World Patent Marketing Was Accused By The Federal Trade Commission Of Defrauding Thousands Of People And Harassing Customers Who Threatened To Report Them. According to Politico, “Freshman Rep. Brian Mast is linked to a Florida marketing company under investigation by federal regulators for allegedly pocketing millions of dollars in a patent scam. World Patent Marketing and its owner, Scott J. Cooper, are accused by the Federal Trade Commission of defrauding thousands of clients in the last few years to the tune of millions of dollars, and then harassing customers who threatened to report the scam.” [Politico, 3/16/17]
Mast Claimed He Only Met Cooper Twice, He Did Not Know He Was Being Appointed To The Advisory Board, He Never Received Compensation From The Company, And He Did Not Give The Company Permission To Use His Image. According to Politico, “In an interview, Mast insisted he had only met Cooper face-to-face on two occasions — including a party last month celebrating the freshman lawmaker’s victory — and did not know where Cooper obtained footage of him used in a promotional video for the firm. Mast also said Cooper did not have his permission to use his image. Mast said he never received compensation from the company and did not know about the press release announcing his appointment to the advisory board before it was published. ‘[Cooper] was somebody who was introduced to me,’ Mast said. ‘I was aware that I became a member of a board through a press release someone else sent to me. I didn’t even know.’” [Politico, 3/16/17]
2/22/17: Cooper Tweeted A Photo Of Him And Mast At A Bar, Smiling With Drinks In Their Hands. According to Politico, “Cooper tweeted a photo on Feb. 22, 2017 of Mast and him together at a bar. The two men are smiling with drinks in their hands and Cooper has his arm around the Florida lawmaker. ‘Florida Congressman Brian Mast and World Patent Marketing CEO Scott Cooper finally relax after the swearing in...,’ Cooper captioned the tweet.” [Politico, 3/16/17]
World Patent Marketing Offered Its Support To Mast On Their Facebook Page. According to Politico, “Cooper has also described Mast as a ‘former WPM board member’ in multiple social media posts recently. At one point, the cover photo for World Patent Marketing’s Facebook page was a picture of Mast, a double amputee, walking down the Capitol steps. ‘Keep up the amazing work Congressman Mast - World Patent Marketing stands behind you!!!’ the group wrote in a post on its Facebook page accompanied by a video of Mast speaking on the House floor Jan. 6, 2017.” [Politico, 3/16/17]
Mast Claimed He Never Authorized Any Posts Cooper May Have Made About Him On Social Media. According to Politico, “‘He does know me, just like thousands of other people who supported me,’ Mast added when asked why Cooper attended his swearing-in party. ‘This is stuff taken off social media, and Facebook. I never authorized it.’” [Politico, 3/16/17]
Mast Claimed He And Cooper Were Just “Acquaintances” After Cooper Attended Mast’s Swearing-In Party. According to Politico, “‘Congratulations to Brian Mast, WPM Board Member on becoming a member of the US Congress,’ read another Facebook post dated Nov. 16 with the same picture of Mast and Cooper that was used in the press release announcing his board membership. Asked about the relationship between Cooper and Mast, the lawmaker’s spokesman said the two men were ‘acquaintances.’ ‘He does know me, just like thousands of other people who supported me,’ Mast added when asked why Cooper attended his swearing-in party. ‘This is stuff taken off social media, and Facebook. I never authorized it.’” [Politico, 3/16/17]
The Company’s Website Included A Quote Attributed To Mast As Part Of The Announcement Of His Board Membership. According to Politico, “However, a Feb. 29, 2016 announcement still on the company’s website details Mast’s board membership and includes a quote attributed to the Florida Republican. ‘For me, showing support for what I believe in is not writing a post on Facebook. …It is giving of my own sweat, my own blood, and my own tears in the most right and worthy causes I can find,’ Mast is quoted as saying in the press release. ‘I believe that serving on the World Patent Marketing Advisory Board is one way that I can accomplish those goals. It is an honor to be a part of an organization that is so dynamic and forward looking,’ Mast adds, according to the release.” [Politico, 3/16/17]
June 2017: Mast Voluntarily Submitted Emails Between Himself And Cooper After Democrats Requested Them From The Federal Trade Commission. According to the Treasure Coast Palm, “Democrats want emails U.S. Rep. Brian Mast exchanged with the owner of a company accused of defrauding customers to become public. The Florida Democratic Party submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday asking for emails the Treasure Coast Republican exchanged with Scott Cooper, a former donor to his campaign. Mast voluntarily submitted the emails to the agency in March to help in the investigation into World Patent Marketing, his office said.” [Treasure Coast Palm, 6/13/17]
March 2017: Mast Returned The $5,400 Donation Made By Cooper To His Campaign. According to the Treasure Coast Palm, “Mast, of Palm City, returned $5,400 Cooper gave to a committee that supported his District 18 campaign after reports of his ties to the company in March.” [Treasure Coast Palm, 6/13/17]