RED BULL Creative Concepts Vending Scam Ends in Prison Time
Creative Concepts of America (CCA) used the powerful Red Bull brand to successfully pull off a massive vending opportunity scam.
Correction: almost successfully.
Creative Concepts of America founder Andrew Levinson, as well as his phony shill references, Edward and Alan Perl, have scammed themselves into Federal prison.
UnhappyFranchisee.com exposed this vending scam 3 years ago.
In 2008, UnhappyFranchisee.com ran a series of 9 separate posts chronicling how Andrew Levinson’s Creative Concepts of America (CCA) duped trusting individuals out of their savings, often tens of thousands of dollars. Levinson’s firm convinced them they were getting in on a cutting edge vending opportunity backed by the powerhouse beverage brand Red Bull.
Read the victims stories, in their own words, here: Red Bull Vending Scam.
The story of the sentencing of the vending scammers was reported in Vending Times:
“FT. LAUDERDALE, FL — Combining the popularity of energy drinks with the chance of entering the vending industry could be a lucrative business opportunity scam. The owner of one such business from south Florida got 17-1/2 years behind bars for hoodwinking investors into buying Red Bull vending machines with the promise of making huge sales and profits.
“Andrew Levinson, founder of Lauderhill, FL-based Creative Concepts of America, received the hefty sentence in Fort Lauderdale on April 19. Edward and Alan Perl, two brothers who acted as references for Creative Concepts, were sentenced on the same day to 57 months and 41 months.
“South Florida’s Sun-Sentinel reported that Levinson, 41, was convicted in February on 16 counts of mail and wire fraud. The business-opportunity company, or biz-op in industry parlance, supposedly pulled in more than $22 million by promising aspiring vending operators who bought the machines that they could make huge profits by selling at least 20 cans a day. According to the paper, prosecutors said actual sales were closer to two cans a day. Levinson and his company got rich while investors lost their homes, life savings and more, prosecutors added.
“Approximately, 920 people nationwide bought the Creative Concepts vending machines. In a typical deal, about $21,000 bought five machines.
“As with many biz-op swindles, Levinson used phony references, who were paid to lie, to persuade investors…”
HAVE YOU BEEN A VICTIM OF THIS OR OTHER VENDING SCAMS OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FRAUD? SHARE YOUR STORY BELOW.
To contact the author or site admin, email: UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com
I was 1 of the 920 people. Sent in all the paperwork to the court about everything and was given court docket number of 10-CR-60183 out of Florida court. They kept me in touch during the trial, but as soon as they were convicted they left me out in the cold. Can’t find out if we are ever going to get our money back or what. Hoping to find someone on here that can help me. Like most, it ruined me financially and still hurting for money. I’m sure the government made money off it by the fines. We, the people, should be the first to receive money due! John Waggoner, Jacksonville, NC 28540.
John im in the same boat, did you ever hear anything?