Complaint Review: Enagic USA Compliance Department Dishonest Unethical Accountable to No One - Torrance California

(See attached screenshot) Enagic Japan says they cannot do anything. Enagic USA says they cannot do anything. They both say everything goes through compliance.

However, Steve Trapp is compliance. Steve Trapp is the only person who comprises compliance and is the head of compliance.

So Steve Trapp (compliance) can commit fraud, and always gets away with it because he is held accountable by no one but himself. Enagic compliance is held accountable by no one, can do whatever it wants without fear of any recourse.

Steve Trapp committed fraud against me.

And everyone in Enagic USA tells me I must go through compliance but compliance is Steve Trapp, who committed the fraud.

Do you think the person who committed fraud, Steve Trapp, is going to hold himself accountable?

So why is there NO ONE in Enagic USA who will hold Steve Trapp accountable?

Even if Enagic thinks Steve Trapp is telling the truth, Enagic should at least listen to the other side of the story.

There should be someone you can talk to, to hear both sides of the story, who would be above Steve Trapp.

Not to mention to see all of the screenshots, documentation and 1-hour recorded audio PROVING Steve Trapp is a fraud and committed fraud against me.

And in the attached screenshot you can see it says I received a letter from compliance. But I never received any letter from compliance, as far as any actual communication stating any actual specfic reason of why I was "suspended". Their own policies and procedures state we must receive a formal warning, and I never received any warning of suspension in an email, in a letter, in a phone call, NOTHING.

And the email I received that stated I was suspended for 3 months said because I "ignored multiple warnings". 

Again the problem is I RECEIVED NO WARNINGS! And the suspension notification email does not state any specifics of why I was suspended, just that I ignored non-existent warnings, never cites what those "warnings" were. So that can't considered receiving an actual letter because there is no actual reason cited as to why I was suspended.

Steve Trapp told me on the phone that a notification from compliance is a warning of suspension and he had to go back to 2016 when I received a compliance notification to say that this was a warning of suspension.

But why Steve Trapp does it say NO WHERE in policies and procedures that a compliance notification is a warning of suspension?

A compliance notification is a compliance notification.

How can now a compliance notification all of the sudden also be a warning of suspension when it states that NO WHERE in writing?

And again, Why does it not say in policies and procedures that when we receive a compliance notification and we follow the directions in the notification, that we will then be suspended without warning? Why doesn't it say that Steve Trapp?

(See previous update going over the details of how Steve Trapp would never answer this question, and also to see what the instructions were in the compliance notification that I did NOT ignore, and that I followed the instructions perfectly!)

So for not ignoring the compliance notification, and for also following the instructions in the notification, I then get suspended without warning and told I was suspended for ignoring non-existent warnings. 

But now I am told that a compliance notification can also be a warning of suspension, even though it doesn't say that anywhere in writing, not in the email itself, not in the policies and procedures, just because Steve Trapp said so over the phone to me, after the fact, and which I recorded.

And the only reason this phone call happened is because I filed a complaint with the Direct Selling Association and my complaint was forwarded to the Code Responsibility Officer of Enagic who is also, Steve Trapp.

Only after Steve Trapp received that notification from the DSA, did he all of the sudden want to talk on the phone. But I didn't want to talk to Steve Trapp, I wanted to talk to someone who would be his boss and/or hold him accountable, someone who would at least hear the other side of the story independent from Steve Trapp.

It's like going to a restaurant and being charged twice the amount for the food you ordered and the restaurant refusing to correct the mistake and refund you the amount you were overcharged. So you ask to talk to a manager to let them know about the poor service you received, yet the manager is the very person who gave you the poor customer service.

But the phone call was great as I recorded the whole thing and recorded all his lies for everyone to hear for themselves. 

So whatever Steve Trapp says, even if it goes against what is in writing, is now the law and we are supposed to somehow know the mind and will of Steve Trapp without him ever replying to any of our questions or providing any actual communication to us.

And when we do actually get a chance to speak with him, it's complete nonsense, it's someone saying 2 + 2 = 5 the whole time and we're supposed to agree that 'yes, you're right, 2 + 2 = 5, how silly of me.'

Policies and procedures states in 1 section that we must receive a formal warning before any disciplinary action can be taken. 

Then in another section it states that Enagic can suspend or terminate any distributor for any reason without warning. 

That is what we call a contradiction. 

Also that line that states they can do whatever they want for any reason, without any warning allows them to never take responsibility for their own actions and places the blame always on the distributor, whether the distributor is actually guilty or not.

Steve Trapp just kept repeating this line to me that Enagic can do whatever they want for any reason without any warning. That is what he referred to repeatedly to justify his lying and fraud.

At Enagic USA, distributors are "guilty" until proven innocent. And since distributors have no method to have their case or side of the story heard, they will never be heard.

All the while Steve Trapp can talk to Yuichi Arima and put whatever spin he wants on anything, knowing the other side will never be given a chance to be heard.

Steve Trapp protects himself and throws distributors under the bus, rather than admitting a mistake was made, apologizing and all parties making peace with each other.

Mistakes are always going to be made by either side but when only one side can protect themselves from mistakes and the other side is never protected, even when they are not at fault, is the very definition of hypocrisy and/or fraud.

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UPDATE: I am not trying to hurt Enagic, I am trying to protect distributors, so for all the haters and potential troublemakers out there who are going to try to make a big deal about this post, know that I am sharing information to help protect Enagic distributors and to hopefully improve Enagic USA to stop treating honest, hard-working distributors with contempt and stop lying to us, stop using scare-tactics and stop treating us like criminals.

Last I checked, Enagic is not a cult and we should be able to express our concerns without fear of retaliation from the company.

This post is not doing me any favors, it is only to help protect you and help improve the company hopefully.

The Kangen Water products are simply AMAZING! They are the best in the world. I have no ill-will towards Enagic. But things need to improve at the office or Enagic USA will not last into the future long-term.

A good company can graciously listen and receive criticism and complaints and feedback and take them into consideration rather than retaliating when criticism or complaints are made.

So it is my hope that this post will not receive retaliation from Enagic for simply providing information on how other distributors can protect themselves and know what is going on to some degree.  

Enagic compliance is extremely unprofessional and unethical and currently accountable to no one.  

Enagic compliance is 1 person and that 1 person is Steve Trapp.  

Steve Trapp is a proven liar and a fraud. I have all the proof to back up this statement.   My wife and I spent 1 hour on the phone on Tuesday with Steve Trapp and the sales manager at Enagic.

I asked the sales manager if Steve Trapp is her boss. She said no, and that Yuichi Arima is her boss. But she also always says that this is all out of her hands and only compliance can help me. 

So if the sales manager can't do anything, why is she on this call?

And why is Steve Trapp on this call when he is the one who has committed the fraud against us?

This call should be comprised of people who Steve Trapp can be held accountable to.

Our side of the story of what actually happened is never heard. 

But Steve Trapp can talk to whoever he wants at the office and put whatever spin he wants on things without fear of anyone ever hearing the other side.

I recorded the entire thing.

After this call, the sales manager agreed to have us write a letter of complaint to the head of Enagic USA, Yuichi Arima, and she said she would schedule a conference call with him so Cheri and I can talk to him directly.

However today (Thursday) I received an email follow-up from the sales manager which read: "I wanted to follow up with you since your last email and request to speak with our CEO, Yuichi Arima, regarding the case of your suspension.

Unfortunately a meeting cannot be granted and I encourage you to work directly with our compliance department at [email protected] to answer any questions with regard to your accounts that are currently under suspension."

The problem with this is compliance is Steve Trapp, it's just 1 person, the same person who committed fraud against us. So he is not going to hold himself accountable. And since there is no one else in Enagic USA who is willing to hold Steve Trapp accountable, he can pretty much do whatever he wants, using scare-tactics and bullying distributors without any consequence.

I feel like I have been treated like a criminal by the compliance department even though I have done nothing wrong. I have tons of screenshots and now over 1 hour of an audio recording with Steve Trapp from Tuesday proving that the way we have been unfairly treated by Steve Trapp is nothing more than a personal vendetta against us for blocking him in our facebook group.

Enagic compliance can only be contacted by email, this is the only way. Any other network marketing company that I know of that has a compliance department will talk to you on the phone and answer questions. But not only can you never speak to anyone on the phone at Enagic compliance but these past 15 months or so they have not responded to my emails asking sincere questions and seeking help and answers to what we can do and to what we cannot do.

Dr. Horst Filtzer, medical advisor to Enagic, said himself in February 2020 that distributors need to know what they can say and do instead of all of the things they can't do.

This is why I email Enagic Compliance asking sincere questions and to alleviate confusion to find out what we can do.

It also says in their policies and procedures to email compliance to get permission to do a vendor booth. So that's what I did, I emailed asking for permission to do a vendor booth. But again compliance did not reply. This example illustrates it is not me trying to be difficult that results in their non-replying to me but that they simply do not reply even through it says in their policies and procedures that they will reply.

This time Enagic compliance emailed me on March 23rd indicating a post I made on social media was violating policy and procedures.

And at the bottom of their Email read: "Please send a response to: [email protected] letting us know how the above violation has been resolved. So that we can ensure a timely resolution of this matter, please send your response within 10 days of the date of this email. If we do not receive a response from you we will place a hold on your commission checks."

I replied back within 30 minutes.

It also read at the bottom: "If you have any questions, please let us know! We appreciate your cooperation and wish you continued success in building your Enagic business!"

I was confused as to exactly how I was in violation so I replied and asked, what the specific issue was that they had a problem with?

And I expressed concerns that my emails into the compliance department these past 12+ months have not been replied to. In the past when we emailed the compliance department back in 2016, we would receive replies back with some hard-to-understand answers to our questions. But at least we received replies back, even though the "answers" didn't always make sense.

But this past year of 2019 and going into 2020 I have not received replies back to my sincere questions asking for answers on what we can and cannot do and can and cannot say.

In response to my initial reply expressing frustration of not getting help and answers to questions this past 12 months, someone in the compliance department anonymously replied saying with one line which included these words: "...you blocked me from your group..."

I did not know Enagic Compliance is apparently 1 person and I don't know who this person was that I was being told that I blocked.

I then edited the social media post and replied back the very same day to compliance informing them (compliance) that I edited my post and asking if everything was ok now and asking for confirmation that everything was ok?

And also asking is Enagic compliance 1 person? And asking if this is why I have received NO replies to my inquires this past year?

I sent 4 consecutive replies notifying compliance that I edited the post and asking if everything was ok now?

I RECEIVED NO REPLY from compliance to my 4 consecutive replies into compliance on March 23rd.

REPEAT: I received NO reply to any of my responses informing compliance the post had been edited and asking for confirmation if everything was now ok or not.

I then contacted Enagic customer service later in the day on March 23rd and explained compliance is not replying to me and customer service said on the chat: "I think how you are saying the 2.5 is fine."

Customer service said they do not know who works in compliance, or how many work there or how they can be contacted.

Then on March 27, 2020 I receive a separate email from Enagic Compliance telling me I am now suspended from conducing business for 3 months because I ignored multiple warnings.

The problem is I RECEIVED NO SUSPENSION WARNINGS.

So it went from telling me to reply within 10 days or my commission checks would be held. And I did reply on the very day they emailed me. To then being told I am suspended and that I ignored warnings. But I received no warnings.

So then I contacted Enagic USA L.A. Office and talked to the manager and she said there was nothing she could do and that I could only wait for compliance to reply.

But the problem is Steve Trapp never replies and also lied that he gave me multiple warnings.

Compliance also did not follow their own rules of communicating to a distributor what the problem is, giving them time to correct the supposed problem and being given official written warnings, according to section 43 of the policy and procedures, and so on before any disciplinary actions are taken.

So I attempted to contact other administrators in different Enagic offices to get some help because to me, based on the unethical actions of the compliance department being dishonest, they are not accountable to anyone and can act poorly without any checks or balances to their rogue actions.

They can break their own rules, and then lie about their actions and move forward with disciplinary actions even when the person is following the rules and obeying what they were told to do.

I received a reply from an Enagic employee, who is now working for the Germany office for Enagic Europe.

This Germany Enagic employee told me the person in charge of compliance is a person named Steven Trapp.

I also run a large public social media group with currently 2 other admins and if I judge someone is trying to be a trouble-maker, I will block them. I went back and looked at the blocked list of this group and found 1 person among the list that I blocked from the group on Friday March 20, 2020 in this group named Steve Trapp.

On the April 7, 2020 1 hour phone call with Steve Trapp and the sales manager, I asked what is the purpose of this call?

Steve Trapp: "To answer your questions."

I asked Steve Trapp how was I supposed to know you were with Enagic compliance?

Steve Trapp: "You never asked."

I also asked why when others have asked you if you are with compliance you never respond? You never say yes, you never say no, you just say nothing?

Steve Trapp: SILENCE

I also asked why another high-ranking distributor publicly said that Steve Trapp is not with compliance but is just someone who understands the legalities? 

Steve Trapp: "I cannot speak to what is in [high-ranking distributor]'s mind."

I asked, "Why does it not say in policies and procedures that when we receive a compliance notification and we follow the directions in the notification, that we will then be suspended without warning? Why doesn't it say that Steve Trapp?"

Each time I asked this question he would completely change the subject and not even attempt to answer. He didn't even try to give a non-answer veiled as an "answer". He would just completely deflect and change subject. So I repeatedly held his feet to the fire and told him to stop deflecting and actually answer the question. 

He never would answer and it was a train wreck for him. 

Steve Trapp then said compliance notifications are warnings of suspension. 

Really? So why doesn't it say this in the policies and procedures?

NOTE: I have received 3 compliance notifications in 3 years, so an average of 1 a year, and this includes the latest one on March 23rd.

Always, I reply, and notify them the post or whatever it was has been edited and I NEVER receive a reply in return from compliance confirming if everything is ok or not. This is how it's been since 2017.

Except this last time, not only did I not receive a reply in return to the compliance notification, I instead received a separate email notifying me I was now suspended because I ignored multiple warnings. And again, I RECEIVED NO SUSPENSION WARNINGS.

And why doesn't it say in policies and procedures that a compliance notification is actually a warning of suspension supposedly now? 

I then asked the sales manager if she would answer the question and she would not answer. She also would deflect.

Some Other Highlights:

Steve Trapp said there is a compliance committee and I said "No there isn't. You are the committee Steve Trapp."

Steve Trapp: "No I'm not."

Me: "Who else is on this committee? Give me some names."

Steve Trapp: "[sales manager name]" 

Sales Manager then says there's nothing she can do and it's all in the hands of compliance.

My wife said: "I thought you were on the committee [sales manager name]?

And if there was really a committee, why are none of those people on this call, why is it always just you Steve Trapp?

Another sequence I asked for a definition of an income claim and a medical claim since there is not an actual clear definition in policies and procedures other than vague language.

I asked Steve Trapp if showing pictures of your big house and sports car is an income claim?

Steve Trapp: "Yes."

Me: "So why does Enagic show big houses and sports cars in their very own magazines which are approved by Enagic compliance?"

Steve Trapp: "I can't speak to that."

Another time I asked if we can say the water is hydrating and Steve Trapp said yes.

Then I asked if we can say it's antioxidant?

Steve Trapp: "No."

Me: "We can't? Then why does Enagic say that it's antioxidant?"

Steve Trapp: "Oh yes, you can say it's antioxidant."

I also went off on him because he said my views on vaccines as not being safe and that they are dangerous, based on tons of studies proving they shed and spread disease, is against Enagic compliance. 

Oh, so I didn't know that when I became a distributor with Enagic I also gave up my 1st amendment right to Free Speech? 

I told Steve Trapp I can say whatever I want.

Then I read to him word-for-word his March 23rd compliance notification to me telling me to reply within 10 days, and then my 4 consecutive replies to him on the very day I received his notification with the warning to reply to him within 10 days, to which he never replied to any. 

Next thing I know I receive suspension email on March 27th for ignoring multiple warnings, but again I RECEIVED NO WARNINGS other than to reply back within 10 days, which is exactly what I did 4 times on Day 1.   

So for doing exactly what I was told to do in the compliance notification email, I then get suspended. 

So because I received an initial response from Enagic compliance saying that "you blocked me from your group", when I had NO IDEA who Steve Trapp was. I look at this supposed disciplinary action related to a personal vendetta against me rather than because of me actually violating any rules.

I have screenshots of all of this as well as a 1-hour audio recording which proves all of this so I can't falsely be accused of making this up.

SUMMARY:

I followed the rules.

I was informed a post I made was in violation.

I edited the post in question.

I replied back 4 consecutive times on March 23rd.

I asked for confirmation if everything was ok now?

I received no reply. 

I then contacted Enagic customer service and explained compliance was not replying and Enagic customer service said: "I think how you are saying the 2.5 is fine."

I then am suspended without warning because they (Steve Trapp) says I was given multiple warnings and I didn't follow warnings.

But the problem is I RECEIVED NO SUSPENSION WARNINGS.

Steve Trapp is just upset because I blocked him from my group, and that is no one's fault but his own because he never told me who he was, never has spoken to me once in all the months that we have been facebook "friends", never sent me a message, never communicated who he was.

I had NO IDEA he worked for Enagic compliance. I blocked him from our facebook group for no other reason other than the fact that I judged him to be a troublemaker.

And based on how he has treated us since and all the documentation I have of him being a proven liar, I was correct in my judgement that he is a troublemaker.

Enagic compliance is one of the most unprofessional organizations I have ever encountered in my life.

RED-FLAG: Currently it seems Enagic compliance department (Steve Trapp) is ACCOUNTABLE TO NO ONE based on the sales manager saying there is nothing she can do and that the very supposed head of the compliance department is someone who lied about their actions towards me (ie: no multiple suspension warnings).

Steve Trapp lied repeatedly on this phone call and I have it all recorded.

When I blocked him I had ZERO idea that he works for compliance, not only does he work for compliance, he is the head of compliance and not only is he the head of compliance he IS compliance. 1 person.

His facebook profile had just a profile photo of a cartoon robot, said nothing about where he works, where he lives, zero information.

He friend requested me about 18 months ago and in the last 18 months he has never messaged me, commented on any of my content, never liked any of my content, has never engaged with me in any way, never have I ever talked to him a single time.

Also, even if I knew he was compliance, which I didn't know, I have every right to block someone on my personal social media pages or group pages, as we all do.

I asked him if it says anywhere in policies and procedures that we can't block Steve Trapp?

He said, "NO".

So what is the problem Steve Trapp?

Steve Trapp says, among other things that are complete nonsense, that expressing my personal views that vaccines are bad is against Enagic compliance.

Nevermind that there are a plethora of studies that PROVE vaccines shed and spread disease and make your immune system weaker.

And there are a ton of studies proving vaccines are not safe and not effective.

Nevermind the countless people who die from vaccines each year and also receive vaccine injuries.

This is the type of nonsense that we are dealing with, where according to Steve Trapp, we supposedly give up our 1st amendment right to Free Speech when we become an Enagic distributor .

Here are some of my concerns and complaints about Enagic compliance:

1. Compliance (Steve Trapp) NEVER replies to emails, NEVER tries to help or answer sincere questions. You can never call or talk to anyone on the phone. It's only email. And they never reply to any emails. I have sent in numerous emails into compliance this past 12+ months and I NEVER get a response and/or answer to any of my questions.

2. Compliance (Steve Trapp) is accountable to no one. There is no one who will talk to you that is above Steve Trapp. You talk to him and are not allowed to talk to anyone else above him.

3. Policies and Procedures is vague and contradicts itself in several places so there is obviously a lot of grey area and confusion reigns supreme. This is why, we as Enagic distributors, need to be able to have compliance help us and communicate with us and teach us, rather than ignore our emails and questions.

4. Why is there only 1 person in compliance when there are thousands of distributors? And why is this person someone who is as unethical and unprofessional as you can possibly get by using scare-tactics, bullying tactics, and straight up lying to distributors and lying about distributors?

5. Enagic compliance does treat distributors differently. Some distributors blatantly do not follow the rules and it seems nothing ever happens to them but others who are very careful with everything they say or do, get treated unfairly.

If anyone else is concerned about any of these things I would encourage you to send your concerns and/or questions or ideas and suggestions on how we can help improve Enagic USA and the compliance department by sending an email to Enagic and let them know.

[email protected]

[email protected]

Or go to the Enagic website and click on chat to talk to customer service. 

Or click on contact and call the head office in the USA which is the Los Angeles office.

You can just express your own personal concerns and give your suggestions and ideas of how you think things can improve.