Les Henderson
Encyclopedia
Les Henderson is a Canadian
consumer fraud author and webmaster of Crimes of Persuasion, a consumer-fraud awareness site.
Henderson published two books, "Crimes Of Persuasion" and "Under Investigation". His first book "Crimes Of Persuasion" describes a large variety of 'schemes, scams and frauds'. Henderson's second book "Under Investigation" scrutinizes Florida Attorney General (now Governor) Charlie Crist
's investigation into the Lou Pearlman
owned Wilhelmina Scouting Network.
and deceptive persuasion
. The site states as its mission: "To inform the public, along with law enforcement personnel, justice officials and victim support groups on the workings and scope of telemarketing and investment fraud so that efforts can effectively be taken to minimize the impact on its victims and ensure that adequate penalties are in place to deter the perpetrators."
June 2004 Henderson and others were served with a lawsuit by Fashion Rock, LLC (aka Talent Rock), a Florida company then owned by con man
Lou Pearlman
, accusing them of "violation of the federal and Florida versions of the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act, tortious interference with business relationships, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, misappropriation of trade secrets and civil conspiracy". The suit was dismissed.
Also in June 2004 about a dozen identical sites were erected by Fashion Rock CEO Mark Tolner "to attack critics" (a.o. Les Henderson and Ripoff Report
), Shortly thereafter the "Bureau of Ethical Internet Commerce" was put up by Ayman Ahmed El-Difrawi (an ex-con for fraud and Pearlman's leading consultant in his talent scouting businesses) for apparently the same reason. Several anonymous writings, containing unsourced offensive allegations about Henderson, have appeared on message boards, blogs, press releases and mock sites that can easily be found on the Internet. Henderson in return successfully filed a libel suit against Pearlman, Mark Tolner, Ayman El-Difrawi, and several other corporations and individuals. Difrawi and three other defendants were ordered to pay Henderson $10.000 each "for their part in the creation, publication or republication of the libellous statements",
In November 2007, St. Petersburg Times
personal finance editor Helen Huntly reported that El-Difrawi had founded a business and web site also called Crimes of Persuasion imitating Henderson's, using his real name.
On November 21, 2007, Ayman A. Difrawi and Internet Solutions Corporation filed a lawsuit against Henderson and others, accusing them of defamation, trade libel, injurious falsehood, false light invasion of privacy, civil conspiracy, and RICO violations.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
consumer fraud author and webmaster of Crimes of Persuasion, a consumer-fraud awareness site.
Henderson published two books, "Crimes Of Persuasion" and "Under Investigation". His first book "Crimes Of Persuasion" describes a large variety of 'schemes, scams and frauds'. Henderson's second book "Under Investigation" scrutinizes Florida Attorney General (now Governor) Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
's investigation into the Lou Pearlman
Lou Pearlman
Louis Jay "Lou" Pearlman is a former impresario of the successful 1990s boy bands such as The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Take 5, O-Town and US5. In 2006, it was discovered that Pearlman had perpetrated one of the largest and longest-running Ponzi schemes in American history, leaving more than $300...
owned Wilhelmina Scouting Network.
Crimes-Of-Persuasion.com
A website was erected by Henderson in 2000, in consistency of his first book and also named Crimes of Persuasion. COP extensively describes the methods used by criminal perpetrators, like deceptionDeception
Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth . Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment...
and deceptive persuasion
Persuasion
Persuasion is a form of social influence. It is the process of guiding or bringing oneself or another toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic means.- Methods :...
. The site states as its mission: "To inform the public, along with law enforcement personnel, justice officials and victim support groups on the workings and scope of telemarketing and investment fraud so that efforts can effectively be taken to minimize the impact on its victims and ensure that adequate penalties are in place to deter the perpetrators."
Legal issues and critics' actions
In 2002 a Forex operation sued Henderson, forcing a temporary closure of his site pending a multi-million dollar lawsuit against him for defamation. There are no references to the outcome on COP or anywhere else.June 2004 Henderson and others were served with a lawsuit by Fashion Rock, LLC (aka Talent Rock), a Florida company then owned by con man
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
Lou Pearlman
Lou Pearlman
Louis Jay "Lou" Pearlman is a former impresario of the successful 1990s boy bands such as The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Take 5, O-Town and US5. In 2006, it was discovered that Pearlman had perpetrated one of the largest and longest-running Ponzi schemes in American history, leaving more than $300...
, accusing them of "violation of the federal and Florida versions of the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act, tortious interference with business relationships, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, misappropriation of trade secrets and civil conspiracy". The suit was dismissed.
Also in June 2004 about a dozen identical sites were erected by Fashion Rock CEO Mark Tolner "to attack critics" (a.o. Les Henderson and Ripoff Report
Ripoff Report
Ripoff Report is a privately owned and operated for-profit website founded by Ed Magedson. The Ripoff Report has been online since December 1998 and is operated by Xcentric Ventures, LLC which is based in Arizona...
), Shortly thereafter the "Bureau of Ethical Internet Commerce" was put up by Ayman Ahmed El-Difrawi (an ex-con for fraud and Pearlman's leading consultant in his talent scouting businesses) for apparently the same reason. Several anonymous writings, containing unsourced offensive allegations about Henderson, have appeared on message boards, blogs, press releases and mock sites that can easily be found on the Internet. Henderson in return successfully filed a libel suit against Pearlman, Mark Tolner, Ayman El-Difrawi, and several other corporations and individuals. Difrawi and three other defendants were ordered to pay Henderson $10.000 each "for their part in the creation, publication or republication of the libellous statements",
In November 2007, St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
personal finance editor Helen Huntly reported that El-Difrawi had founded a business and web site also called Crimes of Persuasion imitating Henderson's, using his real name.
On November 21, 2007, Ayman A. Difrawi and Internet Solutions Corporation filed a lawsuit against Henderson and others, accusing them of defamation, trade libel, injurious falsehood, false light invasion of privacy, civil conspiracy, and RICO violations.