The suspended judgment as to each settling defendant will become due immediately if they are found to have misrepresented their financial condition. The orders against Riddle and Andy Johnson, who managed one of IWorks’ deceptive programs, impose judgments of more than $280.9 million and $6 million, respectively, which are suspended based on their inability to pay. The judgment will be partially suspended upon transfer to the FTC of all of Johnson’s frozen assets, including millions of dollars in bank accounts, stock, real estate and jewelry, and any interest he has in assets held by the receiver. Johnson, IWorks, and 26 corporate defendants have agreed to a $280.9 million judgment, which represents consumers’ unreimbursed losses to the scheme, according to the FTC. The court later granted the FTC summary judgment against IWorks and the other corporate defendants on five complaint counts, and held that Jeremy Johnson and IWorks’ general manager Ryan Riddle were personally liable for IWorks’ law violations. The complaint alleges that IWorks enticed consumers to sign up for purportedly “free” or “risk free” trials, but then charged them recurring monthly fees they never agreed to pay.Īfter extensive briefing and a hearing, the court determined that the FTC is likely to prevail on the merit of its claims and froze the assets of Johnson and the corporate defendants to help ensure that money could be returned to IWorks’ numerous victims. The FTC sued Johnson, nine other individuals, and 61 corporate defendants, including IWorks, in December 2010. In addition, the wife and parents of IWorks’ owner and CEO Jeremy Johnson have agreed to settle FTC charges that they received assets and funds as gifts from Johnson that came from the unlawful scheme. The ringleader and two other defendants in the massive IWorks online billing scheme have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they took more than $280 million from consumers via deceptive “trial” memberships for bogus government-grant and money-making products. About the FTC Show/hide About the FTC menu items.News and Events Show/hide News and Events menu items.Advice and Guidance Show/hide Advice and Guidance menu items.Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents.Enforcement Show/hide Enforcement menu items.
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