A SOLUTION TO THE MUTUAL BENEFITS PROBLEM

I have figured out how to slowly start getting all the investors money back. Think about it like this, did all the aids patients and other terminally ill people get away with no charges? Or did they really believe the bogus life expectancies that were given to them by the "Mutual Benefits Doctors"? I guess the people, or shall I say the department, who manage the actual meeting of the selling of the policy will know.There are many people out there that were paid large sums of money in exchange for there policy under circumstances that were written off of false pretenses. I say confiscate all the Ferrari's and nice cars you see them driving around in. Auction it all off and try and gain as much as possible back for the investors. They were given more money off of shorter life expectancies, and they were bogus? Many were given a one year life expectancy and many years have gone by? Are you serious, and they're out their right now driving the sports car they bought with the money they got paid for the policy? Do you see the solution to the problem out there? Confiscate everything. Start garnishing wages from these people until they pay back every cent, or until they die, whichever comes first. Does that sound cruel? No it doesn't.

MUTUAL BENEFITS 10 YEAR ANNINERSARY

Mutual Benefits reached their 10 year anniversary just weeks before the U.S. Marshals raided the office. Their was a picnic style celebration held at a park somewhere in Broward county. There was music, food, entertainment, and a talent contest. For 10 years this company has been in business, and what I find strange is how it lasted so long. Why did it take a decade to figure out what was going on? Does this mean Mutual was conducting good business in the beginning? There is no way they can use new investors money to pay old premiums when they first started. So the next question is, were they giving out bogus life expectancies from the beginning? After everything I've read I wouldn't doubt it. I'm in no position to say what is what. The lawyers, and the evidence will tell the story. I think Dr. Mitchell was one of their physicians from the beginning, and look where he ended up. Dr. Mitchell would visit Melanie Goldberg's office just about every day. I though it was a routine check up, but only Melanie knows the real story behind that. I wish she would make a blog. She can call it "The REAL Life Inside Mutual Benefits". And where is Melanie Goldberg now? She was a very funny woman. I'd say funny in a good way. Great sense of humor. Why did she wait so long to say what she said? Was she out for vengeance? Was their a fallout between her and the Steingers? Weeks before the raid I noticed something different about her. She was very quiet, and just not herself. It's as if she knew they were coming, but didn't know when. I don't know for sure, it's just my assumption. But some people tell a story just with the face they wear. And now that I think about it, I don't recall seeing her at the 10 year anniversary picnic.

HOW COULD I HAVE KNOWN WHAT WAS GOING ON?

A lot of people question the fact that I was working there for seven years, and had no idea what was going on. I wasn't in the physicians office when bogus life expectancies were being given out. I wasn't on the phone with the agents or the salesmen. Can you imagine how long they would have stayed in business if everyone in the office knew what was going on? Do you really think the Steingers are going to run a fraudulent operation that's so fraudulent even the employees know about it. Are the employees just going to keep their mouths shut? From what I read in the papers, Melanie Goldberg was one of the only employees that didn't stay anonymous. She knew what was going on because she was in one of those departments that was involved, or shall I say "in tune" with the scandal. In my eyes there were many other departments that were innocent, and in no way were "in tune" with the scheme. Unless you were "in tune" with the whole operation, you really didn't know what was going on. If you did know, then your just as guilty as the individuals who are responsible. If I knew I would have found another job. I seen Bari Wiggins on rampages, denying policy entries left and right. She had an iron fist. What she portrayed made it seam like it was a legitimate business. So, forgive me for being naive, but there is no way I would've known the new investors money was being used to pay old premiums. I guess i never got the memo.

MUTUAL BENEFITS CHRISTMAS PARTIES

I must admit, the Mutual Benefits Christmas parties were amazing. Every Christmas there was a celebration where everyone would get really dressed up, I'm talking dress to impress type of thing. Every year I felt like I was in High School again getting ready for the prom. They were held in the biggest and most extravagant banquet halls. Only God knows how much money is spent on one of these parties. Some years it felt like I was going to the grammys because they would give out awards to employees; unfortunately I wasn't one of those employees. But I did feel like a nominee going into each party. That's why every year I had to buy a suit and take it back the next day. Yes, the tags stayed on it while I wore it; just had to tuck them. Took me a whole day to put together a good enough outfit, to be able to hang with the guys that make the big bucks. This is just another night out on the town for some of these guys. For me this was a big deal. I had a different date each year and i must say that all my dates had the time of their lives. Those parties were awesome! But I hope I don't sound as if I'm gloating, because I'm not. I'm merely telling you my experience's while working inside the walls of Mutual Benefits. The Christmas party was something they did for us, the innocent employees who were just working a 9 to 5 living check to check. They treated us like royalty with this party. Free open bar all night. Magicians, people walking on stilts, Brazilian dancers, you name it and they booked it for these parties. I'm not used to these finer things of life. I was in awe every year, and every time felt like the first time I went. The salesmen didn't see it the same way. All the big timers and high rollers of Mutual were there to impress. It was kinda like a competition with the women on who had the best hair, dress, or shoes. I heard one of the Steingers wife would actually rent a diamond necklace, but not just any diamond necklace. Remember these people had enough money to buy whatever they want. So you can just imagine how big these diamonds were. It looked like she had big ice crystals around her neck. All the wives of all the high rollers were amazed by the necklace. I wonder if they knew that she rented it. Well, either way for me these parties were the best parties I've ever been to in my life. And yes, I did get laid after every party...thank you Mutual Benefits!

Joel Steinger Was a Heavy Man

Every time Joel was in the office everyone could feel it. It felt like Bigfoot was roaming through the halls. You could actually feel the ground shake as he took each step. Sounded like someone was pounding the floor with a sledgehammer. It didn't matter where in the office I was. If Joel Steinger was walking through the office I could pin point where he was, and actually follow the loud stomping of his feet to where he was going. There was no grace in his step. It was as if he wanted everyone to know when he was in the building.

MUTUAL BENEFITS EMPLOYEE MURDERED

William Anleu worked for the Latin department in Mutual Benefits. He was a good guy with a good heart. One day William didn’t show up for work. Co-workers were a little suspicious, because William would never miss work without calling out sick. After about four days of no call no show, Williams best friend, along with an off duty officer went to Williams home to see if he was ok. When they arrived to the parking lot, they witnessed Mario Mershan, Williams friend who was visiting from New Jersey, dragging a large duffel bag towards Williams car. Mario Mershan stabbed William to death several nights before, and stuffed his body in the the duffel bag. Lt. Ralph Garcia of Hialeah Police said “ Subject in this case walked over to the bedroom for whatever reason, and he still doesn’t know why, goes to the kitchen, took two knives, goes back to the bedroom, and stabs the victim numerous times.” Authorities report that Mershan left Williams body in the duffel bag in a closet for five days until the night when he tried to move it. Mershan tried to run when he was spotted dragging the bag, but the off duty police officer went after him, and held him at gun point until the Hialeah police arrived. Mershan planned to use the victim’s own car, a silver Mitsubishi Eclipse, to hide the body. “Said he was going to drive around and either throw the body in the lake with the car or without the car, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do,” says Lt. Garcia. Mershan has been charged with murder. It was a dark day in Mutual Benefits following this event. Many employees were in tears when they heard the news. It was a terrible tragedy which still haunts me to this day.

Joel Steinger was inside the World Trade Center when planes attacked.

I’m not sure if this story was published anywhere else, but Joel Steinger was inside one of the towers when the World Trade Center was under attack. How do I know this? Because there was an office meeting on the same day at about 10:17am . Over the intercom I heard a message asking everyone in the office to report to the conference room. While in the conference room Leslie Steinger stated that Joel was inside one of the towers when they were hit. He doesn’t know if he’s ok because they lost connection from his cell phone. I know exactly what was said over the phone during the incident, but out of respect for the late Leslie Steinger, I will not reveal that due to the emotion and tragedy involved. I know most people would object to the Steingers receiving any respect, but as an x-employee I owe it to them. They treated me fair, and in my eyes I felt they were conducting a good business. If the entire office was aware of the fraudulent activities then there never would have been a Mutual Benefits. Out of respect towards all that lost their lives on that tragic day, and the uncertainty of Joel’s condition, we were told to go home. We reported back to work the next day, and was then told that Joel was ok.

INVESTORS ARE STILL PAYING PREMIUMS

I just read the blog of Larry Scartz. who is Larry Scartz? . Just to show you how oblivious I am to this whole Mutual Benefits charade, I just found out that the investors are still paying the premiums. And that the investors voted on this course of action after being given a few options. According to Mr. Larry Scartz blog, one of his father's policies matured over a year ago. Unless I missed reading the part where Mr. Scartz received his money, I'm really curiouse to know if he actually did. Something smells real fishy about this "Receivership".

HOW DID MUTUAL BENEFITS GAIN SO MANY INVESTORS?

Should I feel guilty for all the money the investors lost? No, I don’t think I should. I do feel bad for them; and I do feel sympathy. I didn’t have anything to do with the scandal. I’m not one of the salesmen that lured them into making the investment. I myself am a victim of being misled into thinking I was working for an honest company. I had plans to go to school and learn a trade, but after working a year at Mutual it seamed like a great career opportunity. I watched this company grow from having just a few insurance policies, and just a few investors, to having tens of thousands of policies and investors. Everyday there were new investors. Anywhere from five to ten. Multiply that everyday for ten years and you can imagine the outcome. When they first opened in 1994 they had only one floor of an office building rented out. By the year 2000 they had to rent another floor of the same building just for placement of their investor files. Around 2001 the company had to move into a bigger office building because there wasn’t enough space to keep all the investor files. That’s when they moved to Broward Blvd in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. They rented out the 10th floor of the building. The office was huge! But the investor files continued to pour in. And eventually, by the end of 2003, Mutual Benefits had to rent a separate office on the 11th floor solely for the investor files.

MUTUAL BENEFITS EMPLOYEES

MUTUAL BENEFITS WAS NOT JUST FILLED WITH CROOKS. THERE WERE MANY HONEST PEOPLE WHO WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THEY WERE MAKING AN HONEST LIVING. ME BEING ONE OF THEM. WE ALL APPLIED FOR OUR POSITIONS THE SAME WAY ONE WOULD APPLY FOR ANY OTHER JOB. I DEDICATED MANY YEARS TO THIS COMPANY WHICH AT THE TIME I BELIEVED WAS A GREAT COMPANY. WE HAD GREAT BENEFITS, 401K PLAN, INSURANCE, THE SAME BENEFITS ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS. IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW, I WOULD HAVE FOUND ANOTHER JOB. BUT I DIDN’T, SO I STAYED AND CONTINUED TO BE A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE.
Am I ignorant, or naive? Gullible, or just plain stupid? Call it what you want, but don’t call me a criminal for being associated with the company. I was living check to check trying to make ends meet like a lot of other people within the company. I can say about 50 percent of the employees that worked there didn’t know what was going on. Do you think the company would have lasted that long, a decade, if they did? Obviously not. One thing Mutual Benefits did well is keep secrets. There was a legal department that was ran by Bari Wiggins, who is currently serving a jail sentence. She was a ball buster. In my eyes she was the one that made sure all business, and all contracts were initiated legally. When I found out she got convicted I was very confused. I seen this woman tell so many salesmen “ you can’t do that!” A few of the salesmen didn’t like her because she was the one that was going to tell them what they can and can’t do. And none of these salesmen like being told what to do. They were the ones making a lot of money. They were the ones living the fast life, and driving the luxury cars.

WHO IS JOEL STEINGER?

Joel Steinger was born on November 10, 1949 in Brooklyn New York. He has two younger brothers named Steven and Leslie. When Joel was 11 years old, his father died of a heart attack which made him become man of the house. By the time he graduated High School, Joel had a son named Michael, and was married to his mother Rhonda. The marriage didn’t last long. Rhonda and their son Michael had moved to Arizona. Soon after that, around 1970, Joel and his younger brothers along with their mother, had moved to Hallandale Beach Florida. In 1974 Joel married a woman named Bonnie Rosen, who was the daughter of a man named Philip Simon. Simon was named in a book published in 1973 by mobster Vincent Teresa. Vincent wrote that Simon Laundered money through Miami banks for known Mafia members, including the notorious Meyer Lansky. In the late 70’s, Simon leased Joel a space in his building which was equipped with a telephone room. Joel then began operating Crown Colony Commodity Options Ltd. Joel sold bogus options on commodities which led to his first felony, and an appearance on 60 minutes. During the 80's, Joel then started a company called Tara Petroleum where he sold interests in dry oil wells. The Securities and Exchanged Committee investigated Joel in connection with Tara, and in 1989 the SEC perminenlty barred Joel from selling securities. That same year, Joel devised a business called Original Diet Pizza Co. Inc. which ended with many lawsuits begining in 1990. In 1991 Joel started a business called Galaxy Wholesale Corp. which was operated out of an office on Oakland Park Blvd. Marlene Steinger was the company's bookeeper and says they made a substancial amount of money. But when she and her husband came back from a vacation, they came back to an empty office. According to Marlene, she claimed that Joel took off with all the investors money, and the company owned Jaguar convertable. Galaxy Wholesale Corp. soon went through suit, and eventually came to an end. During the lawsuit, it was then when Joel heard about the Viatical industry.

WHO FOUNDED MUTUAL BENEFITS CORP?

Mutual Benefits Corp. was said to have been founded by a man named Joel Steinger. Marlene Steinger, Joel’s cousin and former associate, claims Joel got the idea from a girlfriend who worked for a company called United Benefits Group. United Benefits Group was also a company that bought and sold viaticals. In 1995, the Securities Exchange Committee shut down United Benefits Group when they found out the firm sold more than four million dollars in insurance policies that did not exist.

WHAT IS MUTUAL BENEFITS?

Mutual Benefits Corp., which opened in 1994, was a company that bought and sold viaticals. They were based out of Ft. Lauderdale Florida on Oakland Park Blvd. If you don't know what a viatical is, then here is the breakdown: First, you have someone that is terminally ill. If that individual has a life insurance policy they have the option to sell the policy.Let's say the policy is worth $200,000. The patient must have a short life expectancy; can be anywhere from six months to six years. A broker from Mutual Benefits would offer the individual a small percentage of what the policy is worth. In this case, the broker would most likely offer about $60,000, if the individual was given a one year life expectancy from the physician. The shorter the life expectancy, the more the broker would offer the patient. Then the broker would sell the policy to an investor for about double than what was paid for it. The money from the investor is then used to pay the premiums, and maintane the policy untill the death of the patient. Once the patient dies, the investor then collects the $200,000 payout. In most cases this benefits the patient because they can enjoy the money they receive for selling the policy. Most people that are termially ill are in turmoil, and are experiencing financial setbacks. This would be the answer to all the financial distress. The investor also makes a healthy profit which in turn makes a good investment.
This is a short summary of what Mutual Benefits was, and in the near future I will reveal what was my role in the company. Mutual Benefits was open from 1994 to 2004, and generated millions of dollars in profits through viatical investments.