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Timothy T. McCallan may be the smartest person in the underworld of debt relief industry. Under his direct and indirect manipulation the debt management and debt relief world has changed invisibly over many years. I would argue that Tim McCallan may be the biggest fish to have never been caught in any regulator crackdown.

The McCallan story really centers around the company he keeps, and the companies he keeps. All of this creates a very disturbing pattern of potential abuse of consumers that has cleverly siphoned money off of consumers in debt.

I came across a very interesting document in my research for another story, a document that actually began this story and took me way back.

Around the age of 25, in 1993 Andris Pukke and Tim McCallan formed Consumer Debt Resources, Inc. together in Florida, Maryland and also incorporated in New York. – Source. Nothing seems remarkable about this company except for the name he is associated with, Andris Pukke. Andris Pukke and his brother Eriks Pukke go on the become the most renowned scammers in the entire credit counseling world, shut down by the Federal Trade Commission and he even spent time in jail. More about that below.

I kept wondering where McCallan and Pukke would connect at such a young age. Could it be college? Well Tim McCallan went to State University of New York College at Oneonta and Puke to the University of Maryland, so that wasn’t it. Believe it or not, it was high school or earlier. The younger Andris Pukke (1983-1987) attended high school with Tim McCallan (1981-1985) at Harborfields High School in Greenlawn, NY.

Obviously from the name of their mutual company, Consumer Debt Resources, it involved consumers and debt.

Inside sources tell me that Tim McCallan (Timmy McCallan), Andris Pukke, John Puccio, Richard Puccio (Richie Puccio) and Todd Davis all worked together before their respective enterprises started at a company called Eastern Finance.

Why Andris Pukke is Important

Going to high school together isn’t enough to tie the actions of people together but Pukke and McCallan not only cross business paths in 1993 with Consumer Debt Resources but they resurface together again in the heyday of Andris Pukke’s massive trouble with the Federal Trade Commission.

In 2006, Andris Pukke was banned from the credit counseling and debt management business and required to turn over virtually all of his assets to the court-appointed Receiver for consumer redress in the FTC action and a related class action case. In addition, the IRS entered into a related settlement and will receive 30% of the funds. The FTC and the class action also obtained some funds from Pamela Pukke, which will be used for consumer redress. AmeriDebt is out of business – it filed for bankruptcy and sold all of its remaining debt management plans to Money Management, Inc. In March 2007, the court found Andris Pukke in contempt of court for hiding assets from the Receiver and ordered him to turn over additional assets to the Receiver. – Source

“At its height, AmeriDebt was an industry leader that other start-up counselors mimicked. But as consumer complaints grew, it became what one consumer advocate called the “poster child for bad credit counseling.” Pukke was hauled before Congress where, in an Oliver North moment, he took the Fifth Amendment. AmeriDebt’s questionable practices spurred IRS audits of the industry and tainted the entire practice of credit counseling. Pukke’s assets are frozen by court order, he has filed for personal bankruptcy, and AmeriDebt went out of business.” – Source

1993

Consumer Debt Resources, Inc is registered in Maryland on May 17, 1993 by Andris Pukke of 3129 Cape Circle, Margate, FL 33063, Timothy McCallan of 535 Broadhollow Road, #A21, Melville, NY 11747 and Adam Golden of the same Melville, NY address, and with the resident agent being John V. Vipulis of 3804 Chesterwood Drive, Silver Spring, MD.

John Vipulis “is a long-time family friend of Andris Pukke: Andris Pukke was the best man at Vipulis’ wedding, and Andris Pukke’s father, Janis Pukke, is John Vipulis’ godfather.” – Source. John Vipulis latter finds himself in big trouble over the Ameridebt situation.

According to a September, 1993 document, Tim McCallan was the President of Consumer Debt Resources with Adam B. Golden serving as the Secretary.

DebtWorks was organized by Andris Pukke and his wife Pamela Pukke (also known as Pamela Schuster). Andris Pukke entered the credit counseling industry by organizing and operating a for-profit CCA in Gaithersburg, Maryland, called Consumer Debt Resources.
Consumer Debt Resources was told in In 1996, by the State of Maryland to cease operations because it was a for-profit credit counseling agency, it began to wind down its affairs. At that same time, however, Pamela Pukke was organizing a non-profit CCA–AmeriDebt–Pamela Pukke acted as vice president, secretary, and director of the new CCA. – Source

Andris Pukke and Tim McCallan form Consumer Debt Resources, Inc. together in Florida on September 14, 1993. – Source

1994
“In 1994, Pukke ran newspaper advertisements that promised consumers a loan without an upfront fee. Callers to a toll-free number were sent a loan application and advised to mail it back with $20. They were told to send $45 to a separate company that Pukke also controlled, court records say. Consumers received a letter with the names of lenders and advice on how to apply for a loan. About 1,000 consumers in 28 states were victimized.” – Source

1996

Pukke pleaded guilty in Pittsburgh to a federal charge of trying to defraud consumers by falsely promising debt-consolidation loans. The U.S. attorney said Pukke collected more than $38,000 in what the U.S. attorney’s office called a “sham” lending operation.” – Source “Pukke agreed to refund the money and not engage in any advance-fee-for-loan operation in the future. He was sentenced to three years’ probation and fined $5,000. – Source

“Ameridebt was incorporated in 1996 under the name Consumer Counseling Services, Inc. by Pamela Shuster, the wife of Defendant Pukke. In 1997, Ameridebt applied for and obtained tax exempt status as a 501(c)(3) corporation from the Internal Revenue Service, and began holding itself out to consumers as a non-profit entity.” – Source The Secretary of Consumer Counseling Service was Ilze Vipulis.

Consumer Counseling Services latter changed its name to American Debt Counseling Association (ADCA) and then changed their name to Ameridebt.

1998
Consumer Debt Resources, Inc. of Maryland is sued in New Jersey in Copelco Capital, Inc v. Consumer Debt Resources, Inc. of 12503 Granite Ridge Drive, North Potomac, MD 20878. The debtor named is Tim McCallan. Case L-002938. The filing date of the case was March 27, 1998. Consumer Debt Resources, Inc. filed papers to dissolve in Maryland on April 13, 1998. The case is listed as settled on 5-11-2000.

When Consumer Debt Resources dissolves the directors of the company are now Andris Pukke, Michael Kiefer, and Eriks Pukke. Andris Pukke is serving as the President and Treasurer and Eriks Pukke is the Vice-President and Secretary. Eriks Pukke. Eriks Pukke surfaces at this time and as stated in a latter complaint.

In or about and between 1997 and 2000, the defendants Eriks Pukke, also known as “Eric Parker”, Aimee Pukke also known as “Aimee Vaccarelli” and “Aimee Vacca”, Bradley Dorman, Louis Mustachio, and Daniel Ruggiero were employed by Ameridebt as “financial counselors.” In or about March 2000, the defendent Eriks Pukke, also known as “Eric Parker,” became Amerident’s branch office manager. – Source

On April 24, 2009, Eriks Pukke is sentenced to 84 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,961,000 in restitution for his role in the credit counseling scam that grew out of Ameridebt and the credit counseling company he ran in concert with Ameridebt, Debticated. – Source. Just for your information, Aimee Pukke was the wife of Eriks Pukke, the brother of Andris Pukke. Debticated was an account latter services by Americorp, a company you will learn more about latter.

1999
“The District of Columbia sued Pukke and AmeriDebt in 1999, claiming the nonprofit was a marketing arm for Pukke’s loan company, Infinity Resources Group Inc. Pukke, AmeriDebt and Infinity settled without admitting wrongdoing, and Infinity returned $1.4 million to consumers.” – Source

At the same time Tim McCallan owned Infinity Resources Networks, Inc. in New York. An Infinity coincidence?

2002
“Critics claim DebtWorks was created to siphon money out of the nonprofits. From 1999 to 2002, DebtWorks took in revenue of nearly $119 million, and Pukke and his wife took home more than $70 million, the FTC said.” – Source

2007
“Despite turning over $1.75 million in heretofore undisclosed funds and the keys to a multimillion dollar house in Laguna Beach, Calif., the founder of a bankrupt Germantown-based credit counseling firm will remain jailed on contempt charges, a federal judge decided late Tuesday.

Andris Pukke, whose company AmeriDebt Inc. allegedly bilked customers out of $172 million in hidden fees, has been in jail since May 2. U.S. District Court Judge Alexander Williams Jr. on Tuesday ruled that Pukke was still failing to live up to a 2006 settlement with the Federal Trade Commission to turn over all of his assets to create a $35 million restitution fund.” – Source

“Joel Winston, associate director of the FTC’s division of financial practices, said the agency’s goal is to return as much as possible to consumers and to ensure that Pukke won’t be able to operate a similar business again. “It’s important that he not be able to walk away from this as a wealthy man,” he said. “We don’t want him going off and starting up another credit counseling agency and cheating consumers.” – Source

Tim McCallan and Andris Pukke Together Again

As part of the process of trying to reclaim funds by the receiver appointment to the Pukke case, McCallan’s name comes up again and again. It appears the old high school friends are still friendly and still in business together.

“The Receiver reviewed the operating agreement of Ballenger LLC. Ballenger LLC is owned 50% by Mr. Pukke and Mr. Pukke is the Managing Member of the LLC. Tim McCallan is the other 50% owner.” – Source

There were different versions of companies that Pukke had control over that contained Ballenger in the name, like Ballenger Group and Ballenger Holdings. A Ballenger group took over the for profit activities of DebtWorks that ran accounts for Ameridebt and both DebtWorks and Ameridebt landed in regulator quicksand.

“Tim McCallan purportedly holds the other 50% ownership interest in Ballenger/DW, LLC (formed March 15, 2001) although the Receiver disputes his entitlement to 50% of the proceeds when the property is sold.” – Source. And I think that we are safe in assuming that DW in this case had something to do with DebtWorks.

Ballenger/DW LLC controlled by McCallan and Pukke held assets away from the Federal Trade Commission. – Source

The advanced fee loan scam continues. – Source

The court receiver of DebtWorks, Inc and Andris Pukke was negotiating with Timothy McCallan and Vito Pizzonia (Harborfields High School 1983-1987) for return of Pukke assets. – Source

In other matters of coincidence, Ameridebt had its domain name registered and listed the address as 500 Bi-County Blvd, Farmingdale, NY 11735. Guess who else has or had companies at the very same address, Tim McCallan and his company InterMark Communications and Infinity Integrated Networks, Inc.

InterMark Media (Intermark Communications, Inc.)

InterMark Media, a McCallan company, describes itself as a “performance-based, interactive marketing company serving the digital advertising sector.” In 2001 it launches one of the first online credit report sites Moniturst.com and in 2002 it “launches its debt help vertical with the launch of freedebtconsolidation.com.”

McCallan lists himself as the Chairman of Intermark Media while according to the Intermark web site Michael Krongel is the President and Founder. Yet in other locations Timothy McCallan is listed as the president and CEO.

Intermark was incorporated as Intermark Communications, Inc, in 1999, at 135 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, NY 11797 by Timothy McCallan who lists himself as Chairman or Chief Executive Office.

Intermark is important because it appears to be one of the pieces of McCallan’s debt empire. For example, Intermark owns the domain name CenturyFirst.com for the debt settlement company Century First. Century First lists the same street address as Americorp. Americorp is another company owned by McCallan.

According to an anonymous source, InterMark Media is or was selling consumer debt leads to affiliate groups working with Americorp and McCallan. – Source.

Lets set the record straight with Tim McCallan and the rest of his cronies. He has manipulated several non-profit credit counseling boards that he hand picked himself. From American Debt Management Services, Elimidebt, Intellidebt,Debtwave, 5 Star, just to name a few.
Charging these non-profits double the industry rate for processing thier accounts (Americorp)and demanding they purchase leads from him (Intermark Media)then funnel the money back to himself through the non-profit.
So on the 990 Form the non-profit makes 6 million in revenue Intermark gets 4 million and Americorp gets 1.5 million. He owns both companies. Good racket huh?
Now my man is doing the same with Debt Settlement companies charging excessive fees for a program that doesn’t work, destroys credit and leaves clients with lawsuits, garnishments and large earned income tax bills.
He has made millions in the credit counseling industry and when that got too hot in 2004 when IRS started to investigate his companies. He shut them down and went right to debt settlement.
He has the capital to start all these companies and run the expensive TV’s ads.
Guys like Tom Roland and Issac Bobbe dont take a drink of water without Tim’s ok!
He has been investigated and has testified to save his ass when Andris Pukke got pinched.
So someone please alert the FTC,IRS(again)and local AG office to this ongoing scam of greed and corruption. – Source

Americorp, Inc

I did find it very ironic that both Pukke and McCallan owned or own companies that begin with Ameri, AmeriDebt, and AmeriCorp. Just Like Infinity Resources Group and Infinity Integrated Networks. “Dude, let’s name our companies Ameri-something!”

Americorp, Inc. formed in New York in 2000 and listed the same address as the domain AmeriDebt, 500 Bi-County Blvd Suite 110, Farmingdale, NY 11735. As I remember, that address was the location of an AmeriDebt/ADCA web server in the late 1990s or early 2000s on what I believe was the Infinity Integrated Networks.

AmeriCorp describes itself as a “debt counseling and debt negotiation service”, from their website title, and would probably claim it is an innocent bystander in the debt relief world and its purpose is to offer back office processing expertise to debt management companies.

Hello, I’m Tim McCallan, founder and CEO of AmeriCorp. Thank you for taking the time to visit our web site. I hope that you explore it fully and that it answers many of your questions about us. If you would like to learn more, please contact us at anytime; and we will be happy to answer any additional questions that you might have. Working with AmeriCorp can have a dramatic effect on how your company does business; moreover, I will be directly involved from the start and will stay involved. I view our relationships with customer agencies as partnerships; I believe in hands-on management and attention to detail, all the time.
In serving your company, we at AmeriCorp have two main objectives: First, to improve your focus on new clients by relieving you of all back-end processing distractions; second, to improve your client retention by offering service that, quite simply, is too good to leave. With years of counseling experience ourselves, we know how hard it can be to manage both ends — sales and service — at the same time. We specialize in service, which means we can do a superior job that will keep your clients happy. You will be free to concentrate on what you do best, attracting and counseling new clients.
Beyond processing, we also offer consulting services to help you steer the right course, avoid pitfalls, and generally take advantage of our broad base of experience. We know what makes for a well-managed counseling agency, and we stay abreast of legislative and regulatory issues in all states. Our knowledge can help you. – Source

Americorp has listed addresses in both New York and in Florida. New York: 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset, NY 11791, 311 Crossways Park Dr, Woodbury, NY 11797 and in Florida: 3280 Suntree Blvd, #101, Melbourne, FL 32940. The Florida offices are associated with the same address of debt settlement companies that Americorp has had a role in servicing.

For consumer complaints about Americorp, click here.

Some companies that I was able to find that AmeriCorp does or did provide services for: First Consumer Debt Consolidation, Hess-Kennedy, Campos Chartered Law, Hess Kennedy & Company, American Debt Management Services, Debticated Consumer Counseling, Allegro Law, Credit Counseling of America (CCOA), Intelidebt, The Credit Network, and Five Star Debt Management.

It All Becomes So Intertwined and Muddy

Under the guidance, control or cooperation some of the most disturbing companies in the current debt relief, debt settlement landscape seems to be touched or aided by McCallan, directly or indirectly.

Let’s take take MediaMogul for example to show how they become intertwined. MediaMogul has a Florida address at 3280 Suntree Blvd and a corporate address at 311 Crossways Park Drive in New York. MediaMogul is owned by Tim McCallan and a company of the same name was owned by Wayne Walton previously. Wayne Walton is the current man reported to be heavily involved in operations of the debt settlement company Vortex Debt Group, owned by McCallan, that took over the work of the debt settlement company The Achievable, owned by McCallan, at 3270 Suntree Blvd. Vortex Debt Group is located at 3280 Suntree Blvd. MediaMogul produces radio and television advertisements for debt settlement companies Century First and Consumer Debt Advocate. Century First is located at 311 Crossways Park Drive in New York. Intermark owns the domain name for Century First. Whew. Trust me, it helps to have a whiteboard to draw this all out on.

3280 Suntree Blvd and 3270 Suntree Blvd are both call centers operated by McCallan. 3280 is reported to be the sales call center for the Vortex Debt Relief Group with seats for about 50 sales people. 3270 Suntree Blvd is reported to be a combination call center for Pure Nutrients and Americorp representatives.

If we look just in Florida, Tim McCallan was or is the owner of MediaMogul, Inc., Vortex Debt Group, Inc., The Achievable, Inc., Consumer Debt Resources, Inc., and LV Partnership, Inc. It becomes almost brain numbing to try and piece together the entire entire past and present.

The Achievable appears to have been the sales arm for at least debt settlement companies Hess-Kennedy and Allegro Law. It was responsible for selling consumers debt settlement services and then sending those customers to Hess-Kennedy and Allegro Law, both companies that were taken into receivership and shut down to protect consumers. Hess-Kennedy and Allegro Law were both serviced by McCallan’s company AmeriCorp.

I worked for The Achievable in Melbourne Florida and it is a scam. Not only were the owners of the company sued twice, once over Kennedy Hess and then over the Allegro Law incidents. The owners of The Achievable also own Vortex Debt Group, Americorp, Pure Nutrients, Media Mogul and many other holding companies, all of which are mostly rip-off schemes to lure the unsuspecting consumer into a useless service or product.
After The Achievable was sued, Vortex Debt Group popped up out of the woodwork, guess who the owner is, Tim McCallan. No one was ever allowed to mention the names, The Achievable, Kennedy Hess, Allegro Law, or even the original company, Americorp after Vortex Debt Group was up and running.
Essentially the owners are tying to hide under a shroud of deceit and greed through various corporations and fictitious names.
While the consumers were losing millions to these gluttons, the owner, Jeannie McCallan was walking around in Lois Vuitton shoes and sporting Prada purses. These people are ruthless and uncaring about the needs of the average Joe, their client, it’s all about the money.
I hope this gets out there as a warning, BUYER BEWARE of these companies. They are all scam artists. Vortex Debt Group could possibly be there biggest windfall and scam yet. – Source

Pure Nutrients, Inc.

Pure Nutrients, Inc. is a company that was incorporated in Delaware on 1-29-2009 and it is reported that McCallan’s call center that also handles Americorp calls is responsible fielding these calls. The Pure Nutrients address is listed as 3280 Suntree Blvd, Suite 101, Melbourne, FL 32940. The same address and suite number that is listed for AmeriCorp and MediaMogul and Vortex Debt Group is listed at. – Source The BBB gives this company an F rating and confirms the address. – Source. The company has a long line of complaints for taking money from consumers. – Source – Source

At the time this was published I could not confirm if McCallan is an officer of Pure Nutrients, Inc. but at the very least he appears to be profiting for the operation by providing call center services.

Now Here is Where It Gets Funny, Ironic Funny, Not Ha-Ha Funny

So McCallan’s companies have had a hand in setting up, marketing and selling consumers into debt relief and debt settlement companies.

McCallan’s enterprises were tied to debt settlement services with Hess-Kennedy (source) and Allegro Law (source) that were found to be disreputable and placed into receivership. When the receivers came in and shut down those companies guess who they left servicing those company accounts and still making money, Americorp.

It would not be too far fetched to even imagine that McCallan may have recruited lawyers or others willing to be greedy enough to be the faces behind some of these debt settlement companies and if they get shut down, so what, keep reading.

So it appears, Tim McCallan made money on the front end selling consumers into the debt settlement programs, he made money selling leads and advertising services to these companies and he’s making money on the backend servicing them while the person in the middle takes the fall. Even if the state shuts down the lawyers or debt settlement company, McCallan is still left servicing the accounts.

Americorp is/was also servicing the accounts for Elimidebt, a company in continued trouble with the State of West Virigina.

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And today we have Wayne Walton, who at 25, was just about the same age as McCallan was when he got tangled in the consumer debt business with Andris Pukke. Walton is allegedly the man running McCallan’s newest debt settlement company, Vortex Debt Group. I wonder if Walton reminds McCallan of his younger self. If so, the cycle continues and Wayne Walton will have to be the guy to watch into the future.

Almost as a footnote, in a Pamela Pukke like move, apparently now we also need to keep an eye open for Tim’s wife, Jeannie McCallan, the VP at Americorp. Jeannie McCallan recently registered Reliance Debt, Inc. with an address of 311 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, NY 11797. In Rhode Island she is listed as the President of Reliance Debt, Inc. Also listed as RelianceDebt. The company purpose in Rhode Island is listed as “TO PROVIDE BUDGER ADVICE AND RELATED ASSISTANCE TO CONSUMERS DIRECTLY OR THROUGH OTHERS”. – Source. That’s not a typo on my part, budger advice, love it! I wonder what does the future hold for Jeannie? We know what it held for Pamela Pukke.

Jeannie McCallan
3281 Suntree Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32940
p: 323-205-4164
JeannieMcCallan.com
Jeannie McCallan’s online company is designed to help visitors gain understanding of many charities, their purpose and how to get involved. Jeannie McCallan and her husband Tim McCallan have been actively involved with charities for years. – Source

Here are some other companies that Tim McCallan has been associated with The Bankruptcy Network, Inc. (NY/DE), Americorp Realty, Inc. (NY), American Debt Management Services, Inc. (NY), Seton Corporation (NY), Home Ownership Accelerator Americorp (americorphomeloans.com) (CA), Alesa Group, Inc. (NY), and Infinity Integrated Networks, Inc., (NY).

And there you go, so that’s why I think Tim McCallan is probably the smartest guy in the underworld debt relief industry today. He devised a way to make millions from consumers and debt relief services but stays out of legal trouble, for the most part. Pukke’s mess didn’t bring him down, Hess-Kennedy didn’t injure him and Allegro Law left him unscathed.

McCallan appears to operate his credit and debt related business much the same Andris Pukke operated his business with a web of related companies and entities. I find it very hard to believe that either McCallan did not model his empire after Pukke’s actions or that maybe Pukke learned from the older and wiser McCallan. Regardless, the bottom line is that I suspect there are a lot of things we don’t yet know about Tim McCallan’s role and profit making activities in the debt relief, debt settlement, and credit counseling industry.

I think the man has nine lives. I just wonder how many he’s used up by now?

Sincerely,

You are not alone. I'm here to help. There is no need to suffer in silence. We can get through this. Tomorrow can be better than today. Don't give up.

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Steve Rhode is the Get Out of Debt Guy and has been helping good people with bad debt problems since 1994. You can learn more about Steve, here.