Copyright 2006 by NBC10.com. Originally posted at http://www.nbc10.com/news/9180219/detail.html and reproduced here without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine.
The Investigators: Woman Says 'Gifting Program' Took Last Dime
Power Of The People Network Asked Woman To Give Them $3,500POSTED: 9:40 pm EDT May 8, 2006
UPDATED: 8:34 pm EDT May 10, 2006SLATINGTON, Pa. -- A local woman claimed a group of people preyed on her faith and got her last dime.
The NBC 10 Investigators went south to follow the money and reporter Lu Ann Cahn found out law enforcement is following it, too.
Mindy Cheesbrough was told she just had to make some phone calls, believe in God and the money would come rolling in. But she said what happened was as sad as any country music song.
Cheesbrough is a struggling mother from Slatington, Pa.
"I'm not greedy at all," Cheesbrough said.
Cheesbrough said a man who said he is a religious believer and a country-music songwriter were part of the reason she lost her money.
"I didn't lie to her. I did not mislead her," said David Brad Bentz, a member of The Power of People Network.
The Power of People Network was supposed to bring her thousands of dollars a week by convincing other people to join the program and send money to her. It was that simple.
"I just did it because I thought that it was going to help me get my sons into a real home," Cheesbrough said.
Cheesbrough told The Investigators that she was online looking for work when she was contacted by the Power of People Network, also know as POPN.
"He kept saying how much it's a leap of faith. It takes guts to do this," Cheesbrough said.
It also took $3,500 to join The Power of People Network's private club -- money Cheesbrough borrowed from the bank. She even signed paperwork saying it was a gift and put it right into the bank account of David Brad Bentz.
"(Bentz) said it didn't matter because, 'By Christmas, you will have at least $7,000, if not more," Cheesbrough said.
"It wasn't a scheme. It never was a scheme," Bentz told NBC 10's Lu Ann Cahn when she and The Investigators tracked him to his Winston-Salem, N.C., home.
"It's an opportunity to generate money," Bentz said.
"But it really it doesn't generate money. You're not selling a product," Cahn said.
"It generated $3,500 for me," Bentz said.
"Are you proud of yourself?" Cahn asked.
Bentz admitted he received and spent Cheesbrough's money.
"And you don't feel guilty about this?" Cahn asked.
"No, absolutely not. Mindy could have done something about her life circumstances. Mindy chose not to. That's not my fault, nor is it The Power of People Network's fault," Bentz said.
Bentz told The Investigators that the founder of POPN is Jonathan Parr. Parr did not answer the door at his home in Corsicana, Texas.
Hit country-music songwriter Elbert West didn't return The Investigators' calls either. Cheesbrough said West was the motivational speaker on numerous conference calls for new POPN members.
"I was supposed to get on the phone and call people and talk them into (sending money), and before I knew it was illegal, I did," Cheesbrough said.
"If the emphasis is on recruiting people or having them make money upon recruitment, it is a huge red flag usually," said a spokesman for the Federal Trade Commission.
The spokesman said it was a red flag to a pyramid scheme, but the FTC would not comment on whether the POPN program is illegal.
"We do know. Law enforcement agencies are receiving numerous complaints across the country," the spokesman said.
"To those around the country who say they were victimized in this program, what do you say to them?" Cahn asked Bentz.
"Then they're suckers because they're not just looking to point a finger at someone for their problems. They're people who don't want to work," Bentz said.
Recently the original POPN Web site shut down and a site called POPN Life appeared. The club now offers life coaching at a lower price, but the rest of the program looks much like the one Cheesbrough joined and she thinks it's the same old song.
"It brought me down and I'm just working my way back up," Cheesbrough said.
Cheesbrough told The Investigators that she has filed a complaint with the state attorney general's office.
Bentz said that he has left the program. Sources told The Investigators that state and federal law enforcement around the nation are actively investigating.
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