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FTC Must Prosecute Kirk Brown

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The quest for quick money by gullible Barbadians has tossed up the latest crook in the name of Kirk Brown, popular DJ, entertainer.

In June 2021 Director of Consumer Protection Dav Leslie-Ward at the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) issued this statement “(FTC) working on getting the regulatory framework to deal with all “blessing circles”/pyramid schemes”.

The blogmaster has posted on these dishonest pyramid schemes in earlier blogs. Why do so educated Barbadians fall for these dishonest schemes? These are the same Bajans who have the right to vote, refuse a vaccine etc. We live in interesting times. A society has the moral obligation to protect the vulnerable, the regulator (FTC) needs to prosecute Kirk Browne to send a message to the ignorant.

Thanks to Peter for drawing to the attention of Barbados Underground.

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118 responses to “FTC Must Prosecute Kirk Brown”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    There is the claim that Kirk Browne the broke ass entertainer purchased a property in Millennium Heights.

    @FTC the ball is in your rh court. What is the purpose of a consumer protection law if it does not protect the gullible from themselves?

  2. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    If all these allegations are true then Kirk Brown is a despicable human being. He is not so stupid as to be ignorant of the fact that he is abusing his celebrity and public profile to defraud vulnerable Bajan people.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    Apology to Kirk Brown for adding an e to his name.

  4. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    I was under the impression that the AG addressed the nation on television and said that these circles were illegal in Barbados and warned citizens not to engage. They are also illegal in the USA. I received a WhatsApp from my parliament representative informing of the illegality of these circles also.
    Check what the Minister had to say at the time: http://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/straughn-warning-minister-advises-bajans-avoid-blessings-circles

    Government needs to reassess the investment made in education to determine if the ROI is really worth it. It certainly does not look that way on a daily basis.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    We must be concerned about the number of Barbadians gravitating to get rich quick schemes. What does not have to pass CXC mathematics to know a blessing circle is a scam.

  6. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Blessing circles are probably based on a belief in the Prosperity Gospel craze preached by parasitic televangelists.

    ‘Plant a seed,’ they say, “The blessings shall return tenfold!”

    Or something like that from some Bible verse.

    So, this is not about mathematics but religion.

    “Believe and you shall receive!”

    “You en got nuh faith?”

  7. David Avatar
    David

    What does religion have to do with Kirk Brown who is not known to be of a religion, so too many of the gullible takers?

  8. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Not intending to explain any Kirk Brown episode. I have no details on that. Just the blessing circles among the church goers.

  9. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    I have little or no sympathy for those who fall for this scam. You put in $1 K and walk away with $7 K and don’t have enough sense to find the trees that the money is growing on.

  10. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Unable to contribute further.

  11. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    Suppose you did a foolish idiot while at school and one Monday morning the town boys said to you; ” foolbert, put your cheese cutter in this bag and Friday morning we will give you back two ham cutters”.
    You din gine gih dem you cheese cutter even doah you feel dat dem did planning to trick you because you like ham cutters real bad and you mouth did begin to water az you heard de word ham?
    Um ain’t mean dat you did greedy. At dat particular time, you just cudda do wid a nice thick juicy ham cutter, wid lil fat and piece a skin and a red Ju- C. 😋

  12. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    Uh wonder wuh de FTC had to say when the GOB juck duh hands in de people’s money. I can’t even remember if they had anything to say about the Clico debacle.

    Anyhow, nobody don’t force nobody to join the circles.
    Anybody that join and now crying that dem ain’t get nuh money, shudda buy two pigs and two goats wid de spare money dem had lying around cause clearly, dem doan understand what dem did doing and should be made to pay dearly.

  13. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    How come nobody comes and put money in my hands just so?
    Why I duz got to be begging like a dog fuh a mini one eye, and people tekking thousands of dollars and blessing people dat dem doan even know?
    I ain’t look like I want blessing too?
    Nuhbody duz doan got neffing to gih me atall, atall, atall. Sickening man!

    I feel like I moving in de wrong circles, wid de wrong people.

  14. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    This is what you buy into with all this talk about democracy when implicitly you mean naked capitalism as informed by religious, christian, nonsense.

    If you believe in so much freedoms why these fascist impulses aimed at determining that people chosing not to take a vaccine like in a nanny state.

    Capitalism is the largest Ponzi scheme out there and as it hurdles towards total destruction you have no critique for this ginormous Ponzi scheme but see no problem with picking on the people at the margins imagining that they too could get a windfall like your pilitical friends give to de White people.

    This government is running the biggest Ponzi scheme in Barbados. We cite the decades old raids on the NIS, for example, and we dont hear no “strict daddy” waving his rasssoul finger at the legal political criminals in Bridgetown.

    The people have a right to not take a vaccine and bear whatever consequences. They have a right to be csught up in the schemes of Mr Ponzi without an FTC to protect them. Where was this strict father when Maloney was in such a scheme recently. You reserve your harshest condemnations for the most vulnerable and irrationally distribute the failings of the system to the powerless.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    Pyramid Selling and Consumer Protection

    Printed in the “Business Monday” newspaper on June 29, 2009.

    At some point in time, many of us can say that we were approached on what seemed to be the perfect “get rich quick” early retirement plan. We have attended the meetings and decided that this is the key to true financial liberalisation. All we have to do is sign on the dotted line, tell a few friends and “kazam” – financially free for life, while at the same time, become our own boss. Only to realise with the clearing of the haze that none of it was true. Yes, we did convince our family and friends to join but the continuous recruitment finally becomes one of our greatest challenges.

    This quest for financial liberalisation by consumers has given practitioners of these schemes leverage over us, but “do we have any protection or redress?”. The answer to the question is yes and the Consumer Protection Act is the legislation in place to protect us.Section 23 of the Consumer Protection Act CAP.326D, distinctly states:

    “A person shall not promote or operate a pyramid selling scheme.”

    What constitutes pyramid selling? According to the Act, it is a scheme that provides for the supply of goods or services or both for reward; that, to many participants, constitutes primarily an opportunity to sell an investment opportunity rather than an opportunity to supply goods and services; that is unfair, or likely to be unfair, to many of the participants in that

    i. The financial rewards of many of the participants are dependent on the recruitment of additional participants; and

    ii. The number of additional participants that must be recruited to produce reasonable rewards to participants is either not attainable, or is not likely to be attained, by many of the participants.

    A person or business operating a scheme in the manner mentioned above is in contravention of the Consumer Protection Act CAP.326D and is therefore exposed to prosecution.

    Another question you may find yourself asking is “what is wrong with pyramid selling?”. The answer can be summed up in one phrase: sustainability of recruiting participants. Essentially, the foundation upon which the scheme is built is the problem. Any plan that offers commissions for recruiting new members will inevitably collapse. The real casualties in the collapse are always the people at the bottom, with the people at the very top of the pyramid protected.

    Consider the outcome if each investor pays $300 to the promoter and is told to build a “downline” by recruiting three new members, who then each should recruit three more members. The investor is told that he will be paid $100 for each of the three members whom he enlisted at the first level. The investor is also promised $20 commission for each recruit at the next three levels. Thus the investor should receive commissions for four levels of recruits below him, each of whom must recruit three more members.

    The aptitude to recruit members often seems effortless, but the reality is, there is not an infinite number of people in the population and sooner than later, you will run out of people to recruit. Therefore, the persons at the bottom will not get an opportunity to obtain reasonable returns on their investment.

    Consumers must therefore be very vigilant and do much research. There are defining characteristics of legitimate muti-level marketing that differentiates it from pyramid selling. Multi-level marketing programs have a real product to sell, they sell to the general public without requiring the consumers to pay extra or join the marketing system.

    The Federal Trade Commission in the United States suggested that these seven tips be considered when making a decision about whether to take part in any multi-level marketing plan:

    Avoid any plan that includes commissions for recruiting additional distributors. It may be an illegal pyramid.
    Beware of plans that ask new distributors to purchase expensive inventory. These plans can collapse quickly and may also be thinly disguised pyramids.
    Be cautious of plans that claim you will make money through continued growth of your “downline” – the commissions on sales made by new distributors you recruit – rather than through your sale of products.
    Beware of plans that claim to sell miracle products or promise enormous earnings. Just because a promoter of a plan makes a claim doesn’t mean that it is true! Ask the promoter of the plan to substantiate claims with hard evidence.
    Beware of “decoy” references paid by a plan’s promoter to describe their fictional success in earning money through the plan.
    Don’t pay or sign any contracts in an “opportunity meeting” or any other high-pressure situation. Insist on taking your time to think over a decision to join. Talk it over with your spouse, a knowledgeable friend, an accountant or lawyer.
    Do your homework.
    Remember, if the sale of goods or services is the primary objective and the commission paid is based on those sales, then the Consumer Protection Act is not contravened. However, if the avenue for earning money is solely based on the number of people recruited, rather than on sales, then the Act is contravened. If you have been affected by such a scheme, contact the Fair Trading Commission and we will investigate the matter.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    Noted.

  17. Lawson Avatar
    Lawson

    They had a get rich scheme in afghanistan, you drive around with bottles of water helping people then the biden admin blows you up to save face for a total phuck up and compensates your family. Two problems with that…. your dead…and when the US pay the family …their dead

  18. BAJE Avatar
    BAJE

    KIRK BROWN DOING THE SAME THING AS POLITICIANS WHO SCAMMED THE FOOLISH LOCALS EVERY 5 YEARS ON THE 2 X 3 ISLAND.

  19. John A Avatar
    John A

    One can expect to see more of these popping up as the economy tightens. There was one recently where you put in $1000 and got back $20,000 so a friend of mine said.

    But is that not the same thing Clico was doing? Using Peter money to pay Paul?

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    What are the common factors in both scenarios i.e. individual, corporate and actors serving public life?

  21. Lawson Avatar
    Lawson

    gullible bajan people

  22. David Avatar
    David

    Do you admit there are “gifting circles” in Canada although the practice is deemed illegal?

  23. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    John A
    You are quite right. The massa here will never be truly able to conjure such similarities, sameness.

    Elites are to be shielded. Ordinary people put to the sword.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    Who are the victims in the scam highlighted on this blog?

    #askingforafriend

  25. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    “Cast your bread upon the water… Sow a seed …the blessings come back tenfold!”

    Lotta shite!

    In the same Bible, nuff people used to raise sheep for a living.

    Tek de $1000, buy two black belly sheep and put dem to multiply ten fold!

    I like black belly lamb!7

  26. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    The victims of the scam are the very victims of your democracy. They are one and the same.

  27. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    There are gullible people EVERYWHERE!

  28. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    Again you have moved your position. You have become very predictable of late. The provocateur role diminishes your input.

  29. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    Support your claim.

  30. BAJE Avatar
    BAJE

    There are gullible people EVERYWHERE!

    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    TYPICAL ASININE COMMENT.

    IS KIRK BROWN THE SUBJECT OF THIS BLOG IN USA, CANADA THE UK OR ON THE 2 X 3 ISLAND.

  31. GP Avatar
    GP

    DONNA
    YOU ARE QUITE CORRECT THAT WHAT YOU SAID AS COPIED BELOW IS RELEVANT TO THIS THREAD
    Blessing circles are probably based on a belief in the Prosperity Gospel craze preached by parasitic televangelists. ‘Plant a seed,’ they say, “The blessings shall return tenfold!” Or something like that from some Bible verse.

    I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TELEVANGELISTS AROUND WHO SEEK TO FLEECE POOR CHURCH GOERS. SUCH FOLK HAVE MASQUERADED IN CHRISTENDOM FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH AGE, CAUSING JOHN THE APOSTLE TO WRITE HIS TWO SHORT EPISTLES.

    IN 2 JOHN HE WARNS THE LADY KYRIA OR ELECTA NOT TO ENTERTAIN OR SOPPORT FINANCIALLY ANY OF THE ITINERANT PREACHERS THAT CAME TO THE ASSEMBLY WHO MET IN HER HOMES… EXCEPT THEY PASSED THE TEST COF TEACHING DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS VIA THE APOSTLES DOCTRINE ACCORDING TO ACTS 2:44

    IN 3 JOHN HE COMMENDS GAIUS TO TAKE THE OPPOSITE APPROACH TO THE TRUE MISSIONARIES WHO WENT AROUND DOING THE CORRECT THINGS

    CONTEMPORARY EVANGELIST ABUSE THE CLEAR TEACHING OF 3 JOHN V 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth
    THIS TEXT CLEARLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GIVING OF TITHES OR OFFERINGS, NOR DOES IT TEACH THAT SOME BELIEVERS SHOULD BE RICH AT THE EXPENSE OF TELEVANGELIST OR OTHERS, NOR THAT THEY WILL BE RICH AT ALL.

    I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYONE, ANYWHERE TEACH OR PREACH ON EITHER SECOND OR THIRD JOHN
    IF THE CHURCH WAS DILIGENT IN TEACHING THESE TWO BOOKS, CHURCH GOING FOLK MIGHT BE MORE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR THESE CHARLATANS, BOTH I AND OUT OF THE CHURCH

    2 Corinthians 9:7 GIVES THE TEMPLATE FOR GIVING TOWARDS THE LORD’S WORK
    So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of [a]necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
    NOTE THAT THERE IS NO COMMAND TO TITHE, AND THAT GIVING IS NOT TO BE COERCED, RATHER BELIEVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO GIVE AS THEY WISH OR ARE ABLE TO GIVE- WHICH IS THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF THIS TEXT.

    BLESSING CIRCLES ARE NOT TAUGHT ANYWHERE IN THE WORD OF GOD.AND OUGHT TO BE SOUNDLY AND SONOROUSLY BE CONDEMNED, IN SOCIAL AND OTHER FORMS OF MEDIA, AND ESPECIALLY FROM THE PULPITS OF ALL CHURCHES.

    ALSO FROM ACTS 18 WE SEE THAT EVEN PAUL, THE APOSTLE WORKED ON THE SIDE “MAKING TENTS” TO SUPPORT HIMSELF AND HIS MISSIONARY ENDEAVOURS. BECAUSE OF THIS EXAMPLE, IN ONE PARTICULAR “DENOMINATION” THERE ARE NO PAID CHURCH WORKERS AT ALL AND ALL CHURCH LEADERS ARE SAID TO BE “TENT MAKERS”THE

  32. David Avatar
    David

    The funny side to this matter if there is one to be found is that chief cook and bottle washer of this pyramid scheme is that Kirk Brown can move around Barbados incognito because of the mask wearing requirement to protect against COVID-19.

    #joke

  33. David Avatar
    David

    Comments on Twitter are insightful and hilarious at the same time from the young people.

    Here is one –

    Money hadda mek- goals hadda achieve!

    Another one:

    Y’all got a better chance at getting government to allow cruises.

  34. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    Do you intend to support your claim. Or is that comment “noted” as well. And therefore located in file 13.

  35. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David, BAJE bullying me! Waaaaaaah! Waaaaaah!

    😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

    De man is so predictable. I knew he was lurking around waiting to pounce from a few days ago on the Greenville blog.

    But here it is that Lawson makes a joke about gullible Bajans, David responds with a pointed question about Canadians. And I remark that there are gullible people everywhere.

    And Baje thinks mine is the most assinine comment!

    Murdaaaah!

    We were discussing how people could be so gullible. That it is a worldwide phenomenon rather than a Bajan trait MUST BE RELEVANT to that discussion.

    Murdaaaaah!

    Baje gon kill muh wid laugh!

    How many degrees he got again?

  36. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David BU
    Pacha’s analysis and analogies are correct in my humble opinion. Ponzi schemes are Ponzi schemes whether they have the support/approval of the regulatory bodies or not. As I have said before: “Caveat Emptor”.” Buyer beware!!”. GoB is not required to micromanage its citizens. Citizens have to take responsibilities for their lives and decisions about their lives. You are very selective when it comes to applying this rubric.

  37. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    The blog is about prosecuting Kirk Brown for being the owner of the pyramid scheme which is AGAINST the law. Please stay focused!

  38. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David BU at 10:08 AM
    You have lost me with the referenced intervention. Is your post about Mr. Kirk Brown or the scheme which he is alleged to have promoted ? I do not discuss persons,only issues. Are pyramids not Ponzi schemes? Please explain what it is we are supposed to express our opinions on?

  39. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    You may express whatever opinion you desire.

  40. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    Now is it you who are engaging in moving the goal post.

    It is a bareface lie to so reduce this issue because not a single person was involved. So, in American terms, we may have a conspiracy to defraud. And any conspiracy requires more than one.

    Any prosecution of anybody requires a context

  41. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    We have several pyramid schemes on the go in Barbados at the moment. This is the biggest to have failed. Should we wait until others follow suit?

  42. GP Avatar
    GP

    RE You may express whatever opinion you desire.

    THIS IS A VERY ANTAGONISTIC AND IGNORANT STATEMENT NOT BIRTHED IN TRUTH
    MANY TRUTHFUL SOLID SINCERE SOLEMN STATEMENTS AND SENTIMENTS ARE STATED HERE THAT ARE TAKEN DOWN

    THE ABOVE STATEMENT ONLY TRUTHFULLY RELATES TO MUCH OF WHAT IS PREFERRED BY THE BLOG OWNER, WHO IS DEFINITELY NOT A MASTER OF THE CLIQUES THAT TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE HERE, NOR DOR HE HAVE MASTERY OF MUCH OF THE CONTENT.

    IT SIMPLY IS NOT TRUE THAT ANYONE CAN express whatever opinion THEY desire. ON BU

    JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW EXPRESSING YOUR VIEW MAY MAKE A DIFFERENCE ALSO MEANS VERY LITTLE.

    IF KIRK BROWN IS BREAKING THE LAWS OF BARBADOS, HE SHOULD BE APPREHENDED AND BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS AND PROSECUTED

    IF CHURCH LEADERS AND CHURCH CHARLATANS ARE BREAKING THE LAWS OF BARBADOS WITH BLESSING CIRCLES AND SUCH PONZI SCHEMES, THEY SHOULD ALSO BE APPREHENDED AND BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS AND PROSECUTED, AND PUBLICALLY HUMILITED FOR THUS WRONGLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.

  43. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    You should come down from your ivory tower and realize that your world view cannot confornt these new circumstances, we face.

    That Ponzi schemes are to be expected to proliferate with the systemic, even chronic, failures over decades at the centre of what you call governance.

    That no amount of the application of established remedies will work. Your predisposition to kick the asses of poor people for the failures of elites will only produce more and more fascist responses.

  44. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    A call for the regulator and other authorities to act translates to what again? In simple terms, the call is for the establishment to act!

  45. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    It translate to a misunderstanding of the forces driving these behaviours.

    “You may have the final word.”

  46. David Avatar
    David

    So predictable Pacha LOL

  47. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Summary of what I have seen so far.

    Blogmaster: We need to protect the poor and gullible from scamsters

    Others: We have scamsters operating at several levels. Why do you just want to after the black guy who is defrauding his fellow citizens

    I say ‘Go after all’.

    How do I weigh the harm done to citizens?

    MM et Al operate at a high level and harm the country. It is a trickle down harm.

    Kirk et al operate at the individual level. He takes food off the table, turns off your electricity and gets you kick out of your apartment.

    You gotta stop Kirk.

  48. GP Avatar
    GP

    EXACTLY THEO
    You gotta stop Kirk. BUT LET THE ELITE AND OTHER CHARLATANS ON THE ISLAND DO THEIR USUAL THING

  49. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    Make up your mind. Before we were chameleons, just an hour ago. Now we’re predictable.

    “Noted”

  50. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    Touché

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