Blindness and Death
with Impunity?
Master's Miracle New Formula
By
Ron Lee
Investigative Reporter
Minneapolis,
MN - Master's Miracle is a multi-level marketing company based
out of Maple Grove, MN whose product slogan is, "Natural, Simple
Solutions for a Healthier Body and Mind." According to their web
site they produce, "safe, nontoxic, natural soaps, skin moisturizer,
gel and deodorants" as well as a "Fortified Mineral Neutralizer,
which provides essential minerals and helps balance your body's pH."
These products were originally sold to Master's Miracle for distribution
by Clayton Tedeton the creator of the products. In January, 2004 Master's
Miracle decided to manufacturer their own similar product line, as it
would be more profitable for the company. Unfortunately, they neglected
to initially tell their distributors and those buying the products that
they were doing this. It wasn't until April, 2004 that they announced
they were making their own products.
Soon after the
products' formulas changed in January, 2004 people started complaining
of negative effects, as well as of products contaminated with what appeared
to be black mold or fungus. While Master's Miracle responded by exchanging
tainted products with new ones, they denied any change in formula and
withheld the fact of the production change for several months from their
own distributors.
One of their key
products, The Master's Miracle Fortified Mineral Neutralizer, claims
to be energized to make the minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium
more readily available for cell storage. The Neutralizer is said to
bolster the immune system and according to literature out on many distributors
web sites, aid in fighting many illnesses including cancer. Prior to
Master's Miracle manufacturing the Neutralizer in-house, the product
was hailed as miraculous and many success stories poured in spurring
the successful business opportunity and exploding growth of the company.
When the formula was changed, those who were successfully fighting their
ailments allegedly became more ill, and in some purported cases, died.
The allegations
of death have not at this point been conclusively linked to the Master's
Miracle products, as doctors have been unwilling to give up medical
records and documents. The fact remains that these individuals who had
been successfully fighting their personal disorders deteriorated rapidly
once Master's Miracle changed their formula. As in the case of 79 year
old Adie Wickers of Seattle who suffered from advanced arthritis and
began using the Master's Miracle products prior to the change in formula.
She recalled, “It took away the pain and then they changed it.
The pain came back quickly, and it felt like I was going to be crippled.”
She said she kept asking her up line why she hurt so badly. No one could
respond. Shortly thereafter the distributors received notice of the
formula change. She realized the degradation of her condition was a
direct result of being on the new formula for a period of almost two
months before she was told it was a different product. She then found
a source for the original product and stopped using Master's Miracle
altogether. She proudly exclaims that she is currently pain free and
no longer limps.
With many complaints
like Adie Wickers' being filed some of the main distributors became
quite concerned and launched an investigation of their own. With an
administrative insider they were given many fascinating facts of allegedly
unethical behavior. For instance, while Master's Miracle purchased its
products in 55 gallon drums from Clayton Tedeton and bottled it themselves,
workers were ordered to add up to 10 gallons of water to each drum to
further monetize the profitability of the products. When the formula
was changed, the original product bottles and labels were still used
with the new products.
The Distributors
became uneasy and questioned Mike Schlegel, founder/CEO of Master's
Miracle, and soon they found themselves summarily dismissed and stripped
of their down-lines (distributors & retail clients in their organization
from whom they make money) under the guise that they were cross-recruiting
by telling people that the original product was no longer available,
and there were serious issues with the current product line.
One such distributor
was Dave Greer who had once been presented the coveted Top Sales Award
from Master's Miracle. “I told them they needed to do a recall,
or I'm out.” Schlegel refused and it cost Greer $40 thousand dollars
to walk away from the business. At one point Greer was doing a television
show in regard to the Master's Miracle products being reformulated and
possibly tainted. Schlegel threatened to sue him. When that didn’t
work, Schlegel offered him his downline (revenue stream) back. When
Greer wouldn't accept the offer, Mike Schlegel asked, “How can
you walk away from the money?”
What transpired
after the distributors were excised from the company was a lengthy legal
battle waged by Master's Miracle to keep the ex-distributors muzzled
and from contacting any other existing distributors. With affidavits
from many active distributors and product users the ex-distributors
were victorious and defeated the Master's Miracle preliminary injunction.
But it didn't end
there. Master's Miracle filed a new motion citing several inconsistencies
in a law quoted by the defendants, as well as, taking evidence of a
settlement agreement which according to the ex-distributors was "nothing
like we had agreed to in our settlement hearing." On May 17, 2005,
with this new "evidence" the Utah Northern Division US District
Judge, Dale A. Kimball, reversed his previous decision awarding, "Plaintiff's
(Master's Miracle) Motion for Order Enforcing Settlement and Granting
Entry of Final Judgment for Permanent Injunction." In his written
discussion of the case, Judge Kimball wrote, "...the court orders
that the preliminary injunction entered in this case shall be considered
and made a permanent injunction, and all pending motions to dismiss
claims and counterclaims are denied as moot."
Since the injunction,
took effect Master's Miracle has admitted that their own manufactured
Neutralizer product line does indeed contain bacteria that could pose
a possible risk. But, that risk is down-played in the company health
alert. This admission was spurred by the Canadian Government’s
stern warning to its public that Master's Miracle products are not to
be sold in Canada. Health Canada warned:
"... Canadians
not to use 'Master's Miracle Fortified Mineral Neutralizer.'
Health Canada's
analysis of a sample of this product found that the 'Master's Miracle
Fortified Mineral Neutralizer' was contaminated with harmful bacteria
including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter cloacae.
Health Canada
has been working with the company, which is unable to provide Health
Canada with evidence to support the safety of their other health products.
As a result, Health Canada cannot be sure that other products by The
Master's Miracle do not contain these harmful bacteria.
Using products
that contain these harmful bacteria may result in serious adverse reactions
or death. Adverse health reactions can include infection of cuts and
scrapes, a body rash from topical exposure or respiratory infections
if consumed, particularly in people with a weakened immune system from
other diseases. Children may be more sensitive to these effects than
adults."
To understand the
implications of the company's admission to producing tainted products
you have to understand the bacteria itself. In Todar's Online Textbook
of Bacteriology:
"Pseudomonas
aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen, meaning that it exploits some
break in the host defenses to initiate an infection. It causes urinary
tract infections, respiratory system infections, dermatitis, soft tissue
infections, bacteremia, bone and joint infections, gastrointestinal
infections and a variety of systemic infections, particularly in patients
with severe burns and in cancer and AIDS patients who are immunosuppressed.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is a serious problem in patients hospitalized
with cancer, cystic fibrosis, and burns. The case fatality rate in these
patients is 50 percent."
While Health Canada
has stepped up and issued a broad alert, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
has not. The US~Observer has obtained information that the FDA has indeed
tested the Master's Miracle product and has come to the same conclusion;
it does contain the harmful Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. But the
FDA's only warning has come on their web site in the form of reprinting
the Master's Miracle Health Alert:
"The
Master's Miracle Issues Nationwide Health Alert Against Applying Their
Products to the Eyes
Contact: Steve
Manske (763) 493-3200
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE -- Minneapolis, MN -- May 18, 2005 -- The Master's Miracle (TMM)
company of Minneapolis, Minn., is alerting the public against applying
the company's TMM brand Fortified Mineral Neutralizer and Ultra Fortified
Mineral Neutralizer to the eyes because these products may be contaminated
with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas flourescens/putida and Enterobacter
cloacae -- bacteria that, if applied to the eyes, might lead to serious
injury, including possible blindness. The products are labeled as a
Dietary Supplement and distributed nationwide in 8 oz., 20 oz. and one-gallon
size containers.
It has come
to FDA's attention that certain TMM distributors are actively promoting
these products for ophthalmic use (in the eyes), including treatment
for cataracts and allergy symptoms. FDA requires that all ophthalmic
products be sterile. TMM products are not sterile and should not be
applied to the eyes. TMM has agreed with FDA that, in the future, its
distributors must use only company-approved marketing materials and
claims for product use for its family of products. In addition, TMM
will require its distributors to cease distribution or use of, and destroy
any and all marketing materials that make claims for ophthalmic use
of the Fortified Mineral Neutralizer and Ultra Fortified Mineral Neutralizer
products.
TMM's mission
is to offer natural, synthetic-free products, and the company's foremost
concern is the well-being of its consumers. TMM is working with a well-known,
independent laboratory and an expert from the University of Minnesota
to identify the source of these bacteria and eliminate them.
Consumers with
questions are asked to call The Master's Miracle at (763) 493-3200 for
information."
According to the
announcement the company claims that, "certain TMM distributors
are actively promoting these products for ophthalmic use," but
according to evidence gathered by the US~Observer, Master's Miracle's
own company marketing literature made those claims and distributors
were just passing on the information they were given by the company.
In an internal Master's Miracle announcement, "This is to inform
you that marketing materials containing eye application usage are being
recalled. We are alerting our distributors to not use The Master's Miracle
Fortified Mineral Neutralizer and Ultra Fortified Mineral Neutralizer
in the eyes since these products may be contaminated with Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, Pseudomonas flourescens/putida and Enterobacter cloacae
bacteria, which if applied to the eyes may lead to serious injury including
possible blindness. And, we are requiring our distributors to destroy
any inventory of marketing materials that contain statements or any
reference to the use of the Neutralizer products in the eyes."
The recall list
of the company approved marketing materials is quite extensive and directly
invalidates their claim that it was a few certain distributors promoting
ophthalmic use.
One of the Master's
Miracle Triple Diamond distributors during a live conference call on
June 7, 2005 offered the following overview of events for the call-in
audience:
“To give
you the history of what has happened, about six months ago a top distributor
in our company was terminated for misconduct. There were some things
done that were against the company by-laws, and he didn't take this
very well. We take the position that what was done was done in all fairness
to protect the other distributors in this company. We could not go on
like that. So he made the comment at the time that he would do anything
he could to bring this company down and he's doing a pretty good job.
There have been letters sent to the FDA, to Canada Health and the remarks
are not truthful, but I can tell you that for the last four months the
FDA has watched the Master's Miracle with a magnifying glass because
of some accusations and all they are is an accusation … One thing
we want on our calls is factual information that is coming from the
company and from real sources and that is why we wanted to bring this
information to you tonight.”
With various labs
all testing the products and coming to the same conclusions, and the
company itself alerting people to a potential health risk because it
knows of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa risk, it sure doesn't lend credence
to the company's promotion of a lone, renegade, disgruntled, ex-distributor
making waves through accusation. The evidence is there and obvious.
There are health risks with Master's Miracle products.
As one MLMer commented,
"One thing is for sure, as with all money-making home-based business
opportunities it is important to completely do your due-diligence in
researching the products you will be representing, especially when the
company is issuing its own health alerts for its products and there
are claims of illness and death as a result of their use. To me, it
sounds like a bad business investment."
Editor's
Note: This is an on-going investigation which will turn its focus on
the owners of Master's Miracle, their past business dealings and criminal
records, further documentation of FDA tests, and medical documentation
backing claims that these products should not be marketed to the public.
We ask that anyone who may have information to please contact the US~Observer
by calling 541-474-7885.
Sign-up
for our free e-mail News Flash Alerts!
Subscribe
Me!