Complaint Review: Shon Ronald Thompson personal trainer

     Shon Ronald Thompson (DOB: 9/18/1962), a convicted felon in California, operates several fraudulent personal training businesses in California and Arizona, usually using the alias Colt Thompson.  Some of his business names include:  Desert Trainers, Phoenix Trainers and Cutting Edge Trainers, Champion Trainers, Elite Trainers, Top Trainers, and Maximum Fitness, all businesses have been advertised in local newspapers in Palm Springs, CA; Orange Co., CA., Palo Alto, CA; and recently in Scottsdale, AZ; Surprise, AZ; Sun City, AZ.

     Thompson's fraudulent scam operations date back as far as 1998 in California for which he spent 4 1/2 years in CA prison (2009-2013).  He also made the newspaper (Los Altos Town Crier 12/14/2004) for stealing $995 from an unsuspecting victim, and is wanted by the Santa Clara County Sheriff for that crime.

     Upon being released from California prison he immediately set up his illegal activities in the Palm Springs area of California.  Under the business names of Desert Trainers and Cutting Edge Trainers he spent sixt months in 2014 stealing from victims and other personal trainers, departing abruptly, only to reappear in 2015 to do the same thing, advertising in the Desert Sun newspaper.  After collecting nearly $40,000 he vanished again, this time setting up shop in 2015/2016 in the Scottsdale area of Arizona, this time under the business names of Desert Trainers and Phoenix Trainers, with advertisements appearing in the Sun City Independent, McDowell Mountain News, The Ranch Report and others.  He charges upt to $1260 for his services he never delivers on.

     His M/O for any victims is a standard letter from a third party stating:  "I regret to inform you that financial difficulties have forced the immediate closure of (the business).  Further, the company has no funds with which to provide refunds of any unpaid services."  This was provided to a victim from one of his Palm Springs scams from a person named "Howell APC" in LaQuinta, CA.

     Thompson's exploits are well documented online---search Facebook under "Colt Thompson Desert Trainers", is especially eye-opening for his time bilking people out of thousands of dollars in the Palm Springs, CA area in 2014 and 2015.

     Thompson is a sociopath and is slick, smart and a very smooth talker.  He never stays in any one location for very long, spending anywhere from a few weeks to 3-4 months at the same address, sometimes renting an apartment, sometimes staying at a local hotel.  He uses temporary "burner" cell phones that are rarely in service for more that a few weeks at a time.  Thompson always asked for pre-payment money paid in full up front.  His "sign up" fee for personal training services is usually in the $1000-$1260 range.  Once you pay him you will never see him or hear from him again.

     Thompson will usually use the excuse that "he is dying of cancer" and abruptly leaves town, usually owing money on apartment rent wherever he is staying.  He knows how to vanish into thin air but always comes back somewhere when he needs cash flow.

     It is possible that he operates more fraudulent businesses in other states using other aliases.  He has connections in North Carolina, but his normal geographical area for operation is California.