Posted on 09/28/2025 11:17:11 AM PDT by Libloather
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is accusing the men who bought bankrupt chains RadioShack, Modell’s Sporting Goods, and Pier 1 Imports of running a Ponzi scheme that duped investors out of tens of millions of dollars.
A complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Tuesday, alleges the co-founders of Miami-based Retail Ecommerce Ventures, Alex Mehr and Tai Lopez, together with the company's Chief Operating Officer Maya Burkenroad, raised approximately $112 million combined from hundreds of U.S. investors by selling investments in eight companies they created and controlled under Retail Ecommerce Ventures.
Between April 2020 through Nov. 2022, they raised money by selling two types of investments. They sold unsecured notes that promised returns of up to 25% a year, and ownership shares that offered monthly payouts as high as 2%, according to the complaint.
They also claimed that the money would be used to buy struggling retail brands and to fund operations, but the SEC alleges Mehr and Lopez misled investors about how well the businesses were actually doing.
The complaint cited at least one promotional video, publicly available on the internet, where Lopez touted REV’s approach as "one of the best strategies you can invest in." The SEC also said that she and Lopez further assured investors that while other businesses were struggling, their portfolio companies were "on fire" and that "cash flow is strong."
They assured investors that funds raised for a specific portfolio company would be used for that specific company, and that REV and the REV Retailer Brands have never failed to pay a single investor, the complaint continued. However, the SEC said that while some of the REV Retailer Brands generated revenue, none of them generated any profits.
To pay interest, dividends and maturing note payments...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
I worked there part time, and people would be upset when I asked for their phone numbers. They didn’t want to be bothered by telemarketers, and I didn’t blame them. There was a quota on how many customers’ phone numbers we had to get.
Stupid policy. People (me too) just want to go in a store, buy what they want, and leave.
Get up with fleas.
True this.
It seems that times change. It isn’t worth anyone’s time to sell a can opener that doesn’t run on a Linux Operating System, never mind the parts.
I think I used the last of my “Archer” bread-board PCBs, the other day making a remote control for a generator. I figure when I run out of parts, I won’t be able to see anymore, anyway.
Now, where did I leave my buggy whip? ;-)
“what was made back in the day by the original Schwinn folks.”
I had a dark blue Schwinn Suburban that I had in the ‘60s. I loved that thing. Rode it to piano lessons and school. Never had to lock it at school because people didn’t steal other people’s stuff back then.
“what was made back in the day by the original Schwinn folks.”
I had a dark blue Schwinn Suburban that I had in the ‘60s. I loved that thing. Rode it to piano lessons and school. Never had to lock it at school because people didn’t steal other people’s stuff back then.
Yep, I know a guy that’s doing 8 years of federal time for one. And at another local church the music minister ran one 25 or 30 years ago.
They do that today with name brands. The John Deere lawn tractors you see at the big box store are rebranded crap but you think you’re buying a quality product.
I remember those as a kid. Even drug stores had a display of them.
Notice once solid state took over, the self-righteous young people who watch to find straws and non-recycled material items, got used to throwing away all radios, stereos, TVs and other items that used to have replaceable tubes. That trend filled the trash trucks.
I remember those as a kid. Even drug stores had a display of them.
Notice once solid state took over, the self-righteous young people who watch to find straws and non-recycled material items, got used to throwing away all radios, stereos, TVs and other items that used to have replaceable tubes. That trend filled the trash trucks.
Yes. Popular Science went into all online but Popular Mechanics is still in print but hard to find (dinosaur brick and mortar bookstores such as Barnes and Noble.)
I see Popular Mechanics in airports sometimes, in those little book stores.
I have never heard one. I used a foil lined hat to protect myself from emanations.⚡⚡ 😇 🙉
I was going by sources that named WWII, not prior to it, as the time "radio shack" came into conversations. I can't be responsible for all sources.
That’s encouraging.
Last time I flew was October, 1998.
I had that radio! Listened to the world frequently, and was listening to the BBC at 1am when Saddam invaded Kuwait. No body on TV had the news at the time they reported (as near as I could tell).
It finally gave up the ghost after 25 years of great service!
Radio Shack.
Where can we go now to get the cassette player head cleaning fluid with little Q-tips?
Not to mention the DVD rewinders on sale.
They used to be somewhere in the back of the store, I think.
Never found them.
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Frank. sigh. As I read this, I thought which poor soul wrote this? I never thought that it would be you. But now I better understand your humor.
Me too. When my oldest was a toddler he had a play pen that played music. LOUDLY A Radio Shack rheostat made the sound adjustable for about $4.
I’m sure I could order one from Amazon, but that is not the same as being able to rummage through the parts drawers until you find a part you’re sure you can make work.
As I’m reading this thread, I have my Radio Shack AM-FM Radio headset around my neck. When the commercials are over I’ll continue listening to my favorite talk radio program. It’s a great item. I may have purchased the last two new, in box models on E-Bay a couple of years ago.
As I’m reading this thread, I have my Radio Shack AM-FM Radio headset around my neck. When the commercials are over I’ll continue listening to my favorite talk radio program. It’s a great item. I may have purchased the last two new, in box models on E-Bay a couple of years ago.
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