We’re all about keeping you updated with the world of the #AntiMLMmovement here. In the last week, a popular anti-MLM blogger has received a cease and desist letter relating to our friends at The Younique Foundation. All information below is relayed with their permission.
Here we have it:
“…Cease and Desist from Defamation and No Trespassing Letter relating to The Younique Foundation…”
“…It has come to our attention that you are responsible for making libelous statements about the Foundation. We are writing to demand that you cease and desist from making any further libelous statements about the Foundation…”
“…The Foundation takes its service, mission, activities, business and reputation very seriously, and will take all necessary and appropriate steps to prevent any malicious defamation from interfering with its core purpose…”
Who received this letter?
My friend and fellow ex-Pooniquer, MLM Police (formerly known as ApportionedMembrane). She is based in the USA, and was encouraged to take up the anti-MLM mantle after reading my #Poonique tale. We have kept in regular touch – as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, she tells me she is “incensed by the statements I’ve seen by Younique presenters praising this bullshit excuse of a charity.”
What will MLM Police do Next?
MLM Police was quite taken aback to receive this letter, especially because in all of her articles she is merely stating her own opinion – which is all we can do, as anti-MLM writers!
The main thing is, MLM Police will not let this sway her. The #AntiMLMmovement is here to provide help and support to those affected by this bullshit industry, and that is what we will keep doing.
Although MLM Police needs to refrain from saying too much at the moment, she assures us that she has sought legal advice. For those who wish to keep up to date with any news on this cease and desist, she will do her utmost to keep her social media followers informed. Please note, that at the time of going to press, she has had to restrict the content of some of her social media accounts.
- MLM Police on Facebook
- @mlm_police on Twitter
- @mlmpolice on Instagram
- /user/Mlmpolice on Reddit
What is The Younique Foundation?
For those not familiar with this organisation, let me give you a quick background overview. The Younique Foundation was founded in December 2014 by Derek and Shelaine Maxfield, according to their website. It runs a 4-day retreat known as The Haven Retreat. It takes groups of 8-12 female survivors of childhood abuse on a ranch in Utah, USA, where they do group activities, yoga, therapy sessions etc. Attending the retreat itself is ‘free’, but the survivors have to pay for their own travel costs to get there, wherever they are in the world.
MLM Police came across our article during her research of the Foundation – at the time, she genuinely believed the presenter-hype, and was actually considering attending herself. When she looked into things further, she had more questions than answers.
What Does MLM Police Think About the Retreat?
Naturally, the more the anti-MLM writers had to say about the Younique Foundation, the more people with counter-opinions wanted to come forward. When I published “I applied to attend the Younique Foundation retreat…I really wish I didn’t” (an anonymous interview with a lady called Albie), MLM Police was incensed by the number of comments seemingly victim-blaming, and forgetting the fact that Albie was an abuse survivor. As writers, we agreed that if someone wished to provide an honest interview about why they loved the Retreat, we would listen.
That’s when a lady called Paige came forward. She said she was an attendee of the Retreat, and agreed to do a Q&A with MLM Police. You can read about it in “An Interview with Paige; a Younique Foundation Retreat Attendee“
However, the more MLM Police read back over Paige‘s interview, the more she realised that her questions remained unanswered. So, she used her blog to express her opinions on the matter.
The Gloves Are Off
In “I Can’t NOT Express My Opinion, Sorry, Not Sorry. Part One” MLM Police shares her thoughts on the application process for attendees, including the role of their “Intake Coordinators” and what she perceives as “…inexperienced, uneducated, likely not very familiar with medical diagnoses, or prescription drugs. But he/she has your very private application right in front of them ready to judge I mean evaluate you to see if you’re “qualified” to attend the Haven Retreat...”
Still incensed, she continued her questioning in “I Can’t NOT Express My Opinion, Sorry, Not Sorry. Part Two“, including the secretive nature of the Retreat’s Utah location, and a ‘Business Entity Search’ on an abundance of companies associated with the name “Derek P. Maxfield”.
Finally, she donned her hardcore detective hat in “To Be Continued…” – take a look, and read all about her findings on Hobble Creek Lodge, and her deeper research on Maxfield’s associated companies.
Further Reading
- ‘The Younique Foundation sent me a Cease & Desist‘ by MLM Police on /r/Youniqueamua.
- Directory of Genuine Charities for Sexual Abuse Survivors by Elle Beau.
- Younique: “raise awareness of sexual abuse” by buying our makeup, y’all by Timeless Vie.
- The Younique Foundation – Charity or Travesty? by Elle Beau & Maz Carrah.
- Younique Foundation Follow-Up – I Thought Your Rose Gold Kudos Had Sold Out? by Elle Beau & Maz Carrah.
- I applied to attend the Younique Foundation retreat…I really wish I didn’t interview with Albie by Elle Beau.
- Interview with Paige; a Younique Foundation Retreat Attendee interview by MLM Police.
- I Attended the “Younique Foundation” retreat last July. AMA on /r/Youniqueamua.
- Anyone have questions about the Younique retreat? Cause I went on /r/antimlm.
- Poonique Foundation’s Annual Report & Tax Return on /r/Youniqueamua.
- Companies pretending to care about social justice/using it to sell products? on /r/muacjdiscussion.
- I Am So Relieved – a major bullet dodged right here on /r/antimlm
- All tagged Younique Foundation posts by Elle Beau.
- All tagged Younique Foundation posts by MLM Police.
Elle Beau, the Anti-Blogger 
Reblogged this on The Anti-MLM Coalition.
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