Quatloos!

I know most think YTB/Zamzuu is just about finished, washed up, wrapped up, done, gone, kaput.
But they've proven time and again to somehow have more second, third, forth chance lives than a drive-in Zombie double feature all night horror fest.
Dodged more bullets than Neo...
You know, just plain frightning longevity for such a creation as it is.
Now, they've just managed to get lucky one more time by having a class action suit against them dismissed on a technicality. But, they are still facing the Illinois A/G office and the founders have a tidy handfull of lawsuits against them too. Seems like a prime topic for around here, yet I find no evidence of any such discussion ever happening. I have done the searches... Have I somehow missed it?
I know we've got some serious 'fans' of YTB, let the games begin!

I know some lengthy threads exist about the company, but I've never followed the discussion.

Somehow a travel MLM just doesn't make sense.

Anyhow, I see a decision was just handed down regarding YTB:

Federal case against on-line travel company dismissed
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 5:30PM

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (KMOX) -- More now on the federal suit against an on-line travel business accused of operating a pyramid scheme.

A federal judge in Southern Illinois has formally dismissed the entire consumer lawsuit against Wood River-based YTB -- also known as Your Travel Biz .

The judge had dismissed most of the original plaintiffs last week, based on the fact they aren't residents of Illinois where the company is based, but were suing under the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act. Now the court has ruled the final plaintiff, who is an Illinois resident, must take the case to state court.

Plaintiffs had alleged YTB was operating an illegal pyramid scheme. YTB charges investors for the right to sell travel packages. Investors claimed they weren't able to make money without recruiting new investors.

The Illinois Attorney General has also filed a lawsuit against YTB based on consumer complaints.

Not sure what all that means, but I'm sure they'll be discussing it endlessly on the various forums.

At the risk of sounding stupid ...

YTB can operate outside of Illinois, but unless you actually live in Illinois ... you're 'Shit Outta Luck if you're a Plaintiff?'

HTF does that work???

What about promotional material YTB send out via mail, email etc. Wouldn't that be classed as Mail Fraud and wouldn't that be a Federal Offence?

YTB must have some BIG MONEY BACKERS me thinks.

I'm starting to sound stupid now ...

Blessings - Mike

PhotoHound wrote:At the risk of sounding stupid ...

YTB can operate outside of Illinois, but unless you actually live in Illinois ... you're 'sh*t Outta Luck if you're a Plaintiff?'

HTF does that work???

What about promotional material YTB send out via mail, email etc. Wouldn't that be classed as Mail Fraud and wouldn't that be a Federal Offence?

YTB must have some BIG MONEY BACKERS me thinks.

I'm starting to sound stupid now ...

Blessings - Mike

The vagaries of jurisdiction often trip people up.

PhotoHound wrote:At the risk of sounding stupid ...

You don't. As JRB says, federal jurisdiction can be tricky for experienced lawyers.

YTB can operate outside of Illinois, but unless you actually live in Illinois ... you're 'sh*t Outta Luck if you're a Plaintiff?'

Not exactly.

As the opinion shows, the Court dismissed the non-Illinois-resident plaintiffs on the ground that they had no standing to sue under an Illinois consumer protection statute, which they had tried to do. When an Illinois plaintiff not only maintained his own suit, but attempted to bring a federal class action on behalf of the others, the Court dismissed on the grounds of lack of diversity.

These are actually not "technicalities", as another poster called them. Federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction. If a litigant seeks to invoke it, then as a matter of constitutional law you must be properly situated. BTW, nothing prevents the same plaintiffs from suing YTB in Illinois state court.

What about promotional material YTB send out via mail, email etc. Wouldn't that be classed as Mail Fraud and wouldn't that be a Federal Offence?

Private citizens cannot bring criminal prosecutions. In the case of mail fraud, that would take a United States Attorney. Only the most blatant (and generally otherwise harmful) consumer frauds get prosecuted. See the "Greg Caton" thread, below.

Mike! wrote:Seems like a prime topic for around here, yet I find no evidence of any such discussion ever happening. I have done the searches... Have I somehow missed it?

As I just posted in another thread, no regular here is involved in MLMs, either as a distributor or as an owner. We do this on our own time, write about what interests us, and given time are glad to answer questions. You are interested in YTB, thanks for starting a thread, please continue to contribute.