United States of America: Issued interim ruling in FTC lawsuit including a temporary restraining order and asset freeze

On 21 October 2024, the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued a temporary restraining order with asset freeze, appointment of a receiver, and other equitable relief, and order to show cause why a preliminary injunction should not be issued against an alleged online business opportunity scheme. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint under seal in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, identifying Ecom Genie Consulting LLC, Lunar Capital Ventures LLC (also known as Lunar Automation), Profitable Automation LLC, and their principals, Steven J. Mayer, Trevor Duffy Young, and Wessam Baiz, as defendants. The complaint alleges that these entities, operational since at least 2022, offered consumers income opportunities through e-commerce stores on platforms such as Amazon and Walmart, with claims regarding profitability. The FTC asserts that the defendants did not fully disclose business risks, earnings potential, or refund policies, as required under the FTC's Business Opportunity Rule. Relief defendants, including Alpine Management Group Inc., Baiz Sales LLC, Salespreneurs LLC, and Vicenza Capital Corp. (formerly known as Steven Mayer Lux Corp.), are also named in the complaint as associated entities that received consumer funds. The FTC reports that these activities have resulted in consumer losses exceeding USD 12.1 million.