Tom Martino archive: The top 10 Westword reports on bankrupt Troubleshooter (VIDEO)

Our post about Troubleshooter Tom Martino's bankruptcy is hardly the first time we've reported about the consumer advocate-turned-empire builder. Below, we've assembled ten pieces from the past decade plus, ranging from a report about how he was scammed by a fellow employee and looks into slumlord-ready properties to his attempted...

By Michael Roberts

September 15, 2011

Audio By Carbonatix

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Our post about Troubleshooter Tom Martino's bankruptcy is hardly the first time we've reported about the consumer advocate-turned-empire builder. Below, we've assembled ten pieces from the past decade plus, ranging from a report about how he was scammed by a fellow employee and looks into slumlord-ready properties to his attempted ambush of a Westword writer he mistook for someone else. Oh, the humanity! Relive it below. "When Trouble Shoots Back," January 27, 2000: "Bill Dallman, the Fox 31 news director, had better work overtime to keep his first hire, chest-pounding radio troubleshooter Tom Martino, fat and happy. Because if Martino's 1999 departure from Channel 4 is any indication, he's not a guy to leave a job quietly." "OutFoxed," May 10, 2001: "The most prominent of these individuals -- self-proclaimed "troubleshooter" Tom Martino, who specializes in exposing scams on Channel 31 and a nationally syndicated radio show heard locally on KHOW -- isn't taking the passive approach to the potential loss of his investment with [former colleague Scott] McDonald: a whopping $50,000." "Target: Tom," March 3, 2005: "When the contractor's work failed to satisfy him and Troubleshooter Network staffers didn't set things right by his standards, Marquette's admiration for the radio host began to deteriorate. He's now threatening to sue the contractor, as well as Martino, who 'needs to be knocked off his soapbox and told, "You talk a lot of crap,"'" "Welcome to Hotel Martino: The homeless love it, the neighbors hate it," October 30, 2008: "Over the past year, Denver code-enforcement inspectors and police officers have sent numerous missives to one Thomas G. Martino regarding alleged health and safety violations at these addresses."

"Another ugly Martino real estate investment," October 30, 2008: "I found more evidence of neglect: a vacant house whose yard is overgrown with weeds and filled with trash."

"Tom Martino's arrogance helps him win court case," April 29, 2009: "A key part of the judgment states that Martino's program "contains many of the elements that would reduce the audience's expectation of learning an objective fact: drama, hyperbolic language, an opinionated and arrogant host, and heated controversy." In other words, his style and approach are so intertwined with entertainment value and self-promotion that anyone who actually believes what he's saying gets what he or she deserves."

"Martino TV debut: A real sell job," June 1, 2009: "At least the show is watchable -- or it will be for those who enjoy morning fare with a large slice of ego."

Tom Martino pimps Efusjon.

"Troubleshooter Tom Martino uses TV and radio to promote the trickle-up economics of Efusjon," July 23, 2009: "The pyramid structure that defines income distribution in these networks has helped promulgate two views of the multibillion-dollar-a-year multi-level marketing industry. The first is that these are legitimate businesses that have chosen to bypass marketing and distribution costs by incentivizing everyday people to sell their merchandise or services. The other is that multi-level marketing is a legal scam that allows a small number of people to reap massive profits by building what amounts to a Ponzi scheme around a bunch of overpriced crap."

"Tom Martino attempts to ambush Westword writer in McDonald's parking lot!," August 13, 2009: "He didn't seem to be moving as quickly as the mustachioed Martino I remember watching on TV in the '80s when he could hurdle all manner of parking blocks and bushes in his pursuit of crooks and scammers."

Tom Martino: "Westword Can't Handle the Truth!" from Joe Tone on Vimeo.

"Tom Martino misidentifies writer in Westword 'exposé,'" August 17, 2009: "His sputterings about only wanting to get the truth and the facts extra-hilarious is the true fact that the photo he identifies as [Jared Jacang] Maher is actually of former Westword writer Adam Cayton-Holland."

More from our Media archive: "Is Tom Martino afraid of Adam Cayton-Holland?"

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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