Federal Trade Commission v. Ascend Capventures, Inc., et al.

On September 13, 2024 the Federal Trade Commission obtained a Temporary Restraining Order with an Asset Freeze from the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, and the Court appointed Stephen Donell as the Temporary Receiver over Ascend Capventures Inc., Ascend Ecommerce Inc., Ascend Administration Inc., Ascend Ecom LLC, and Ascend Distribution LLC, and each of their subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, and assigns.  In addition to the entities, William Michael Basta and Jeremy Kenneth Leung were named as defendants in the case and their assets are also temporary frozen.

Please check back for further updates on this case as it develops.

The Receiver has learned that unidentified individuals allegedly acting for or in connection with the Receivership Entities, including individuals apparently located overseas, have contacted consumers in an effort to solicit changes in billing arrangements, to encourage consumers to join new Slack or other internet discussion groups, and to recruit consumers to join purported class actions or similar lawsuits against the Receivership Entities.  The Receiver has reviewed many of these solicitations, and believes them to be false or misleading, and to violate the terms of the order pursuant to which he was appointed.  The Receiver encourages consumers in receipt of such solicitations to scrutinize their legitimacy carefully and to proceed with caution if responding to any communications from unknown individuals, or individuals claiming to be acting for or in concert with the Receivership Entities or their customers.