New Info re PATHS

[fawn247]

Just received this e-mail. I'm submitting it because I think it's pertinent to several discussions in the forum:

I'm writing you because you signed up for PATHS under my affiliate program. Some facts have emerged in the past few days which cause me to regret any involvement with PATHS. I am discontinuing my relationship with the company, and I urge you to do the same.

I was contacted by someone who sent me links to various websites detailing Kevin Pirolo's past. If you want to see examples of what I found, type "Kevin Pirolo fraud" into Google.

After this alarming information I was directed to call Michael Ingram, a businessman in Southern California. He was involved during the beginning in Aaron Murakami's posts about energy, synchronicity and eventually the discussion of PATHS. He has been a member of the Powerful Intentions Forum since 11-04-06. His interest in the technologies being discussed led him to investigate in-depth, the validity of what he was hearing from Aaron to the point that his intention was to purchase controlling interest and fund development in any of them that had promise.

The following document is from Mr. Ingram with his permission to pass it along to those that want his first-hand knowledge about PATHS and its origination. In it, he has listed his e-mail and phone number if you have any further questions.

In light of this information my understanding is now clearer, therefore my action at this time.

Here is Mr. Ingram's statement in his own words:

________________________________________________

Statement of Facts RE: Intent to Purchase P.A.T.H.S., S.A.



In early December '06 I made several contacts with Aaron Murakami regarding my interest in investing in one or more of the revolutionary energy technologies and one 'mind technology' that he was involved with. The only one that he could present to me in any viable form was the 'mind technology' called P.A.T.H.S.



During mid December Aaron arranged a conference call between he and I and the developer/owner of the technology, Scott Pendleton. After several hours of discussion and the transmittal of their company's documents for me to appraise, I suggested a face-to-face meeting to iron out the prospective purchase details.



After offering to fly to Memphis to meet Pendleton, he insisted on coming to Los Angeles. As the meeting was set for the next day and I arranged lodging for him at the Long Beach Marriott, he told me to register him as Kevin Pirolo. He divulged that Scott Pendleton was an alias he used for the operation of his company but otherwise didn't exist. He also mentioned that his minor partner, responsible for the top-secret software development, whose name was Jassar, was also fictitious. I was told that Jassar was a reclusive Hollywood music producer of considerable fame and didn't want to be publicly exposed. I was also told that the two of them had never met each other in person. Being that he was a partner in the company and the sole developer of the software, I thought it wise that he be included in the meeting. 'Jassar' lives and works within 20 minutes of Long Beach. I later surmised that Jassar is one Gary Rinaldo.



Our meeting was one week before Christmas and it was just the two of us. Pirolo reported that he would pay off Jassar prior to finalizing any agreement with me, so would not be necessary in our dealings. There was also another vested partner known as Jane that he would take care of and Murakami's interest in the company was in a 25% pay-out arrangement based on performance and he too could be dispensed with.



In the second hour of our several hour, two day meeting, Pirolo told me that the PATHS program computer modules I had demonstrated for the previous two weeks had nothing to do with the technology and had no value whatsoever other than any placebo value that might take effect. He further stated that the audio portion was put together by Jassar in a manner of minutes and the visual portion held no instructions or communication whatsoever. It was his contention that this presentation was necessary because the average person would find it hard to believe that he could send commands from his bank of computers into the Matrix straight to the paying members sub-conscious.



I of course agreed, but told him that this was wholesale deception at a retail price and I wouldn't be involved in presenting such a hoax. He agreed and said that he planned to divulge the true 'nature' of his technology but had to keep the 'workings' of it secret for fear of competitive infringement and government interference. He of course, upon my asking, said he had no patents of any kind on his miraculous language of the ether.



In further discussion about our respective backgrounds in business, he made quite a point of his success and expertise in the telecommunications industry which was his forte'. He told me proudly of his association with the Bill Anderton family. That was about all I could take and we parted amicably at the airport and I told him I would give him my final decision on the terms we discussed after I returned from my holiday vacation.



In writing to Pirolo and Murakami, the second week of January, I declined further interest and involvement of any kind in this company. There are many more pertinent details to our meeting, none of which are of a positive nature regarding them or their product, but the above is a true and accurate account of what transpired.



Respectively submitted to those that have been affected by the P.A.T.H.S. fraud on this 1st day of June 2007.



Michael R. Ingram

Huntington Beach, Ca

michaelringram@aol.com

714-840-8002

__________________________________________________ ____________________

Mr. Ingram's information astounded me, and I looked back over my experiences with PATHS. I thought back to the moment that I decided it was working, and Aaron talked to me about becoming an affiliate.

It was February, and about 5-6 weeks after I became a PATHS customer, I began to experience events in my life which appeared to be a result of this so-called technology. Several conversations with Aaron Murakami convinced me to become an affiliate, and I made some posts over at pavlina.com describing actual events in my life that I felt were linked. Aaron began responding in my threads, and at his own discretion, placed a link to my affiliate site in his signature. You may have signed up because of this.

I am sincerely sorry if you feel you have been deceived. I am urging all people who signed up under me to:

1 – Cancel your subscription immediately by sending an email to info@paths-vx.com.
2 – Contact your credit card company and request a reversal of all charges. Or, if you paid via debit card…
3- Contact your bank and request a reversal of EFT or funds withdrawal. You will have to fill out an affidavit.

Also, keep an eye out in the forums. There is a group of people who are ex-PATHS users, and they are assembling a new place to meet and discuss the issues. You can contact me to learn when it's up and running if you'd like, but sometimes I can be a day or two getting back to people because of work and family demands.

It may be embarrassing to admit to your bank or card provider that you were duped, but it is a more common story than you might think. Simply state that you signed up for a "hypnosis-type program called PATHS" and that you did not receive the service/product that you were promised.

If you need to call me, please do. Several people have filed complaints with government agencies, and you may feel that your participation is appropriate. Please reply to this email if you'd like my phone number.

Most importantly, I strongly recommend that you cancel PATHS, and immediately take the steps needed to get your money back.

Sincerely,

Greg Friend

[jojo]

Greg, I received your email today and I have also posted it on the other forum. Although I am not taking away from the validity of your email or post I am not sure if I signed up through you or if you are real? I don't mean this rudely but you haven't posted on steve's site at all (except 2 other posts not related to PATHS). And if you are/were an affiliate I would have thought you would have contributed to the forums more? I am only asking as I am questioning both sides of the story. I just don't know who you are and I have been reading and following others' posts both here and on PI for the past several months. And if this IS all a con, why has it taken until now to come out? Although paths may seem fishy to some, this seems fishy as well. Your comments are much appreciated.

Thanks!

Many smiles,
Jo

[infinitethoughts]

Here's my 2 cents;

Well if it is just a placebo effect, I actually don't have a problem paying 30 bucks a month.

It's definitely working for me, placebo or not, especially the Sleep module, and the Enlightenment module.
Well actually the Insight one is working too.

Sometimes a little to well. I'm picking up on peoples aura, and not liking picking up the spaces some people are in.

----

(Now that I look back on what I wrote, it does sound weird, but I'm sticking to my opinion.)

[fawn247]

Sorry I didn't make this clear, but I am not Greg Friend. I received the e-mail from him, and believed it to be authentic because he quoted someone else who had business dealings with the PATHS principals (and who also authorized sharing his contact information). I'm not saying PATHS is or is not valid; I'm only sharing information which seemed to be of interest to many people who participate in this forum. I did run the search he suggested, which casts a bit of a pallor on PATHS.

[TheColonel]

Originally Posted by infinitethoughts

Here's my 2 cents;

Well if it is just a placebo effect, I actually don't have a problem paying 30 bucks a month.

It's definitely working for me, placebo or not, especially the Sleep module, and the Enlightenment module.
Well actually the Insight one is working too.

Sometimes a little to well. I'm picking up on peoples aura, and not liking picking up the spaces some people are in.

----

(Now that I look back on what I wrote, it does sound weird, but I'm sticking to my opinion.)

This is the final post I will make in regards to PATHS.

PATHS is sold as "having the ability to enhance a person by delivering millions of instructions to their subconscious in short periods of time."

However, I have been given irrefutable facts and documentation (from a person who has no financial interest) that there are no instructions being delivered.

Folks, if you signed up because of my recommendation, I apologize - I was deceived too. Call your credit card company and request a reversal/chargeback.

Or, if you want to continue doing business with this company, don't do a thing.

It's cut and dry.

[Elenny]

...and here we go again!

[Holly]

Thankyou Colonel that took real balls admitting what you just did and for your email.

I'd like to address this to Aaron ,yes I'm sure he's reading this but at present hasn't quite formulated his reply.

We have accepted that we have been scammed that's OK after all its only money. But what you and Kevin are trying to perpetrate is saying that you will help the sick.I can remember you saying that cystic Fibrosis is being researched and you will soon have a module for it...shame on you..they are defenseless children who are sick. Kevin Pirolo and only Kevin Pirolo has had success with the Diabetes and Thyroid Modules ,I read this on the ESM.org site,not to mention his miraculous hair growth.

Oh my, I have been reading some pretty cult like denials over at that forum.Things like well if it's placebo it's well worth it.Obviously these woman so far only the woman have been vocal thinks it's OK for Aaron and Kevin to rip them off because it's made them feel good. Hello these guys are claiming some pretty outrageous results that could be detrimental to someones health.
My modules were only shed Pounds and defying gravity and initially I had great results from Shed Pounds but after a few weeks I was able to contribute it all to spirulina..but I kept on with PATHS because I figured I had spent the big buscks on start up fees....brilliant by the way Kevin and Aaron get the big bucks up front and it doesn't matter if they stay on it for ages or not.
A very vocal defender over there at esm.org has stated some facts which without the evidence of others letters is quite alarming.As an Affiliate you had to supply your

1. DOB
   Your full name
   Country of Birth
   Address and last but not least..your
   Signature

Enough for anyone to sell this information and make use your whole identity .

To sign up here on Steve's forum only your DOB needs to be supplied and really you could have used any DOB.PATHS on the other hand are very strict and say PATHS will not work unless ALL DATA is correct otherwise your subcon will not accept it.We all fell for it hook, line and sinker. I know I did.
I have today cancelled my credit card, PATHS.. haven't heard back yet.. but it doesn't matter because my credit card has been cancelled.

But what about all my personal details.. thankgod I didn't send a picture of myself as was suggested as that would have meant even more data that could have been sold as they do for passports and other stuff they use to sell identities

Anyway thankyou The Colonel for informing me .

[marty]

paragraph 5 last line.from the results i experiened its quite clear that my subconscious was recieving instructions.it sounds extremely far fetched (and very scary)but it seems that this is the only explanation.the colonel:your irrefugable facts are only in relation to the theatre presentation.the results people have been experiencing cannot be attribtuted to the placebo effect.too many self aware/objective people.

[Jay Bee]

Hi Holly

My feelings are in total agreement with yours and I too cancelled my credit card, really all that PATHS didn't have of my personal info were my driving license number and my tax file number, but yes I unwittingly gave them all this other personal information....sigh....BIG lesson learnt for me here.

If something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.....

The MEDICAL modules were the ones that got to me too, Diabetes, Thyroid and coming soon the Heart module.....

Barb

[Brutha]

To don't want to sound cynical but wasn't that clear from the start?
But in the end, who cares about truth?

[impaul99]

If what they're doing just produces a placebo effect (something I discovered and shared with everone her on this forum months ago) it is not illegal, but possibly immoral. Although, if it gets the proper effect for people, it's still almost worth paying for if you can't get the same effect without the product. Worse case scenario, they get a credit card chargeback from some users.

If, however, what they're doing is something illegal with the information they gathered about subscribers by selling their information, or illegally charging their credit cards or using the information for fraud, then that's a totally different story. If anyone has any evidence or info that supports this please share it, but so far from my side they gave me my refund as I told everyone months ago and it was applied to my credit card just like they said, and I haven't seen anything "fraudulent" from them.

As for the "personal information", I don't know if it's really that personal. For example name, address, birthday and a CC number. Isn't that information very easy to gather about people? I mean it's not that hard, is it? For example, how hard is it to get the birthdays of people if you really want to? It's pretty easy to get the bdays of people I went to highschool with, or worked with. A lot of people display it on their MySpace or Facebook pages. Anyway, if anyone has any info that they've done anything else with the info they collected please let us know.

[kevs]

Originally Posted by impaul99

If anyone has any evidence or info that supports this please share it, but so far from my side they gave me my refund as I told everyone months ago and it was applied to my credit card just like they said, and I haven't seen anything "fraudulent" from them.

Well, good for you. I'd like to remind you that PATHS initially refused your refund because they had been spying on this board, and held your posts here against you. Does this sound like an upstanding moral company? It was only after you started a thread titled "PATHS Refund Nightmare" that you were granted your refund. Again, good for you.

But what about other users who didn't see results within 30 days, but who were encouraged by PATHS "Team Support" to keep going because, in their words, "PATHS will work for everyone"? I have 2 emails from them that said this. That's why I continued to keep going, sacrificing my guarantee. Of course, in public on the forums, they say differently: "PATHS may not work for everyone." Pretty convenient. IMO, this is not a legit company that stands behind their product. Otherwise, why the shady guarantee policy?


I am going to do a charge-back with my credit card company. And like TheColonel, this will be my last post in regards to PATHS. The information is out there, and now it's up to people to make their decision. Good luck to everyone trying to get their money back.

[Angela]

I dunno, whatever it is, since I began doing PATHS 3 months ago, I feel better, look better, and sleep better than ever before. so with apologies to Lou Rawls:

....you just keepin' on scammin' me..... until you scammed me enough..... until you scammed me enough......

[impaul99]

Originally Posted by Angela

I dunno, whatever it is, since I began doing PATHS 3 months ago, I feel better, look better, and sleep better than ever before. so with apologies to Lou Rawls:

....you just keepin' on scammin' me..... until you scammed me enough..... until you scammed me enough......

Remember it "worked" for me too, until I discovered it wasn't PATHS that was working. I am pretty sure I know what it is in PATHS that makes things work for us when other things didn't work in the past. Until I prove it to myself though, I wont' report it. When I do I'll give away the "secret" free on my blog I think. It's basically a combination of something I read in Hicks books, The Science of Getting Rich and a certain "device" I have used for a slightly different purpose.

[Jay Bee]

Originally Posted by Brutha

To don't want to sound cynical but wasn't that clear from the start?
But in the end, who cares about truth?

Yep you were all right from the start (dor, you and all the others) sigh......but for some of us who had already paid the setup fees we were hanging right in there for PATHS to kick in.............and we hung on in because we were only now paying in comparison a small monthly fee...... very, very, clever, slick marketing eh? You really do have to give it to them PATHS guys they are smart..........

And who cares about the truth? Very few it seems........

For me at least, a lesson well learnt.

Barb

[joylangtry]

I love a mystery, and this seems to be turning into a great one.

Please notice the email address and phone number for Michael Ingram in the quote in the first post on this thread. Then see this link - it's the intro page for his account on the Powerful Intentions forum. Apparently the same person - at least the contact info is the same.

Last evening someone over at PI asked if this is the same Michael Ingram who receives his guidance from his dead dog, Boots, whom he wears on his head. Well, I confess that I found that possibility intriquing, so I looked into his posting history over there, and while I found nothing about Boots (not yet, anyway), I did find this post: Forum Powerful Intentions: Re: Law of Attraction amp; Synchronicity Diagram - And what
This is his response to one of Aaron's original threads in PI, and the date, 1/13/07, puts it squarely in the period during which the businessman declared his decision to Aaron about his interest in purchasing PATHS, according to the email above.

While this particular post is not especially pertinent to the topic at hand, the tone and content give me a very different impression than I'd expect from a serious businessman who has determined that Aaron was supposedly pushing a scam.

For me, I'll continue to enjoy the benefits I'm deriving, trust the friends I've made along the way, and watch this spectacle with interest.

Tally Ho!

__________________________

The clickable link above stalled when I tested it, so I'll quote the entry below:

Re: Law of Attraction & Synchronicity Diagram - And what


Michael Ingram
Hi Aaron,

My simple mind requires baby steps and simplicity quite often, to reach understanding. I am going to try a simple approach here for your analysis.

I am dealing here with choice vs. decision. It is the moment before I enter this time/space environment. I am Being and I have the power of choice. For this example, let us assume that I have done this before, many times, and have a collective knowledge of all prior experience that I know will go with me but not interfere or be known by my conscious mind during the experience.

I choose first to become human. This choice or selection, as I prefer to call it, is for the purpose of experiencing joy through the use of my creative nature in an environment that operates in super-slow motion so the joy can be experienced more fully.

I have arrived. Born into the specific circumstances that I selected for my journey based on my ever expanding nature of creation.

Now I am faced with multitudes of choices. The selection of experiences and creative possibilities are endless. However, my brand new conscious mind is not aware of this variety but it senses its existance. It is a clean slate that is ready to perform the task of making fresh original selections at will.

I am still the being that I always have been and always will be but in choosing this human form I am not aware that I always have the power and collective knowledge with me at all times. This allows me to differentiate my experiences anew between what is joyful and what is not.

As I proceed through my lifes adventure I continually make selective choices for experience but there are many others here doing the same thing. Quite often the others try to tell me what my choices shoud be before I make them and sometimes they tell me I made a poor selection after I've made it.

I now find that I am faced with original choices and other peoples choices by their example or insistance that I follow them.

This is where I am introduced to the world of decision. I have found out that my choices are always followed with a feeling. Some feelings are good and some are bad. When I make a choice all by myself and it feels bad, I automatically want to stop that activity but sometimes don't and I'm faced with a decision. Should I respect my natural feelings and cut out the bad feeling or should I continue it in hopes that it will stop on its own or get better. When it is purely my choice it is very easy to just stop when the feeling is bad because I have so many other choices for good feelings. It is when I allow others to influence my choice that my feelings can get out of my control. I am promised and assured that my feelings will get better and all will be well. they ask me to trust them and follow them for they have found the truth. For me to proceed at these points, I am forced to decide. My choice is being put into judgement by others. If I decide to follow their advise, am I not also buying into that judgement? Will we then have a collective judgement that has the potential of being ill feeling, bad, or evil?

Perhaps this is why I always tell myself to use wisely my power of choice, because when I don't, I am always faced with a decision and that decision requires judgement. Who am I to judge? Is it not myself alone?

Is this the dilema yet the choice in life that you are describing?

With great regard,

Michael

[infinitethoughts]

Originally Posted by joylangtry

I love a mystery, and this seems to be turning into a great one...........

Huh. The plot thickens.........

I gotta admit, my original holographic thought process about the Ingram situation was there's more to the story. Then I let limited linear thinking take over.....

Anyway.
joylangtry
You ever consider becoming a Private Investigator ?
You'd be a good one.

[joylangtry]

Hi infinitethoughts. I like your handle.

Thanks for the compliment. Unfortunately, the investigator in me is too often driven by the energy of self-righteous indignation. Which was the case just now.

I'm finding, in reading lots of posts by Michael Ingram, that he seems to be a pretty nice guy, and the post about Boots was actually quite moving (nothing about wearing him as headgear, thank goodness). This whole thing is kind of exhausting, and sad, and I'm done with it. Not PATHS, mind you, just the topic.

Time to go look for that peace rally Mother Theresa was talking about.

Love,
Joy

[Holly]

Hi joylangtry

Yes the plot does thickens,

But the fact remains that Kevin Pirolo is the only one receiving any concrete medical results over at his and Aarons forum esm.org...that there is no PATHS.SA, it's them...that there's no millions of instructions....conn...

I think if you all looked within honestly as I did you'd find that you and only you have been your own PATHS.

Lots of people have publicly stated on lots of forums the wonderful results that they are having with PATHS and I guess they will not even if they were to examine the results honestly to themselves that they have been duped,they'll lose too much face and it's hard to admit publicly that you've been duped.I don't know about you joylangtry or the results you've been having but you sound like a sensible woman.Did your wrinkles go?Did your diabetes go?Did your thyroid disease go?This is concrete evidence .Not...... I feel so fabulous,,,I feel so calm....I love everyone...these are just generalisations and I don't mean to trivalize anyones results but all those results can be had by just being elated and oh so wanting PATHS to work...combine elation with Spirulina and you have results even physical as I had when I first started PATHS.

The fact remains that Kevin is Scott Pendleton you know that welcome letter from Scott is Kevin.....a lie .Kevin has stated on this forum that he is an affiliate but he is the instigator of this PATHS mess etc,etc,etc,.
I could go on and on but why bother I have been true to myself and I feel good I'm not looking for that elusive bubble I just wanted to look good.

All I can say is I didn't refer anyone to PATHS and I'm so thankful I didn't cause than I would feel responsible that I also had perpetuated Kevin and Aarons fraud albeit unknowingly but nevertheless feathered their nest with others money.

I too have read that thread on the PI forum and in my opinion Micheal sounds sarcastic .If you read the letter properly the one by Micheal it states that they parted amicably .If you Joy do your research properly on Kevins past buddies you'll understand why Micheal wanted this thing amicable.Micheal is a nice man you can tell from his posts over at PI ....where are Kevins before PATHS was introduced?

At present when I read the thread over at esm.org site about the letter and the responses I shake my head in disbelief cause I can't belive they don't get it...Some are getting it and are distancing themselves quickly like taking the PATHS links off their web sites,sensible but others will go down fighting praising the lord or Sage One as one girl called him in that long PI thread,,,now that sounds like adoration and a following don't get me started on cults..........
Sorry its been a long thread but I really wanted you joylangtry to know that if you looked long and honestly at your results which I'm presuming you have received that you as a powerful manifestor have created all by yourself from within..bless you and good luck dear one...you are powerful.

[kinerkid]

Hi Holly,

Prior to Paths, I was diagnosed with Clinical Depression. I was on anti-depressants to help correct it. Now with the mood elevator, I am no longer clinically depressed or have any need of anti-depressants.

In the past, I have posted a lot about how much better I feel and how fabulous I feel and all that. Are you trying to tell me that I am "Generalizing" and that my results are not "measurable" because Paths eradicated my depression? That's like telling me my depression wasn't ever real. Is that what you are trying to say? I'm trying to understand where you are coming from. Maybe you are one of those people who doesn't believe in mental illness? If so, then your above post makes total sense and that's your belief which is fine. If not, please explain how I can better relate my results in a way that is "measurable" to you. I'd be most happy to oblige.

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by kinerkid

please explain how I can better relate my results in a way that is "measurable"

The results thread for PATHS has already been closed so this isn't really the right place to discuss program results.

The main concern I see here is whether the organizational structure of the company behind PATHS merits having any faith in their product, and whether this type of company is one that people should pay money into to support.

What someone choses to support with their money is a personal choice based on many factors. There are some good testamonials about the PATHS product itself as well as some evidence showing that the company backing PATHS may be an intentionally misleading organization setup to earn money strictly from subject expectancy.

Either way, this is a personal development forum. We simply aren't structured to properly investigate the way PATHS is ran or the internal workings or intentions of company leadership. Maybe its a case for The Bloodhound Gang, or a state attorney general, but not for StevePavlina.com.

I'm going to go ahead and close this thread out, as everyone should have enough information to be able to make an informed choice.