Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

"Buy 1 for yourself and get the chance to sell your friends and family 5 and get your downline started!" We examine the multi-level marketing industry, where only the people who come up with the ideas make any money, and everybody else is left unhappy, broke, and tired of reading scripts and selling overpriced vitamins and similarly worthless products. Includes Global Prosperity, Pinnacle Quest International, IRS Codebusters, Stratia, and other new Global Prosperity scams.

Moderator: wserra

Doc Bunkum
Scamologist General (MLM Division)
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:45 am

Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Doc Bunkum »

"Answering a knock at the door of his Lake Charles, Louisiana, home about 8:30 a.m. on September 17, 2003, the man found three U.S. marshals with semiautomatic weapons who wanted to know if he was Greg Caton. When he said yes, they asked him to step out of the house and handcuffed his hands behind his back, claiming they had a warrant to search his home.

“Search for what?” he asked.

“First of all, we need to know where the battery acid is,” one marshal replied.

“Battery acid?” Caton exclaimed. “I don’t have any battery acid in my home.”

The marshals entered the house, taking him along, and sat him down, handcuffed, while they searched. Other marshals assisted, until, Caton estimates, eight of them were going through his home. He asked no fewer than four times to call his attorney, but they refused to allow it. When he asked why, since he’d been arrested, their reply was, “You’re not arrested—you’re a detainee.”

“This, to me, was the most amazing thing of all,” Caton says, “as if somehow that wording changes what is in fact happening. When I brought that up to my defense attorney, he said, ‘They’re not supposed to do that.’ I said, ‘Well, can’t we do something about it?’ He said, ‘No, because it’s your word against theirs—they can do whatever they want.’ ”

* * *

As it turned out, Caton was not only a detainee but an arrestee, and he was sent to the parish jail. “Jail” conjures up the image of a couple of cells in a police station or behind the sheriff’s office in an Old West frontier town, but in fact, Lafayette Parish Correctional Center is a prison, where Caton was held for two months without being charged and for another six after that, without bail, on the premise that he was a flight risk.

The FDA's Panacea

As it turned out, Caton ended up serving a 33 month federal sentence for "introducing a new unapproved drug," and in connection with this a mail fraud charge.

According to Caton: "Critical to the destruction of AO Labs in the United States was the coordinated involvement of my former associate, Kevin Trudeau -- of late-night informercial fame -- and George Ackerson, a former associate who bragged to associates about his role after my imprisonment."
on September 17, 2003 -- U.S. federal and local agents raided our manufacturing facility, warehouses, and even our home. They destroyed over 95% (roughly $500,000 worth) of our inventory, raw materials, and packaging; confiscated cash and library books from our home (only to later dramatically understate the total and claim that they "incinerated" our property because they couldn't find us); then worked with not less than two competitors (that we know of) to assist in the theft of our intellectual property. the Ashwin
But there's a lot more to the story.

This Caton is one interesting fellow. He was the founder of Consumer Express (1984), a multimillion dollar MLM company which later morphed into Nutrition For Life, which later morphed into Vitamark.

Disillusioned with MLM, Caton wrote MLM Fraud in 1991, a look at corruption in the multi-level marketing industry and the tools to identify the work of its perpetrators -- since banned in the U.S.

For that effort, a state district court judge in Houston awarded a $133 million settlement to Nutrition for Life that claimed it suffered $150 million in damages from the publication of the book and a permanent gag order against Caton.

Interestingly, Kevin Trudeau's name pops up again in the suit. NLI claimed Caton had made false claims about the company in his book and on numerous Internet sites, concerning the practices of the company and Kevin Trudeau, its principal salesman, who had previously been convicted of credit card fraud and check kiting.

In 1995 Caton created Alpha Omega Labs. He refused to wholesale products he manufactured to any MLM company, and he claims he had been asked many times.

For an interesting read, take a look at Insights into nutritional products sold via MLM ... an essay of self-reflection and critical analysis by the 'ex-MLMer' who founded Alpha Omega Labs ...

After getting out of prison, Caton moved to Ecuador in June, 2008 and reopened his business.

Now I don't really know what to make of Caton and his "cancer cures" that got him into trouble with the FDA. He's a young man and quite bright. Take a look at his c u r r i c u l u m v i t a e. Quite prolific for someone his age.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg for Caton and his legal problems. Back in 2003 a Sue Gilliatt claimed her nose was disfigured and demanded 40 million from Dan Raber et al., and 40 million from Greg Canton et al., for her alleged damages for a grand total of 80 million in damages from these two separate entities. Gilliatt collected 800 thousand dollars from Greg Canton after pressure from the FDA.

I don't know how much truth their is to this claim, but a reader on a cancer forum wrote:
I believe my life was probably saved by my using black salve at a time when I had no affordable medical care available. I am angered that Greg Caton, the developer of Cansema black salve was imprisoned for helping people cure cancer. He was recently listed in a Washington Post Parade Magazine cover story article as one of the world’s most wanted fugitives. In the Feb. 8, 2009 article, his picture was included along with 25 others including Osama Bin Ladin and 2 other terrorists, 3 Mafia crime bosses, drug kingpins, Multi-million dollar scammers, mass killers, and other viloent criminals.
He had already served his prison sentance and is sought on a probation violation.
THE NAZI FDA DID GREG CANTON OF ALTFA-OMEGA LABS, THE FDA REPORTEDLY PAID A LYING B---- $250,000 TO LIE ON THE WITNESS STAND AGINST GREG
Very interesting fellow to say the least!
User avatar
wserra
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Posts: 7548
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 6:39 pm

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by wserra »

Yeah, right.

Caton's magnum opus, a so-called "black salve" called "Cansema", is hardly new. It's of a class of chemicals called "escharotics", meaning they cause an eschar (burn) on the skin - typically zinc oxide (or zinc chloride) and/or an herb such as bloodroot. Will it destroy the top layer of a skin cancer tumor? Sure. Will it destroy healthy tissue around it? Sure - frequently leaving extensive scarring from healthy tissue destruction. Given that skin cancer cure rates (assuming non-metastasis - see below) are well in excess of 90% by conventional treatment - which also leaves little if any scarring - only a moron would choose to smear zinc oxide on his skin. And Caton's claim that "Empirical case studies to date show that it has successfully removed (cured) every malignant carcinoma, adenocarcinoma (i.e. breast cancer), and even melanoma, to which it has been applied" is one of the most brazenly ridiculous pieces of nonsense in the long annals of quackery. A salve for breast cancer? Why do you think he's in Ecuador?

And suppose a skin cancer has metastasized - the destruction of the visible lesion may well convince someone gullible enough to use the stuff in the first place that the cancer is cured, only to have it return as a stage IV adenocarcinoma someplace else. Good luck, your estate suing Caton in Ecuador.

Caton himself? Well, his only credentials appear to be a two-year degree in "social science" from the prestigious "L.A. Valley College". His claim to have been held in jail for "two months without charge" must only mean that he didn't have to pay for it, since he was in fact indicted. In fact, under docket 04-cr-20075 (LAWD), he pleaded guilty to a scheme to defraud cancer patients by selling them a useless drug. What was that useless drug? Wait for it . . . Cansema! So after getting out of jail, he splits the country, and is now selling online the same crap he admitted was useless. To cancer patients.

Nice guy, Greg.
"A wise man proportions belief to the evidence."
- David Hume
Doc Bunkum
Scamologist General (MLM Division)
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:45 am

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Doc Bunkum »

I'm certainly not an apologist for Canton.

I was just pointing out the guy has had quite a colorful background for someone so young.

Interesting how Kevin Trudeau and his path are intertwined.

Seems Nutrition For Life was a breeding ground for some of the best quacks in the alternate health care industry.
User avatar
wserra
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Posts: 7548
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 6:39 pm

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by wserra »

Doc Bunkum wrote:I'm certainly not an apologist for Canton.
I didn't think you were, Doc. Sorry if what I wrote sounded that way.
"A wise man proportions belief to the evidence."
- David Hume
Judge Roy Bean
Judge for the District of Quatloosia
Judge for the District of Quatloosia
Posts: 3704
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:04 pm
Location: West of the Pecos

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Judge Roy Bean »

First off, I have to admit I'm personally, historically and to some degree professionally biased toward medicine that is rooted in science and technology and business principles based in law. But it seems to me there is a parallel universe some people inhabit where distrust in fundamental scientific knowledge (and those who practice in it) AND distrust in the legal system becomes overwhelming - even to the degree of self-endangering behavior.

And they're so easy to take advantage of that scammers seem to be able to make a really good living preying on them; all you have to do is prey on their distrust of professionals.

One of these days maybe we'll find a genetic component, but until then, I guess we all get to read things about these people with a combination of amazement and laughter.
The Honorable Judge Roy Bean
The world is a car and you're a crash-test dummy.
The Devil Makes Three
User avatar
wserra
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Posts: 7548
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 6:39 pm

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by wserra »

Judge Roy Bean wrote:First off, I have to admit I'm personally, historically and to some degree professionally biased toward medicine that is rooted in science and technology
Is there some other kind? I admit I never understood the phrase "alternative medicine". There is stuff that works and stuff that doesn't. The stuff that works is "medicine", the stuff that doesn't, isn't. Every now and again, something that was thought to work is proven not to, at which point it ceases to be "medicine". The only way I know to test something is through the scientific method. The stuff that passes becomes "medicine", the stuff that doesn't is sold by MLMs.

I know that's what you meant, JRB, but it's a pet peeve.
"A wise man proportions belief to the evidence."
- David Hume
Doc Bunkum
Scamologist General (MLM Division)
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:45 am

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Doc Bunkum »

I see the FDA recently shanghaied Caton from Ecuador.

FDA Kidnaps and Deports Herbalist Greg Caton
December 16, 2009


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today stands accused of taking part in the kidnapping and illegal extradition of a permanent resident of Ecuador, in violation of both international law and Ecuadorian law...

As if they don't have better things to do with their time...
User avatar
wserra
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Posts: 7548
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 6:39 pm

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by wserra »

The facts: Caton fled the country while on supervised release from his last conviction - the one I described above. On October 1, 2008, the Court (Western District of LA) issued a warrant for his arrest, based on his violation of the supervised release. He was in fact arrested in Ecuador and brought before a Magistrate-Judge in Miami last Monday. At a scheduled bail hearing on Wednesday, he was ordered detained pending removal to LA with his consent.

Those are the facts. Lots of the details in the "Natural News" article from which you quote, Doc, are nonsense.

FWIW, I completely approve of the govt's action, and don't at all see it as a waste of time. Not only was Caton thumbing his nose at the U.S. courts, not only is he an obvious fraudster, but his stuff is dangerous.
"A wise man proportions belief to the evidence."
- David Hume
Doc Bunkum
Scamologist General (MLM Division)
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:45 am

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Doc Bunkum »

Well, you're the legal expert.

The article claims "the kidnapping and illegal extradition of a permanent resident of Ecuador, in violation of both international law and Ecuadorian law".

I have to take that at face value as I have no way of checking.

With the number of scams being run here in NA by all these supplement companies with male enhancement pills and what not, I would think the FDA would be working 24/7 trying to stay on top of things without having to run some caper in Central America.

My opinion anyhow.
Nikki

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Nikki »

Astonishing :!:

When did the FDA gain police powers? Was there some double-secret presidential order of act of congress which gave the FDA the power to institute extradition procedures?

Or, is the accusation just another plop on the pile of bull-sh*t that Canton and his acolytes have been dropping?
Doc Bunkum
Scamologist General (MLM Division)
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:45 am

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Doc Bunkum »

Not sure, but maybe we should consult that lawyer wannabe, Len Clements, on this one.

He's lurking in the weeds.

No sooner had Wes posted his response to my post, then Lenny was over at scam.com to let everybody know about it:
Interesting response to this same nonsense post over at Quatloos...

viewtopic.php?t=5007#p83396

Ouch! Slammed down by your own side. That must sting a little, huh Doc?

Oh, here's another little tidbit you forgot to mention...

Caton was a convicted felon who was on the run!

http://www.parade.com/news/2009/02/on-t ... erica.html

Len
I won't respond to Lenny. He's been having a bad go of it lately. They've even been trashing him on his home turf - mlm.com.

That must sting a little, huh Lenny?

SCAM.COM
User avatar
wserra
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Posts: 7548
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 6:39 pm

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by wserra »

I certainly didn't intend to "slam" you, Doc, as I think you realize. I did intend to slam what i believe to be the source of your post, this article from some rumor mill called "Natural News".

For example, that article begins:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today stands accused of taking part in the kidnapping and illegal extradition of a permanent resident of Ecuador, in violation of both international law and Ecuadorian law.
"Stands accused"? By whom? "Natural News"? There's an accuser to be worried about. And, as Nikki writes, it was surely not the FDA that grabbed Caton; with in excess of 95% certainty, it was either the FBI or the USMS, probably the latter. And since when is arresting someone on a warrant "kidnapping"? What international law was violated? What Ecuadorian law? Should we just take the writer's word for it?
An Ecuadorian judge rushed to the airport in Guayaquil and demanded that Caton be released from the plane, stating that the attempted deportation was illegal
Who says so? I heard that the Ecuadorian judge told the Marshalls that Caton was an embarassment to Ecuador, and that they were about to deport him anyway.

Not really, of course, but if "Natural News" doesn't have to cite sources, neither do I.
His crimes? Selling herbal medicine and daring to tell the truth about those medicines on his website
Actually, as I wrote above, he pleaded guilty to selling shit that (1) did nothing useful, (2) deluded desperate people into foregoing treatment which would help them in favor of his particular oil of snake, and (3) burned people's skin off. He then fled the country to continue doing the same, both in violation of the terms of his supervised release.

Other than that, he's a bleedin' prince among men.
"A wise man proportions belief to the evidence."
- David Hume
Doc Bunkum
Scamologist General (MLM Division)
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:45 am

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Doc Bunkum »

Thank's, Wes.

I certainly realize the intent of your post - as I'm sure certain other people did likewise. But still, that didn't stop him from immediately scooping it up and twisting the meaning of your words so it sounded like he had a noteworthy exclusive that needed to be immediately shared with anybody that takes anything he says seriously (very few people I'm finding out as of late).

You still lurking in the woods, Lenny, and taking all this in?

And the original intent of my post was simply to point out that Caton was back in the good ol' US of A in case anybody had missed it, as this thread is about Caton and his escapades after all.

Haven't checked to see if this story actually exists in any newspapers or anyplace outside "Natural News".

Would be interesting to see if it does though.

Edited to add:

Found a more in depth perspective of the behind the scenes legal wranglings to get Greg extradited by his wife, Cathryn Caton:

Criminal FDA Gangsters Kidnap Greg Caton From Ecuador
User avatar
wserra
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Posts: 7548
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 6:39 pm

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by wserra »

Seriously, Doc, there are a million reasons to view that article as BS. Without even getting into the content: (1) It's written by the scammer's wife and business partner. I particularly like the part about how "we made a joint decision to just stay here in Ecuador". The technical word for that decision is "abscond". (2) It's published on rense.com.

Search rense for "UFO".
"A wise man proportions belief to the evidence."
- David Hume
Doc Bunkum
Scamologist General (MLM Division)
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:45 am

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Doc Bunkum »

wserra wrote:Seriously, Doc, there are a million reasons to view that article as BS. Without even getting into the content: (1) It's written by the scammer's wife and business partner. (2) It's published on rense.com.

Search rense for "UFO".
True, I found that story on rense. Not really familiar with the content of that site. Just came across that story with his wife's name on it and it sounded interesting.

But where did rense get the story from?

Well, you're going to love this part Wes, (and I can picture your eyeballs rolling in the back of your head when you read this), but I think I know how her story originated. (I don't believe this was covered in the original story in Natural News.)

I found a letter written by Mark Sircus, Ac., OMD (I have no idea what those initials stand for) published on the International Medical Veritas Association site (and I have no idea what that is either).

Part of Mark Sircus, Ac., OMD's letter:
Dear IMVA,

Yesterday I received a disturbing email from Greg Caton’s wife, naturopath Dr. Cathryn Caton, that her husband was arrested in Ecuador on December 2, 2009 at a premeditated license check point by Ecuadorian police. He was then quickly handed over to United States agents and taken forcibly onto an American Airlines plane against a judge’s objections. Cathryn has not heard from him since....

... What I am struggling to say is that the most important thing for me is that the Natural Allopathic Medical approach not be smothered by the medical Gestapo, by the FDA or anyone else. So if anything ever happens to me it is all my readers who will need to carry on the light and coordinate and organize and assist my family as I hope now many will do for Cathryn.

Below is most of the content I and many received from her yesterday. Please read and please care.

Mark Sircus, Ac., OMD
So, I suspect what Greg's wife did, (as any good wife would do), was to e-mail Sircus and everybody else she knew her version of what happened, and her letter ended up going viral and rense picked it up.

Just keeps on getting better, huh! :D
Last edited by Doc Bunkum on Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
webhick
Illuminati Obfuscation: Black Ops Div
Posts: 3994
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:41 am

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by webhick »

Doc Bunkum wrote:It was something Mark Sircus, Ac., OMD (I have no idea what those initials stand for)
Best I can figure it, it's either "oh mi dios" or Oriental Medical Doctor.
When chosen for jury duty, tell the judge "fortune cookie says guilty" - A fortune cookie
User avatar
wserra
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Posts: 7548
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 6:39 pm

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by wserra »

Sircus is an acupuncturist. The "OMD" is (as webhick surmised) doctor of oriental medicine (whatever that is) - and, as Sircus writes in the linked bio, "honorary". The guy didn't even bother to get his bogus degree from a mail-order diploma mill for $50 - he just calls himself "Dr" based on an honorary bogus degree.

Makes Suzie Gudakunst look like Michael DeBakey.
"A wise man proportions belief to the evidence."
- David Hume
bmielke

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by bmielke »

wserra wrote:Sircus is an acupuncturist. The "OMD" is (as webhick surmised) doctor of oriental medicine (whatever that is) - and, as Sircus writes in the linked bio, "honorary". The guy didn't even bother to get his bogus degree from a mail-order diploma mill for $50 - he just calls himself "Dr" based on an honorary bogus degree.

Makes Suzie Gudakunst look like Michael DeBakey.
If you read his whole letter on Medical Vertias he also is on the Depleted Uranium Band Wagon, and may be wanted by Federal authorities as well because he refuses to say where he is. Just that he's in Central or South America.

It seems that a number of Natural Health Professionals are now located in the "safety" of Central and South America according to Sircus.
User avatar
wserra
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Quatloosian Federal Witness
Posts: 7548
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 6:39 pm

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by wserra »

Last Monday, Caton waived his right to a removal hearing, and is now en route to Shreveport. He even gets free transportation, courtesy of the USMS.

I'll keep you posted.
"A wise man proportions belief to the evidence."
- David Hume
Doc Bunkum
Scamologist General (MLM Division)
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:45 am

Re: Greg Caton - Cure For Cancer?

Post by Doc Bunkum »

Thanks for the update.

As a side note, and on a related subject, I see that the latest biz op being promoted by Mr. Clements, Yoli, has been fully endorsed by the American Anti-Cancer Institute.

Image

I suggested to Mr. Clements that possibly Yoli should set up some sort of legal fund for Mr. Canton, and that say .10 cents from the sale of each Blast Cap be donated to this fund to help Mr. Caton with his legal expenses.

I haven't heard back from Lenny on this yet.