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December 16, 2005
Wipe out for Dr.Rik
The allure of effortless wealth -- that's what drives many people to become spammers. One Sebastian, Florida junk emailer named Rik Rodriguez even created a web site with that name. A fan of surfing, Rodriguez officially called his spam operation Wavemaster Consultants.
If life was a beach for the 47-year-old Rodriguez, things got real gnarly this week. The attorney general of Florida filed a lawsuit against him for sending out illegal spam for a product called Fuel Saver Pro. Rodriguez is facing potentially $10-million in penalties. The AG also wants Rodriguez to post a $1-million bond to ensure he complies with the proposed injunction. (Rodriguez allegedly sent the spam as an affiliate in a spam network run by Mark C. Ayoub, who was sued by the FTC earlier this year.)
Rodriguez referred to himself online as "Dr.Rik" -- usually leaving no space between the period and his name. I'm not sure what qualifies him as a doctor. (For some reason, the image of Dr. Nick Riviera of the Simpsons comes to mind.)
An online bio says Rodriguez was a "surgical assistant" for 20 years, but I couldn't find a listing for him in the health professionals database maintained by the Department of Regulation & Licensing in Wisconsin, where he apparently lived before moving to Florida. (Maybe he's a PhD "doctor"?)
I do know that in 2003 Rodriguez spammed Pinacle penis pills as Affiliate #79 for Amazing Internet Products, the spam operation profiled in detail in Spam Kings.
Kind of strange behavior for a doctor, but Rodriguez also sent spam in 1998 advertising a multi-level marketing scheme for cigarettes.
Posted by brian at December 16, 2005 11:37 PM
Comments
Well, obviously you have not done your research on Mr. Rodriguez.
I did a search and I show that he was a sergical assistant in the US ARMY for 4 years, then in california, Hawaii then Washington.
I also did a search for a degree for mr.
rodriguez.
I found that he has a PH.D is religion.
Do you people do your research?
Posted by: J.R at February 2, 2006 12:02 AM
