Paul Orberson dead at 57, best known for his pyramid scheme FHTM

English: Paul Orberson speaking at a convention. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Paul Orberson, controversial head of Fortune High Tech Marketing (FHTM), is dead at age of 57 from his kidney cancer, diagnosed in 2003, as reported by the Kentuckian.

Orberson start out humbly and went to college on a baseball scholarship, before eventually returning to his hometown as a high school basketball coach. During that time, he started doing Excel Communications that sell long distance phone service through MLM. He claimed that after doing Excel for 4 years he made a million dollars and retired to Florida in 1996. but boredom drove him to start a new company in 2001... Fortune High Tech Marketing. He signed up a couple famous companies such as Cingular (now AT&T Wireless) and GE Security in order to offer their products, and 12 people paid $299 to join. A month later, sales force grew to 1200 (each of whom paid $299). From there the company grew very quickly across the US, Canada, and UK.

In 2003, Orberson was diagnosed with kidney cancer but apparently forced it into remission.

Over the years, FHTM was charged by several states such as Texas, Montana, and North Carolina as pyramid schemes, and settled with each with fines and promises to reform certain practices.

English: Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing, Inc. (FHTM) Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That came to an abrupt end in January 2013 when the Federal Trade Commission, along with multiple states, including his home state of Kentucky, brought suit and killed the company as a pyramid scheme. Later audits revealed that while Orberson and his top lieutenants shared over 40 million in profits average ANNUAL commission of a typical FHTM affiliate is about 1000 dollars (not counting expenses).



The Federal case against FHTM is still pending where FHTM reps are still in settlement talks with the FTC lawyers. Next court report is due on December 10th, 2013. Is it not known at this time if Orberson's death will affect the settlement talk.

Orberson was rather fondly remembered in Kentucky, being a generous man who donated to various causes in the state. He is survived by wife and 2 sons.

http://www.kentucky.com/2013/12/05/2971591/paul-orberson-ex-coach-who-made.html

Orberson was well known for blaming everybody else for FHTM's problems. When interviewed for various problems in Texas in previous years, he blamed "overzealous reps". Various "misunderstanding" by officials was also implied but not stated. You can find such news reports online.

The class action lawsuit against FHTM is still pending.

FHTM also brought us "Joe Isaacs", whose adventures can fill a book... and there was such as book... written by Joe Isaacs. A former FHTM affiliate, he created some Internet tools and forums for FHTM affiliates, only to see FHTM squash it with trademark infringement suit, which he lost, and he transformed himself into a self-proclaimed anti-FHTM crusader and tried to claim credit to FHTM's demise. Last time we heard about Joe Isaacs, he just helped suspect ponzi scheme TelexFree obtain a telecom license in the US.