Maintenance Phase Herbalife
Childhood Blueberry Bush Anecdotes
- Aubrey Gordon shares a personal story about moving to a new place and discovering blueberry bushes and fruit trees blooming in her yard.
- Michael Hopps recalls childhood memories of blueberry bushes and their mishaps with them.
Herbalife's 40-Year Scam: The Million-Dollar Pyramid Scheme That Keeps Surviving
Herbalife is a multi-level marketing company selling weight loss and wellness products that look no different from cheap store-bought items but cost significantly more. Despite over 40 years of consumer complaints, lawsuits, and regulatory penalties—including a $200 million FTC settlement on pyramid scheme allegations and a $123 million DOJ fine for bribery—Herbalife continues to operate and profit massively.
90% of distributors make little to no income, with the company relying heavily on recruitment over genuine product sales. Celebrity endorsements and marketing tactics, including "nutrition clubs" cleverly avoiding regulation, help maintain the illusion of legitimacy. Added to the scandal, some of Herbalife's endorsements come from questionable "experts," such as a Nobel laureate who failed to disclose financial ties.
Herbalife's persistence despite legal scrutiny exemplifies how multi-level marketing companies can evade meaningful consequences—making this a classic case of "cockroach survival" in predatory business practices.
MLM vs Pyramid Scheme Insight
- Herbalife is a classic multi-level marketing company where products are sold by distributors who recruit others, forming downlines earning commissions.
- Distinction exists between MLMs and pyramid schemes, where pyramid schemes rely more on recruitment money and are illegal.