This popped up on my radar in conjunction with Herbalife, but I soon discovered it wasn’t a once off.

The article in question was published as a part of a series Aljazeera America are publishing this week, titled “An in-depth look at multilevel marketing”.

It’s a four-part series, with the first three articles published over Tuesday and Wednesday. At the time of publication, a fourth article “Your Company Loves You” has yet to be published.

Below you’ll find a brief break down of the three thus far published articles:

An Army Of Recruits (Vemma)

This article opens with the story of Lena Nguyen and her recruitment into Vemma by an ex-boyfriend.

Lena Nguyen was pregnant at 14, bounced around four high schools and multiple part-time jobs and grappled with decreasing self-esteem in the face of her parents’ growing disapproval.

She dreamed of going to college without having to rely on student loans. She had been told her son might inherit her student loan debt and she didn’t want to take that chance.

Vemma seemed to offer the things she desperately wanted: a sense of community and financial autonomy.

Although Nguyen remained skeptical about Vemma, she promised to try it out for a year, signing up in late July. But she didn’t have enough money to pay for the $500 Affiliate Starter Pack, which she would need to qualify for the tempting car bonus.

All Nguyen was able to scrounge together was $150.

It then broadens out into a greater expose of Vemma.

Seeing Green With Herbalife

Kate Kilpatrick offers up an expose on Herbalife, with particular focus on the company’s nutrition clubs.

While controversy swirls around the nutrition-club system, which opponents say targets poor, often-uneducated Latinos, many of whom are living in the country illegally, here in this working-class immigrant neighborhood there are plenty of Herbalife believers.

They have small bank accounts but big American dreams.

Before opening her nutrition club, Maria earned roughly $180 a week babysitting. She won’t give exact numbers, but she makes more with her new business, she says, which is visited by about 20 clients a day.

Leonel, who used to work in construction, says his current lifestyle is more relaxed; he has no boss to report to, and his health has greatly improved thanks to changing his diet and consuming the Herbalife shakes.

But Ruth Lopez, who moved to Queens from Colombia six years ago, says it’s only a matter of time before nutrition club owners like Maria and Leonel realize they’re in a very bad business.

She, too, once ran a nutrition club in the neighborhood — until deep financial losses forced her to throw in the Herbalife towel.

She hates to see so many in her community falling for the very same “opportunity.”

Legal Remedies

This is a general knowledge article covering the regulatory side of MLM.

Alia Malek goes into a brief history of the regulation of MLM and provides insight into the roles of the FTC, SEC and State Enforcement.

The federal g

🤖 Quick Answer

What is the Al Jazeera America series on multilevel marketing about?
Al Jazeera America published a four-part investigative series examining multilevel marketing (MLM) practices. The series includes articles analyzing specific MLM companies like Vemma, documenting recruitment strategies and personal testimonies. One featured article follows Lena Nguyen's experience being recruited into Vemma by an ex-boyfriend while facing personal challenges.

Which companies are covered in the Al Jazeera MLM investigation?
The series focuses on Vemma as a primary case study, examining its recruitment practices and impact on participants. The investigation includes multiple articles titled "An Army Of Recruits" and "Your Company Loves You," analyzing how MLM organizations structure recruitment operations and maintain participant loyalty.

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