Here’s My Defense!

Here is what we filed today with the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in my defense to the charge of criminal contempt. Read this and see for yourself. You may also read the emails by clicking here.

Here is what I filed yesterday about my request from the court to allow me to travel.

And here is the new order and new schedule of events. It shows who will be defending the court’s order.

Bottom line is no decision will be reached on this until after the 18th of March.

The Kevin Trudeau Show: 2-24-10

Today, Kevin explains who really controls the mainstream media outlets and gives you detailed proof that they are deceiving the public, especially with his court proceedings. Plus, find out how high fructose corn syrup is like crack cocaine!

Take Trudeau on the Go! Click here to download this show to your iPod, mp3 player, or PC through iTunes!


Click below to hear The Kevin Trudeau Show RIGHT NOW!!!

Infomercial King Kevin Trudeau Avoids Jail — For Now, At Least

February 18, 2010

MyFoxChicago.com

Informercial and Internet health “cures” pitchman Kevin Trudeau won’t go to jail on Thursday.

An appeals court granted Trudeau’s emergency appeal Thursday and said it will hear it next week.

Trudeau appealed after a federal judge in Chicago ordered him to surrender this afternoon to serve a 30-day jail sentence for criminal contempt of court for urging supporters to flood the judge with e-mails.

Trudeau filed his appeal Wednesday night after U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman sentenced him to 30 days in prison after previously finding Trudeau in direct criminal contempt of court.

That finding came after Trudeau supporters deluged the judge with 300 e-mails , locking up Gettleman’s e-mail system and shutting down his BlackBerry for part of the day last week.

“This was an attempt by Mr. Trudeau to harass, intimidate and influence the court,” Gettleman said.

He said Trudeau posted the judge’s e-mail address online and asked listeners of his radio show and those who visit his Web site to e-mail Gettleman. Gettleman said Trudeau falsely told listeners the judge wanted to burn all of his books and fine him tens of millions of dollars.

Gettleman is presiding over a civil case filed by the Federal Trade Commission involving deceptive ads for a Trudeau weight-loss book.

Trudeau’s lawyers argued in their appeal that the jail sentence went too far. “Mr Trudeau still must suffer the ‘dark stain’ of a criminal conviction for what at worst was a foolish mistake,” the lawyers told the higher court.

Click here for the full report.

Pitchman Kevin Trudeau Sentenced to 30 Days

February 17, 2010

MyFoxChicago.com

Infomercial pitchman Kevin Trudeau has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for unleashing a flood of e-mails that crashed a federal judge’s computer.

Judge Robert Gettleman imposed the sentence Wednesday, saying the e-mails amounted to a deliberate attack on the court. However, he ruled Trudeau may remain free for 24 hours while his lawyers appeal.

Gettleman is presiding over a lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission which says Trudeau’s ads for a weight loss book have been deceptive.

The e-mails from Trudeau’s supporters flooded Gettleman’s computer last week after the pitchman used his Web site and a radio broadcast to urge fans to contact the judge.

Click here for the full report.

Trudeau gets 30 days for crashing judge’s computer

February 17, 2010

By Mike Robinson, Associated Press

A federal judge in Chicago who was barraged by e-mails from supporters of best-selling author and infomercial pitchman Kevin Trudeau has sentenced Trudeau to 30 days in jail and fined him $50,000.

Judge Robert Gettleman gave Trudeau 24 hours to appeal the Wednesday sentence. The judge told Trudeau and his attorneys to be back in court Thursday.

Marshals will take Trudeau into custody at that time unless the appeals judges order he remain free.

Gettleman once ruled Trudeau was deceptive in ads for the book “The Weight Loss Cure ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About.”

Trudeau admits urging visitors to his Web site last week to contact Gettleman. He later posted an apology saying they should not attempt to contact the judge or court further.

Click here for the full report.

Appeals court stays infomercial pitchman’s jailing

February 18, 2010

Chicago Tribune

Associated Press

CHICAGO – Author and infomercial pitchman Kevin Trudeau won’t have to go to jail immediately for unleashing a wave of e-mails that crashed a federal judge’s computer.

A federal appeals panel on Thursday stayed the 30-day criminal contempt sentence U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman imposed after Trudeau’s supporters bombarded his computer with e-mails last week.

Hundreds of e-mails locked up the computer after Trudeau urged his supporters to contact the judge.

Gettleman is presiding over a court fight between Trudeau and the Federal Trade Commission.

The appeals court gave no reason for the stay but granted it on the condition that Trudeau not do anything to generate more e-mails.

Click here for the full report

Kevin Trudeau held in criminal contempt, facing jail time

February 11, 2010

Chicago Sun Times

By Natasha Korecki

Kevin Trudeau, the slick, silver-tongued infomercial king and best-selling author amassed a fortune over years of persistent, late-night hawking.

This week, he made the wrong sales pitch.

Trudeau was found in criminal contempt of court Thursday and nearly had handcuffs slapped on him after he asked his supporters to email the federal judge overseeing a pending civil case brought against him by the Federal Trade Commission.

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman said he was flooded with hundreds of “harassing, threatening and interfering” emails, locking up the judge’s email system and shutting down his Blackberry for part of the day.

“This is direct contempt — that’s how I view it,” Gettleman said. “He interfered with the direct process of the court.”

Gettleman hauled Trudeau into court a day after he posted a message on his Web site with his appeal. Gettleman ordered Trudeau to turn over his passport, pay $50,000 bond and warned he could face future prison time.

Gettleman, on his own authority, can sentence Trudeau to up to six months in prison. In addition, the judge referred the matter and the emails to the U.S. Marshals Service, which investigates threats to judiciary.

“This is the first time we are addressing an email blast or something that’s disrupted the court’s email system,” said Acting U.S. Marshal John O’Malley.

Trudeau, who also hosts his own radio show and has served prison time for credit card fraud, appeared in court tanned and tieless, wearing a black mock turtleneck and navy blue suit coat.

Trudeau, who has a residence in Hinsdale, refused to talk after court, even remaining silent when twice asked his age. He’s 47.

After being called on the carpet by the judge, he sent a follow-up email to his supporters telling them:

“That was a mistake. It was wrong to make that request,” Trudeau said. “Please do not under any circumstances communicate with the court or Judge Gettleman.”

“I don’t have confidence in your client,” Gettleman told Trudeau’s lawyer. “I do insist that, if he is to avoid custody today, he post bond.”

The Federal Trade Commission has labeled Trudeau a fraud and got a court order in 2004 to curtail his business.

Trudeau has sold millions of books, in part with the pitch that the government is trying to keep him from telling dieters the truth with his “The Weight-Loss Cure They Don’t Want You to Know About,” which has become a best-seller.

Gettleman previously has banned Trudeau from making infomercials for three years, fined him more than $5 million, then raised that fine to more than $37 million — the amount the FTC figured Trudeau made on the book via his infomercials. An appeals court said the ruling was too broad and sent it back to the judge. Gettleman was still weighing the matter when he was deluged with emails Wednesday.

Trudeau has pitched miracle health cures, also saying the government wants to keep the public from knowing about natural remedies.

In a recent on-air radio broadcast, Trudeau talks about wanting to land a TV show. If Fox gave him the chance, he said he’d be: “Bigger than O’Reilly. Bigger than Glenn Beck.”

Stephen Barrett, the creator of Quackwatch.org, has for years labeled Trudeau a fraud.

“He struck me as somebody who (believes he) is omnipotent. That is, no one can touch him,” Barrett said. “That’s almost been the case.”

Click here for the full report

Infomercial king Trudeau gets 30 days in prison

February 17, 2010

Chicago Sun Times

By Natasha Korecki

TV pitchman Kevin Trudeau, known as the infomercial king and best-selling author, was ordered by a federal judge to serve 30 days in prison and must turn himself in tomorrow.

“This was an attempt by Mr. Trudeau to harass, intimidate and influence the court,” said U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman, who was flooded with hundreds of “harassing, threatening and interfering” emails, locking up the judge’s email system and shutting down his Blackberry for part of the day.

Last week, Gettleman found Trudeau in criminal contempt of court and nearly threw him in jail after Trudeau asked his supporters to email a federal judge overseeing a pending civil case brought by the Federal Trade Commission.

The deeply-tanned Trudeau, who wouldn’t talk in court when given the opportunity, said after his hearing he believed it was a freedom of speech issue.

Asked if he had anything to say after Gettleman’s ruling Trudeau said: “I wish I could. I’ll have a lot to say on my radio show when I get out,” he said. “This is a First Amendment issue … I was exercising my First Amendment right.”

His lawyer then told him not to answer any more questions.

As Trudeau walked up Dearborn Street outside the courthouse, a woman in a fur coat shouted: “Hey, isn’t that the guy who wrote all the books? Let’s follow him.”

Trudeau’s lawyer, Kimball Anderson, said he would file an emergency appeal with the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and expected his client to be released.

Anderson argued that Gettleman couldn’t find his client in direct contempt because the offense didn’t happen in the courtroom.

“Mr Trudeau has committed no crime; he has violated no statute; and he has violated no court order,” Anderson said. “He believes that he was simply exercising his First Amendment rights and was permissibly encouraging others to do the same.”

But Gettleman said the world has changed because of technology and that having supporters email the judge was a disruption to the court. Reading from a transcript of a radio show where Trudeau asks his supporters to contact the judge, Gettleman said the pitchman was deceptive, wrongly telling his audience the judge sought to burn all his books.

Gettleman has now found Trudeau in contempt of court three times. He called him “undeterrable.”

“I can count the number of people I’ve held in contempt on one hand and three of those fingers have Kevin Trudeau’s name on them,” said Gettleman.

Click here for the full report.

Infomercial king Kevin Trudeau avoids jail — for now, at least

February 18, 2010

Chicago Sun Times

By Natasha Korecki

Infomercial and Internet health “cures” pitchman Kevin Trudeau showed up to federal court today tieless, beltless and wearing slip-on shoes.

He was dressed for jail, he said, and prepared ahead of time so he didn’t have to bother turning over his belt or walk around in a federal lockup wearing shoes with no laces.

But about 30 minutes before he was to surrender in response to a federal judge’s order, a higher court granted Trudeau’s emergency appeal.

Last night, Trudeau made a bid to the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals after U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman told him Wednesday that he had to start serving a 30-day criminal contempt of court sentence today. Gettleman found Trudeau to be in direct contempt of court after the best-selling author who has a radio show, had supporters flood Gettleman with e-mails about his pending civil case.

“I’m very happy to be going home tonight,” Trudeau said. “I think once the smoke has cleared I will be vindicated.”

Trudeau has previously done prison time for credit card fraud.

Trudeau’s lawyer, Kimball Anderson, argued that his client’s actions did not amount to a direct contempt of court violation — which usually is an offense that happens right in front of a judge in a courtroom. Finding Trudeau in direct contempt of court means Gettleman on his own can sentence Trudeau with no hearing. Anderson said he will ask the higher court to decide the level of violation.

Since 2003, Gettleman has presided over a civil case filed by the Federal Trade Commission involving deceptive ads for a Trudeau weight-loss book. Gettleman said Trudeau repeatedly deceived the public and flouted the court’s rules, leading to three contempt findings by the judge.

“This was an attempt by Mr. Trudeau to harass, intimidate and influence the court,” Gettleman said.

He said Trudeau posted the judge’s e-mail address online and asked listeners of his radio show and those who visit his Web site to e-mail Gettleman. Gettleman said Trudeau falsely told listeners the judge wanted to burn all of his books and fine him tens of millions of dollars.

Trudeau’s lawyers argued in their appeal that the jail sentence went too far.

“Mr Trudeau still must suffer the ‘dark stain’ of a criminal conviction for what at worst was a foolish mistake,” the lawyers told the higher court.

Click here for the full report.

Infomercial Pitchman Kevin Trudeau Gets 30 Days In Jail For Contempt

February 22, 2010

Business Insider

By Lauren Streib

Kevin Trudeau, the infomercial king, was sentenced to 30 days in jail for contempt of court today.

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman was annoyed last week when Trudeau asked fans to e-mail the judge to plea for his mercy. According to the Chicago Tribune, Gettleman viewed it as a security threat after thousands of responses disabled his Blackberry and computer.

Trudeau will have to report to jail tomorrow and forfeit the $50,000 bond he posted last week.

The Federal Trade Commission filed a civil lawsuit against Trudeau for using deceptive practices. In that case, Gettleman found him in contempt to the tune of $37 million.

Click here for the full report

Next Page »