Humana People-to-People and Teachers Group Alert

ABOUT THE TEACHERS GROUP

What is the
TEACHERS GROUP?
An overview

The TG World Empire

Welcome to Humana Alert. New to this site? START HERE.

The Leader

The disciples

A covert multinational business: It started in 1970 as a radical alternative school funded by its own left-wing students. Today it claims to collect old clothes and run projects for the world's poor - but the Teachers Group - or Tvind - has morphed into a rich and cynical multinational business. Its huge wealth derives from property, colonial-style plantations and the clothes trade and is filtered through offshore tax havens. It is a run by a guru-like fugitive leader who is wanted by the police. A trial for fraud is in progress. Now read on.

The offshore companies

IN THE PRESS AND ON TV

Latest media reports

06/04/08 - Peonia Journal Star, Illinois

25/03/08 - Fyens Stiftstidende, Denmark (in Danish)

16/03/08 - Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

13/03/08 - Oakland Tribune, California

12/03/08 - Udvikling, Denmark (in Danish)

SIBERIAN LOGGING ENTERPRISE COLLAPSES AS TG BOSSES ACCUSED OF FRAUD

TOP TVIND TEACHERS "ON THE RUN FROM
RUSSIAN SECURITY POLICE"

Investigation exclusive to tvindalert.com by Frede Jakobsen and Michael Durham

A huge Teachers Group logging operation in Siberia has ended in disaster, with two leading Tvind 'Teachers' on the run from Russian security forces after accusations of a $40,000 fraud.

Flemming Gustafsson and Birgit Dinesen, two senior Teachers Group members in charge of the 101,000-hectare plantation at Pit Gorodnok, 300 kilometres north of Krasnoyarsk, are believed to have fled to South America or Africa after receiving a visit from agents of the Russian FSB - successor to the KGB secret police.

The pair are accused of failing to deliver a consignment of timber to a client in the United Arab Emirates, after taking a $40,000 payment in advance. The Russian-owned middle eastern client company called in the FSB, who threatened to jail the two 'for terrorism'.

Tvind leased the enormous forest in the Severoeniseysk Region in the heart of Siberia in around 2003, and ran it as a sawmill, logging and export operation through two Teachers Group-owned companies, Taiga Timber Industries (TTI) and Taiga Timber Trading (TTT).

The Teachers Group operation suddenly ended about 18 months ago. According to our sources, Russian former employees, FSB agents confronted Gustafsson and Dinesen in May or June 2006 and threatened to jail them 'for terrorism' unless they paid back the $40.000 to the client, named as Strongwood Ltd. "We know that you are not terrorists, but we will put you in prison for a couple of years, then let you out and maybe even tell you that we are sorry", the FSB-agents are said to have told the TG bosses.

Gustafsson and Dinesen fled, possibly to Brazil or Zimbabwe. The Teachers Group owns a similar plantation, Floryl, in Bahia, Brazil, at the centre of the current fraud trial in Denmark. The pair also manage big TG forest plantations in Zimbabwe.

According to the same ex-employees, during the two or three or years the Teachers Group ran the Taiga companies, TTI and TTT experienced the same problems as other TG-owned companies around the world. The TG bosses appeared to make huge efforts to get as much money out of the businesses as possible. They took money from bank accounts without proper documentation, paid salaries without social taxes, took foreign loans without registering them, and failed to make tax declarations.

Originally, Taiga traded mostly with other Teachers Group-related timber companies - for example Trayton Timber in China and McCorry & Co in Malaysia.

This is not the first time Gustafsson and Dinesen have been on the run together. In around 2000, when they were managing a Teachers Group used-clothes company, the pair suddenly fled from Europe to Kenya, East Africa, when Hungarian police tried to question them about the collapse of a Dutch Tvind-company, EC Trading. Gustafsson was also one of eight TG-leaders accused of money laundering by Belgian authorities in 2002. The case was dropped after legal arguments.

Another senior TG member, Kim Bonde Andersen stayed in Siberia for around six months after Gustafsson and Dinesen fled. Andersen, who was closely involved with the purchase of the Floryl plantation in Brazil, had originally opened and registered the Taiga companies with Russian tax authorities, and now tried to close them down. It has not been possible to find out whether he succeeded - but we know from a source in Krasnoyarsk that two Russian women stole what was left of the company and tried to run it. The Taiga web site, www.tti.ru, was out of action for months, although parts of it have recently returned.

DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE TG OPERATION IN SIBERIA, OR OTHER TG TIMBER COMPANIES?

PLEASE CONTACT US!

The network of offshore companies

List of
companies

The financial
paper trail

Some companies
of interest

A financial paper trail that is almost impossible to trace, created by a small group of individuals using the legitimate charities, legitimate companies and colleges together with offshore accounts, holding companies, tax-free trusts, Swiss accounts, inter-company loans, hidden cash flows and paper transactions to move money around the world.

The colleges

overview

The colleges and volunteering worldwide

Many 'volunteering' colleges in Europe, the United States and other countries where idealistic young people sign up to become Third World volunteeers in the Third World - at a cost. Students are expected to pay their way by street collections and learn a strict ideological programme dictated by the Teachers Group.

Other commercial enterprises

Timber companies

Furniture factories

Various trading companies in other fields

Business enterprises in several fields including a timber company in Siberia, a furniture company in Shanghai, various import-export companies and an art sales enterprise in Zimbabwe can all be linked directly to the Teachers Group, mostly through the individuals involved.

St Lucia

The 'slave' plantations and fruit farms

Fairbank, Cooper, Lyle
and other companies

El Salvador

'Colonial-style' fruit plantations in at least seven countries of the Caribbean and central America, bought using tens of millions of dollars banked by the Teachers Group from supposedly 'humanitarian' activities and filtered through offshore accounts. Highly profitable going concerns, using low-paid labour..

Ecuador

The used clothes trade worldwide

Other companies

At least six well-known 'charity' clothes recyclers, several in fact registered as for-profits, and scores of TG-owned trading companies in the background, collecting old clothes in Western cities and selling them in the Third World - with large profits going to the Teachers Group.

THE BUSINESS EMPIRE

In the UK - press, TV and radio

The Guardian 1993

The Times

January 2000

BBC TV Inside Out
Tvind

June 2003

The Boston Magazine

Oct 2000

Boston Globe

April 2002

The Chicago Tribune

Feb 2004

In the USA - press and TV

San Francisco CBS5

Behind the Green Box (December 2006)

A new charity in the Bay Area is welcoming volunteers and clothing donations through its green-colored bins with the friendly Gaia label. But behind the green box, investigative reporter Anna Werner uncovers a Danish organization.

The Independent
on Sunday

January 2000

Pennsylvania

Planet Aid: A World of Questions

Lancaster County. PA - Intelligencer Journal

The American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) has given Planet Aid a 'Grade F' as 77 per cent of its income goes on administration - and only 23 per cent on charitable services....Local Salvation Army captain describes Planet Aid as "a bad organization, all about greed and money". (July 2007)

Rest of the world - press, radio and TV

BBC Radio 4
Crossing Continents

March 2002

News articles from: France, Portugal, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Ireland, and other countries

Other UK articles

Archive of world news stories

Other articles and broadcasts from the USA

News

Sordid truth about Amdi Petersen's school teaching career revealed after 45 years

November 2007: It has been a well-kept secret for years. Why was Amdi Petersen, founder of the Teachers Group and Tvind school movement, really sacked from his job as a secondary school teacher in Odense in 1965?

According to well-sanctified legend, the young Petersen lost his job at the Kroggård School in Odense because his "hair was too long" - and so became a hero of the left. Two years later, he went on to found an alternative school system.

Now the myth has been exploded by two of Petersen's former colleagues, who lived together with him in a commune at 1, Hunderupvej, Odense, at the time. Carsten Ringsmose and Ole Hansen have told a Danish newspaper they believe Petersen was really sacked because of "very close, personal relations to those girls he was teaching".

"It was not because of his long hair or his rebellious mind he was sacked," they write in the Danish dalily newspaper "Kristeligt Dagblad".

"The story about 'the long-haired teacher' was a diplomatic explaining-away. As we were living together with Amdi we had knowledge, that somehow makes us able to understand the dilemma for the school authorities: Amdi had very close, personal relations to those girls he was teaching".

It is not difficult to guess what kind of close personal relations they mean 25 year old Petersen may have had with his teenaged pupils. Source: Danish press.

News - country by country

UK - Locals act on Planet Aid bins in Exeter

Aug 15th, Exeter, UK - Tom, a local resident has called for action to remove a Planet Aid bin outside a Spar Shop in Union Road, Exeter. In September 2006, Asda told Planet Aid to remove bins from its car parks. Will Spar follow suit? To learn more or contact Tom, email us

South Africa - Kellogg withdraws funding from school

21st Aug 2007: According to reports the Kellogg Foundation has suspended a large grant to the Teacher's Group's KNEC college and withdrawn several students, after students complained. For more information email tvindalert.feedback@gmail.com

Portugal - news contacts sought

Sept 5th: A very major Portuguese newspaper is investigating Humana / Tvind and urgently wants to contact Portuguese people who have had any kind of contact with Humana Portugal, the Tvind schools or the Teachers Group.

If you have a story to tell about Humana Portugal please contact us with brief contact details and we will pass the message on.

Switzerland - Swiss account revealed

Aug 10th: A nameless Swiss contact sends us the business registration details of Humana, Planet Aid and Gaia in Geneva, Switzerland - many familar TG names appear such as Niels Holst, Helle Lund, Bodil Sejeroe, Eva Nielsen and Birgit Soe. The details are at: http://www.tiny.cc/geneva1 and http://www.tiny.cc/geneva2

New information on some TG companies

Teachers Group companies emerge all the time, all over the world. They can be identified by the names of those running them and clues which often indicate clear links with the Teachers Group. Below are four that we only heard about recently:

Jacaranda Online Book Sales (US)
US-based business, part of Garson & Shaw, which accepts donated books and then sells them on Amazon.com. Run by TG member Poul Joergensen.

Humana and PlanetAid Finance SA (Switzerland)
Switzerland. A société anonyme, established in Geneva in January, 2005. Officers include Niels Holst and Helle Lund. Full details

Friends Forever (Zimbabwe)
Art sales, Zimbabwe. Teachers Group company selling sculptures by Zimbabwe artists to collectors at high prices: TG keeps most of the money. Run by TG member Sune Jørgensen

Taiga Timber (Russia)
Russia. 101,000-hectare commercial logging operation in Siberia run by veteran TG member Flemming Gustafsson, wanted by authorities in Holland after collapse of a previous clothes company.

Here is a full list of 200 TG companies

WHAT OUR READERS SAY

Some comments from our inbox of more than 1,000 emails

(7/03/2008) Keep up the good work. I am one of those that was mislead by this organisation and although I was able to meet some fantastic people I remain concerned that Humana continues to operate. E.M., via email.

(18/02/2008) Thanks to this site I realized the enrolment I made was a total fraud and I have been taken in.....Go on with your investigations, I admire you all. M, Italy.

(13/02/2008) Hi, Thanks for the info. I will not donate my clothes to Humana. Kind Regards. (Carlos, Spain)

(25/01/2008) Thank you very much for your work on this site. What I experienced with Tvind/Planet Aid mirrors much of what this website has already espoused with great accuracy. (ML, Philadelphia)

(21/01/2008) I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate that you haven't let up on this story. I think the best way of thanking you so is to forward you the email I sent this morning to my immediate family, all of whom were painfully involved in my attempts to recover from my experiences as an IICD volunteer nearly 15 years ago.

I'd just like to say what a brilliant job you've done on the website. I know how hard it is to stand against such an organisation as Tvind. But a massive Thankyou for all the work you've done. Coming so close to joining the organisation myself I feel immensely privileged that I found out about it before I went.

Thank you for your troubles and your great website, that maybe saved me from making wrong decisions about my future! TT, Germany.

Thankyou so very much for alerting me to the fact that this "charity" is in fact a company which exploits young people. I was about to journey from Australia to Denmark to join Humana but thankfully will not be going anymore. JG, Australia

Your excellence in journalism, and then your Tvind Alert Web Site, spoke volumes against the terrible actions meted out to so many helpless young victims.

Excellent work you are doing! PS UK

I think Tvind started with the best intentions but that they were perverted by Amdi and he took advantage of a lot of people. AV, Internet

To me your site has been very valuable as my girlfriends daughter has been going to one of their "schools" lately and has just gone off to Africa to one of their "projects". We both oppose the Tvind organization, and your site has fed us, and her with valuable information, unfortunately not enough! We have seen enough of time that should have been used for education being converted into "fundrising". We NEED your site, please go on!

A little online searching and I came across your Alert Website. After reading what you have to say I definitely won't be taking things further as regards these or associated organizations. Thanks,John.

I don't know what I will be able to give you that will help. All I know is that what seemed like a good idea, is now haunting me. C, Internet

We're happy to have our daughter back with us, though it is difficult to deal with disillusionment. But it's better than heartbreak, or even physical harm. Thanks so much for your e -mail, and for your Tvindalert Site. Prof AS, Canada

Thank you for your work. You may have saved a very promising young person today. LR, Internet

Go get a life! JH, Internet

I'd already had my doubts about why my questions weren't being answered - just a gut feeling that something didn't ring true. Now I had some answers. Anon, Internet

Thank you very much for very good internet site! MZ Poland

Why I'm writing? Because I decided to do to their school, I was in touch with them and this article which I read today and news at your website convinced me that it's not worth of my idea. I will be looking for something else. Thank you. A, Poland.

Why not be honest and call your project a hate-site? PS, Denmark.

I went to Julesminde for an infoweekend. So, there was everything the same like in the stories of people from Tvindalert. We had no free time, all of the time we were under control. M, Poland.

You know with humana you can play so well how they play with people and there are not very clever. L, Southa Africa.

I was in Denmark from September 1998 to February 1999. I was a "student" in the travelling folk high school in Fakse, afterwards i went to Mozambique as a solidarity worker in the "Children town" of Maputo. If i can do something to help you to stop this dirty organization.... SG, Portugal

I was subject to becoming a student at the boarding schhool in 1993 called Winestead Hall in Hull & what I witnessed was nothing short of brainwashing. GL-W, UK

The school I'm at represents some of the worst in humans. It exploits people on every school, in every country it is to be found. After 3 months at this school, I cannot believe that this is legal. This should be shut down. 'Tvindstudent', Internet

Many thanks for your site. I was contacted by Karen Barsoe last November after requesting information about CICD programs seen on the eurojobs website. When I was trying to find her details again before getting back in touch I saw your site. What a nightmare! I wonder how many other organisations like these exist? John, Internet

When I first saw your website, I thought what a load of crap, but after quitting the school at Bustrup last week, and everything that has happened in between, I now believe your information presented. I wish I had seen this site before joining Humana. NK Internet

I would love dearly to bring the curtain down on these "aliens" (they are the most bizarre of people!!!). SS UK

You may like to know that 12 people have walked out over the last week at the school in Hull. There are a long list of reasons the scool is inhumaine it should be closed down, why they are allowed to opperate in this or any country is beyond me they are a sick organization that need no more help from decent innocent people. Ap, Hull

I have decided that it is important to do something about the organisation, there are just too many things VERY wrong and I find it incredible that the "school" has been able to operate in such a way for so many years.

One question that I have is, why are they still allowed to opperate in this country or anywere else for that matter. I shall pass on your email to all my friends TW, UK

Congratulations for your very interesting Homepage. I am a german man who is interested in the Tvind - Humana - Movement. Here in Germany we have non opposition against Tvind or Humana, but Humana Shops everywere. The people here think the Humana is a charity organisation. But this is not true, we know. C Berlin

Thank you, for this mail and for your site.I want to go to Humana one month ago and I was so happy, I hope " O I don´t need any education thats a good group". Your site has bring me down on the floor. Thank You! PH Austria Keep on doin great job!! H South Africa

I must say that I find this website sad and the people behind it ignorant.

If that can be call an school. But it should be call abuse camp, were people has being told that they are going to study but they actually are going to work as housekeepers. JJ

Love your site btw and all the best to you. LTD UK.

I mentioned in passing to a danish friend on ICQ that i had worked at a place in Aalten Holland which was part of 'Stichting Faelleseje"aka Tvind. She flipped and told me that I had worked for the biggest bunch of crooks in the world. MS Holland

I am glad you have taken the initiative. I am Danish and watch the Tvind activities with dismay/

You're continuing to deliver one of the most important contributions to the combat against the Danish Empire. Even if it seems difficult to win the battle. ET, Belgium

As an ex-solidarity worker you can imagine my feelings when i finally found the much fabled anti-humana website. I am now finished with the organisation, i spent 6 months in Africa and came back with all the frustrations many have from working on a project which blantantly has no resource base to support it. A.A Britain

Thank you so much for having this website online. I saw a recent poster that are posted all over our public transportation (otherwise known as the T). I took down the website address to contact them but I came accross this website first. Thank God!! LS Massachusetts

In my opinion this is indeed an international fraud ring and is playing on human kindness to gain funds illegally. I would be more than happy to discuss my findings with you.

I'm a Chinese. You know, in our province Yunnan, there have a Tvind's department. Have you alert our local police? so, It's kind of you if you can do it.

I would like to get involved with any work you are doing. I think Tvind, are doing wrong.

Tvindalert.com will luive as long as Tvind is exploiting young people and the Third World.

YOUR MESSAGES TO US

Some volunteers, students and ex-employees tell their stories

Campus California TG
and Richmond Vale Academy

(08/02/2008) This is the school in California that my daughter got suckered into attending and royaly ripped off by the sender of this recent email. They are still in business and still ripping of innocent people in the disguise of helping the poor. B, USA. Read complete account

Planet Aid, Philadelphia

(25/01/2008) My experience with Tvind came through my employment with Planet Aid in the role of Collections Manager in Philadelphia from May, 2006 to June, 2007. What I experienced with Tvind/Planet Aid mirrors much of what this website has already espoused. Aside from my issues with the cultish nature of the organization and obvious money tracking issues, the most disheartening detail of my experience was with the way they treated the live-in workers that my managers housed....ML, Philadelphia. Read complete account.

Tvind School Cenre, Denmark

(March 2006) People...are like the slaves for this organisation. I would never ever recommend this school to anyone, not even to my worst enemy....It took me now two whole years to write this down. I struggled towards your homepage, and saw I'm not the only one writing it down, what we experienced. I'm going to start my story with my experiences in Tvind, Denmark. I enrolled for the program in the beginning of October 2003, where they invited me for an information weekend in Denmark in the end of the months. Since I didn't have that amount of money, which they asked for enrolment fee for the school up in Norway I asked for a internship position to work for it....'Kara'. Read complete account.

Campus California TG

(April 2006) I would like to give an account of what went on while I was a student at the DRH school in California or CCTG. I was very concerned with the way things were going while I was there. My primary concern was that there was no backbone to the structure of the organization. I feel completely ripped off, and while I was there it seemed like the money was the number one concern and the education was well below sea level, so to speak.....It felt like a work camp...... Read complete account.

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