Episode 79: Roberta Blevins MLM Whistleblower
March 1 Episode 79: Roberta Blevins MLM Whistleblower
Roberta Blevins is a former member of a Multi-Level-Marketing (MLM) scam known as LuLaRue. The similarities between MLM’s and cults are legion. Peer pressure. Information control. Even Fair Game tactics. Roberta discusses her experiences and her work today as a whistleblower against what she calls “Commercial Cults.” Roberta was featured in the Amazon Prime doc LuLaRich.
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Amazon Prime LuLaRich
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Steve Hassan's BITE model
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Roberta's TikTok
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Roberta's Instagramas
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Life After MLM Podcast
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Life After MLM YouTube
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Roberta's website
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12 Comments
Please contact me asap as I was in Aruba last week and got some wacky footage of their ship.! Maybe something you’d like to see. I also tweeted you both on Twitter under friend’s name Denise Kimel.
Leah, let the woman talk.. you need to learn how to be a better listener
Love the show, though
Excuse me while I go in my backyard to burn my Lularoe leggings!!
This conversation was interesting. I’d never known about Scientology until watching the aftermath, and became fascinated with how insane it is. I’m watching the drop out on HBO max, and I’m sitting here wondering how she’s legally being held responsible for her scam, yet Scientology isn’t. I’m curious to know HOW these two scams would differ.
I’ve watched The Aftermath both on A&E and again on Netflix. I’ve also been listening to the Podcast. I think you both are wonderful people to be doing what you are doing to help people! I watched Going Clear today and am wondering at what level of the Bridge is Tom Cruise? Is he privy to the confidential information of Scientology? The Zenu information? I really think his ego is a lot of what keeps him in – since he’s practically worshipped. Here’s a really silly question but how tall is David Miscaviage? Tom Cruise is not tall at all but towers over him. I really hope that your efforts bring an end to the “churches” tax. exemption and ends the abuses that are going on.
Again, I think you both are amazing in what you are doing to expose the truth. Thank you!
This was a very interesting episide because of the MLM angle. Thank you for branching out so that we learn about cults we may not be aware of.
Currently, I am listening to the Wondery Twin Flames podcast. I even found a Vanity Fair article from December 2020 related to this cult. I think that devoting one episode might help others learn about this cult that is manipulating people’s pursuit of love and happines.
I have learned about Scientology by reading or watching different content. I found your podcast and have listened to each episode. I think it is important to be informed about cults and how they operate.
I thank you and your team for the podcast and all the hard work you all put in.
Mike and Leah thanks for another fantastic episode!
MLMs are toxic and prey primarily on woman. They are the worst!
Also thanks for introducing Roberta’s podcast, I started it from episode 1 and she does not disappoint.
Idea for future content: could you guys delve into the murky/cult-y/scam-y world of crypto!?
A couple of good podcasts have already done (“The Missing Crypto Queen” marries crypto with MLM; and “The Exit Scam” covers a crypto scammer that may or may not have faked his own death).
Anyway I would LOVE to hear your guys take on the topic. Especially I want to hear Leah be like “what in the f%#*” when she hears about Jerry Cotten and his “death.”
I’m a HUGE fan, this is like my third time commenting on the blog. I just love you guys so much and I think you are doing humanity’s work.
I love you guys so much and everything you represent. However I was so disappointed with this episode. The fact that there was a correlation drawn between leaving an MLM and a cult is just so appalling. I have left MLM and I grew up I what would some consider a cult-like church. Lea, would you consider your fair-game retaliation the same as some one blocking you on FaceBook?? Mike, would you consider your musical chair game the same as getting moldy leggings from the company you work for? You have had Jonestown survivors on your podcast; how do you think they would feel about their experience being compared to a housewife loosing a couple thousand dollars and some friends in the name of clothes? Let just get some perspective before we start demanding therapy and comparing MLM to things like WACO, Scientology and FLdS. Love you guys anyways but please, not the same by any stretch.
Hi Leah and Mike: I am going to correct something that Roberta shared. She stated Mary Kay in the multi level marketing, this is incorrect. Mary Kay is a dual Market system and many women have moved up and made money, the reason this company is still around and strong is because there is no lie and everything is above board. I was a part of this system and it is a good system. I left because I am not a good sales person. But I continue to use the products and have for 20 plus years.
But I did have a friend whom sold this clothing line and she ended up quitting because it was not a good company. Thank you for giving people a platform to share.
Thank you for doing this episode. Folks believe cults are just religious or para-religious, but organizations like this are so predatory.
Watched LulaRich tonight and tried not to feel bad about the leggings I was wearing. I remember my parents being invited to an Amway pitch in the 70s. They were both like “absolutely no way”, thankfully. I have a friend who is involved with IT Works, and I now see her social media product and recruiting posts in a whole new light. The hard part is some of these companies sell products people like. Not sure how I feel about drinking the IT Works coffee while wearing my LLR leggings. It’s kind of an ethical dilemma for consumers.
This episode was such a pleasure to listen to! (especially for me, a big fan of this podcast and Roberta’s as well)
Forgive me for repeating points you made in the episode, but as I listen to both podcasts I’ve been so struck by these things:
The ability of both scientology and MLMs to extract money from their participants at every turn is impressive. Scientology charges for their so-called services, which would be offered for free in a regular faith community, and carries endless other charges, and then insists on large “donations” as well. MLMs charge for large meetings and conventions, which your company would pay for you to attend if you were working at a regular job, encourage participants to buy way more product than they will be able to sell, and finds endless other ways to extract money as long as the participant still has any. In both, all problems can supposedly be solved by giving more money and time to the organization.
Also a striking similarity is the way that (1) everything good that happens to you is down to the organization, and (2) anything bad that happens is your fault. You have double incentive to present your life as perfect — to avoid being blamed for stuff, and to aid in recruiting new people.
Anyway, thanks for the great education and the very entertaining episode.