BIZZIBIZ: Infomercial Huckster Don LaPre Dies in Prison

Don Lapre, the Phoenix-based infomercial pitchman, was found dead in his cell  at a federal-contract facility just 2 days before his trial on fraud charges linked to his vitamin-selling business.


According to Matt Hershey, supervisory deputy U.S. Marshal, Lapre was found about 8:30 a.m., unresponsive in an apparent suicide.

[Also read:  BIZZIBIZ: VP Don LaPre 2nd Exec Indicted for Fraud  August 1, 2011]

Officials would not say how Lapre may have killed himself. 

According to an Arizona Republic story:

“Previously, the U.S. Department of Justice stated Lapre may have suffered from anxiety and depression and warned that he may have had suicidal thoughts…

"We are not yet releasing how he might have injured himself.

”Lapre was wanted by law enforcement after he failed to appear at his U.S. District Court arraignment in June on 41 counts of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, promotional money laundering and transactional money laundering. A federal grand jury indicted Lapre on fraud-related charges for promoting his vitamin-selling business, Greatest Vitamin in the World of Phoenix. The indictments alleged that the business signed up 226,794 people who were promised lucrative commission checks for selling vitamins and recruiting others to the business.

“Customers and investors spent nearly $51.8 million, but only 5,000 victims were paid about $6.4 million in commission, according to a statement released in June by the U.S. Department of Justice. Lapre collected at least $2.2 million from the business from 2004 to 2007.”

UnhappyFranchisee.com has been following the Don LaPre saga as it unfolded because of LaPre’s connection to digital marketing franchise Bizzibiz and its affiliate Extreme Franchise Marketing.

Read more here:

BIZZIBIZ Franchise Founder Jim Piccolo Responds to Criticism  August 27, 2011

BIZZIBIZ Franchise, Youngevity & Dr. Joel Wallach  August 3, 2011

BIZZIBIZ: VP Don LaPre 2nd Exec Indicted for Fraud  August 1, 2011

BIZZIBIZ Franchise Founder Jim Piccolo Defrauded 105 Investors, Says AZ  July 17, 2011

BIZZIBIZ Suing Mr. Franchise Kevin B Murphy and Franchise Foundations PC  July 17, 2011

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

Contact the author or site admin at UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com

unhappyzee

View Comments

  • To bad Don didnt break out and come Terminate your fucking ass before killing himself you cocksuckers will write about anything on here just to get attention
    and still to this day not 1 person coming Forward saying they got screwed buying a Bizzibiz Franchise and thats the only Focus you should have had from day 1 but what do you expect from Lowlife douchebags to write about i guess

Recent Posts

DonutNV MultiUnit NC Franchisees Left the System. Not Disclosed?

DonutNV franchise owners who invested in multiple territories reportedly left the system in late 2023. …

8 hours ago

DonutNV 2nd Franchisee Daryl Poe Not Disclosed… Anywhere?

Daryl Poe was celebrated as DonutNV’s 2nd franchisee.  The local paper states that he operates…

1 week ago

DONUTNV Franchisee Mike Flowers Not Disclosed in FDDs?

I read a lot of Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs).  Most are pretty straightforward and make…

1 week ago

DonutNV Franchise Owners John & Dana Owens, Ocala, FL, Not Disclosed

In a video interview Franchise Sidekick celebrates their clients, John & Dana Owens, becoming DonutNV…

1 week ago

DONUTNV Franchise Owners Thomas & Rachelle Hughes Not Disclosed

DonutNV franchise owners, franchise locations and ownership transfers are normally included in a franchisor’s Franchise Disclosure…

1 week ago

DonutNV Franchisee Marc Schnobrich (Hilton Head, Savannah) May Have Left the System

Chiropractor Marc Schnobrich engaged the services of franchise broker Franchise Sidekick to find him a…

1 week ago