cure for ADHD referred to as “God’s Recipe.” The FTC labeled his next MLM venture, a company called Vemma, a pyramid scheme.Penalty:
In a court settlement reached in 2016, Boreyko is banned from promoting any business ventures that, among other things, pays any compensation to members for recruiting new participants and from making deceptive income claims and unsubstantiated health claims.
Where is he now:
Fighting with the IRS, which contends he owes more than $5 million in unpaid taxes and penalties and promoting – surprise! – a new MLM, perhaps hoping the third time’s a charm?
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Mike Lindell
Shameful Act:
Kept consumers up at night with a number of puffed-up claims for MyPillow, including, at one point, touting the pillow as a cure-all without the appropriate scientific evidence required by law and pushing a deceptive BOGO sale.Penalty:
In October 2016, the MyPillow founder and CEO agreed to pay more than $1 million to settle a deceptive advertising lawsuit brought by consumer protection officials in California who were aided by TINA.org’s own investigation into MyPillow. Not long after, MyPillow flunked out of the BBB.Where is he now:
Apparently not losing much sleep himself. Lindell continues to heavily advertise MyPillow and we wouldn’t be surprised if he landed a position in the upcoming administration of fellow Wall-of-Shamer Donald Trump, having promised him a pillow during the presidential campaign. -
Kardashian/Jenner Family
Shameful Act:
More than 100 sponsored Instagram posts by the Kardashian/Jenner sisters, who have millions of followers, that were not marked as ads, as required by federal law.Penalty:
A TINA.org complaint to the FTC and lots of bad press for the reality TV stars that Cosmo dubbed “America’s First Family.”Where are they now:
Still making bank by plugging products on social media sites. -
Kim Kardashian
Shameful Acts: Pitching a Quick Trim weight-loss products whose claims were not backed up by scientific studies. Failing to mention any side effects of a morning sickness drug, Diclegis, that she was paid by drug maker Duschesnay to tout on Instagram. Failing to label other Instagram posts for a variety of items, such as Lumee and Secret Closet, as ads.
Penalty: A warning from the FDA to Duschesnay on the Diclegis posts and a complaint letter from TINA.org to the FTC regarding the lack of disclosure of more than 20 posts that should have been labeled #ads.
Where is she now? Where isn’t she?
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Kevin Trudeau
Shameful Act: In 2004, Trudeau was permanently prohibited from making infomercials – the one exception — to promote books if he did so without misrepresenting the content of the book. That honesty requirement was just too hard for this ex-felon to follow. His latest shameful act involves violating an FTC consent order 32,000 times by deceptively marketing his book, The Weight Loss Cure “They” Don’t Want You to Know About, in infomercials.
Penalty: Trudeau was ordered to pay $37.6 million to the FTC, which then returned $6 million to consumers to reimburse those who purchased his diet book. If Trudeau wants to make another infomercial about a book, he’ll also have to pony up a $2 million performance bond.
Where is he now? In jail, after a jury found Trudeau guilty of criminal contempt and sentenced him to 10 years for making deceptive claims about his weight-loss book. The FTC has also called Trudeau’s Global Information Network a pyramid scheme.
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Dr. Oz
Shameful Act: America’s favorite TV doctor has been under scrutiny for touting benefits of a myriad of questionable “miracle” products. TINA.org also questions his cozy relationship with Vemma, an Arizona-based dietary supplement company facing pyramid scheme charges in a court case filed by the FTC.
Penalty: The tide may be turning against Oz. In 2014, he faced a Congressional subcommittee that grilled him on weight-loss substances he shilled as miracles on his show and a study published by the British Medical Journal found that medical research doesn’t support half of Dr. Oz’s recommendations. Members of the media (well, some journalists anyway) and late-night comedians are also pulling back the curtain on his antics.
Where is he now: Still in the magical land of Oz making sketchy health claims.
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Kate Hudson
Shameful Act:
The Almost Famous actress has angered hundreds of consumers who have found it impossible to cancel their monthly subscription to Fabletics, an athletic-wear company Kate co-founded in 2013. Unable to cancel, shoppers are saddled with charges for additional clothing they never wanted delivered.
Penalty:
Tons of bad press for the starlet.Where is she now:
Despite the naysayers, Kate and her young company continue to thrive, reporting sales of $150 million in 2014. Clearly, Kate is not sweating it. -
Louis Daniel Smith
Shameful Act:
Peddling Miracle Mineral Supplement drops through various websites as a treatment for cancer, AIDS, kidney disease and “lots of other ailments.” Turns out the miracle ingredient is sodium chlorite, an industrial chemical used in pesticides and for hydraulic fracturing that is illegal to sell for human consumption. Even worse, Smith advised customers, including pregnant women, to mix it with citric acid, creating a chemical used to bleach textiles.
Penalty:
Smith was sentenced to 51 months in jail by a federal court for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead, smuggling and conspiracy.Where is he now:
Wondering if his wife, Karis DeLong, and colleagues Chris Olson and Tammy Olson, who all pleaded guilty to introducing misbranded drugs into the marketplace, will be joining him for lunch in the prison cafeteria. -
Penélope Cruz
Shameful Act: Penélope Cruz is a beautiful woman but perhaps lacking in principle. In her ads for L’Oréal’s Telescopic mascara, Cruz promises, “Lashes that could reach to the stars.” What Ms. Cruz fails to disclose is that she is wearing falsies, that is, eyelash inserts. Well, that’s just plain wrong – not to mention deceptive.
Penalty: The Advertising Standards Authority of Great Britain found the ads misleading and ordered L’Oréal to disclose the use of false lashes in the future.
Where is she now? Obviously Penélope’s not reaching the stars with her own lashes. -
Lindsey Duncan
Shameful Act: The self-proclaimed nutrition expert with questionable degrees appeared on Dr. Oz, The View and other shows touting green coffee bean extract as a weight-loss miracle. He made millions by using the Oz Effect to sell it and other questionable supplement products through his own companies. The scientific studies he used to promote the supplement were later found to be seriously flawed.
Penalty: He, along with his companies, Genesis Today and Pure Health, have to refund customers $9 million and can no longer make any claims about supplements or drugs in the future that aren’t backed by two well-controlled human clinical trials.
Where is he now: Behind the curtain with Dr. Oz wondering if the miracle pills they shill will get them out of this jam.
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Peter Popoff
Shameful act: Peter Popoff is self-proclaimed faith healer and prophet. He rose to prominence in the 1980s by preaching the “gospel of prosperity” on TV, promising cash rewards directly from God to his supporters. In 1987, James Randi, a stage magician and skeptic, exposed Popoff as a fraud, demonstrating how he used a radio earpiece to receive information from his wife gleaned from prayer cards to deceive people into thinking he could somehow divine secret information about them out of thin air.
Penalty: After Randi’s exposé aired on The Tonight Show, Popoff lost most of his supporters and had to file for bankruptcy.
Where is he now? By the late 1990s, Popoff recovered and started preaching impossible financial and medical miracles again, this time targeting the black community. Popoff continues to preach and sell miracle products on the BET network and through the mail to this day.
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Jennifer Lopez
Shameful Act: According to Fiat, its commercial of J Lo shows her “driving a Fiat 500 Cabrio as she travels through the streets of Manhattan to the Bronx where she grew up.” Only problem is that it isn’t J Lo driving around in the Bronx but some J Lo look-a-like. Ms. Lopez shot her scenes in LA.
Penalty: We’ll have to see what Karma has in store for her.
Where is she now? No doubt, she’s in LA. -
Ralph Lauren
Shameful Act: Doctoring a photo of model Filippa Hamilton in 2009 to make her waist appear smaller than her head in an advertisement for Blue Label jeans. (In reality, she’s a size 8.)
Penalty: None, but according to a spokesman for Ralph Lauren, “we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman’s body. We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately.”
Where is he now? Painting?
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Jesse Willms
Shameful Act: Willms was deemed the “Dark Lord of the Internet” by the Atlantic in 2013 for his many suspicious Internet ads offering “free trials” that turn into negative-option offers and have hit consumers’ credit cards for hundreds of millions of dollars in unwanted charges. Willms got his start re-selling pirated Microsoft software over the Internet as a teenager before creating a marketing empire selling weight-loss supplements, colon cleansers, and teeth-whiteners with suspicious claims and surprise charges.
Penalty: The FTC banned Willms from using negative-option offers in his marketing in 2012, and imposed a judgement of $359 million that was suspended upon Willms surrendering bank-account funds and the proceeds from the sale of his house, personal property, and corporate assets, including a $30,000 fish tank and a $12,000 fur coat. Willms had previously settled with Microsoft in 2006, agreeing to a six-figure settlement, to surrender three cars, and to never sell Microsoft products again.
Where is he now: Willms is now pitching vehicle history reports on the sites carhistory.us.org, dmv.us.org, vehiclehistory.com, and vehiclehistoryrecord.com, probably on his way to another lawsuit, another settlement, and then his next scheme.
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Phillip A. Flora
Shameful Act: Claiming to be affiliated with a government agency, Phil sent over 5 million illegal spam text messages in a 40-day period according to a 2011 FTC complaint. The texts promised to help home owners with loan modifications and anyone who responded, even to say “Stop texting me,” had their information forwarded to marketers.
In 2014, the FTC found that Phil was back to his old tricks. Turns out that he sent more than 29 million spam text messages promising “free” Walmart and Best Buy gift cards.
Penalty: In 2011, Phil settled with the FTC for $32,000 and was permanently banned from sending spam text messages. Apparently, the permanent ban didn’t mean much to Phil. In May 2014, he was found to be in civil contempt of the 2011 order and has been ordered to pay $148,309 for his latest scam.
Where is he now? Texting in Huntington Beach, CA
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Donald Barrettt
Shameful Act: In 2002-2003, Barrett began airing infomercials for supplements such as Coral Calcium and Supreme Greens, billing the latter as a cure for multiple diseases, including cancer.
Penalty: FTC sued Barrett for making false claims about Supreme Greens and Coral Calcium, and in October 2010, a federal appeals court upheld a $48.2 million award against Barrett. In May 2011, Barrett pleaded guilty to one count each of subscribing to a false tax return and misbranding Supreme Greens for the prevention of cancer and arthritis without FDA approval. He was sentenced to one year of probation.
Where is he now: He likely still has a hand in infomercials. His LinkedIn page says he is executive producer for HomeShopping Europe.
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Ajit Khubani
Shameful Act: In 2001 and 2002, Khubani ran infomercials for the Ab Force belt, an exercise contraption that purportedly used electrical impulses to help the wearer shape up and lose weight. He sold more than 700,000 belts, with gross sales exceeding $19 million.
Penalty: The FTC stepped in with a complaint in 2003 to stop what it said were false claims about the belt’s effectiveness. Khubani fought the FTC charges for more than five years, finally agreeing in 2009 to a $7 million settlement. It wasn’t the first time Khubani had run into trouble: He paid more than $900,000 in the 1990s to settle charges that he made false claims about an antenna and hearing aid he sold, and for failing to provide refunds, cancel purchases, and ship products on time.
Where is he now? Still selling things on TV.
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Bernie Madoff
Shameful Act: While masterminding the largest Ponzi scheme in history, Bernie stole the life savings of thousands of investors.
Penalty: In 2009, he was sentenced to 150 years in prison for what the judge called an “extraordinarily evil” fraud.
Where is he now? Prison. -
Paula Deen
Shameful Act: Selling America on a diabetic-inducing diet and not telling them the health risks associated with such a diet; then pimping a $500-a-month diabetic drug they’ll need to take after consuming a steady Deen diet.
Penalty: A scary illness: Ms. Deen has type 2 diabetes, which doesn’t go away and requires medication forever.
Where is she now? After her deposition in a discrimination lawsuit leaked to the media, Ms. Deen saw her two shows dropped by Food Network and her contract terminated.
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Robert Jarvik, MD
Shameful Act: Where to start? First, Dr. Jarvik has never been a practicing physician, but that doesn’t stop him from offering medical advice in the Lipitor ads. Second, those scenes of him rowing on that pristine mountain lake? Yeah, that’s not him, it’s a another man, who can actually row and probably doesn’t need Lipitor.
Penalty: None for Robert. He pocketed a cool $1.35 million for the Lipitor commercials. As for Pfizer, the maker of Lipitor, it had to pull the ads after a congressional committee raised questions about the Jarvik commercials.
Where is he now? Not rowing on a lake, that’s for sure.