FTC Case Leads to Order Banning Ascend Ecom and Its Owners From Business Opportunity Marketing

Excerpt:  “The operators of Ascend Ecom, an online business opportunity that allegedly cost consumers millions of dollars, will be banned from selling business opportunities and required to turn over assets to the Federal Trade Commission under the terms of a proposed court order. The FTC sued Ascend Ecom and its owners William Michael Basta and Jeremy Kenneth Leung, charging that the operation falsely claimed its ‘cutting edge’ AI-powered tools would help consumers quickly earn thousands of dollars a month in passive income. According to the complaint, the operation defrauded consumers of at least $25 million. … According to the complaint, Ascend charged consumers tens of thousands of dollars to open storefronts through major online retailers, but failed to deliver on the promised income, and attempted to stop the consumers they harmed from filing complaints or reviews about the operation.”