Ruffa taking African diet pills? Belo reacts

MANILA - Belo Medical Group clarified on Monday that a Facebook post alleging that its endorser, actress Ruffa Gutierrez, has been fired after revealing her supposed slimming regimen is a hoax.

The sponsored post from a certain FitFirst Magazine has been circulating since last week and appears to link to an article about Gutierrez's supposed statement.

The link uses a photo composite of Gutierrez in a file "TV Patrol" interview and Belo Medical Group founder Dr. Vicki Belo, with the title: "Ruffa Gutierrez FIRED By Vicki Belo After She Revealed The Truth Behind Her WElGHTLOSS".

The post quotes Gutierrez as saying, pertaining to her weight loss regimen: "I am sick of lying to everyone about this. People ask me about this all the time!"

The hoax alleges that Gutierrez has admitted using so-called African Diet Pills, and that her treatments at Belo had little to do with her weight loss.


A screengrab of the viral Facebook post linking to Ruffa Gutierrez's supposed weight loss regimen






However, in a statement on her official website, Gutierrez said: "Do not believe fake, paid advertisements saying that I lost weight due to African diet pills. It's a LIE!"

The 40-year-old actress explained that she has been availing of different services of Belo Medical Group, in addition to eating healthy and exercising in order to lose weight.

In a statement given to ABS-CBN News, Belo Medical Group similarly belied the viral post and warned the public to "check the accuracy and legitimacy of certain advertisements promoting beauty and slimming products that are claiming to be effective and used by both local and international celebrities."

The company explained that several false advertisements using images of Belo endorsers as well as Dr. Belo have been brought to its attention in the past months.

Referring to the viral advertisement showing Gutierrez, and the allegation that the actress has been fired as one of its endorsers, it added: "Belo Medical Group denounces such malicious news. Ruffa is still our endorser and that she regularly visits our clinics for her beauty and slimming procedures."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Kardashians named in $5M diet pill suit

LOS ANGELES -- Reality TV star Kim Kardashian and two of her sisters have been slapped with a $5-million lawsuit alleging they and the makers of QuickTrim diet pills falsely touted the product's effectiveness for losing weight.

The proposed class action lawsuit takes aim at the sisters' endorsement deal with the weight loss company. It was filed on Thursday in federal court in New York on behalf of four plaintiffs who used the product.

The plaintiffs, who live in New York, California and Florida, stated in their lawsuit that the claims made by QuickTrim and by the Kardashians marketing it were "false, misleading, and unsubstantiated."

They added there was "no competent and reliable scientific evidence supporting any of these claims."

The main ingredient in the pills is a large dose of caffeine, mixed with herbal ingredients never clinically proven as effective, the lawsuit stated.

The lawsuit, which was filed by the law firm of Bursor & Fisher, must be certified by a judge as a class action complaint before it can cover a wider field of consumers than the four plaintiffs.

The suit seeks over $5 million in damages.

A representative for the Kardashians and officials from QuickTrim could not be reached for comment about the lawsuit.

This is not the first time the stars of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" on cable network E! have been at the center of litigation over their marketing endorsements.

Those deals account for a substantial chunk of the family's net worth, last estimated at $65 million in 2010 by industry trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter.

Kim Kardashian, 31, is one of the highest paid reality stars on U.S. television, with her 2010 earnings estimated at $6 million from her TV show, clothing line and numerous fitness, beauty and other product endorsements.

Her sisters, Khloe and Kourtney, have also gained fame alongside Kim, who first caught public attention when she appeared in a 2007 sex tape.

Early last year, all three Kardashian sisters and their mother Kris Jenner successfully fended off a $75 million lawsuit from a credit card company after they walked away from a debit card endorsement, "Kardashian Kard," amid complaints about high consumer fees.

source: interaksyon.com