Zer01's mobile offer: Too good to be true?

IDG News Service - Imagine downloading a two-hour HD movie in three minutes to your new cell phone, then plugging the phone into your TV to watch the film. Make unlimited phone calls, surf online as much as you like and send unlimited text messaging for $70 a month, without a contract. Sign up to sell the same service to other people and get $10 a month for each person you sell to.

That's what a group of related companies including Zer01 Mobile, Buzzirk, Global Verge and Unified Technologies Group are promoting heavily online and at industry trade shows. The offer is attractive enough to garner coverage in top business and technology publications, at least one positive review from an analyst and even a "best in show" award from a magazine at the CTIA wireless industry trade show earlier this year.

Does it all sound too good to be true? If so, that's because it probably is. What little information is available about the services is vague, technically inconsistent, and doesn't match up with public records.

One key player in the network of companies is Mark Petschel. He's the CEO of Global Verge, the multilevel marketing firm that is recruiting people to sell Zer01's service, under the Buzzirk brand. Sales associates are paying $70 initially to become part of the program and $40 a month thereafter for back-office support.

Petschel is currently on probation after pleading guilty to securities fraud. According to a bankruptcy filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Petschel allegedly promised to invest $168,000 that he collected from several people, but instead spent some of the money on items like jewelry.

Petschel has been on the losing end of three contract disputes, including one in 2002 in which he was ordered to pay $50,000. The Circuit Court of St. Louis County has no record that he's complied yet with any of the rulings.

He also previously started a company called Everge whose setup was very similar to Global Verge's. It encouraged people to pay to become sales associates and then sell mobile services under the brand BizzBuzz. An Everge YouTube video from 2007 entices people to start selling the mobile service, which was to launch in 18 months.

No such launch appears to have occurred. The state of Missouri recently dissolved Everge for failing to file an annual report. The Circuit Court of St. Louis County recently ordered Petschel and Everge to pay more than $35,000 in back rent for the office building where Everge was located.

Petschel also appears to have had yet another similar company that tried to attract sales people who would sell online games. That company was called NuSkyWay, and it sold games through MVP Network.