Tony Quinn (businessman)

In 2022, currently there is an Educogym operating in the capital city of Belmopan, Belize.

Introductory events for the Educo Seminar were held in London as recently as May 2020 with long-term members of Educo "Manj & Alex Weerasekera".

In 2015, Educogym was censured by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) for advertising a programme to lose 14 pounds in 12 days. The ASAI upheld the complaint that the advertisement "was misleading, as it was unsafe to suggest this weight could be lost in such a short time". The advertisement was withdrawn.

In 2012 it was reported that employees of BoyleSports were made to attend compulsory Mindfulness training-courses held by Georgina Dolan, an associate of Quinn. The courses promoted the Educo Model which upset many employees forced to attend these courses. A circular sent to staff said "When people's minds are occupied by fear, anger, jealousy, blame, conspiracy, suspicion and other negative emotions, their clarity of thought and mental and physical agility is degraded, leading to lower quality of work".

Quinn reportedly complained to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission in Ireland about Joe Duffy's Liveline show. It was later revealed in 2012 that Sunday World had seen a "military-style intelligence file" on Joe Duffy, paid for by International Natural Energy and produced by Henrima Ltd., "alleging he is a member of religious group 'Opus Dei'".

In 2012, McCaffrey brought a lawsuit against Quinn and INE, alleging corporate mismanagement. The case was heard in the commercial division of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court which heard Quinn claim he had been followed for 2 years and feared he would be kidnapped and had asked INE for security; INE had paid $2 million in 2008-2010 on security and surveillance.

It was revealed by Sunday World in 2012 that they had seen a document produced by Henrima Ltd paid for by INE that was a "military-style intelligence file on a number of individuals" including Lalor, McCaffey, Cornec, Joe Duffy, Mike Garde and Nicola Tallant.

Mr Justice Bannister declined to dissolve the company or to order the company to purchase McCaffrey's shares, but granted a declaration that Quinn's appointment to the INE board was invalid and that McCaffrey's suspension from the INE board was invalid. In discussing the hiring of soldiers the judge said "Whatever may have been the need for some personal security, the expenditure was made in very large part for the purposes of Mr Quinn, who appears to have hired what amounted to a private army at the sole expense of INE". In 2012 Sunday World revealed McCaffrey had been included in an intelligence-report paid for by INE and produced by Henrima Ltd.

In January 2012 Quinn was compelled by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy of the Irish High Court to give video evidence in a case in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado brought by Cornec who claimed to not be paid fully the amount of $15 million for the sale of shares in INE to Morrice. Morrice counterclaimed that Cornec broke his contract with a campaign of disparagement against Quinn resulting in the loss of a $100 million investment from Dubai.

In July 2012 Mr Justice Gerard Hogan ordered Sunday World journalist Nicola Tallant and Dialogue Ireland director Mike Garde to appear in United States District Court for the District of Colorado to give evidence in the case and adjourned for a month to allow them to apply the orders to be set aside. The court heard how both were "party to communications relevant to the Colorado proceedings." It was claimed Tallant could be urged to reveal the sources for her stories.

In September 2012 the Irish High Court ruled that Nicola Tallant and Mike Garde did not have to give evidence. Mr Justice Gerard Hogan set aside orders saying "if, as she maintains, Mr Quinn holds unorthodox religious views and is effectively the leader of a religious cult which has used psychological techniques as a means of controlling gullible adherents, the media are entitled to educate public opinion in this regard."

In October 2012 a BBC Spotlight programme on the subject of the McCaffrey v Morrice, Quinn and INE case was broadcast. In February 2014 Charles Colville, 5th Viscount Colville of Culross spoke in the House of Lords about the harassment endured by the team behind the programme, with hourly phone calls with threats of defamation and how after broadcast a libel writ issued was dropped after thousands of licence-fee payer funds were paid preparing a defence.

Quinn was once a director and shareholder of energy company International Natural Energy (INE) in Belize. In 2011, his holdings in the company were worth approximately €18 million. He was reportedly given shares by the company's directors after using his "mind technology" skills to assist them in finding oil. Mr Justice Bannister ruled in 2012 that Quinn's appointment to the board was "plainly invalid" and that there was a "serious question" over his allotment of shares.

In January 2011 Quinn was ordered by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court to purchase Marriott's shares in INE and found in breach of his fiduciary duties to INE in a case against Quinn, Morrice and INE. Quinn was ordered to pay costs for the action. Marriott expressed a hope INE would dissociate with Quinn and recover damages by him against shareholders.

A row within INE and subsidiary Belize Natural Energy (BNE) was reported ahead of the 2011 AGM of INE. Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow urged BNE to ensure oil flow not be disrupted.

When the 3 March 2011 AGM was postponed at short notice, a group of investors held an emergency meeting where Marriott and McCaffrey spoke. McCaffrey said she was "practically destitute and penniless" since being removed as director. The meeting produced a petition calling for the appointment of a receiver for INE. INE had warned the group that the meeting was illegal. A member of Educo, Patricia Fitzpatrick, attempted to dissuade shareholders from attending the meeting and she was asked to leave when she attempted to attend the meeting as she was not a shareholder.

In April 2011 the Cabinet of Belize finalised the petroleum contract for Orange Walk District to rival Maranco. Nevis, parent company for Maranco, was a shareholder in BNE. Maranco was affiliated with PR Marriott Drilling.

In 2010 the fees for the Educo Seminar were reportedly dropped by 66% to €6000 in the hope of increasing attendance which had slumped due to negative publicity and as a "face-saving" exercise.

INE was founded by Sheila McCaffrey. Paul Marriott, Jean Cornec, Mike Usher and Susan Morrice. 90% of the company's investors were Irish attendees of Quinn's Educo seminars. Over 300 investors bought between €40,000 and €200,000 of shares. In 2010, his estimated worth was €50 million.

In 2010 the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland upheld complaints about an advertisement featuring Educo member Ms Ashika Shah stating she had lost 31 pounds using a Quinn weight-loss programme. The authority was also critical of advertisements claiming supplements were available for arthritis, eczema and psoriasis.

In 2010, it was reported that, a former follower, Maire Lalor, sued Quinn in the Irish High Court for alleged sexual assault and fraud. Human Potential Research Ltd, based in Jersey, was also issued a summons. She has stated she believed Quinn was Jesus Christ. Lalor's civil action alleged "assault and battery; allegedly obtaining money by false pretences; alleged fraudulent misrepresentation, intentional or careless infliction of mental suffering and suborning". In testimony in the McCaffrey lawsuit in 2012, Quinn claimed that Lalor was blackmailing him but it was reported 3 years prior, in 2009, during an AGM for International Natural Energy, photographs of Lalor and her son had been projected onto large screen. In September 2012, Sunday World revealed this ex-follower had been included in an intelligence-report paid for by INE and produced by Henrima Ltd.

In 2009 Sunday World journalist Nicola Tallant reported on the contents of video footage obtained by the newspaper of an Educo Seminar and stated "In the tape Quinn claims that he is able to programme children to ensure they have a much better future, claiming he uses the same techniques that Hitler used to programme children to carry out acts of genocide and Hamas use to create suicide bombers from kindergarten children." The Sunday World stated on the tape Quinn says "Children, if you realise, are almost like sponge. Their minds are sensitive and you can put programmes into children’s minds"

In 2009 the Sunday World reported that Mike Garde, who had campaigned against Cults in Ireland, had been issued a death-threat by a Cult in Ireland. In September 2009 Dialogue Ireland published an article that indicated it was Quinn himself that issued the death-threat.

In 2009 Dialogue Ireland was said to have worked with 300 people who were dissatisfied with their experiences of Quinn. The Sunday Times claimed differing views of Quinn's seminar business by seminar attendees, from an expensive personal-development course to him overseeing a manipulative overpriced mind-altering scheme. Dialogue Ireland staged the first protest outside of a Dublin free invitation-only 1-day-seminar in January 2009.

During the 2009 AGM for INE photographs of an ex-follower. who later sued Quinn for "assault and battery; allegedly obtaining money by false pretences; alleged fraudulent misrepresentation, intentional or careless infliction of mental suffering and suborning", and her teenage son were projected onto large screens. Quinn is reported to have adopted a "Messianic pose" and warned shareholders to not talk to journalists. In 2012 Sunday World revealed this ex-follower had been included in an intelligence-report paid for by INE and produced by Henrima Ltd.

In 2009 Dr. Crionna Tobin, a PhD student under Dublin City University's Professor Niall Moyna. stated the diet promoted by Educogym would make those undertaking it feel sick, saying it would starve the body. forcing it to operate only on fat, adding that the brain required carbohydrates. Educogym's head of marketing. Jamie Myerscough, said the diet programme was supported by university research but admitted to have never seen the research.

In 2009 the Sunday World reported that Quinn has claimed a number of his followers are the reincarnation of biblical figures; Tom McKenna (partner of Quinn's business manager Collette Millea) is the reincarnation of Moses, Margaret Forde is the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary and Mary Power, who "cooks, cleans and works as a personal assistant to Tony, monitoring and sifting through his e-mails and post to sort positive from negative – dumping anything critical", is the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene.

The court heard at the 2008 AGM photographs of McCaffrey and others had been projected onto large screens. Morrice denied $286,000 of shareholder money was paid to Henrima Ltd to put McCaffrey under surveillance and the funds were paid for counter-surveillance to understand who was providing information to journalists and posting to websites. Up to 8 former soldiers were hired to provide protection for Quinn. Morrice claimed this was under advice from people she asked who recommended she use a company used by Mary Robinson. Robinson has claimed she never used private security when she was President.

Between 2–8 October 2007 Quinn hosted a 7-day Educo Seminar attended by the Cabinet of Belize, populated by the People's United Party, on Caye Chapel which was paid for by "friends of the party".

In November 2007, 40 days after Quinn hosted a 7-day Educo Seminar for the Cabinet of Belize on Caye Chapel, the House of Representatives (Belize) passed the Income Tax on Petroleum Companies Bill, previously blocked by the Senate (Belize), with 2 amendments; a 40% income tax paid retroactively to January 2006 instead of March and paid in U.S. dollars. Opposition leader Dean Barrow said "What has been proposed, what has been passed, is far from fair to the Belizean people."

BNE Chief Executive Dr Gilbert Canton told the court 40 staff members had attended the beginners Educo Seminar paying Quinn's companies $718,000 for the seminars and an additional $665,000 for Belize Educogyms since 2007.

A second journalist was also encouraged to borrow, using their credit-card, the £12,000 fee to attend an Educo Seminar in an Educogym in Glasgow in 2006. When the journalist said she was worried to about getting into debt the Educogym owner told them some attendees had remortgaged their house to pay the seminar fee. The owner of the Gym told the reporter how Quinn healed attendees of the seminar, claiming he had "cured people of cancer and all sorts of things." A third journalist was urged to borrow £15,000 from a bank or credit-union under the premise of borrowing for a car, and to not worry as the "money could be made back easily".

In 2005 The Sunday Times sent in an undercover reporter to a London invitation-only event where it was revealed Educo, Quinn's life-system, planned to expand in the United Kingdom and also offer it's form of hypnotherapy to children. The Educo Seminars operated like a pyramid-selling scheme and the reporter was encouraged to borrow to pay for the two-week seminar fee of £12,000. About 70 people would attend each seminar held in locations such as Egypt and the Bahamas, and were offered weekly "top-up" sessions. A £15,000 seminar fee would generate £2,000 for the person who made the introduction; if the newcomer recruited someone else the introducer would receive a further £1,000.

During an early seminar Quinn held in 1994 he revealed thoughts on his purpose. He spoke about how he did not know if he was starting a cult, and how he felt his purpose could be to work with millions of people. His stated he required followers to submit totally to him and to not resist. He talked about being able to determine the thoughts you have, likening them to computer programs that together form a personality that is not yourself.

Quinn moved to The Bahamas in the 1990s where he lives on Paradise Island.

His most recent girlfriend Amelie Hattingh (born ca. 1986, 42-years his junior) changed her name to "Eve" after she was introduced to him, having been recruited through his Educo Seminar scheme. Quinn was heard to say "Eve. I presume" when introduced to the new recruit. Hattingh was 19 when she was presented to Quinn, then aged 61, by a follower of Educo and Educo Seminar recruiter in 2005. Hattingh has not been seen publicly with Quinn since 2014.

In 1978 the News Of The World confronted Quinn with his claims he could cure Cancer. They made him aware of the Cancer Act 1939 which states "No person shall take part in the publication of any advertisement containing an offer to treat any person for cancer." Quinn responded "I wasn't aware of that. It was a genuine mistake". In 2006 a follower of Quinn who operated an Educogym in Glasgow repeated the assertion that Quinn could cure cancer.

In 1977 the Evening Press reported on the disappearance of two members of the Howth commune of 34 members living together for 4 years. The commune's library contained books on Occult, "How To" books", Health and Fitness, Factual, Religious, Classic and Astrology subjects. Quinn himself did not live in the commune. When asked about the finances Quinn responded "Everybody thinks I am making a fortune".

June Levine visited a Templeogue commune in 1974 where she stayed one night with 36 followers who told her they believed they were reincarnated with Quinn from the time of Jesus Christ; one follower believed himself to be the reincarnation of Saint Joseph.

Martin and Margaret Forde, both long time followers of Quinn, were seen at the Templeogue commune in 1974 and Martin was seen at the Howth commune in 1977.

In the 1970s he established communes in Templeogue and Howth where members were often on limited pay.

Quinn claimed that Dialogue Ireland published information about his movements. He agreed with counsel that since the 1970s he had issues with Dialogue Ireland considering Mike Garde as a crank who had no effect on him, until he became involved with INE. Frank Walwyn, lawyer for McCaffrey, said Quinn had been accused of being a Cult leader for a long time before INE.

A witness for INE changed her evidence when she revised her claim Morrice had given her one copy of the operating agreement of INE when she was in fact given two. Caroline Williams, a Dublin Barrister who had met Quinn in the 1970s at one of this Yoga classes and had attended 4 Educo Seminars, had been paid $904,000 since 2008 by INE. In 2008 she had refused she had a second document when requested by Cornec for a copy saying she had no INE document.

Tony Quinn (born 1944) is an Irish businessman, yoga entrepreneur and a mind coach. He founded Educo which has been described as Cult-like.