Charles Givens is a U.S. millionaire and author of the 1991 best-seller "Wealth Without Risk for Canadians". His financial-advice empire was built in the 1980s with evangelistic-style TV infomercials and desk-thumping lectures.

My sources tell me that a jury slapped finance guru Charles Givens with a $14.1-million judgment in a class-action suit brought on by angry investors. They also tell me that a San Diego Superior Court judge issued Givens orders to prevent him from further misrepresenting the success of his money-making strategies.

Charles Givens had a second book called "Financial Self Defense". Givens advice throughout these products basically covers three areas: insurance, taxes, and investing.

Some time ago, one of the TV shows, either 20/20 or Primetime Live, said that Charles Givens himself was not practicing what he preached in his books (it was something about insurance). The show also said something about him misleading people - again about insurance. In fact, the show said that one person following Charles's suggestion by cancelling his insurance policy, actually got into deep trouble.

One of my sources went to one of Charles Givens' workshops. What the hell, it was free, right? It turned out that this so-called "workshop" was nothing but a pitch to sell membership in the Charles Givens Organization. The normal price was $900, but if you bought that day the price was only $600, or something like that. Gee, let's try a little harder to make people whip out the checkbook on impulse, Charles. Oh, and of course, it wasn't actually Charles giving the seminar, it was some yuppie that works for him. According to the presenter, he was a personal friend of Mr. Givens. I would bet that the two had never laid eyes on each other.

My source has seen con artists and scammers at work, and knows all about the techniques they use to separate you from your money. And he watched as the presenter used all the scheming methods of persuasion in the book. He got the audience really pumped up by putting visions of dollar signs in their eyes...how they could be transformed from the middle-class working folks that they are, to fabulously wealthy millionaires like Mr. Givens (insert slides of mansions, yachts, Rolls-Royces, etc here). As mentioned, they used the "ordinarily $xx, but IF YOU ACT NOW it's only $yy" scam. He also used some charts and graphs which reminded me of the book "How to Lie with Statistics". All of this was done under the ruse of giving out valuable financial tips. Some of their suggestions were: balance your checkbook within 2 days of receiving your bank statement, get a 15-year mortgage instead of 30, and drop your uninsured motorist coverage.

20/20, or perhaps it was 60 minutes, or one of the other expose shows, did a segment on Charles Givens where they told that he was charged with something like 37 counts of fraud...I don't remember the outcome of the case (it may still be pending). They also showed a couple who took his advice and dropped their uninsured motorist coverage, and whose daughter was subsequently hit by an uninsured motorist. They saved $40 or so by dropping the coverage, and are now faced with tens of thousands of dollars worth of medical payments for their daughter. The Givens Organization settled with the family for an undisclosed amount, but admits no fault or wrongdoing.

Summary: 60 minutes seemed to be painting a picture that in no uncertain terms, Charles Givens is a fraud, a con-artist, and a dream BREAKER, not a dream maker. I would advise everyone to avoid the Givens seminars. I don't recommend his teachings.