QAnon Leaders Push Followers Into Multi-Level Marketing

In a December livestream to his QAnon fanbase, conspiracy theorist Phil Godlewski laid out what he explained as the critical to their economic futures: buying silver.

The precious metal, Godlewski insisted, would before long explode in value just after the passage of legislation some QAnon believers believe will convey on a utopia. Money taxes would be removed, debt would be abolished, and anybody keeping silver would turn out to be fabulously rich.

But Godlewski didn’t want his followers to buy silver from just any organization. In its place, he instructed them to invest in by means of 7k Metals, a multi-amount marketing and advertising company and metals seller.

Godlewski and other primary QAnon conspiracy theorists have uncovered a new way to make funds from their supporters: directing them to get and offer solutions for multi-degree advertising and marketing businesses.

MLMs, which depend on new customers recruiting subordinate salespeople, with the primary “upline” producing money from their “downline” recruit’s gross sales, have formerly been the area of leggings and crucial oils firms. But now QAnon leaders want in on the motion.

Although numerous MLMs are lawful, some have been in comparison to illegal pyramid schemes, in which new members pay in funds to be a part of without having any risk of making their revenue back. Disillusioned Network marketing members have complained that they’ve been still left badly in financial debt when their profits unsuccessful to materialize.

Selling silver by means of 7k Metals marked the most recent small business transfer from Godlewski, who served time in jail last 12 months immediately after bouncing a lousy look at for extra than $21,000, then falsifying financial institution documents to stay away from staying caught. In an unrelated 2010 scenario, Godlewski was indicted above carrying on an alleged sexual romantic relationship with a 15-year-aged. He afterwards pleaded responsible to a misdemeanor cost of corrupting a minimal.

Godlewski is not by yourself. Additional QAnon promoters have turned to marketing multi-stage advertising providers as ways to monetize their followings.

QAnon booster Richard Potcner, who goes by the name “Richard Citizen Journalist” on-line, rose to prominence in conspiracy-theorist circles in 2020 by filming hospitals as “proof” that the pandemic was a hoax.

This spring, Potcner arrived to his followers with a major concept: It was time to purchase silver. Like Godlewski, he experienced teamed up with 7k Metals to pitch his supporters on joining the Multi level marketing.

“Patriots are unstoppable alongside one another,” Potcner stated, encouraging his followers to put their retirement resources into silver.

Whilst the business associations involving the QAnon promoters and the Mlm providers are unclear, both Godlewski and Potcner could stand to earnings substantially if they’re counted as the “uplines” for followers who join 7k Metals.

Godlewski, Potcner, and 7k Metals did not react to requests for comment.

QAnon leaders are not just marketing silver. Scott McKay, a Q-backer who wields a tomahawk on stage and overtly fantasizes about the murder of Democrats in his videos, appears at QAnon rallies throughout the state underneath the name “Patriot Streetfighter.”

In posts on the messaging app Telegram in March, McKay urged his enthusiasts to prepare for the launch of a mysterious challenge identified as “Operation Tomahawk.” Revealing little about the challenge, he promised that he was launching an “economic warfare platform” that would consider on liberal firms and “choke them out.”

“We are going to have hundreds of thousands and then tens of hundreds of thousands of persons taking part in this,” McKay declared in a video clip.

McKay’s Procedure Tomahawk turned out to be Patriot Swap, a different direct-marketing business dependent on multi-amount advertising and marketing. This time, QAnon followers are remaining urged to purchase their products by way of Patriot Change, therefore “supporting organizations that encourage freedom.” In a video clip to his followers, McKay promised that they would receive commissions by recruiting new folks to market by means of the firm.

McKay did not answer to a request for comment.

Marketing the MLMs hasn’t always absent smoothly for the QAnon figures. In 2021, Godlewski’s efforts to pitch his followers ran afoul of Jeanette Geary, a conservative activist and Godlewski detractor. Geary informed The Daily Beast in a December e mail that she experienced contacted the FBI and other law enforcement agencies about Godlewski’s silver operation. (Godlewski hasn’t been billed with any crimes connected to the silver gross sales).

Last yr, Godlewski sued Geary for defamation in a Pennsylvania federal courtroom in excess of her allegations. Geary has claimed that Godlewski encouraged his followers to vacant their 401(k) retirement accounts and transform them into silver bought by 7k Metals, in accordance to his lawsuit.