Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, CONSUMER PROTECTION NEWS: Montreal man receives 18-month prison sentence for participating in deceptive telemarketing scheme, (May 28, 2014)
Organizations Mentioned:Corporation Oxford-Data Inc. | Platinum Direct Resources | Sapphire Media Group | Solutions Executives Inc.
By Greg Hammond, J.D.
Richard Béliveau, the former co-owner of Oxford-Data, Inc. and Saphhire Media Group, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in a deceptive telemarketing scheme that targeted thousands of not-for-profit organizations and other businesses in the U.S. and Canada, the Competition Bureau announced.
According to the Bureau, the deceptive scheme involved telemarketers who contacted not-for-profit organizations and other businesses in the U.S. and Canada, in which the telemarketers would claim that the organizations had formerly ordered online business directory listings. Consequently, by falsely suggesting a pre-existing business relationship between the telemarketers and the organizations, various organizations were deceived into paying for online business directory listings they had never ordered.
Béliveau pleaded guilty to eight charges of deceptive telemarketing and misleading advertising under Canada’s Competition Act, as well as one charge of possession of property obtained by crime under Canada’s Criminal Code. According to a previous media release, the Competition Bureau filed criminal charges against three other individuals and four companies that were allegedly involved with the telemarketing scheme, including: Wayne Denomme, Jennifer Lipkowitz, Mark Denomme, Solutions Executives Inc., Corporation Oxford-Data Inc., Sapphire Media Group, and Platinum Direct Resources. The proceedings against the other individuals and companies remain pending, stated the Bureau.
Companies: Solutions Executives Inc.; Corporation Oxford-Data Inc.; Sapphire Media Group; Platinum Direct Resources
News: ConsumerProtection