Inside Costco

Most people trust Costco. It’s a household name. A symbol of value, fairness, and reliability.

But behind the brand, under the roof of every warehouse, there are third-party vendors operating with virtually no oversight — using shell games, payroll misdirection, and labor abuse to exploit workers. I’ve worked for three of them. And I’m telling you: it’s not a coincidence.

Vendor #1: Direct Demo

This was the first vendor I joined while trying to stabilize my life and rebuild after personal tragedy. I was navigating entrepreneurship, grieving the loss of my sister — and “Direct Demo” offered a path back to income.

But I soon learned they weren’t just selling samples, they were part of a system.

I was fired under questionable circumstances. That was just the beginning. The moment I started digging, my life changed. I’m now in a $15 billion legal battle against the very structure behind this vendor.

Vendor #2: JUCE Organics

After Direct Demo, I was referred to JUCE Organics, by a manager who knew the executives over there. Red flag.

I joined. Their expectations were absurd. Selling 50+ units per day when every employee averaged 15–20. When I questioned the pay system and spoke to a coworker about wages, I received a text message from management threatening termination for discussing compensation. A clear violation of labor law.

Days later, both of us were fired. My paycheck? Zero dollars.

They claimed I “owed them” for a timecard miscalculation — caused by their malfunctioning Costco check-in system. I had documented this issue. Other employees faced the same glitches. They even replaced their timekeeping device during this period — a quiet admission.

I filed formal complaints. JUCE didn’t even have proper licenses to operate in Oregon. They hid behind their payroll provider. They hid behind Costco’s brand. And they retaliated when I spoke out.

JUCE’s CEO: The Deeper Link

Here’s where it gets deeper. JUCE Organics is run by Adrian Vicente, a high-level former executive at Quten Research Institute — the same company at the center of my $15B arbitration and federal whistleblower case.

You cannot ignore this link.

This isn’t just one bad employer. These vendors are connected. Executives move between them. They coordinate. They know what they’re doing — and they know how to get away with it.

Vendor #3: Zipfizz

The third vendor, Zipfizz, pulls a different kind of trick.

They onboard 5–6 new workers at once, have them sign all legal W-2 hiring paperwork — then cut everyone except one by day’s end. The rest are told they’ll be paid next payday. But they’re fired on the spot. That payday never comes unless you fight for it.

It’s wage theft. Period.

They rely on workers not knowing their rights — or fearing retaliation. I pushed back. They eventually paid me penalties after my first formal complaint. Good. But that doesn’t fix the system they’re running inside Costco.

So Why Does Costco Allow It?

Three different vendors. All with abusive labor practices. All operating under the same roof. All using the same defense: “We’re not Costco.”

But the truth is: Costco lets them in. Costco profits from their sales. And Costco customers are unknowingly funding worker abuse.

This isn’t just a local problem. It’s systemic.

These vendors rotate people, licenses, and liability — but the pattern stays the same: exploit, withhold, retaliate, disappear.

Legal Action & Accountability

I filed complaints with:

• NLRB – for illegal retaliation and wage discussion restrictions - Current investigation in JUCE Organic.

• BOLI – for unpaid wages and the zero-dollar paycheck - Current investigation in JUCE Organics.

• IRS & Federal Whistleblower Channels – for systemic payroll fraud and entity concealment - Current case with “Direct Demo.”

One lawyer I hired for the JUCE case even committed malpractice and never submitted the NLRB claim — despite telling me he would. Just like the system: stall, distract, minimize. That malpractice suit is coming.

This Is Bigger Than Me

This isn’t just about a paycheck. It’s about what’s happening inside companies we trust. It’s about a network of shell vendors that exploit low-income workers under the shield of retail giants.

If this is happening in Costco, how many more are out there?