Vending Machine Business Opportunity

The Competition Bureau initiated an inquiry on February 7, 2003, after receiving complaints that a business opportunity startup company and its representatives engaged in misleading marketing practices and deceptive telemarketing with respect to a vending machine business opportunity.

An examination of the matter revealed that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had already issued an arrest warrant for the company's director for his involvement in two previous business opportunity schemes. On February 24, 2003, Bureau officers and the RCMP executed a search warrant under the Criminal Code. The search uncovered enough evidence for the RCMP to lay additional charges with respect to the scheme currently under investigation by the Bureau.

Given that the RCMP laid charges and was referring the matter to the Attorney General, the Bureau concluded that it would not be in the public interest to conduct a parallel investigation into this matter under the Competition Act.

The inquiry was discontinued on July 23, 2003.

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