Christian dating site out of business, but what's next?

10:54 PM CDT on Tuesday, July 6, 2004

By BYRON HARRIS / WFAA-TV

A matchmaking company first reported on in May by News 8 is out of business.

The investigation traced complaints against Ultimate Singles that accused the firm of selling itself as a Christian organization when it was not. And although Ultimate Singles is no more, the trail of complaints against it is still substantial

Two weeks ago at the Tarrant County courthouse, Ultimate Singles' Jason Breakey was a happy man. His company had just settled a lawsuit with another singles company that had accused Breakey of theft, fraud and unfair competition.

When asked if the company would go on, Breakey responded, "Right now all I can say is that today is a real good day for Ultimate Singles."

But what Breakey didn't tell News 8 that day was as part of his agreement to settle the lawsuit, he agreed that his company would go out of business. Now, former employees and members are watching to see what happens.

Jamie Baum quit working for the company a month ago. She said that in the last two years, after profits got high, service to members deteriorated.

"They paid me and it bounced," Baum said. "I want to expose them. I've been in this industry for a long time; there's a right way to do it, and they're doing it the wrong way."

Frank Marusak paid $2,000 for a three-year membership, expecting to find a Christian organization as it was advertised. Later he found it wasn't Christian, and that other members paid different rates.

"It's not a Christian service at all," Marusak said. "I don't want other people to go through what I went through - the heartbreak, the dissatisfaction, the financial turmoil. $2,000 is a lot of money for (which) basically you get nothing."

Now, when Ultimate Singles members click on the old Web site, they're automatically switched to a new website called Trusted Singles. It looks just like the old one, except with a different title.

Breakey, who declined Tuesday to do an interview with News 8 on camera, said that the company he's managing now. He said Ultimate Singles went broke but he has new investors, though he won't say who they are.

Cameron Sharpe, who founded Ultimate Singles with Breakey, now has several Web sites of his own, counseling people how to get rich quick. One of them shows how easy it is to make big money in singles services, with projected profits and timelines.

Breakey has operated under Fellowship Singles and Ebony Singles, as well as Ultimate Singles. He maintains no one has been hurt by his business changes, and said he has no cash and can't even afford to file bankruptcy. He said the new business is just a way to feed his family.