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In 2003, ex-con turned fraud buster Barry Minkow delivered a report to regulators suggesting that MX Factors LLC was engaging in a $39 million fraud. Later that year, MX Factors collapsed when the California Department of Corporations shut it down on the ground that it was operating an illegal Ponzi scheme -- paying off earlier investors with money acquired from later investors.

According (subscription required) to The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Minkow more recently helped law enforcement find mastermind Richard Harkliss, who had fled to Mexico. He was arrested in Arizona while visiting relatives.

The report Minkow prepared on MX Factors is not unlike the one he put together on Usana Health Sciences (NASDAQ: USNA), the multi-level marketing company he has accused of operating an illicit pyramid scheme.

Here's an interesting quote from a recent Forbes piece on Usana:

"Why would anybody take this guy seriously?" Usana spokesman Joseph Poulos said Tuesday. "What is he an expert on? He isn't a forensic accountant. He just committed one very large crime once."

MX Factors is the latest in a string of more than $1 billion in fraud uncovered by Minkow, and that doesn't even include Usana Health Sciences (although you could make a strong case it should).

Rather than rebuking claims made in Minkow's report, Usana has chosen to go the ad hominem route -- focusing on Minkow's criminal past. One can only hope that they will have the fairness to also remind investors of Minkow's stellar track record as a fraud investigator. I somehow doubt they will.

More USANA Health Sciences news

Kevin Kelly: "Heard on the Street" knocks USANA
Zac Bissonnette: Oh snap! Barry Minkow fires back at Usana Health Sciences
Zac Bissonnette: Forbes slams Usana Health Sciences (USNA)
Zac Bissonnette: NZ National Business Review slams USANA Health Sciences (USNA)
Zac Bissonnette: USANA has a product, so it's not a pyramid scheme?
Zac Bissonnette: Is Baghdad Bob working for USANA Health Sciences?
Zac Bissonnette: Is Usana selling vitamins, a pyramid scheme, or an illegal tax shelter?

Authorities charge head of MX Factors with fraud originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 Sep 2007 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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