# Fraudster Kevin Trudeau gets a 10 year prison sentence **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 18, 2014, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994 "2014-03-18T12:40:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/1 "2014-03-18T12:40:12Z")
[From CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/17/justice/illinois-pitch-man/) > [@](#): > > Kevin Trudeau, the television pitchman and author who amassed a fortune telling consumers his secrets about how to get free money, how to lose weight and how to cure a number of illnesses the natural way, is headed to federal prison. > > Trudeau, 51, was sentenced to 10 years on Monday for criminal contempt for violating a 2004 federal court order that prohibited him from making misleading infomercials and misrepresenting his weight-loss books. During Monday’s sentencing hearing he also got a tongue-lashing from U.S. District Judge Ronald Guzman, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago. Kevin Trudeau is a ginourmous douchebag who’s been preying on every sort of idiot who’d give him an audience for decades now. His get rich quick schemes prey on the greedy and stupid, but he’s one of the leading proponents of basically calling all legitimate medical institutions a conspiracy and encourages people with real illnesses like cancer to stop seeing their doctors and to instead stick magic crystals up their ass, or whatever the flavor of the week is. He’s not ideological, like a lot of alt med nuts, where they sincerely believe in their cause - he’s an opportunistic huckster who capitalizes on whatever is in vogue at the moment. He knows he’s full of shit, he knows anyone who listens to him seriously suffers and may even die, but thought it was all worth it to line his own pockets. In general, the US government has very weak consumer protection against this sort of fraud, and while he’s been fined and admonished before, I never expected he’d end up in jail. I wonder the legality of the conviction and whether it’ll stick. Couldn’t have happened to a worse douchebag, and it’d be nice to see people going after these sorts of fraudsters with some teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/2 "2014-03-18T12:51:19Z")
Trudeau has been such a flagrant con artist, that even the most fervent woo believers have a hard time defending him. When Trudeau gets out of prison, he’ll likely have access to plenty of money raised through his [various enterprises](http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/01/despite-pleas-for-mercy-infomercial-king-kevin-trudeau-to-remain-behind-bars/). \*"One of those businesses is a private club called the Global Information Network (known by the acronym GIN), which Trudeau claimed had been conceived by the “GIN Council,” described by Trudeau as a secret cabal of the ultra-wealthy who held secrets to abundant wealth and happiness. “The Global Information Network is a club that has been developed by thirty people who are on the GIN Council,” Trudeau claimed in an Internet video pitching the club. “They’re all billionaires from around the world.” The club was formed in the island nation of Nevis and had revenues in excess of $60 million over three years, according to accounting records filed in the case… Trudeau had touted that program in another Internet video as one of the “greatest money-making opportunities of all time.” But the FTC argued it was an illegal pyramid scheme, and that GIN was simply another of Trudeau’s crafty attempts to keep assets away from the government."\* ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/3 "2014-03-18T14:26:46Z")
The guy must have one hell of an ego. He’d been warned many times before and should have seen the writing on the wall. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/4 "2014-03-18T19:42:52Z")
Yes, [but](http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/03/18/tv-pitchman-kevin-trudeau-sentenced-to-10-years-in-federal-prison-for-bilking/): > [@](#): > > Addressing the judge earlier in a 10-minute statement, Trudeau apologized and said he’s become a changed man. He said he’s meditated, prayed and read self-help books while locked up at Chicago’s Metropolitan Correctional Center. > > “I have truly had a significant reawakening,” said Trudeau, who was dressed in orange jail clothes. “If I ever do an infomercial again … I promise: No embellishments, no puffery, no lies.” See? All better. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/5 "2014-03-18T19:55:31Z")
My 1st exposure to him was a memory infomercial with Danny Bonaduce. He also claimed ADD was bunk, just that kids were hyperglycemic. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/6 "2014-03-18T20:27:58Z")
I can see his memoir now: _Prison Survival Techniques “They” Don’t Want You to Know About_ ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/7 "2014-03-18T20:54:54Z")
I remember the guy. I’m glad he’s actually getting in trouble for this crap. But, ultimately, he was just ahead of the curve. He’s just promoting some “[weird tricks](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=718610)” that will solve X that “they” don’t want you to know about. He was clickbait before the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/8 "2014-03-18T21:05:19Z")
I actually used to seek out his informercials to watch because they were so seriously bullshit that they almost seemed like parody. My favorites were the ‘interviews’ with some low-level reporting hacks, usually female, who’d failed out of serious work. ---
**Author:** ![Tall\_Nordic\_Slobby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Tall\_Nordic\_Slobby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tall_Nordic_Slobby)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/9 "2014-03-18T21:17:30Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I can see his memoir now: _Prison Survival Techniques “They” Don’t Want You to Know About_ 😃 I miss his hunky-women tv sidekicks, who lived on his every word of wisdom… ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/10 "2014-03-18T23:28:22Z")
My idiot mother used to order his stupid books. I sent them back, over and over. “Blueberry juice will cure diabetes! Arthritis: cured by eating raisins soaked in gin! Beets are good for ‘inflammation’.” All those stupid bullshit cures, if they worked we’d all be living to be 110 and in perfect health. Dr. Oz seems to have stepped into his place now, on TV at 4 p.m. instead of peddling books in the middle of the night. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/11 "2014-10-22T09:34:13Z")
Ah Kevin, how I missed you buddy. Up with a bout of insomnia I just watched part of “Free Money They Don’t Want You to Know About.” A classic. He was even throwing in a free copy of “Debt Cures They Don’t Want You to Know About.” Very entertaining at 4:00 - 5:00 AM. Thanks Kevin! ---
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/12 "2014-10-23T04:15:24Z")
I wondered what had happened to him. I’m not surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/13 "2014-10-23T04:22:58Z")
I think the shows I saw were from a few years ago. Entertaining nonetheless. And I mean that. It’s hilarious to watch. Come back Kevbo! ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/14 "2014-10-24T02:03:36Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I can see his memoir now: _Prison Survival Techniques “They” Don’t Want You to Know About_ "…order now & get free his latest pamphlet: **15 Natural Lubricants Guards Don’t Want You To Know About** … “Old envelope glue & spit? Been a lifer these past 10 years and did not know that.” _-unsolicited testimonial_ ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/15 "2014-10-25T12:46:26Z")
God, 10 more years of draining money from the public, only this time it’s “all taxpayers” instead of “the poor, sick, and desperate.” At least Don Lapre had the class to just kill himself. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/16 "2014-10-25T20:35:55Z")
Important thing to note: he didn’t go to prison the first time because he was dishonest, because he lied about the benefits and couldn’t back up his claims, or because customers felt deceived because he tricked them. No, that would make him a garden-variety health fraud asshole. He got busted for **stealing** credit card numbers of customers and putting fraudulent charges on them. As in: it is much harder to say that the FDA or whoever was oppressing him compared to what supporters of others of his ilk might say. So this current conviction is hardly the shittiest thing he’s done. But it’s okay, as he was young and also it was someone else’s (“their”) fault. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/17 "2014-10-25T20:37:31Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Important thing to note: he didn’t go to prison the first time because he was dishonest, because he lied about the benefits and couldn’t back up his claims, or because customers felt deceived because he tricked them. No, that would make him a garden-variety health fraud asshole. He got busted for **stealing** credit card numbers of customers and putting fraudulent charges on them. As in: it is much harder to say that the FDA or whoever was oppressing him compared to what supporters of others of his ilk might say. So this current conviction is hardly the shittiest thing he’s done. > > But it’s okay, as he was young and also it was someone else’s (“their”) fault. :dubious: Next Book: _Credit Card Fraud That “I” Didn’t Want You To Know About_ ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraudster-kevin-trudeau-gets-a-10-year-prison-sentence/683994/18 "2014-10-26T22:20:53Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Important thing to note: he didn’t go to prison the first time because he was dishonest, because he lied about the benefits and couldn’t back up his claims, or because customers felt deceived because he tricked them. No, that would make him a garden-variety health fraud asshole. He got busted for **stealing** credit card numbers of customers and putting fraudulent charges on them. …if it worked for Al Capone.