The latest in the Herbalife saga below from our inbox
the upcoming docu-thriller BETTING ON ZERO is on your radar. Distributed by Gunpowder and Sky, the film will hit select theaters starting on March 17. On April 7, the film will be available via video-on-demand and online platforms.
The film focuses on controversial hedge fund titan Bill Ackman who is on a crusade to expose global nutritional giant Herbalife as the largest pyramid scheme in history while Herbalife execs claim Ackman is a market manipulator out to bankrupt them and make a killing off his billion dollar short. The withering crossfire engulfs working class Latinos seeking justice, middle-Americans forging their financial future, and eventually draws federal regulators into an investigation that will affect the lives of millions around the world.
The film weaves deception, intrigue, and greed in a surprising, deeply emotional dive into the world of money, fraud and the American Dream.
This story is far from over – Herbalife’s Chief Executive Michael O. Johnson recently stepped down from his position after the company settled with the Federal Trade Commission and was ordered to pay $200 million and restructure its business model. The FTC just began mailing checks last month checks to nearly 350,000 people who lost money running Herbalife businesses.
As you may know, Herbalife continues to find ways to disrupt BETTING ON ZERO from being seen by the public, at the film’s screening at Double Exposure Film Festival in Washington, D.C., their lobbyist film Podesta & Partners bought out nearly the entire theater and had the premiere be virtually empty, preventing the public and media from seeing the film – the incident was covered on HBO’s Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.
Directed by Ted Braun (Darfur Now) and produced by Academy Award winner Glen Zipper (Undefeated) and Devin Adair, the film premiered in the World Doc Competition at the Tribeca Film Festival 2016 where it received a special jury mention for investigative work. It also won the Summer Docs audience award at the Hamptons International Film Festival.
