Make & Take Gourmet, Bellso Serve Up Franchise Fraud To Go
December 18, 2008 by Sean Kelly
Filed under Business
Michele Bellso and her ill-fated Make and Take Gourmet meal assembly kitchen franchise chain continue to provide compelling examples of how NOT to start and run a franchise chain. Their newest lesson plan includes a special guest appearance by, pound for pound, the hardest working franchise enforcement agency: the Maryland Attorney General.
According to this post on Unhappy Franchisee, the Securities Division of the Office of the Attorney General of Maryland “finds grounds to allege that Respondents Make and Take Holding, LLC and Michele Bellso violated the registration, disclosure, and antifraud provisions of the Maryland Franchise Law, in relation to the offer and sale of a Make and Take Gourmet franchise in Maryland.” The Maryland AG has issued an Order to Show Cause, giving Bellso and Make & Take Gourmet an opportunity to “show cause” why a final order should not be entered against them.
The article Make & Take Gourmet, Michele Bellso Accused of Franchise Fraud (AG) states that there are three main allegations against Bellso and the Make & Take Gourmet franchisor:
- Make & Take Gourmet Sold Unregistered Franchises
- Make & Take Gourmet Violated Franchise Disclosure Laws
- Make & Take Gourmet Skirted MD Escrow Requirements
- Make & Take Gourmet Made Illegal Earnings Claims
Interestingly enough, FranchisePick.com has been making 3 of the 4 allegations since April of this year based solely on information printed in the media. Check it out:
April 28th, 2008 Make & Take Gourmet: Meal Prep Franchisor Takes Failures in Stride
May 5th, 2008 Patrons of Failed Franchise Blast Make and Take Gourmet Franchisor Bellso
June 4th, 2008 There’s Truth Within the Franchise Spin. Here’s How to Find It.
July 9th, 2008 Bellso Definitely a Leader in the Meal Dissembly Kitchen Franchising
August 13th, 2008 MAKE & TAKE GOURMET FRANCHISE LAWSUIT: Failed Franchise Owners Allege Fraud
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The business was a runner up in an emerging business competition in Syracuse, which was an idiotic suckers competition to get exposure to companies backed by the funding sources, which is where all the winning dollars went anyway.
They charged 100’s of foolish applicants a huge fee to enter to help pay for the top prize, and the winner was hand picked by venture investors, gee what a shock.
Willy S:
It’s amazing how many of the imploding businesses we’ve reported on are recent award winners. You could make the point that awards are red flags – since the companies have to seek credibility that their actual economic performance doesn’t provide.
Good comment.