My Ripoff Report complaint about Federated Financial

I gave Steven Miller a chance to come clean or to at least advise whether any of my allegations are false.

However, since I discovered the various corporations, he merely deleted my postings at the Federated Financial Forum and my many questions without any response.  Finally he deleted the entire thread at his forum.  I started a new thread, which he also deleted and replaced with a new topic titled:

“We will not behave like the Rip Off Report”

Christine Baker has put up some ugly posts on this site that were answered by many who have had unpleasent dealings with her in the past. I have removed the thread. I have done this because this particular thread was beginning to look like the crap posted on ROR. I won’t have that here. This site is about letting our clients know that we’re victims of Ed Magedson (for now) and to help others who have problems with him. We are not going to post about anything, or anyone else.

Steve Miller”

This guy is so stupid it must hurt.  I doubt he slept very well last night.

So I posted my own report at Ripoff Report.  And of course I reposted it at Steven’s forum, so he can post his rebuttal as with the other complaints.  But he already deleted it again - without any rebuttal.  I guess he has nothing to say. 

I’m reposting my entire ROR complaint below in hopes that some people like directors or former employees with knowledge about their scam come forward and assist with shutting Federated Financial down.

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff119166.htm

I have been subjected to privacy rights violations, intimidation tactics and defamation by Steven Miller, CEO & VP Federated Financial Services, Inc.

I found that there are at least 3 “Federated Financial” corporations, all located at 3275 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield, FL, but in different suites.

Federated Financial Debt Management Group, Inc. and Federated Financial Counseling Services, Inc. are the *non* profits.

Federated Financial Services, Inc. is the *FOR* profit, owned by Steven Miller. Mr. Miller appears to be the mastermind behind these organizations, as his *FOR* profit corporation has been established longest and he was also a director for one of the non profits until 2003. A *Rita* Miller is still listed as director.

FACTS:

I have documented that the Federated Financial VP & CEO Steven Miller violated the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act on at least 2 occasions by publicizing the names and locations of clients who dared to post complaints about his services on the web and he posted my own data with the intent to intimidate me and other victims and to discourage further investigations and complaints.

While Steven Miller is not formally associated with the non profits, he apparently has unlimited access to the non profits’ client data.

NON profits funneling profits and grant money to FOR profits is a common credit counseling scam and several credit counseling outfits (such as AmeriDebt) have been prosecuted by AGs in several states.

It is rather unusual that the Federated Financial scheme involves TWO nonprofits, possibly to obtain more grant funds.

The IRS is currently working on removing non profit status from all credit counseling companies as they engage in debt collection and are paid by the creditors.

My CONCLUSIONS:

I concluded that Steven Miller and the directors of the non profits conspired to mislead and deceive consumers with financial problems into believing that they represent the interest of the consumers and that they are a bona fide non profit organization.

It is quite likely that Mr. Miller set up the 3 corporations to funnel profits and possibly grant money into his own and the directors’ pockets.

When I advised Mr. Miller of my research, suspicions and conclusions at his public web forum, his only response was to delete my allegations and questions and to post entirely false defamatory statements about me. His conduct indicates that at least some of my allegations are correct.

I NEED INFORMATION:

1) I am looking for an attorney to file a defamation and privacy rights violation suit against all 3 Federated Financial entities.
If necessary, I can file my own complaint, but it would be very helpful to have a FL defamation complaint I can use as a template. Any help is appreciated.

2) I am looking for information on the PEOPLE involved in the Federated Financial credit counseling scheme:

Anthony Coleman is the registered agent for all 3 corporations and he is also a director for Federated Financial Debt Management Group, Inc.

The corporate information according to the Florida public records:

CEO & VP Steven Miller
Federated Financial Services, Inc.
*For* Profit
3275 W. Hillsboro Blvd.
Suite 110
Deerfield Beach FL 33442

Federated Financial Counseling Services, Inc. - aka the Lowell Foundation
*Non Profit*
3275 W Hillsboro Boulevard
Suite 101
Deerfield Beach FL 33442

Directors:

Eisenberg, Margaret
Farnach, Elizabeth
Silver-reed, Sherry Mhr/Cap
Knight, Jesse Rev.
Gansburg, Jossi Rabbi
William Platter (Former Director)
Weintraub, (June?) (Former Director)
Steven Miller (Former Director)

Federated Financial Debt Management Group, Inc.
*Non Profit*
3275 W Hillsboro Blvd
Suite 207
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Directors:

Coleman, Anthony G Jr
Miller, Rita
Weintraub, Ted

3) I am looking for information about the business structure, finances, other consumer complaints, etc. from (former) employees and others with knowledge.

4) Are any of these Federated Financial entities receiving grants or public funding?

5) What activities does the Lowell Foundation engage in?

It is my goal to have all Federated Financial entities shut down and quite frankly, I’d like to see Steven Miller behind bars. I have a long history of investigating credit counseling deception and fraud due to my work with consumers with financial problems, including my published documentary about the Genus credit counseling fraud.

I will be sending my complaints to the FL AG and maybe the BBB, although I don’t expect much from the BBB. However, it is important to document and publicize BBB and regulatory corruption and no published complaint is ever a waste of time. If enough people document corruption, these organizations will have to change their ways.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Christine Baker


Posted by Christine on 11/21/2004 at 06:36 PM
Federated Financial credit counseling & Ripoffreport.com • Permalink