Under Investigation: The inside story of the Florida Attorney General’s investigation of Wilhelmina Scouting Network, the largest model and talent scam in America.

ISBN-0968713335 Paperback 512 pages $29.95

Under Investigation by Les Henderson
 
Google
 
 
   

Easy Background Check

Hall of Shame: The Worst of the Worst Modeling Scam Artists

1 Alec Defrawy Founder and leader of the worst modeling scam in world history: Studio 58 Models aka emodel aka Options Talent aka Trans Continental Talent aka Wilhelmina Scouting Network aka Web Style Network. Responsible for deceiving 150,000 Americans, and thousands of model scouts not being paid.
2 Jerome Ashfield Founder and leader of the worst child modeling scam in world history: National Talent Associates. Sued three times by the FTC. Finally banned from the modeling industry altogether in 1999. Ran his scam for 33 years: 1966-1999. Responsible for scamming over 100,000 Americans.
3 Blake Yoon Founder and leader of BAM aka Booking Actors and Models aka Millennium Models aka ExploreTalent.com aka ExpressCast.com, one of the biggest photo mills in U.S. history, based in Hollywood, California, but travels all over. Started company after leaving prison.
4 Robert Ecksmith Founder and leader of On Track Modeling aka Alpha Model Group, the national photo mill scheme. About six different photo mill scams came out of OTM, all shut down by the government.
5 Chad Johnson Founder and leader of Xtra Model Management, the national photo mill scam. Shut down by the Georgia AGO, banned from Georgia. Founder and leader of Face National Models and Talent, based in Charlotte, NC, the national photo mill scam, which scammed about 25,000 Americans, many of them losing $1,000 each. Shut down by the North Carolina Attorney General, banned from the modeling industry in NC.
6 Alfred Bagwell & Larry Bagwell Founders and leaders of Kids.com LLC, the child modeling agency scam. Scam over 4,000 kids and parents each year. Gross over $3,000,000 per year, exploiting children and their parents using mail fraud.
7 George Bing Tonks aka David L. duPont Founder and leader of Dupont Model Management aka Moda Modeling Management aka Model Managers Association of America, a national photo mill scam. Scammed thousands of Americans, 2,000 people in the Philadelphia area alone. Pleaded guilty to mail fraud and money laundering, and was sentenced to 37 months in prison. Ordered to pay $525,640 in restitution.
8 Ralph Edward Bell Founder and leader of Creative Talent Management aka Creative Artists aka CTM. Scammed thousands of Americans in the Baltimore, MD, McLean, VA and Washington, DC area from 1995-1999. Sold expensive classes and pictures. Shut down after FTC intervention, forgiving $3,000,000, fined about $80,000. One of the founders and leaders of emodel.com.
9 Jason Hoffman Founder and leader of Model 1, scammed thousands of Americans in the Baltimore, MD, McLean, VA and Washington, DC area. Sold expensive classes and pictures. Shut down after FTC intervention. One of the founders and leaders of emodel.com.
10 Rick Hronik Leader of Model Select International, based in Charlotte, NC, a photo mill scam. Sued by NC Attorney General. Fled to Iowa. Started same scam there, another photo mill, Belle Reve Agency, then Ashly Lauren Agency. Sued by IA Attorney General for deceptive and unfair trade.

Did you have any dealings with any of these infamous characters, as a client or former employee? Write in and share your story.

Disclaimer / Modeling Advice / Modeling Agency News / Search Site / Email
All original content copyright © 2004-2006 EasyBackgroundCheck.com. This is the original site. There are no legit copies. All others are unauthorized/illegal copies/frauds. Verify authenticity in DMOZ directory.
Order a bookUnder Investigation by Les Henderson 0968713335
Model Scams Book

Google
 
Net Detective
Under Investigation by Les Henderson 0968713335Order a book
Don't be a victim!