USAMDT Joe Strom Franchise Warning 2015

UnhappyFranchisee.Com helped expose the franchise problems and allegations surrounding CEO Joe Strom and his USAMDT USA Mobile Drug Testing franchise opportunity.  Things got quiet after a mass franchisee defection, but a new franchise complaint indicates the drug testing franchise is as controversial as ever.

(UnhappyFranchisee.Com)  For a small franchise chain, USAMDT mobile drug testing sure has created a lot of ire with its franchisees.  Much of the anger seems to be directed at CEO Joe Strom and his legal actions against those who want to get out and as far away from the troubled system as possible.

Our advice to USAMDT and Mr. Strom:  Just let’m go, Joe!

According to a recent complaint from an anonymous former or current franchisee,  after it came out that the Item 19 Financial Performance Information provided in USAMDT’s Franchise Disclosure Document was  sketchier than a Willie Nelson pee test, Joe Strom offered remaining USAMDT franchisees a reduction in royalties in exchange for their signing of a legal release.

Here’s the message we received, along with an excerpt from the legal release (in italics):

Looks like Joe Strom and the boys at USA Mobile Drug Testing are at it again.

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UDSAMDT is embroiled in yet another franchise dispute. Can’t these guys get along with anyone? I guess not because Joe’s methodology is to hide behind an attorney for everything. Put out fraudulent financials in the franchise disclosure document and get caught?

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Call a lawyer and try to get everyone to sign releases that basically say we know you screwed us but it’s OK.

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People don’t ask for forgiveness (or releases) unless they have done something wrong. In the case of USAMDT, it must be something horribly wrong.……….just look below.

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… completely, irrevocably, and absolutely release and forever discharge, without limitation or reservation, Franchisor and its past, present, and future direct or indirect parent organizations, subsidiaries, divisions, affiliated entities and their owners, partners, officers, directors, trustees, administrators, fiduciaries, employment benefit plans and/or pension plans or funds, executors, attorneys, employees, insurers, reinsurers, and/or agents and their successors and assigns, individually and in their official capacities (collectively, the “Franchisor Parties”), from all claims, liabilities, allegations, demands, obligations, actions, suits, causes of action, debts, costs, expenses, and controversies, whether class, individual, or otherwise in nature, whenever and wherever incurred, whether known or unknown, whether vested or contingent, and from all liabilities of any nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, costs, expenses, penalties, and attorneys’ and accountants’ fees and costs, asserted or un-asserted, in law or in equity, that the Franchisee Parties or any of them, whether directly, representatively, derivatively, or in any other capacity, ever had or now have, or now owns or holds, or has at any time heretofore owned or held, or may at any time own or hold, against any of the Franchisor Parties, arising prior to and including the effective date, whether arising out of, or relating to, the Franchise Agreement, the Additional Agreements, or otherwise. No waiver, release, term or condition contained in this Amendment shall be construed to terminate, alter or otherwise change any provision of the Franchise Agreement, and said Franchise Agreement shall remain in effect.

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Am I reading this right? Whether known of unknown? Or may at any time own or hold? Does this mean that they can do anything they want in the future and get off the hook by claiming that it was something they had been doing all along and that people had already released them of any consequences?

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WOW!!!!!! Can anybody really trust these guys?

One of many hard lessons we’ve learned in life is this: If somebody screws us and we let them get away with it, they are going to do it again if we give them the opportunity.

Sure hope USAMDT’s lawyers get their money up front (which I’m sure is what their previous attorney’s wish they had done). Do you think it’s a coincidence that Joe has new lawyers every time they get involved in one of these disputes? Not only do they seem to always lose (we can get into that more next time), but they always have new lawyers so I wonder if it has something to do with payment as well as results. They have already been down this path before a few times with negative results and this time will be no different. What’s that old phrase?………..The definition of insanity is taking the same actions and expecting different results .

This dispute looks like it’s going to take a long time to resolve so we will have plenty of time to keep you up to date on all the latest atrocities coming out of Tampa. The longer this lasts the bigger the file we build to pass along to the offices of A. Lee Bentley, III. Don’t know who A. Lee Bentley, III is? I’ll bet the folks at USAMDT do. He’s the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. So every night these guys can go to sleep wondering if tomorrow is the day the indictments are handed down.

We’ve put on our Kevlar and our helmets. As always, the truth is our shield.

We don’t fully understand which disputes and/or investigations the commenter is referring to toward the end of the statement.

However, we can say with certainty that if you are considering a USAMDT mobile drug testing franchise you would do well to read all of our posts on the company and Joe Strom, and speak to as many current and (especially) former franchisees as possible.

We will email a request for comment or rebuttal from Mr. Strom and USAMDT, as we always do.

USA Mobile Drug Testing Issues & Warnings:

Franchise Warning Franchise Complaints

Franchise Questions for CEO Joe Strom

Franchise Complaints: CEO Joe Strom Responds

Franchisees Rebel, Cry Fraud Strom Spins Franchisee Defection

Franchisee Challenges CEO Joe Strom

Franchisees Complain to FTC

USA MOBILE DRUG TESTING Franchise Owner Warns of “Lies and Deceit”

RHINO7 Franchise Development Cashed in on USAMDT Says Franchisee

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH JOE STROM, USA MOBILE DRUG TESTING OR THE USAMDT FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY? PLEASE SHARE A COMMENT BELOW. Contact UnhappyFranchisee.com

 

Tags: drug testing franchise, Joe Strom, Joseph Strom, mobile drug testing, USA Mobile Drug Testing, USA Mobile Drug Testing complaints, USA Mobile Drug Testing franchise, USAMDT Franchise Disclosure Document, USAMDT FDD, Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD)