slampen,
I can't believe you continue to support this scheme (WGI). What about the fact that they are lying about being registered in Norway?
But wait, there's more. My great anonymous tipster sent me some more in-depth materials about them.
This time from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions, including charges against CEO, Greg Kennedy and WGI's parent company, World Play Services for pyramid selling. His trial ended June 9, 2004 and the proceedings were adjourned for judgement. As you say, innocent until proven guilty, but we will see what they have to say.
Here's the full text:
From: Adams Francine
Sent: April 1, 2004 12:47 AM
To: <anonymous>
Cc: <anonymous>
Subject: FW: World Games Inc. - Investigation
Dear <anonymous>,
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ("the ACCC") is responsible for ensuring that businesses comply with the Trade Practices Act 1974 ("the Act") (an Act of the Commonwealth). Amongst other things, the Act prohibits unconscionable, misleading and anti-competitive conduct by corporations.
On 1 December 2003 the ACCC commenced legal proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia in Brisbane against Worldplay Services Pty Ltd and Greg James Kennedy ("the Respondents"). The ACCC alleges that Worldplay Services Pty Ltd, a company based on the Gold Coast, and Mr Kennedy, engaged in conduct in connection with the Internet site www.worldgamesinc.com which constitutes pyramid and/or referral selling, in contravention of sections 65AAC and 57 of the Act.
S65AAC provides that a corporation must not participate in a pyramid selling scheme and that a corporation must not induce, or attempt to induce, a person to participate in a pyramid selling scheme.
S57 provides that a corporation must not induce a consumer to acquire goods or services by representing that the consumer will, after the contract for the acquisition of the goods or services is made, receive a rebate, commission or other benefit in return for giving the corporation the names of prospective customers or otherwise assisting the corporation to supply goods or services to other consumers, if receipt of the rebate, commission or other benefit is contingent on an dvent occurring after that contract is made.
In its proceedings, the ACCC seeks:
" declarations that the Respondents conduct contravened sections 65AAC and 57 of the Act;
" injunctions restraining the Respondents from engaging in the conduct that is the subject of the ACCC's proceedings or similar conduct; and
" orders requiring the Respondents to place corrective notices on the relevant Internet website.
The trial of this matter is scheduled for 7 - 11 June 2004 in the Federal Court, Brisbane.
Consumers who consider that they may be able to assist the ACCC by providing information in relation to this matter may contact the ACCC by:
Phone: 1300 302 502
e-mail: infocentre@accc.gov.au
fax: 02 6243 1199
post: ACCC
Enforcement and Coordination Branch
PO BOX 1199
DICKSON ACT 2602
For your further information, the AUstralian current affiars and consumer interest program "A Current Affair" ("ACA") televised a story on Worldplay Services last night. We are in the process of determining whether we can provide a copy to you, and may be retrained by Copyright laws. However, the ACA website is: http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/ and the details for the story are as follows:
"A Current Affair 31/03/2004 - 06:41 PM, Channel 9 (Canberra) Summary: M00013538676 .
Compere: Ray Martin . Duration: 7:06 , Chief of Staff: Mr Robert Carmody 02 9439 4577 .
Report on people handing over money to fraudlent internet gaming club, World Games. It claims to create wealth for investors. It is a classic pyramid scheme, according to some people. Profile of owner, Greg Kennedy, Legal pieces of the jigsaw are scattered all over the world. Parts of the company are scattered across the world, however it is uncertain whether it is an illegal operation. Aus. police are still trying to arrest, Quentin George. ACCC regard the scheme as 'illegal' and is trying to shut down the operation.
FURTHERMORE, there was a Swedish lottery conviction involving WGI. Here's the full text from a Swedish newspaper reporter (still not convinced?). I have the full-text PDF file of the court decision, but unfortunately it is in Swedish.
On March 31 2004 a woman (A) was convicted of violation of the Swedish Lottery Act (SWE: Lotterilagen (1994:1000) 54 § para 2 and 4.) She received a conditional sentence (SWE: villkorlig dom) and was ordered to pay 60 unit fines.
According to the Swedish lottery legislation organizing a so-called chain letter game is prohibited. It is also prohibited to, for business purposes, promote participation in lotteries organized abroad, if the promoting is performed particularly for participating from Sweden.
In court, the prosecutor referred to i.e written information about WGI, information of meetings, for recruiting, description of potential income, invoice and account information, e-mails and diary notes.
A admitted to having booked a venue for a WGI meeting on one occasion and to having participated in meetings on about 60 occasions as a teacher and lecturer. A denied that she had been able to decide where in her net organization her recruits were to be placed, but she admitted that she could influence their placement. She admitted that she had about 1,500 persons in her down line and that she earned about 130,000 SEK from working for WGI.
A also admitted that she, for business purposes had promoted participation in a lottery organized abroad. A referred to the EC law and a judgement from the E C Court of Justice to prove that Swedish legislation was not applicable to this matter. She also referred to the fact that people with knowledge of legal matters had told her this business was not illegal.
The assessment of the District Court
The District Court found that:
" Lotteries can only be legally organized if there is permission from competent authorities. The evidence in this case proves that the activity of WGI is a game of which the possible gain mainly originates from the amount of participants entering the game. There has been no permission for this activity. Therefore the Lottery Act is applicable.
" The prosecutor has not been able to prove that the accused has organized the game in question. A has however admitted to promoting participation in lottery organized abroad, and the promoting was performed particularly for participating from Sweden.
" The WGI organization originates from Australia, that the people who recruited A was from Norway, that the money earned was placed in the Bahamas, that payments was partly made from a company in Singapore. The District Courts opinion is that there is no connection to the EU, and therefore the EC law is not applicable.
" The fact that a person with knowledge of legal matters told A that the WGI activity was not illegal does not change her legal responsibility.
" Because of the large amount of people in A's down line, the large number of meetings and the sum of money she made, the violation is regarded as serious.
The time period during which the judgement could be appealed has elapsed and there has been no appeal.
Are you willing to concede checkmate, or do you want to keep going until the bitter end?