# Air AI and its Owners will be Banned from Marketing Business Opportunities to Settle FTC Charges the Company Misled Many Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses

_Friday, June 26, 2026 at 6:22 PM EDT · Policy · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

Air AI and its owners have agreed to a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission that bans the company from marketing business opportunities. The settlement resolves charges that the company misled entrepreneurs and small businesses with deceptive claims about earnings potential and refund guarantees.

The FTC filed a complaint in August 2025 against Air AI, five related companies, and owners Caleb Maddix, Ryan O'Donnell, and Thomas Lancer. The complaint alleged that since at least February 2023 the defendants falsely claimed purchasers would make substantial earnings and that services came with refund or buy-back guarantees. It further alleged violations of the Telemarketing Sales Rule and the Business Opportunity Rule, including failures to provide required disclosures and refunds.

The proposed order includes an $18 million monetary judgment that will be largely suspended, with the operators required to pay $50,000 for consumer relief. Air AI and its operators are banned from selling or marketing any business opportunity and from making false claims while telemarketing or selling goods and services. The order also prohibits making earnings claims without adequate substantiation or disclosure.

The Commission approved the filing of the proposed order by a 2-0 vote. The FTC filed the proposed order in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

## Sources

- [FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/03/air-ai-its-owners-will-be-banned-marketing-business-opportunities-settle-ftc-charges-company-misled)

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Retrieved: 2026-06-27T04:17:33.453Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)