TelAmeriCorp

TelAmeriCorp was a multi-level marketing company based in the United States that operated primarily in the energy and energy-related products market. The company claimed to market and sell oil and gas products, including lubricants and home heating oil, through its network of independent distributors.

Founded in the 1970s, TelAmeriCorp expanded rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s, recruiting thousands of distributors across the US. The company's business model was based on the multi-level marketing approach, where distributors earn commissions not only from their own sales but also from the sales of others they recruit to join the business.

In the early 2000s, TelAmeriCorp faced controversy and regulatory scrutiny over its business practices. Critics accused the company of operating an illegal pyramid scheme, as many distributors were encouraged to recruit more people than they could sell products to, focusing on recruiting rather than selling products. Some former distributors also alleged that the company made exaggerated income claims, leading some to invest large sums of money in the business.

The company was eventually shut down by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2004, leading to dozens of lawsuits from distributors and regulatory actions against its executives. The shutdown followed investigations by regulators in several states and a lawsuit filed by the FTC.