REPORT: Flap Over TelexFree Soccer Club Deal Deepens; Botafogo’s Main Sponsor Reportedly Does Not Want Its Name Associated With Alleged Pyramid Scheme

By 1:04 am Jan 11, 2014

TelexFree executive Carlos Costa is keen on Botafogo. Source: YouTube video.

TelexFree executive Carlos Costa is keen on Botafogo. Source: YouTube video.

MLM’s HYIP wing appears to have triggered another PR disaster for the trade: Guaraviton, a longtime sponsor of the Botafogo soccer club in Rio de Janeiro, may be none too pleased with the club’s deal that brought on TelexFree as a No. 2 sponsor.

TelexFree is under investigation in Brazil, amid allegations it is a pyramid scheme. There have been reports about death threats against a prosecutor and a judge.

Guaraviton, a beverage-maker, is Botafogo’s main sponsor. The club’s deal with TelexFree was a “negative surprise” to Guaraviton, according to a story on Abril.com. Grupo Abril is a major media outlet in Brazil.

Read the story in Portuguese at veja.abril.com.br.

View the Google translation in English.

Ponzi schemer Allen Stanford’s sponsorships caused embarrassment in the worlds of cricket and golf.

Prior to the collapse of the AdSurfDaily Ponzi scheme in 2008, members claimed ASD would have a car in auto racing’s Indy 500. (See PP Blog report from Feb. 22, 2009: Stanford/Bowdoin: ‘A Tapestry Of Believable Lies’

Categories: Ad Surf Daily, Alleged Ponzi Schemes, Uncategorized, Writing And Branding
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6 Responses to “REPORT: Flap Over TelexFree Soccer Club Deal Deepens; Botafogo’s Main Sponsor Reportedly Does Not Want Its Name Associated With Alleged Pyramid Scheme”

  1. Acre PP: TelexFree under investigation in the US | BehindMLM
    Jan 11, 2014 at 8:46 pm |

    […] Pretty’s covered the Botafogo story and subsequent fallout with their main sponsor, Viton […]

  2. BehindMLM: Acre PP: TelexFree under investigation in USA | The Paper
    Jan 11, 2014 at 11:40 pm |

    […] Pretty’s covered the Botafogo story and subsequent fallout with their main sponsor, Viton […]

  3. admin
    Jan 15, 2014 at 2:15 pm |

    Here’s a TelexFree-related story (in Portuguese) about a man who locked himself in chains in front of a government building in Brazil:

    http://www.dm.com.br/texto/161313

    Google translation in English:

    http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dm.com.br%2Ftexto%2F161313

    I can’t tell if the man is sympathetic to TelexFree or angry at the firm.

    Patrick

  4. admin
    Jan 15, 2014 at 2:18 pm |

    This story suggests the man is protesting in support of TelexFree and also may be engaging in a hunger strike:

    http://www.cbnfoz.com.br/editorial/brasil/acre/15012014-78040-divulgador-se-acorrenta-em-forum-no-ac-por-liberacao-da-telexfree

    http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbnfoz.com.br%2Feditorial%2Fbrasil%2Facre%2F15012014-78040-divulgador-se-acorrenta-em-forum-no-ac-por-liberacao-da-telexfree

    Patrick

  5. admin
    Jan 15, 2014 at 2:21 pm |

    This story also suggests a TelexFree-related hunger strike and further suggests others may participate in the protest:

    http://www.oriobranco.net/component/content/article/29-destaque/35814-divulgador-da-telexfree-se-acorrenta-em-frente-ao-forum-do-acre-e-faz-greve-de-fome.html

    http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oriobranco.net%2Fcomponent%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F29-destaque%2F35814-divulgador-da-telexfree-se-acorrenta-em-frente-ao-forum-do-acre-e-faz-greve-de-fome.html

    Patrick

  6. admin
    Jan 15, 2014 at 2:35 pm |

    Also see:

    http://g1.globo.com/ac/acre/noticia/2014/01/divulgador-se-acorrenta-em-forum-no-ac-por-liberacao-da-telexfree.html

    http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fg1.globo.com%2Fac%2Facre%2Fnoticia%2F2014%2F01%2Fdivulgador-se-acorrenta-em-forum-no-ac-por-liberacao-da-telexfree.html

    Patrick

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