Previous customers of a technology startup founder from Canada claim they felt disappointed as they handed over tens of thousands of dollars to his firm with the expectation of kickstarting their own businesses, but to no avail.
Individuals around the globe—from Scotland to the southern regions of the United States—have reported paying Josh Adler’s software firm ConvrtX as much as $245,000 (£184,000), yet failed to receive the anticipated websites and applications they were expecting.
We talked to over 20 ex-employees and clients who state that Mr. Adler kept selling services and demanded additional funds even though he consistently failed to provide all the items customers had paid for.
In a correspondence to the entity, Mr. Adler’s legal representatives assert that the accusations are unfounded and have been provoked by a single ex-client whom they are currently litigating against.
They also mention that despite Mr. Adler being “inexperienced” at the age of 21 when he started his venture, his enterprise quickly achieved significant success and “most clients were satisfied with the services provided.”
Introduced in 2019, ConvrtX positions itself as a “global leading venture studio” that has assisted over 700 budding entrepreneurs in launching their businesses through crafting strategic plans, preparing presentation materials for prospective financiers, and constructing tailored web platforms and applications.
When pitching to clients, the firm asserts that it boasts a five-star customer satisfaction rate. Additionally, they mention having 70 employees globally and operating out of locations in the UK, US, and Canada. Mr. Adler manages the business from Dubai.
Internal documents that have been leaked indicate that ConvrtX charged over $5 million (£3.8 million) for sales to more than 280 clients from 2019 through 2023. However, high-level sources within the company admit that successful outcomes were rare during this period.
Our investigation found:
- Clients who claim they used up all their lifetime savings but did not get a functional product—these customers stated that they were sent items from ConvrtX that either failed to operate correctly or did not correspond with what they had purchased.
- Customers who faced legal or financial intimidation following their complaints, such as a woman who got inappropriate, flirtatious messages from an attorney representing the firm.
- Fabricated positive website reviews include one from a supposed complainant who actually asked for a refund of $18,000 (£13,600).
- ConvrtX claimed on its previously active website that it had received coverage from Forbes Magazine and maintained a partnership with Harvard Business Review. However, these assertions were refuted by the respective publications.
In response, Mr. Adler’s attorneys state that ConvrtX had received approximately 12 to 15 complaints from around 340 customers. They also mention that following the incident involving the sexually inappropriate emails, the company promptly ended its contractual relationship with the lawyer.
Amy, who is a 37-year-old single mother from the UK, states she was “misled” after spending $53,000 (£40,000) in 2021 on a website and an app for her nonprofit organization. The organization seeks to connect individuals facing fertility challenges with prospective surrogate mothers.
She claims she was led on for two years, never getting a functional app despite providing just a simple website, as Mr. Adler kept requesting additional funding.
Amy was especially irritated by a message she claims Mr. Adler sent her, which included an image of him enjoying New Year’s Eve on a tropical Balinese beach in Bali.
“Why do you feel the need to show off your wealth to me? It’s embarrassing,” remarks Amy, who financed the project by refinancing her house and utilizing credit cards.
In the end, she asked her bank for a refund and also lodged a complaint with the UK’s Financial Ombudsman Service. According to documents reviewed by , a senior investigator at the service has tentatively suggested that the bank should repay Amy £30,000 ($39,000). However, she is currently awaiting approval from her bank on this recommendation.
During the evaluation, two seasoned software engineers examined the application created by ConvrtX. The lead researcher stated that the findings backed up Amy’s assertion that the firm violated their agreement by not delivering the service she had paid for.
The investigator stated that it’s reasonable to conclude ConvRTx did not demonstrate adequate caution and competence in delivering their services. It appears that the work done by ConvRTx is beyond repair, and an entirely new development process would have to be undertaken should Amy wish to end up with a functional application.
In reply, the attorneys representing Mr. Adler state that their client was provided with “a website, a functional prototype, and a completely developed mobile application” from ConvrtX.”
According to former senior employees, Josh Adler – who is the offspring of Kerry Adler, a prominent Canadian business magnate – was responsible for fostering an environment marked by inconsistency. This led to frequent changes in staffing and mistakes arising from “taking shortcuts” as well as employing and dismissing unseasoned subcontractors.
In his Facebook profile, Mr. Adler labeled himself with the hashtags #YoungAndReckless and #LivingTheDream. We interviewed several ex-employees who characterized him as immature and an ineffective leader.
During corporate gatherings, he was reported to have bragged about residing at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Abu Dhabi, claimed to have rented a villa in Bali, and flaunted his recently acquired Porsche 911 along with several speeding tickets.
He cared about “his rich kid, bling-bling lifestyle,” says a former senior employee speaking on the condition of anonymity. “When you have that many unhappy clients, it can’t be a coincidence.”
Mr Adler’s lawyers describe him as “highly ambitious” and say he sought to build a world-leading business, but that not all staff lived up to his high standards and would be “let go” if they under-delivered. “Young and Reckless” is a clothing brand he likes, they add.
However, multiple former high-ranking employees informed us of their reservations regarding Mr. Adler’s management style at his firm. These individuals mentioned that despite warnings indicating certain ventures and applications lacked feasibility or could not be realized, he persisted in acquiring new customers. According to them, he would demand upfront fees from these clients, often reaching up to $53,000 (£40,000). Despite this, the company maintained a strict no-refund policy.
According to two former high-ranking employees, whenever Mr. Adler was notified that certain applications weren’t functioning properly, he would inform clients—contrary to the recommendations of his development team—that paying additional funds or settling their overdue balances might enable him to resolve the issues himself.
“One former employee remembers Mr. Adler frequently instructing them not to inform the client that something cannot be accomplished since we will locate a contractor who can complete it once they have made their payment,” the source recollects. ‘He excels at communication and is skilled in selling… yet he often makes unfulfilled pledges.’
A previous client named DeShawn Womack claims he experienced feeling “deceived” following his engagement with ConvrtX in 2021. According to him, he shelled out over $50,000 (£37,750) for a mobile application designed to enable remote access to one’s smartphone along with all stored information from an alternative device should the original be misplaced, taken, or ruined.
He mentions that he got a design prototype, yet not a completed functional application.
Following two years of payments, Mr. Womack—a trucker based in the U.S. state of Georgia—contacted a high-ranking ConvrtX staff member via message to seek clarification on whether his application could synchronize missed calls and voice messages. Additionally, he inquired if the software permitted users to place phone calls from an alternate device while retaining their original number—an individual functionality he mentioned Mr. Adler confirmed as feasible and one that appeared in his agreement with ConvrtX.
“It’s impossible for your application to have been feasible from the start; it could never have worked,” replied the employee as shown in the messages obtained by the publication. “Was somebody under the impression that this was actually doable?”
Mr. Womack responded, “Josh [Adler] was involved, and besides, it has been approved under my project sign-off.”
The individual, aged 40, mentioned that he used up all his lifetime savings for this initiative. He stated that he ceased making further installments when he felt convinced that his application was not receiving adequate attention or proper development work.
“He [Josh Adler] sold me a dream, and it’s really annoying,” he states.
Attorneys representing Mr. Adler state that he denies ever assuring clients that their concepts were feasible when they weren’t. According to them, ConvrtX consistently communicated the challenges involved in app development; however, should the client decide to move forward, the company typically took on the project.
Gemma Martin from Dundee, who operates a tarot card reading enterprise, states that ConvrtX did not fulfill their end of the deal after she paid over $35,000 (£26,000). The services included in this sum were meant to encompass a functional interactive website along with a mobile application enabling clients to book readings and sign up for her offerings.
Following her publication of critical reviews online, the 33-year-old claims that ConvrtX wouldn’t unlock her site until she agreed to sign a nondisclosure agreement prohibiting her from speaking negatively about the firm—a condition she rejected.
Emails reviewed by the publication revealed that a company attorney made sexually inappropriate comments to Ms. Martin when attempting to settle the disagreement. The lawyer stated that they had looked up information about her online and noted that her “professional profile” did not align with “[her] attractiveness.”
Attorneys for ConvRTx claim that the emails were dispatched by a part-time external contractor who was promptly dismissed when Mr. Adler, who likewise apologized to Ms. Martin, became aware of the situation.
Ms. Martin indicates that she was provided with a business plan from ConvrtX along with initial source code for her site and application; however, she mentions that these materials were inadequate and not fully developed.
Attorneys for ConvRTX claim they provided Ms. Martin with a fully developed mobile application along with the corresponding source code, even though she didn’t make the final payment due. In response, the firm has initiated legal proceedings against her for defamation, an accusation she is actively disputing.
Steven Marshall, aged 53, mentioned that ConvRTx not only threatened him with legal action but also refused to provide a complete refund when he requested one. He expressed deep dissatisfaction with the services he had purchased for $5,183 (£3,920), which were meant to support his startup aimed at assisting independent filmmakers.
The documents reviewed by the revealed that ConvRTX’s compliance officer informed Mr. Marshall via email that if he were to share his “unfounded accusations” publicly, it would constitute both “civil and criminal defamation.” The company stated they would pursue a “criminal charge” against him as well.
The compliance officer mentioned that Mr. Marshall had essentially relinquished his ability to publish unfavorable reviews about ConvrtX on the internet due to a non-disclosure agreement he had signed before commencing work.
Previous clients have reported encountering similar threats. For instance, Ayesha Imran stated that she asked for a refund of $18,000 (£13,500) when she didn’t get an app and a privacy policy for her site after engaging ConvrtX in 2021.
In March 2023, she brought her concerns to Mr. Adler regarding an alleged contract violation due to ConvrtX’s inability to fulfill their delivery obligations.
In her grievance, she stated that she learned Mr. Adler was not compensating his development team adequately for their required tasks, leading to numerous delays due to employee attrition and ultimately resulting in an inadequate output of products.
The company’s compliance officer stated that Ms. Imran could incur penalties of at least $60,000 (£47,000) should she choose to make public any unfavorable remarks regarding ConvrtX or reach out to any of its staff members. She interprets this warning as an effort to frighten and deter her.
Even with her background, Ms Imran was showcased – up until last month – as a fraudulent endorsement on the company’s website.
The post stated that ConvrtX assisted us in moving from conception to launch, providing support for all steps in between. Their approach is truly comprehensive.
“Those words never left my mouth,” says Ms Imran, who tells us she had previously asked Mr Adler to remove it.
In addition to Mrs. Imran’s fabricated review, it was discovered that Mr. Adler also employed an image of Jen Selter, a well-known lifestyle and fitness influencer who boasts over 13 million followers across various social platforms. Ms. Selter stated that she had never engaged with ConvRTx’s services and emphasized that her picture was utilized without her permission.
Mr. Adler’s attorneys claim these testimonials were part of a “mock website” not meant to be accessible to the public by ConvrtX.
Nevertheless, these documents were accessible online just last month, with some dating back to August 2020, based on archived versions of websites and screenshots provided by the .
Early this year, Mr. Adler relaunched ConvrtX, and prior to being approached by the authority, he was offering eight-week bootcamps at a price of $159 (£124). According to a promotional clip, he asserted that he had assisted founders in securing funding ranging from millions to billions and significantly influenced over 10,000 individuals’ lives positively.
He reached out to Mr. Adler inquire about the basis for these figures, however, his legal representatives did not respond to the query.
In a letter, lawyers for Josh Adler say he “unequivocally” denies the allegations. They say that Mr Adler and his business are the “victims” and that, until Gemma Martin made defamatory statements about it, ConvrtX had received very few, if any, complaints from its clients.
Additional reporting by William Dahlgreen and Tom Beal
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