Wealth Academy Review: The Controversy Surrounding Shaqir Hussyin

November 9, 2023

Wealth Academy was founded by Shaqir Hussyin in 2015 and offers a variety of courses, all aimed at teaching you how to build generational wealth and “become the ultimate entrepreneur”, mostly through affiliate marketing and sales funnel generation. However, careful digging into the deep web reveals the controversial past of Shaqir Hussyin - one that he has spent the last few years trying to erase. 

By all means, one’s past does not define a person’s character or business acumen, but it is necessary for you to at least be aware of it, so that you can make informed decisions about your future, especially when considering spending around $40,000 for a single course

In this Wealth Academy review, I will talk about Shaqir Hussyin, his associations with proven pyramid schemes, and what he actually teaches in his program. I’ll also discuss more reliable business models, such as local lead generation, that allow you to earn consistent money online, without any backlash. 

Disclaimer: Wealth Academy is different from Private Wealth Academy, which focuses on asset protection and building generational wealth.  

Pros

Thousands of student reviews

Supportive community 

One-on-one coaching with Shaqir Hussyin

Cons

Expensive

High chance of upselling

Poor refund policy

Price:

Ranges from $2,997 per year to $40,000 per year

Refund Policy:

None explicitly stated, but former students have mentioned that it is extremely difficult to get 

Origin:

2015

Reputation:

Mixed

Shaqir Hussyin & his association with proven pyramid schemes

Take a look at Shaqir Hussyin’s official website today, and you will find no mention of MOBE or Empower Network anywhere in his “About Me” section. However, archived versions of his website from 2014 to 2016 show that Shaqir proudly states that he was the top earner for both companies - so successful, in fact, that he earned millions of dollars online and was able to start his own company, Solo Ads Agency, around 2014. 

FTC shuts down MOBE for fraud

MOBE, which stands for My Online Business Education, was founded by Matt Lloyd in 2013 and supposedly helped veteran entrepreneurs learn more about affiliate marketing. Only one year later, Shaqir joined the company and became its highest earner, going as far as putting out a press release that he, together with Lloyd, was able to pay out $21 million in commissions to his affiliates. 

 

Shaqir even appeared in a YouTube video as the face of MOBE, stating that the company was on a "mission" to help the average person create "full-time income in their spare time." (Take note of these words, as they will appear in Wealth Academy, later on).

However, in 2018, the Federal Trade Commission officially charged MOBE with fraud and claimed that it had stolen more than $125 million from thousands of consumers with a fake business education program. The FTC asked victims to file their complaints, and many people claimed that Shaqir manipulated them to enter into a more expensive program to "increase their earning potential". Refunds, also, were almost non-existent.

The MOBE case is still ongoing.

Empower Network declares bankruptcy from mismanagement

In 2017, Dave Wood, the founder of Empower Network, announced that the company was closing due to bankruptcy. Supposedly, Wood had released a video blaming his drug addiction for making poor decisions regarding Empower Network; but, many other people said that Wood felt enormous pressure from trying to keep his MLM business alive and providing the wrong financial advice.

Empower Network attempted to create a paid alternative to WordPress, called Kalatu, and asked people to join for only $25 per month. However, these people were then told that the only way they could make money online was to recruit more people under their team. Allegedly, the pyramid scheme exploded, and Wood was forced to file for bankruptcy only 6 years after the company began.

Shaqir was also one of the top earners of the company and was even mentioned in several press releases. Empower Network also used to be listed in Shaqir's "About Me" page before.

If you look at the Empower Network Facebook page now, there is no mention of the 2017 bankruptcy, and Dave Wood even said in 2018 that he was planning on relaunching Empower Network, and becoming the next President of the United States.

Does being the face of fake companies make Shaqir Hussyin less credible?

Let me be clear that Shaqir Hussyin was only the face of these companies, and may or may not have been involved with the internal machinations of these businesses. What is strange, though, is that Shaqir seems to be changing his story throughout the years.

Again, looking at archived versions of his website, Shaqir claims that he was already an expert in digital marketing in 2010, earning millions of dollars each month. His success and positive reviews at such a tender age was so extraordinary that he was offering personal one-on-one coaching to serious entrepreneurs for $2,000 a month.

That said, his "About Me" section changed again in 2020, saying that he only got his first break in 2010 as an financial advisor. This is further muddied by his claim that he entered into affiliate marketing in 2009 and earned his first $10,000,000 by the age of 26. But his current website said he only made his first million in 2012 (when he was 22).

Shaqir was 26 in 2014, and company accounts from Mint Memo Ltd. (where he is a director of) at the time show that the company earned nowhere near $10,000,0000.

It is possible that the $9,000,000 deficit could have been earned as an affiliate marketer through MOBE, Empower Network, or Solo Ad Agency, but it's something you should consider, especially because of Shaqir's obvious secrecy as to how he was earning his money or even IF he was earning what he says he was earning at the time 

It's also worth mentioning that Solo Ad Agency, which Shaqir used to proudly claim as the #1 solution for website traffic, just faded into nonexistence. Shaqir seems to have just abandoned the project and only lists Wealth Academy and Funnels.com as his only current endeavors as a business owner.

KEEP IN MIND:

MOBE and Empower Network were the two most talked about online businesses associated with Shaqir Hussyin. Still, Shaqir was also a member of several other affiliate marketing companies, such as Carbon Copy PRO and WealthMaster International, among others. These companies were also allegedly pyramid schemes.

How does all of this tie into Wealth Academy?

You can glean much about a program’s worth through authentic student reviews - or the lack of them. Since disassociating himself from MOBE and Empower Network, Shaqir has taken great pains to remove any mention of them in relation to himself or any talk about him being a scam artist

This hasn’t stopped some people from stating that Wealth Academy is just MOBE with a different name and that Shaqir is just an expert marketer who overcharges for a fraudulent system

This is because Wealth Academy supposedly uses the same tactic as MOBE: It teaches students how to position themselves as experts in their specific field and sell their services either physically or digitally through an automated sales funnel. (I get more in-depth about this in my other Shaqir Hussyin free training review). Students can also earn through affiliate marketing

What is in Wealth Academy

There are two online courses and coaching and two other options for mentorship. 

Online Courses: 

Wealth Academy Accelerator for “Digital Creators” ($2,997 per year for 1 user) - Offers a proven, step-by-step system for building your personal brand and then creating an automated sales funnel so that you earn any time, anywhere. This course is only available for teams of 10 to 100+. 

Wealth Academy PRO ($12,497 one time + $100 monthly fee) -  Contains everything in the Accelerator course plus one-on-one coaching from Shaqir Hussyin. 

KEEP IN MIND:

Both courses include some modules on how to build an abundance mindset, similar to Driven Academy by Albert Preciado. You will also have lifetime access to the lessons.  

Mentorship Programs:

Wealth Academy Mastery ($25,000 per year) - Weekly access to Shaqir Hussyin for 12 months. 

Wealth Academy Elite ($40,000 per year) - Shaqir Hussyin’s inner circle. Includes weekly access to Shaqir Hussyin and 3 live in-person Mastermind events (which are limited to only 20 attendees per year). 

KEEP IN MIND:

Before you can enroll, you need to schedule a discovery call with Shaqir Hussyin or his team. The call helps Shaqir filter out interested students from curious onlookers. 

Does Wealth Academy offer certifications?

Yes. There are nine certificates you can receive: 

  • Facebook advertising specialist
  • Sales funnels specialist
  • Webinar marketing specialist
  • Email marketing specialist
  • High-ticket offer specialist
  • Speak to sell specialist
  • Content marketing specialist
  • Direct response copywriting specialist
  • Ecommerce marketing specialist

Take note that each of these certifications costs $1,497 (special price) to $4,997 (regular price). As with the online courses, the wealthy affiliate certification programs are self-paced and include several videos and downloadable workbooks. 

Do these certifications hold real-world value?

Wealth Academy is based in the United Kingdom, and there are no exact counterparts to the BBB (Better Business Bureau) that determine the legitimacy of a company in the United States or Canada. That being said, I found no records of Wealth Academy being accredited by any educational or financial system in the UK. 

This means that a certificate from the Wealth Academy may only be useful within the organization. 

KEEP IN MIND:

One of the goals of Wealth Academy is to help the everyday person “start, grow, and scale a wildly profitable business that builds daily cash flow and long-term assets”. This sounds eerily similar to Shaqir’s sales pitch for MOBE. 

Who is Shaqir Hussyin? 

Shaqir Hussyin calls himself the “backpack millionaire” and claims to have earned millions of dollars before he was 30. He is on a mission to help more people build 6 to 8-figure online empires using affiliate marketing, online sales funnels, and other wealth creation strategies.

Supposedly, he has more than 1 million email subscribers, has helped more than 10,000 people achieve financial freedom, moderated more than 100 live events around the world, and has more than 100,000 combined social media followers. 

Is Shaqir Hussyin a scam?

No, Shaqir is not a scam, but he was involved in several fraudulent businesses. This does raise some questions about the legitimacy of Wealth Academy, but if there were (or are) real complaints against the company, they haven’t been made public. 

Shaqir also seems to change his history every few years, but this can be taken as careful steps by a young entrepreneur. All of us have, at one point, wanted to erase certain parts of our pasts, but unfortunately for Shaqir, nothing is ever truly lost on the internet. His unlucky associations with proven pyramid schemes will follow him, as long as a person is diligent enough to research him extensively. 

More importantly, Shaqir should be more upfront about his past as people need to know why they need to pay him upwards of $10,000 to learn from him: What exactly does he teach? Where did he learn them? Are his lessons based on questionable practices?

Alternatively, you can check out Marcus Campbell's Affiliate Marketing Dude that teaches free marketing methods to promote your affiliate offer. There's also Digital Bankroll by Matthew Neer that creates a done-for-you affiliate email marketing business.

CONCLUSION: Is Wealth Academy worth it?

All speculations aside, Wealth Academy is one of the more expensive affiliate marketing programs out there. Other courses, such as Digital Worth Academy, offer far more extensive modules at half the price. 

If you want to learn from Shaqir Hussyin, you can easily watch his videos on YouTube for free, where he actually goes more in-depth about what he teaches. Perhaps the only reason you’d want to join Wealth Academy is to get the chance to speak with Shaqir himself, but even then, $40,000 is no chump change

This doesn’t take into account that affiliate marketing itself is not as easy as Shaqir paints. The business model does have high-income potential, but you are entirely dependent on what your merchant does. If they decide to stop the production of their product or choose to sell another item, you may potentially lose an income stream. 

A more reliable option is local lead generation. In this business model, you target niche markets in a local area.  Because you already have an engaged audience, you are more likely to reach a sale and are not reliant on anyone’s efforts aside from your own. 

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Ippei Kanehara
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$52K per month providing lead generation services to small businesses

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