Procter & Gamble Wins Satanic Civil Suit

(AP)  Procter & Gamble Co. has won a jury award of $19.25 million in a civil lawsuit filed against four former Amway distributors accused of spreading false rumors linking the company to Satanism to advance their own business.

The U.S. District Court jury in Salt Lake City on Friday found in favor of the Cincinnati-based consumer products company in a lawsuit filed by P&G in 1995. It was one of several the company brought over rumors alleging a link with the company's logo and Satanism.

Rumors had begun circulating as early as 1981 that the company's logo — a bearded, crescent man-in-moon looking over a field of 13 stars — was a symbol of Satanism.

The company alleged that Amway Corp. distributors revived those rumors in 1995, using a voice mail system to tell thousands of customers that part of Procter & Gamble profits went to satanic cults.

The company's claim was based on the Lanham Act, which prohibits unfair competition and false advertising.

"This is about protecting our reputation," Jim Johnson, P&G's chief legal officer, said in a statement Monday. "We will take appropriate legal measures when competitors unfairly undermine the reputation of our brands or our company."

The former Amway distributors thought they'd be exonerated and were shocked by the jury's verdict late Friday, said Randy L. Haugen, one of the defendants.

"It's hard to imagine they'd pursue it this long, especially after all the retractions we put out," said Haugen, a 53-year-old Ogden, Utah, businessman who maintained P&G was never able to show how it was harmed by the rumors. "We are stunned. All of us."

Haugen said he forwarded another person's account of the Satanic rumor to other Amway salesmen on a common phone-message system, then circulated the retraction. The original message, however, found its way to Procter & Gamble.

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[headlocal]

Quoth Kate Makled, spokeswoman for Alticor Inc:
"Despite the public apology, P&G has spent 12 years destroying their lives," Makled said. "P&G is a $68 billion company. What they got out of this case was what they could earn in about 2= hours. We think that's shameful."

a) Who is "WE"??? Has Rich de Vos suddenly turned shy, or is Ms. Makled speaking without authority. The use of Amway/Alticor stationery would clarify this point.

b) Shameful??? Bull-s**t! I hope to soon see a retraction from the de Vos and van Andel families, and preferably dismissal of Ms. Makled.

As an Amway dealer for several years, I am familiar with the AMVOX voicemail system in use back in 1995, which was always promoted strictly for business use, between distributors, not for incidental slander or other items which might provoke the IRS to investigate whether it is a legitimate Schedule C expense.

Haugen et al are a disgrace to all Amway distributors, and I applaud P&G going after them with all fangs out, since aggressive defense of one's business name is the first step to being taken seriously. The defendants should spend more time scoring PV/BV and showing the plan.

[olebd]

I remember this scandal being on Phil Donahue way back and the P&G president wouldn't dispute the rumour.

[jairod]

Zootallures2, it's obvious that you've had too much camel milk for lunch. From time of old, the crescent moon has stood for the devil and his minions of which your group is deeply entrenched with that source of discontent in this world. the star leads to heaven, the moon leads to...well youare quite familiar with that having created that world for yorself in this world of enlightenment. The crescent moon stands for regression, repression, and evil.

[jelindley]

The first time I heard the rumor about P&G's symbol being a satanic symbol was in the mid 70's, and it was not from an Amway distributor. This rumor was not spread by Amway, and was even refuted by Amway. It was a small group of individual Amway distributors who repeated a rumor that they had heard.

[cmp271]

I have always remembered this comment about P&G, I wasn't aware it was Amway who started it. There was nothing wrong with their symbol, in fact I wonder if it is still on their products?
Amway should be made to pay for this, lawsuits do take time. Defamation is a real thing, same as discrimination, it never goes away.

[ianlou]

The citizens of Michigan dodged the bullet last election by not electing *** Devos (the CEO and divine son of the founder of Amway) as our next Governor. We would of had Creationism and Amway cleaning supplies in all our public schools.

[lawbster]

it's all there on the wiki site --

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amway

[TomChicago]

I can't see how they'd be surprised at the judgment's going against them. Eventually, the fact that they'd mischaracterized P+G was going to come back to haunt them. They put out "retractions" for a reason, didn't they?

[zootallures2]

If you go by the ancient sybology, the US flag indicates it is a nation of 50 states going to hell. Good and salvation is the Crescent not the Pentagram. Or the flag of Isreal is supposed to be yellow. If the sun is blue, you are doomed.

The real ancient Hebrews were brilliant, peaceful folks. They bowed to Yahweh and you like to have things Yahweh.... all puns intended... LOL.

[dpp8933]

well thats what amway gets. i work for p&g, and it has nothing to do with a cult or satin. or what ever. amway, your @ss got what was coming to it.