Chicago Lawmaker Promotes Multi-Level Marketing Company

The Better Government Association is asking questions about multi-level marketing company 5Linx's,use of several Chicago politicians to promote persons mostly within the African-American community to become sales associates of the company. One of them, State Sen. Patricia Van Pelt, made a video about how she became a sales associate for the company and quickly rose to the level of platinum senior vice president, making enough money to pay off her home and buy two luxury cars, including a Bentley and a BMW. 5Linx boasts sales of more than $100 million annually selling satellite TV packages and products, coffee and diet supplements, among others.

Sen. Van Pelt made a video promoting others to become sales associates for the company to obtain financial freedom like herself in which she prominently touts her role as an Illinois state senator. Van Pelt conceded that saving money on services is the most typical benefit sales associates get out of their affiliation with the company. Cook County Clerk Dorothy Brown (D) is also a 5Linx sales associate who has risen to the level of senior vice president. Brown is being investigated by federal investigators for unrelated charges, but she has been accused of asking employees of her office to become 5Linx associates, a charge she denies.

Van Pelt also convinced Secretary of State Jesse White to join 5Linx according to the Chicago Sun-Times, although he now says he no longer has anything to do with the company and does not encourage others to become a part of it. Van Pelt says she is no longer affiliated with 5Linx. She tells the Sun-Times she quit 5Linx in June and joined another similar, multi-level marking company, Utah-based Ariix, which donated over $10,000 to her campaign committee in September.