Seeking Refunds From James Ray At Better Business Bureau
MORE on James Arthur Ray and the developing story about the Sedona sweat lodge disaster. Our Man In Hollywood takes up the story:
Long before the fatal sweat lodge tragedy in Sedona, Arizona, people were complaining about James Arthur Ray’s business practices.
Research finds there have been no fewer than seven complaints against Ray filed with the Better Business Bureau, all from people who unsuccessfully sought refunds for retreats or seminars with Ray. That’s according to BBB President and Chief Executive Sheryl Bilbrey.
One woman who complained, Donna Fleming, 60, filed a small-claims lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court, but lost her case.
Fleming is a Topanga, California resident and business owner.
She says she paid $6,000 to attend James Ray seminars.
During one of those in 2008 at Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego, Fleming told the BBB that about 175 people were told by Ray to put on thrift-shop clothing and mess up their hair to appear homeless.
A bus then dropped them off in downtown San Diego with no money, IDs or phones.
Fleming said she didn’t feel safe in the rough neighborhood they wandered in for about four hours.
“We were told not to associate with one another,” Fleming told a San Diego newspaper. “We were told that we’re warriors, surviving out there and living by our wits.”
She said she felt duped by Ray because the session wasn’t teaching her anything about how to achieve wealth.
And the BBB apparently isn’t impressed with the way Ray runs his business…
A check of the Bureau’s website reveals the company gets only a “C” rating (”A+” being the best, “F” being the worst)
James Ray’s Mulholland Sweat Mansion
Interview With Survior Of James Arthur Ray’s Sedona Sweat Lodge
Transcript Of James Arthur Ray’s Conference Call To Arizona Sweat Box Victims, And Last Tweets
More in the forums. Join us. Joii-ii–nnn usssss…
Posted: 24th, October 2009 | In: Media Comments (7) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
October 27th, 2009 at 1:26 am
Fantastic reporting! Please help answer more questions of Mr. James Arthur Ray’s business practice. Perhaps more information on mind control…such as his favorite “you, like me know someone who..”, by that he is influencing the unconscious with the “you like me”. Watch it on youtube, it’s incredible.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:57 am
To Ruth:
I could be mistaken. I read somewhere that he offers refunds.
If he doesn’t offer any refunds, then my entire post is irrelevant.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:14 am
The relevance of Mr. Ray not giving refunds under any circumstances is that he does so without also revealing the full extent of the waiver one will have to sign to participate, including the extreme danger, negligence, etc., etc.,etc. He basically puts the participants in a vice-grip so that when they show up if they don’t want to have just thrown all that money away they will sign the waiver and participate. Combine all of that with a master of mind control, who apparently believes he is all-knowing as to what is good for his participants and you have the makings of a tragedy.
Makes the waiver a little less… effective I would say.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:51 am
To Hippo:
Did I miss something? Where does it say that James offers refunds? In my experience with James, you have three business days to change your mind after purchasing a seminar. It sucks, but some states allow that.
If you can’t make a seminar, you can change the date (for an extra fee) and go to a later one, but there’s no way you’re getting a refund out of JRI.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:29 am
How about the woman who attended Ray’s seminar in Dan Diego, who committed suicide at Horton Plaza Mall downtown. She was an attendee of several of his little retreats, and was signed up and paid for the Sedona experience, only she didn’t make it that time. She died two months before. She was supposodly well adjusted till Ray got his hold on her. Ray’s followers, the true believers, who don’t think this is a cult continue to blame these victims for their own deaths in the sweatbox. These poor people may have been unsuspecting, but
I do not believe they thought they were going to their deaths that night. This guy gives me the creeps just looking at him. I could never be in the same room with him without a secure way out!
October 25th, 2009 at 5:13 am
To Jennifer:
You could be right. However, the fact that he offers refunds, then refuses to give them, is something that the public should be aware of.
If I were considering one of his seminars, and learned that piece of information, I would stay away. It’s a tacky way of doing business, and shows that he’s dishonest.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
This article is ridiculous. James Ray is guilty of involuntary murder, in my opinion, and I think he should do prison time for the deaths of four people, but to criticize him for seven complaints is far reaching in my opinion - especially when you consider the number of people attending his seminars. I have been to James Ray seminars. They are actually quite good. I am frankly surprised he doesn’t have more than seven complaints considering the numbers. As to the woman who complained about her $6000.00. I agree that Ray should not be putting people in harms way, but I also think whining in the media is really immature.