Trudeau - again fined

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http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/10/trudeau_infomercials.html

Trudeau Banned from Infomercials--Again

Must pay $5 million for falsely advertising his weight loss " cure "

October 7, 2008

• Trudeau Banned from Infomercials--Again

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• Trudeau Now Offering 'Debt Cures'

• Feds Sue Trudeau Marketers

• Feds Sue Infomercial Maestro Trudeau Again

• FTC: Dietary Supplements Don't Deliver

• Trudeau Sells Customer Names to Junk Mailers

• Judge Refuses to Gag Trudeau Critics

• Consumer Agency Trashes Trudeau's " Natural Cures " Book

• Trudeau Banned from Infomercials

• Supreme Greens, Coral Calcium Daily Give FTC Indigestion

• Coral Calcium Promoters Face Federal Charges

• Coral Calcium Claims Debunked

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• Consumer complaints about Trudeau

• Trudeau Defenders

A federal judge has banned Trudeau from infomercials in which he has

an interest for three years and ordered him to pay more than $5 million in

profits from his book, " The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know

About. "

The ruling confirms an earlier contempt finding against Trudeau -- the

second time he has been found in contempt of court in the past four years.

In August, Judge W. Gettleman of the U.S. District Court for the

Northern District of Illinois stood by his conclusion in 2007 that Trudeau

" clearly, and no doubt intentionally, " violated a provision of a 2004

stipulated court order that prohibits Trudeau from misrepresenting the

content of books in his infomercials.

The judge stated that " the Infomercial falsely and intentionally led

thousands (probably hundreds of thousands) of consumers to believe that the

Weight Loss Book would describe an 'easy,' 'simple' protocol that, once

'finished' would allow the consumer to 'eat anything' he or she wants. "

Stating that Trudeau was " not a credible witness, " the judge noted several

" undeniably false " statements in his infomercials, finding that, contrary to

Trudeau's claims:

• The diet protocol could not be done " easily " and " at home, " because the

protocol described in Trudeau's book requires colonics, which must be done

at the office of a licensed practitioner, as well as injection of human

growth hormone (HGH);

• Dieters could not " complete " or " finish " Trudeau's four-phase program,

because Trudeau's book states that " Phase 4 is for the rest of your life " ;

• Dieters could not eat " anything " they want, because Trudeau's book

prescribes that dieters following Phase 4 must eat " only 100% organic food, "

and no " brand name " food, " fast food, " or " food served by regional or

national chain restaurants " ; and

• The diet protocol did not require " no exercise, " because Trudeau's book

states that three of the diet's four phases, including Phase 4, require

walking one hour outside every day.

Given Trudeau's " history of deception and contemptuous violation of court

orders " and his " willful efforts to deceive consumers " into believing that

his weight-loss book contained material that it did not, the court confirmed

its ruling that found Trudeau in contempt of the 2004 order.

The Federal Trade Commission filed its first lawsuit against Trudeau in

1998, charging him with making false and misleading claims in infomercials

for products he claimed could cause significant weight loss and cure

addictions to heroin, alcohol, and cigarettes, and enable users to achieve a

photographic memory.

A stipulated court order resolving that case barred Trudeau from making

false claims for products in the future, ordered him to pay $500,000 in

consumer redress, and established a $500,000 performance bond to ensure

compliance.

In 2003, the Commission charged Trudeau with violating the 1998 order by

falsely claiming in infomercials that a product, Coral Calcium Supreme,

could cure cancer. The court subsequently entered a preliminary injunction

that ordered him not to make such claims.

When Trudeau continued to make cancer-cure claims about Coral Calcium, he

was found in contempt of the injunction.

In 2004, Trudeau agreed to an order that resolved the Coral Calcium matter.

The order directed him to pay $2 million in consumer redress and banned him

from infomercials, except for infomercials for informational publications

such as books, provided that he " must not misrepresent the content " of the

books.

The most recent contempt action stems from Trudeau's misrepresentations of

the contents of his weight-loss book in infomercials. In November 2007,

Judge Gettleman found Trudeau in contempt, stating that he had misled

thousands of consumers with false claims that were " in flagrant violation "

of the court's order.

In his August ruling, the court banned Trudeau " or any person acting in

concert with him, from participating in the production or publication of any

infomercial for any product, including books, in which Mr. Trudeau or any

related entity has an interest, for a period of three years from the date of

this order. " The court also imposed a judgment against Trudeau of more than

$5 million dollars.

--

Ortiz, RD

The best vitamin

for making friends..... is B1.