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Visalia (California) Times story about Russ Whitney

The Visalia (California) Times did a story about Russ Whitney today, May 26, 2004. You can read the story at http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/news/stories/20040526/localnews/504886.html. A couple of things about it are noteworthy.
For one, it was instigated by the Better Business Bureau of Central California sending a news release warning consumers about get-rich-quick seminars. The news release in turn was instigated by national BBB warning emanating from the Florida BBB where complaints about Whitney end up. The Central California BBB warning was also instigated by the arrival in Visalia and Fresno of Whitney’s free seminar road show. In other words, the story ran simultaneously with Whitney running his infomercial on local TV.
Whitney has complained in court that I am costing him millions. I don’t believe it. I have been criticizing these guys like Robert Allen, Robert Kiyosaki, and Carleton Sheets for years. They seem to be completely unaffected. Whitney’s corporate income went from $62 million in 2002 to $95 million in 2003. With those numbers, one almost suspects he is benefitting from the publicity at my Web site. Rich Dad Poor Dad is permanently on the best-seller list. Robert Allen is back running full-page newspaper ads that say, “My big mouth can make you a millionaire.”
But a critical mass market newspaper article running at the same time and in the same place as Whitney’s infomercials probably could affect his sales.
Another noteworthy thing is the article said that the Florida BBB office would not comment because Whitney has sued them. Would someone please tell me what court that suit is in.
Jeez! When does it become obvious that Russ Whitney is suing everyone who dares to criticize him? He says I am lying about him and that other people are lying about him and now the BBB is lying about him. Poor Russ. According to him, all sorts of reputable people and organizations suddenly turn into liars where he is concerned. Doesn’t there come a point where the courts say, “Hey, Russ. Everybody can’t be lying about you. We are dismissing your suits and telling you not to bother us anymore with this stuff.”
Whitney recently filed a motion to get an injunction to shut down my Web site. While researching it at the law library, I noticed that courts sometimes give injunctions against “vexatious litigants.” One definition of a vexatious litigant is a person who files an excessive number of lawsuits. Seems to me that Russ Whitney fits that description. It also seems to me that he is violating Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure which basically says you may not file a federal lawsuit unless you have a solid basis in fact and law for doing so. All states have similar civil procedure rules. I also believe Whitney is committing the tort of abuse of process. I have countersued him for that. States also typically have malicious prosecution statutes, although those generally can only be invoked after you win. My impression is that Whitney rarely allows suits to go through trial. See also barratry and frivolous lawsuits.
As far as I know, Russ Whitney is currently litigating against:
• me (four separate complaints so far—but the day is young)
• Todd Dotson (former associate of Whitney)
• Glenn Purdy (former associate of Whitney)
• Better Business Bureau
• Pete and Tony Youngs (former associates of Whitney)
• Mazu.com
I suspect this is not a complete list. If you know of any other litigation involving Whitney, please tell me who it is against and what court it is in. This pattern should be brought to the attention of all the courts in question.
Maybe we who are litigating against him can share information so as to better show the courts the pattern of improper use of litigation by Whitney.
John T. Reed
John T. Reed on real-estate-investment information | Real estate investment page | Order form | Real estate investment books
John T. Reed, a.k.a. John Reed, Jack Reed, 342 Bryan Drive, Alamo, CA 94507, Voice: 925-820-7262, Fax: 925-820-1259, Email: johnreed@johntreed.com

CONSUMER WARNING NOTICE: I recently saw Russ Whitney on a late night TV infomercial and then attended one of his "free" seminars. Unfortunately I believed all of their LIES and FRAUDULENT CLAIMS and I paid thousands of dollars to go to his "training camps". Needless to say I was clearly ripped off, cheated and lied to by Russ Whitney and his employees (band of thieves). My mistake was not searching the Internet to find out more about Russ Whitney and his company's HORRIBLE reputation for fraud, deception and illegal activities. Had I searched online I would have found out about THOUSANDS of customers being cheated, HUNDREDS of investigations by the Attorney General into the fraud of Russ Whitney and his company's, and that Russ Whitney himself is a CONVICTED VIOLENT FELON and spent years in PRISON. I saved the cached pages from the major search engines of the John Reed lawsuit with Russell Whitney and the TRUTH and FACTS that Reed discovered during his investigation of Whitney. I am posting this information on real estate discussion boards so other people do NOT get cheated and ripped off like I did.