Quick Answer: The FTC temporarily shut down Growth Cave, a business opportunity scam that allegedly took $50 million from consumers since 2020 through false income promises. Owners Lucas Lee-Tyson, Osmany Batte, and Jordan Marksberry portrayed themselves as experts while funding their lifestyles through consumer fees rather than proven programs.
FTC Statement
As a result of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, a federal court has temporarily halted the operations of a wide-ranging business opportunity and credit repair scam that has operated under the name “Growth Cave” since at least 2020.
The FTC’s complaint against the operation and its owners and officers, Lucas Lee-Tyson, Osmany Batte (also known as “Ozzie Blessed”), and Jordan Marksberry, alleges that the Growth Cave operation has taken approximately $50 million from consumers using false promises of huge income.
“Consumers seeking to start a business deserve an honest chance—not false promises of reliable income and expert help,” said Chris Mufarrige, the FTC’s Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC has its eye on business opportunity schemes like this one and will take decisive action to stop them.”
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In videos, Lee-Tyson and Batte have claimed to be experts who have made significant money through the programs and techniques they sell and who are ready to share their supposed expertise with consumers—for a price. In these videos, Lee-Tyson portrays himself as a marketing guru and self-made millionaire. Batte, according to the complaint, implies that he contributes to Growth Cave’s success with his ability to fix negative “mindsets” and his certification in hypnosis. Lee-Tyson, Batte, and Marksberry post videos of their lavish lifestyles as proof of their programs’ earning potential, but according to the complaint those lifestyles are funded by the consumers who lost money to Growth Cave’s bogus programs.
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The Growth Cave operation’s primary scheme is called Knowledge Business Accelerator (KBA) which, according to the complaint, is sold via YouTube ads. The KBA scheme’s central pitch to consumers is that by developing and marketing a so-called “digital education program,” consumers can “generate $20,000 to $50,000 in passive income.” In videos cited in the complaint, Lee-Tyson guaranteed to consumers that “It is literally IMPOSSIBLE to fail…”
According to the complaint, consumers who reach out to learn more about the KBA program are hit with email marketing that reinforces the videos’ deceptive messages and are pushed to watch more videos and schedule a “strategy call” with a Growth Cave employee, where they are told they will begin making money within four to six weeks. Consumers report that Growth Cave offers them a $10,000 profit guarantee that they are told will ensure they recoup the money they spend to buy the KBA business opportunity.
According to the complaint, Consumers pay thousands of dollars each for the KBA program, but soon after learn that Growth Cave’s promises are empty. The complaint alleges that consumers had trouble reaching Growth Cave employees and obtaining promised assistance. Consumers report that Growth Cave did not develop customized advertisements and instead provided KBA purchasers with generic scripts, which KBA purchasers had to spend significant time revising before recording their own advertisements. Even after completing previously undisclosed “requirements” from Growth Cave to launch their courses, many consumers reported that they were unable to earn the promised income.
The scheme’s operators also pushed an “upgraded” version of the KBA program, called Digital Freedom Mastermind (DFM), in which all of the work to create an educational course is supposedly completed by Growth Cave on consumers’ behalf, at a cost of an additional $30,000 to $50,000. Consumers who purchased this supposed upgrade reported that the promised services never materialized.
According to the complaint, in most cases, KBA purchasers, including those who pay for the DFM upsell, do not make a single sale and therefore do not earn any income. Instead, they find themselves owing thousands of dollars to Growth Cave, credit card companies, or third-party lenders, prompting numerous consumer complaints.
According to the complaint, Lee-Tyson and Batte also sold another business opportunity scheme called the Cashflow Consultant Academy (CCA), which promised to teach purchasers to close new sales for “wealthy business owners” and guaranteed that it would place participants with one of Growth Cave’s “business owner clients,” leading to tens of thousands of dollars in monthly income. According to the complaint, the people who endorse the program in video advertisements talking about their own successes are all Growth Cave employees—but this is never disclosed. Real consumers have regularly complained that, after paying as much as $6,800 for the CCA opportunity, instead of being placed with a business owner as promised, they often are never placed with any client at all. In the rare instances where a consumer is “placed,” consumers report that, instead of a “wealthy business owner,” their client is just a consumer who is embroiled in Growth Cave’s KBA scheme. Most CCA purchasers never earn any income or profit.
According to the complaint, Growth Cave also established a bogus credit repair scheme in 2023 called Buffalo Bridge, aimed at consumers who had purchased the company’s other bogus schemes. Buffalo Bridge claimed to provide credit repair services and 0% interest business loans, but in reality, consumers report, it merely signed up consumers for multiple business credit cards. The complaint alleges that Growth Cave unlawfully charged consumers $6,800 upfront for this supposed service.
Even after facing multiple private lawsuits from consumers who lost money to their schemes, the complaint alleges, Lee-Tyson and Batte have continued pitching new business opportunity schemes. After announcing a “rebrand” in March 2024, Lee-Tyson started selling a supposed AI-fueled program called PassiveApps, which, according to the complaint, follows the same blueprint as KBA, with supposed full-service upgrades available for thousands of dollars. The complaint alleges that Lee-Tyson even deceptively re-uses the exact same “testimonials” provided by KBA purchasers to advertise PassiveApps.
According to the complaint, Batte is pitching a service similar to CCA called ApexMind and is recycling many of the same deceptive tactics, including the prior bogus testimonials, according to the complaint.
The FTC’s complaint charges that the defendants have violated the FTC Act, the Business Opportunity Rule, the Credit Repair Organizations Act and the Reviews and Testimonials Rule.
The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint was 4-0-1, with then-Commissioner Lina M. Khan not participating. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. – Source
Case Information:
- Court: U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- Case No.: 2:25-cv-01115-DDP-(RAOx)
- Filing Date: February 10, 2025
- Plaintiff: Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Defendants:
- Growth Cave, LLC (d/b/a Buffalo Bridge Capital, PassiveApps)
- Apex Mind, LLC
- Lucas Lee-Tyson
- Osmany Batte (aka Ozzie Blessed)
- Jordan Marksberry
Allegations at a Glance:
The FTC alleges that Growth Cave and its executives engaged in fraudulent business opportunity and credit repair schemes that deceived consumers into spending $3,500 to $50,000 on programs that promised substantial passive income, but rarely, if ever, delivered results. The defendants allegedly used false earnings claims, misleading testimonials, and illegal credit repair practices to lure consumers into debt. The FTC seeks a permanent injunction, monetary relief, and other penalties.
Key Allegations:
- Growth Cave falsely advertised its Knowledge Business Accelerator (KBA) program as a guaranteed path to earning $10,000–$50,000 per month by selling digital courses online.
- Consumers were misled into paying thousands of dollars based on promises of one-on-one coaching and AI-driven marketing, which were never delivered as advertised.
- Growth Cave upsold a “Done-for-You” (DFM) service for $30,000 to $50,000, falsely claiming it would handle all aspects of setting up an online business.
- The company marketed a second program, Cashflow Consulting Academy (CCA), falsely promising guaranteed paid placements for graduates as text-based sales representatives.
- Growth Cave used fake success stories, doctored testimonials, and hidden affiliations to mislead consumers.
- To exploit financially struggling customers, Growth Cave pushed a deceptive credit repair and financing service under its “Buffalo Bridge Capital” brand.
- Instead of repairing credit, Growth Cave instructed customers to open multiple high-interest business credit cards, worsening their financial situation.
- Complaints and refund requests were ignored or denied, with Growth Cave claiming their “profit guarantees” were non-binding.
- Growth Cave continued its fraudulent activities under rebranded names after consumer complaints mounted.
Legal Claims:
The lawsuit alleges violations of multiple federal laws, including:
Unfair and Deceptive Practices – FTC Act (15 U.S.C. § 45(a))
Failure to Disclose Business Opportunity Risks – Business Opportunity Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 437)
Unlawful Credit Repair Practices – Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) (15 U.S.C. § 1679)
Deceptive Use of Testimonials & Reviews – FTC Reviews & Testimonials Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 465)
Relief Sought:
Monetary restitution for affected consumers (~$50 million in estimated harm)
Civil penalties and damages
Permanent ban on deceptive marketing practices
Injunctions to prevent further violations
Other relief as deemed necessary by the court
The Bottom Line:
The FTC alleges that Growth Cave defrauded thousands of consumers through misleading online business and credit repair schemes. If successful, this lawsuit could result in major financial penalties, refunds to victims, and permanent restrictions on Growth Cave and its executives.
Legal Disclaimer:
These are allegations brought by the FTC and have not yet been proven in court. The case may result in a trial, settlement, or dismissal.
Update (January 2026): The FTC finalized its settlement with Growth Cave on January 27, 2026. If you’re wondering whether you’ll get a refund — and what to do while you wait — I’ve written a detailed guide on what the Growth Cave FTC settlement means for victims and refund timelines.
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