Lance said his office has filed assurances of voluntary compliance concluding the civil cases against Idaho residents Timothy and Laura Keppel of Meridian, Shallan and Quinten Bair of Eagle, and Dee Pickett of Caldwell. The agreements have been filed in Fourth District Court in Boise. In addition to providing full refunds, the five individuals agreed to immediately stop their participation in the Pit Stop and to refrain from participating in pyramid schemes in the future.
Pyramids are illegal because they inevitably collapse and many participants lose their money.
Fortunately, this time the promoters had the money to return. More often than not the promoters of such pyramids get their money and disappear. The Attorney General's settlements resolve allegations that the 5 individuals committed civil violations of the Idaho Consumer Protection Act by violating Idaho's anti-pyramid law. As a result of the settlements, the Attorney General will not proceed with civil lawsuits against these individuals. Idaho law defines a pyramid scheme as a program in which a person receives money primarily from the introduction of other people into the scheme rather than from the sale of goods or services.