A serial scammer accused of running an Achieve Community Ponzi scheme is now claiming she had no idea the operation was illegal.

Arla Mendenhall sent a letter to Colorado District Court on February 26th, pleading her case in the SEC's lawsuit against Achieve Community. She says she only withdrew $800 of the $6,000 listed on her 1099 tax form from Troy Barnes. The remaining $5,200 was reinvested, she claims, yet she still had to pay taxes on the full amount. She's asking to be reimbursed for her losses and insists she "had no knowledge of anything illegal when I joined the business."

The problem? Her own Facebook posts tell a different story.

Mendenhall started promoting Achieve Community on September 9, 2014, around the time she invested $8,450 into the scheme. Her first post highlighted a claim that the operation had paid out $136,000 in just over two months. She promised followers they could "Turn one $50 position into $400."

Over the next few months, her Facebook wall became a promotional machine for the scheme. On September 13th, she posted about a "ONE-TIME fee of 50 Dollars for a position in Achieve Community and turn it into 400 Bucks OVER & OVER AGAIN!!"

She kept hammering the same message throughout the fall. "Achieve! For continued income: Start with at least one $50 position, earn $400, repurchase with part of those profits, Repeat," she wrote on September 22nd.

By December, she was going all-in. "Achieve is without any doubt the best opportunity on the internet and has without any doubt the most caring founders," she declared on the 4th. "Be wise and join the Achieve Community asap and secure your financial future!!!!"

Her posts grew more hyperbolic. She claimed the scheme required "NO personal selling or recruiting needed to get paid" and that it was "the No.1 BEST Income Opportunity on the Planet!!!! NO EXPERIENCE – No Learning Curve, just join and you will make unlimited Income."

By December 7th, she was bragging about membership numbers. "We now have 12,300+ paid members. If you have not already joined what are you waiting for?"

Mendenhall wasn't a passive investor who stumbled into fraud. She was an active promoter, flooding her social media with promises that $50 could turn into $400 repeatedly—the classic hallmark of a Ponzi scheme. She knew exactly what she was selling to others.

Now, with authorities closing in, she's playing dumb.

🤖 Quick Answer

Who is Arla Mendenhall and what are the allegations against her?
Arla Mendenhall is a serial scammer accused of operating an Achieve Community Ponzi scheme. In February, she filed a letter with Colorado District Court claiming ignorance of illegal activities, despite evidence suggesting otherwise, including Facebook posts promoting the scheme dating back to September 2014.

What financial claims does Mendenhall make in her legal defense?
Mendenhall claims she withdrew only $800 from $6,000 received from Troy Barnes, reinvesting the remaining $5,200. She disputes paying taxes on the full amount and seeks reimbursement for losses, asserting she had no knowledge of illegal operations when joining the business venture.

What evidence contradicts Mendenhall's claims of ignorance?
Her own Facebook posts from September 2014 onwards contradict her assertions. These social media

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