Alan Neil Kippax, an investigative editorial of the Business in Motion / BIM founder

The founder, CEO, Master Distributor of Business in Motion (BIM), is Alan Neil Kippax.

He’s also a card carrying megalomaniac.

Mr. Kippax has a long history of questionable companies, as well as a criminal record (drugs, weapons, and assault) described here.

One of Alan’s early ventures was door to door sales of frozen meats and fish from a truck bed freezer.  He often bragged about his success in the Alpha Club which dealt in travel coupons, and admitted that the coupons were worthless.  He claimed that his business “Half Price Towing” became the largest in Canada in eighteen months, but we are unable to find any record of that company’s existence.  His list of accomplishments changes and grows as does his self written reputation as a ‘mathematical genius’ and now ‘visionary’.  Google his name and settle back for some sadly amusing reading.

In April 2004, he opened Treasure Traders International, “eight years in the planning”.  Alan claimed that TTI made $34 million in its first year, a feat that somehow did not catch the attention of any financial publication, and that Alan never bothered to back up with official financial records.

The product was “the most expensive product in the world – emeralds!”  The emeralds, and later the sapphires, rubies, and travel packages covered up a classic pyramid scam – the splitting panel, often referred to as “The Airplane Game”.

TTI adopted a nautical theme.  The airplane became a ship (The Destiny!) with 8 Crew, 4 Voyagers, 2 First Mates, and 1 Captain.  Each time the ship filled with unsuspecting crew members, it split to form two new ships, and more crew members were invited to join.

When you boarded a ship as Crew, you paid $1200 to the Captain (cash only!), and invited two more people on board who also paid $1200 to the Captain, adding an Aussie Two Up feature to the scheme.  In return for your cash, you would receive a certificate from the Captain, which you could later redeem (with a large additional payment of $800) for the gemstones or travel pack of your choice.

As one astute distributor of questionable ethics once said “Alan could throw all those damned little green buttons into the ocean, and this deal would work a lot better.”

We know from personal experience that well over 90% of participants never got paid by TTI, and actually lost money they could ill afford to lose.  Many at our center were seniors on limited income, a favorite prey for scam artists.

Many of those who tried to cash in their certificates for the $1200 worth of gems promised to them were told, “That option is unavailable at the present time.  We will place your name on a waiting list.”  The waiting list got longer and hope dwindled.

In November 2005, the UK branch of TTI, operated by Alan’s cousin Peter Kippax, was closed by the British Government as an illegal pyramid [Word Document].

Shortly afterward, in February 2006, Alan closed the doors to TTI, citing the problems caused by “lying, cheating, thieving distributors”.  He crossed the street, and opened a copycat company called Business in Motion, using the same Airplane Game / Aussie Two Up model.  This time, it was not a ship but a Board Room, in which participants could progress from the Mail Room to the CEO position.  Entry fees were upped from $1200 for a gemstone certificate to $3200 for a travel package of dubious value.

Along the way, Alan incorporated several side schemes.  One was a pyramid structure in which distributors would pay $20 or $40 per month for training, out of which commissions would be paid upwards.  92% of participants would be guaranteed not to make back the monthly fee.  Alan placed himself at the top of each pyramid and at the top of each Board Room.

As BIM developed, Alan introduced various products to promote in increasingly transparent attempts to disguise the pyramid.  Suppliers came and went with varying degrees of hostility, but each time Alan rebounded and gathered even more supporters – proof that the product is of little importance in a scheme where constant recruitment and promises of quick easy money are the keys.

Canada’s CBC has aired an expose of Alan Kippax and Business in Motion.  Click here to view.

Alan Kippax’s notorious driving habits finally resulted in a tragedy in which his cousin Peter was killed and two others were crippled for life.  Click here.

On October 27 2009, Alan was found guilty of two charges of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, and one charge of dangerous driving causing death.  Sentencing will take place on January 28 2010.

Also, see our Business in Motion Profile page.

Learn more about the authors: Bob and Anna Bassett

Related Posts

1. Business in Motion / BIM: Facts, News, and Reviews - January 22, 2010

Tagged as: BIM, Business in Motion, expose