Amway

Amway (short for "American Way") is an American multi-level marketing (MLM) company that sells health, beauty, and home care products. The company was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos and is based in Ada, Michigan. Amway and its sister companies under Alticor reported sales of $8.9 billion in 2019. It is the largest multi-level marketing company in the world by revenue. It conducts business through a number of affiliated companies in more than a hundred countries and territories.

Amway has been investigated in various countries and by institutions such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for alleged pyramid scheme practices. The company has paid tens of millions of dollars to settle these suits. Between 2007 and 2008, Amway was found guilty of illegal business practices in India. This ruling was upheld by the Indian Supreme Court. The crackdown was followed up to in 2021 by the Enforcement Directorate attaching company and bank assets, and labeling Amway's business model a "pyramid fraud" and the product offerings a "masquerade". In 1983, Amway admitted to defrauding the Canadian government for 15 years and had to pay a fine.