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  • Report:  #519730

Complaint Review: B2G Institute - Orlando Florida

Reported By:
Roberta - Tampa, Florida, USA
Submitted:
Updated:

B2G Institute
7414 Kingspointe Parkway #300 Orlando, 32819 Florida, United States of America
Phone:
407-206-65
Web:
www.b2ginstitute.com
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
Attended a workshop, signed up for a 3 day consulting service and paid $15,000. 11 days later they filed Chapter 11. Five days before my session they told me they weren't going to provide the services and had listed me as a creditor. They took lots of money for these services from other people that weekend and you know they've probably emptied their bank accounts. This is truly fraudulent. Anyone who is in my position is encouraged to respond if you'd like to start a class action suit or get the proper government investigation going. A campaign to inform every OSDBU and contracting officer that we can get to would also be appropriate - about Vanessa Braxton and others. Several of these people are also professional speakers, etc - like Ted Erlwein and Stephen Libman. Their paying clients should know about their affiliation with B2G. Independent contractors or not - they sold us on this company and received commissions for all those that signed up.


9 Updates & Rebuttals

Greg

naples,
Florida,
United States of America
How pathetic are the people mentioned in this report (Very Pathetic) just read their comments!

#2Consumer Comment

Fri, April 02, 2010

Me, me, me, me, me I got ripped off! They owe me money also. I am going to get you for talking bad about me. I never did the Orlando class. I can set the record straight. Me, me, me, me, me I am a person who did get paid as a result of these people ripping people like you off but I didn't get paid as much as I should have (pout)

NOTE: Birds of a feather flock together!

If I was in the shoes of these people mentioned in this document I think I would have said.

Dear victim, I am sorry you got scammed, I was not directly involved in your situation but was involved and was paid from funds that were ill gotten. If there is any way that I can help you to do one of the following please let me know: 1) Obtain a refund 2) I can provide information with regard to government contracting which is what your interest is 3) Help us all to find other people that have been taken advantage of.

If you help this person obtain her goal of doing business with the government it would help ease the pain she is suffering, it would help you to help another. You people are pathetic.

Instead of saying  Me, me, me, me and I am going to try really hard here to cover my azz as best I can. In fact I am going to be listed as a creditor and possibly be awarded mor ill gotten money to further my personal agenda as the result of me and my legitimate hard efforts. How pathetic you people are. You are still trying to get money from this company that stole money from people. So actually you are accepting "blood money". I am glad that you are not the speakers who taught me how to do business with the government. I am also glad that you do not work for my company that consults people on how to do business with the government. In fact beyond that I am sure glad you people are not related to me in any way shape or form. IMO you people are as pathetic as she described you as being and even worse as your personal testimony here shows.

P.S. I will never attend a event that has any one of you as a participant. Not due to what this person said about you but rather what you say about yourselves in unspoken words or gestures in your own comments here. In other words - You people are the scum of the earth in my mind and I will tell all I know (your words)about you to anyone and everyone that will listen.


Gilbert Elasmar

United States of America
From Gilbert Elasmar

#3General Comment

Sun, November 15, 2009

 

Good afternoon Roberta, as several of the other indpendent consultants that have already posted their rebuttals, I too am one of those independent contractors. We were led to believe that the services that we were offering in class are going to be fulfilled and that they were going through some changes internally. Not to make light of the 15K + that you had invested but some of us are owed over 100k. We all have families and have worked hard and successfuly consulted with several clients helping them grow their businesses. As you know, I was never at the class in Orlando and have never thought a class there. It hurts me to see that this has happened to so many people and I appreciate your feedback on this site but I do have to emphasize that you have no basis for the accusations placed on the instructors. All instructors are kept in the dark when it comes to internal "Dynetech/Telligenix" issues. Us consultants were told where to go and who to consult with and did not know any of the day to day issues this company was going through. Roberta, I completly understand that you are trying to do help others out there that are in the same situation or might be in that situation but by placing all of the consultants names is a defamation against each and every one us. What you need to do is direct your anger towards the parent company and not us personally as we are all in the same boat. Most of us have already hired attorneys to see what it is that we have to do next. We want everyone to know the facts and dont want us bystanders to be thrown under the bus as it is so easy to post and blog online these days. We all deserve an apology for your comments and a retraction of those comments.


Roberta

Tampa,
Florida,
USA
Update to Original Report

#4Author of original report

Sat, November 14, 2009

Thank you to all who are telling your side of the story. Please be sure to read my response to Cynthia Heinreichs, as I think I responded just to her comments, rather than doing a general update to my original post (new to the system, sorry- hopefully this one goes in the right spot this time). This is a good forum for being able to disclose and possibly get to the truth, though it is only our own consciousness that we have to ultimately reckon with - the dilemma of being able to sleep at night with the decisions we've made and the stories we've told. If people would have been disclosing their concerns earlier, maybe we all wouldn't be in this position. 


I would like to respond to a few points you have made in your rebuttals, but also, so I don't have to repeat my other comments, please read the aforementioned comments to C Heinreich. 

As an outsider to this company, students know a lot less and do not have access to all the info you have - meaning those who worked for them in any capacity. My credit card receipts and contracts were all with a company named B2G. All the materials I received were from B2G. Positions and qualifications such as co-creators, developers, consultants for sales, marketing, accounting, and ex government officials and CO's are all prominently displayed in their literature. The first 4-5 Google search pages didn't disclose problems. I didn't know a service like this one existed. You are all the faces and representatives of B2G and as such, you are the only ones who we students can reach out to - be angry with. This is all I, and would assume most other students, knew.

Until I received a bankruptcy notice, and until you started telling your stories, I had never heard of Telligenix, never knew of those owners, and certainly didn't know how they had structured their staffing positions. And yes, now they should be the focus for all creditors. What I heard at that bankruptcy meeting sickened me and made me walk out. Their slick lawyers have protected them very well. Why they filed Chapter 11 and not 7 is interesting, though it probably wouldn't be allowed because their debt is probably mostly consumer based. With all of the bad publicity - and it IS what they deserve, they should not be allowed to reorganize. It is jut a way for them to continue ripping off people after excusing their debts. I do not expect to see any of my money returned. 

My original post was before all of this awareness, and while I apologize for expressing such anger, and I know you do not like being named in that post, I still feel that it was the only way I had to make others aware of B2G as quickly as possible- and that included everyone involved. As I said, my co-worker just got notice this week of ongoing B2G events given by people - if not you, like you - and more people are sure to lose their money if they don't know what to watch out for. 

It seems to be that July is when you all got the sense that things were going badly. I contracted my consulting session 2 months later at the end of September - 10 days before the filing. ($15,000, which while they may owe you more, it's all relative based on financial situations.) Can you all honestly tell me that you did not know by then that things looked futile? Did you continue to sell these programs knowing that you hadn't been paid, making the likelihood of us losing our money pretty good as well? Only in your consciousness, not really in these posts, will the truth be known. After looking into the eyes and talking to one of those mentioned, and a creditor at the bankruptcy meeting, I can tell you that I feel he did know - and continued to protect himself, therefore taking advantage of others.

I would like to say that I appreciate those who have taken the time to politely and respectfully respond - I am not "Roberta", but Roberta, a real person who has feelings just like you. Once again, I apologize for my anger and frustration in the tone of the first post. This forum allows us to tell our stories. I hope that we have all learned from our experiences and that it will prevent us from making the same mistakes again.

I hope that all of those creditors who were TRULY harmed by Telligenix aka B2G - and the 12 other aka's under the umbrella, continue to spread the truth. 


Ted Erlwein

Bishop,
California,
United States of America
From Ted Erlwein

#5REBUTTAL Individual responds

Sat, November 14, 2009

Roberta, I totally understand your anger but I want to share facts to help you understand what really happened. In reality, I hadnt been paid for any classes since July and still havent. Dynetech/Telligenix, the parent company that put on the B2G Institute classes kept assuring me that they were going to keep the program going, everything would get caught up and everything would be fine. So thats the understanding I had when I came to Orlando to teach. I had to pay my expenses for this class as I had to do for all those classes from July forward. I havent been paid for those either. When the bankruptcy happened, I became a creditor just like you and everybody else and Telligenix owes me a large amount much more than any one graduate. Thats not the point Im making. Im just saying that I and the other instructors shouldnt be the direction of your accusations Telligenix should. After the bankruptcy, I had to reduce staff in my office good people who didnt deserve that but suffered as you have, as I have, as the other instructors have, and as a lot of graduates have. Your allegations that I came there with full knowledge of what was happening and that I got paid and maliciously took money are without fact, without merit, and are truly defamation of character. You made malicious comments about me and others without knowing the facts. I was there because assurances had been made to me. In fact, two of the people who were going to be fulfilling the programs, Ernie and Kodye, were there in class to meet us, to listen to us, and to gain insight for their performance of those duties. I believed in what I did. I taught to the best of my ability and worked diligently for the graduates I helped. I have had so many successes over the years and Im proud of my work. I am honest and have integrity so you are totally wrong in your accusations. And to use other names of people who were not even there is malicious and retaliatory on your part. You have no basis of fact for those accusations so again, thats defamation against each and every one of them. I know you are angry. I think you have every right to be spitting mad. Im mad it happened and that I was a pawn in the process. But Roberta, be mad in the right direction towards the company, not us who were just there providing the direction we were assured was going to be taken. Your allegations about me are wrong and I deserve an apology for your comments and a retraction for your comments.


WES

Conifer,
Colorado,
United States of America
Get ALL the facts before you SLANDER people

#6REBUTTAL Individual responds

Sat, November 14, 2009

Its curious to see my name in the list that Roberta from Florida put together claiming that, by her inference, I was responsible for selling services and then did not provide them.  And although I did work for Telligenix/Dynetech for over 2 years, Ive never taught a class in Orlando/Tampa.  Please note that I said did work for them having resigned because they had failed to pay me what they owed me for MY services rendered.  I too am a creditor and I also got the bankruptcy notification letter out of the clear blue with absolutely no prior indication of their intentions.  That happened even after asking them formally what their intentions were for payment of my contractually agreed upon fee for providing instruction. 

 

I assure you they owe me far more than any student and because of that I understand Robertas anger.  What I dont understand is why Roberta would attack me in such a way without even meeting me or knowing who I am.   Roberta is assailing my integrity and character indicating that, by naming me amongst others, I was somehow a conspirator.  A conspirator that intentionally tried to take peoples money full well knowing that they would not receive the services they, as adults, had made decisions to acquire. 

 

On that point I take serious issue!!! 

 

To Roberta, and all of those who HAVE been in my classes doing so without pay as early as July 09 and up to the day I resigned, I continued to travel this country providing training and mentoring to those who purchased services (and had asked for me personally), completely committed to insuring the client got the value they were looking, and, had paid for. 

 

I continued my efforts because of the constant reassurance from Telligenix/Dynetech that, although they were having difficulties, as many businesses are now, they fully intended to honor all invoices and to take care of their clients needs.  Roberta, I am not clairvoyant and I had no firm advance evidence that these people would do what theyve done to all of us.  But, I must tell you that I am considered by those who have met and know me to be an honest man.  I have helped many students like yourself learn how to succeed in doing business with the government, and they have commended me for my efforts. 

 

I am sorry you feel the need to disparage me and then ask others to do the same, but youre wrong about me and my instructor colleagues and we should not be the focal point of your anger and disappointment.  I am sorry you feel cheated, but, I cannot allow you to associate mine and my colleagues names with such malicious and unfounded accusations without taking this recourse.  You owe me an apology Roberta.  I wont hold my breath waiting for it though.  One more thing, you referenced bank accounts you cant empty something that has nothing in it to begin with.


Christiana

Cincinnati,
Ohio,
U.S.A.
She cannot remove your name

#7General Comment

Sat, November 14, 2009

Rip-off doesn't do that. 


Roberta

Tampa,
Florida,
USA
Correction

#8Author of original report

Sat, November 14, 2009

My apologies to those named that were not at this particular session. All of these individuals are pictured and featured in the B2G literature as "skilled educators" and ".. experienced and talented individuals (who) can help you not only see the wide world of opportunity in government contracting, but also plot your course to successfully adding Uncle Sam to your client list." Two names were those that were supposed to fulfill my contract and cancelled it. 


In the body of my complaint I only listed those actually in attendance at my session. My suggestion for those rebutting is that you now have the forum and opportunity to explain your prominent affiliation with this company. What did you do to distance yourself if you knew about all of this and why didn't you take action to see that others weren't continuing to be duped? Where were you at the bankruptcy meeting (that I attended) when Mr Pinot (who I found out for the first time existed at that meeting) rattled off that he was interested in getting his personal antiques out of the headquarters, that none of the affiliated companies had any assets, and that they owed everyone under the sun tons of money. 

My complaint isn't with the quality of information I received that I paid for in my first session, it is with the fact that they continued to take people's money, including my own, knowing that they would not be able to fulfill the contracts we signed for the next step. It seems that those selling these services - which I learned at that meeting are mostly independent contractors - should have had some clue about what was happening. I have a feeling they got paid their commissions on those contracts that were signed at the meeting. 

B2G is still sending out emails and flyers for workshops - a coworker got one 3 days ago- continuing to take money. I write this complaint so that hopefully more people will be aware. I googled B2G to look for any bad press (wish I would've known about this service at the time), but didn't find anything in the first few listings. If only I would have gone a few pages further. My lesson learned the hard way. My intention is to keep others from being where many of us are. 

If you feel you have been wronged, I am sorry. But if you act as an independent contractor for someone, you'd better know that your reputation is on the line and check them out too. If you knew about these problems and did not act, then shame on you.


C Henrichs

Hilton Head,
South Carolina,
United States of America
B2G Correction

#9REBUTTAL Individual responds

Sat, November 14, 2009

Dear Ma'am, as you, I am a unsecured creditor to B2G.  However, I was not present in the class you specified as you know, or involved in the Orlando class you have posted, nor have I been involved with B2G classroom activities since July 2009 I voluntarily terminated my independent  contract with B2G upon notification of their Chapter 11 filing. 

Please remove my name from your posting at once as I will vigorously work through all means lawfully available to me to clear this error.

In the event you are not aware, the fullfillment corporation of the B2G institute is Telligenix, a Dynetech company. The employees and executives of those firms, specifically Larry Pino, Anthony Vergoppia and Edna Bautista, continue to work from their offices in Orlando.  


Allen

United States of America
B2G

#10REBUTTAL Individual responds

Sat, November 14, 2009

The rip-off report is a good tool to use to report honest facts about a perceived wrongdoing on an individual or company. In this claim, I am not sure who Roberta is or what her motives are, I'd like to set the record straight. First, I was not in Florida participating in this event. Secondly, Mr. Larry Pino who is responsible for this program owns B2G and lastly, Rip-off report can be good and bad. Bad in the sense that this person named names of individuals that had nothing to do with this event and had already resigned from the B2G Team. Therefore, these slanderous remarks could come back to bite this individual for jumping on some crusade aimed at B2G and naming individual that had nothing to do with her situation.

Now having said this, it is apparent that this Roberta does not understand the true meaning of freedom of speech nor does she have a clue on proper reporting. So, for Roberta, get your fact correct, if not you are just as bad and any misinformed individual with an ax to grind that speaks ignorantly about something they do not know.

In this particular case, instead of class action the term defamation of character lawsuit comes to mind. Extremely Strong Recommendation for Roberta, retract your statement and get your fact straight before publishing garbage on the web.     

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