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Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc

We are investigating Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc. for allegedly attempting to conceal critical reviews and adverse news from Google by improperly submitting copyright takedown notices. This includes potential violations such as impersonation, fraud, and perjury.

Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc

PARTIES INVOLVED: Jonathan Wilhelm - Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc

ALLEGATIONS: Perjury, Fraud, Impersonation

INCIDENT DATE: 11 July 2022

INVESTIGATED BY: Ethan Katz

TOOLS USED: Lumen, FakeDMCA, SecurityTrails

CASE NO: 5742/A/2024

CRIME TYPE: Intellectual Property Scam

PUBLISHED ON: 26 Nov 2024

REPORTED BY: FakeDMCA.com

JURISDICTION: USA

A summary of what happened?

Dr. Jonathan Wilhelm is a chiropractor based in Montana, known for founding Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc. Despite his professional achievements, Dr. Wilhelm and his wife have faced significant legal challenges, particularly concerning tax evasion.

Tax Evasion Case:

  • Guilty Plea: In November 2020, Dr. Wilhelm and his wife pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges. They admitted to directing payments to cash and failing to report these transactions in the financial records of their businesses, Pro Chiropractic PC and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc., from 2013 through 2018. This omission led to an understatement of taxable income totaling $284,691 for the tax years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018, causing a tax loss to the IRS of $74,486.
  • Sentencing: Sentencing was scheduled for March 12, 2021, with each defendant facing a maximum sentence of five years, along with potential supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

Allegations of Sexual Misconduct:

  • Lawsuits Filed: In September 2023, Olympic bobsledder Aja Evans filed a lawsuit against Dr. Wilhelm, alleging sexual harassment and assault during treatments between 2012 and 2022. Subsequently, in January 2024, Brett McMillan, a nurse from Bozeman, filed a separate lawsuit claiming that Dr. Wilhelm sexually assaulted her in 2022 during a treatment session.
  • Denial of Allegations: Dr. Wilhelm has denied these allegations, asserting his commitment to professional conduct and patient care.

Investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport:

  • Cleared of Wrongdoing: In August 2024, the U.S. Center for SafeSport concluded a two-year investigation into Dr. Wilhelm concerning allegations of misconduct. The investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing, resulting in no sanctions against him. Dr. Wilhelm expressed gratitude for the thorough investigation and reaffirmed his dedication to athlete well-being.

Summary of Major Concerns and Complaints:

  • Tax Evasion: Dr. Wilhelm and his wife pleaded guilty to tax evasion, admitting to underreporting income and causing a tax loss to the IRS.
  • Allegations of Sexual Misconduct: Multiple lawsuits have been filed accusing Dr. Wilhelm of sexual harassment and assault during professional treatments.
  • Professional Conduct Investigations: Despite the allegations, the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing, clearing Dr. Wilhelm of misconduct.

These incidents have raised concerns regarding Dr. Wilhelm’s professional and personal conduct, impacting his reputation within the chiropractic and broader medical community.

 

Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc Fake DMCA

 

 

 

Analyzing the Fake Copyright Notice(s)

Our team collects and analyses fraudulent copyright takedown requests, legal complaints, and other efforts to remove critical information from the internet. Through our investigative reporting, we examine the prevalence and operation of an organized censorship industry, predominantly funded by criminal entities, oligarchs, and disreputable businesses or individuals. Our findings allow internet users to gain insight into these censorship schemes’ sources, methods, and underlying objectives.

 

 

 

What was Jonathan Wilhelm - Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc trying to hide?

Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc‘s attempts to hide unfavourable content through the misuse of copyright notices while allegedly engaging in perjury present serious legal concerns. These actions suggest a calculated attempt to manipulate legal systems to suppress free speech, a fundamental violation of copyright law principles and an abuse of legal processes. The use of such tactics not only undermines the integrity of copyright protection but also potentially constitutes perjury, further entangling Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc in legal accountability. Let’s examine the information Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc may be trying to remove from the internet –

In-depth Investigative Report: Dr. Jonathan Wilhelm, Pro Chiropractic, and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc.

Dr. Jonathan Wilhelm is a chiropractor based in Bozeman, Montana, who founded Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc. Known for his work in chiropractic sports medicine, Dr. Wilhelm’s career has been marked by significant achievements, including certifications as a Chiropractic Sports Physician and serving as a chiropractor for elite athletic teams like USA Bobsled and Skeleton. However, his reputation has been overshadowed by serious allegations of professional misconduct, tax evasion, and lawsuits, which have cast a long shadow over his career and businesses.


Tax Evasion Case: A Legal Turning Point

1.1 Charges and Guilty Pleas

In November 2020, Dr. Wilhelm and his wife, who was involved in managing their businesses, pleaded guilty to tax evasion. The U.S. Department of Justice revealed that the couple intentionally avoided paying federal taxes by underreporting income from their businesses, Pro Chiropractic PC and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc. The violations occurred over several years, from 2013 through 2018, and involved directing payments into cash accounts and failing to report those funds in their financial records.

Key Facts:

  • Total unreported taxable income: $284,691.
  • Tax loss to the IRS: $74,486.

The couple’s financial practices involved skimming cash from their businesses and using those funds for personal expenses while concealing the transactions from tax authorities.

1.2 Sentencing and Penalties

  • Maximum sentence faced: 5 years in federal prison.
  • Potential penalties: Restitution, supervised release, and monetary fines. Sentencing was scheduled for March 12, 2021, underscoring the gravity of their financial misconduct.

Implications: This case highlighted not only ethical and legal breaches but also questioned the transparency and integrity of the couple’s business operations.


Allegations of Sexual Misconduct: A Pattern of Complaints

Dr. Wilhelm has been accused by multiple individuals of sexual harassment and assault, raising serious concerns about his conduct within the professional environment.

2.1 Investigation in Montana (2021)

  • A former female employee of Pro Chiropractic filed a complaint accusing Dr. Wilhelm of sexual harassment and assault during her employment between December 2020 and April 2021.
  • Specific allegations included inappropriate touching and sexual comments on a weekly basis, creating a hostile work environment.

The investigation by Montana authorities led to heightened scrutiny of Dr. Wilhelm’s practices and opened the door for further allegations to surface.

2.2 Lawsuit by Olympic Athlete (2023) In September 2023, Aja Evans, an Olympic bobsledder, filed a lawsuit against Dr. Wilhelm. The lawsuit alleges that:

  • Dr. Wilhelm sexually abused Evans during medical treatments between 2012 and 2022.
  • The abuse was carried out under the guise of professional chiropractic care, exploiting Evans’ trust as a patient.

Evans also named Pro Chiropractic, the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee as co-defendants, accusing them of enabling and failing to protect athletes from Wilhelm’s alleged misconduct.

2.3 Second Lawsuit in January 2024 Another lawsuit was filed by Brett McMillan, a nurse from Bozeman, who accused Dr. Wilhelm of sexual assault during a chiropractic treatment session in 2022. McMillan’s allegations further bolster the pattern of complaints against Wilhelm, suggesting that the misconduct extended beyond a single victim.

Wilhelm’s Response: Dr. Wilhelm has categorically denied all allegations, maintaining that his actions were always professional and in line with ethical standards. His legal team has suggested that the accusations are baseless and have vowed to defend his reputation.


Investigations and Outcomes

3.1 U.S. Center for SafeSport The U.S. Center for SafeSport, an independent organization tasked with investigating misconduct in sports, conducted a two-year investigation into the allegations against Dr. Wilhelm. In August 2024, the Center concluded:

  • There was no evidence of wrongdoing by Dr. Wilhelm.
  • He was cleared of any sanctions or professional misconduct.

While this decision was a victory for Dr. Wilhelm, it did little to erase the public scrutiny or mitigate the reputational damage caused by the allegations.


Professional Background and Business Operations

Dr. Wilhelm’s businesses, Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc., have served the Bozeman community for years, offering a range of chiropractic and sports medicine services. He has built a reputation as a trusted healthcare provider for athletes, working closely with high-performance teams and promoting holistic care.

However, the recent allegations and legal issues have cast doubt on the integrity of his practices. The businesses are now under significant public and regulatory scrutiny, which could impact their long-term viability.


Patterns of Concern and Red Flags

4.1 Lack of Professional Boundaries The allegations of sexual misconduct point to a potential pattern of exploiting professional relationships, particularly with vulnerable individuals like athletes who rely on trust in medical practitioners.

4.2 Ethical and Financial Misconduct The tax evasion case underscores a broader issue of ethical lapses within Dr. Wilhelm’s businesses, calling into question the financial practices and transparency of Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center.

4.3 Reputational Impact The combination of legal troubles and public allegations has significantly damaged Dr. Wilhelm’s reputation, affecting trust among patients and the broader community.


Recommendations for Stakeholders

For Patients:

  • Exercise caution when choosing healthcare providers.
  • Ensure that professionals are fully licensed, transparent, and maintain proper ethical standards.

For Regulatory Authorities:

  • Conduct thorough reviews of Dr. Wilhelm’s practice licenses.
  • Monitor compliance with ethical and legal standards in the chiropractic field.

For Dr. Wilhelm:

  • Address the allegations transparently to rebuild public trust.
  • Implement stricter protocols in patient interactions to prevent future complaints.

Conclusion

Dr. Jonathan Wilhelm’s career as a chiropractor has been marred by serious allegations and legal issues, ranging from tax evasion to sexual misconduct. While he has been cleared by some investigations, the broader pattern of complaints raises significant questions about his conduct and the integrity of his businesses. The legal and reputational fallout from these cases continues to unfold, serving as a cautionary tale about the importance of ethics and accountability in healthcare professions.

 

 

 

How do we counteract this malpractice?

Once we ascertain the involvement of Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc (or actors working on behalf of Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc), we will inform Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc of our findings via Electronic Mail.

Our preliminary assessment suggests that Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc may have engaged a third-party reputation management agency or expert, which, either independently or under direct authorization from Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc, initiated efforts to remove adverse online content, including potentially fraudulent DMCA takedown requests. We will extend an opportunity to Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc to provide details regarding their communications with the agency or expert, as well as the identification of the individual(s) responsible for executing these false DMCA notices.

Failure to respond in a timely manner will necessitate a reassessment of our initial assumptions. In such an event, we will be compelled to take appropriate legal action to rectify the unlawful conduct and take the following steps –

 

 

Since Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc made such efforts to hide something online, it seems fit to ensure that this article and sensitive information targeted online by these events get a lot more exposure and traffic than what it would have received originally

We hope this becomes an excellent case study for the Streisand effect…The key idea behind the Streisand effect is that efforts to restrict information can backfire, often causing the information to gain more attention than it would have otherwise. This effect is widespread in the digital age, where users quickly notice and spread censorship efforts on social media and other platforms. Trying to suppress something can unintentionally lead to it becoming more visible, which Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc is finding out the hard way.

Potential Consequences for Jonathan Wilhelm - Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc

Under Florida Statute 831.01, the crime of Forgery is committed when a person falsifies, alters, counterfeits, or forges a document that carries “legal efficacy” with the intent to injure or defraud another person or entity.

Forging a document is considered a white-collar crime. It involves altering, changing, or modifying a document to deceive another person. It can also include passing along copies of documents that are known to be false. In many states in the US, falsifying a document is a crime punishable as a felony.

 

 

Additionally, under most laws, “fraud on the court” is where “a party has sentiently set in motion some unconscionable scheme calculated to interfere with the judicial system’s ability impartially to adjudicate a matter by improperly influencing the trier of fact or unfairly hampering the presentation of the opposing party’s claim or defense.”  Cox v. Burke, 706 So. 2d 43, 46 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998) (quoting Aoude v. Mobil Oil Corp., 892 F.2d 1115, 1118 (1st Cir. 1989)).

Is Jonathan Wilhelm - Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc Committing a Cyber Crime?

Faced with these limitations, some companies like Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc have gone to extreme lengths to fraudulently claim copyright ownership over a negative review in the hopes of taking it down.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc is certainly keeping interesting company here….

CompanyNames Fake DMCA

The DMCA takedown process requires that copyright owners submit a takedown notice to an ISP identifying the allegedly infringing content and declaring, under penalty of perjury, that they have a good faith belief that the content is infringing. The ISP must then promptly remove or disable access to the content. The alleged infringer can then submit a counter-notice, and if the copyright owner does not take legal action within 10 to 14 days, the ISP can restore the content.

Since these platforms are predominantly based in the U.S., the complaints are typically made under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which requires online service providers and platforms to react immediately to reports or violations. Big Tech companies rarely have systems in place to assess the merit of each report. Instead, all bad actors need to do is clone a story, backdate it, and then demand the real thing be taken down.

 

Reputation Agency's Modus Operandi

The fake DMCA notices we found always use the “back-dated article” technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a “true original” article and back-dates it, creating a “fake original” article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original.

Then, based on the claim that this backdated article is the “original,” the scammers send a DMCA to the relevant online service providers (e.g. Google), alleging that the ‘true’ original is the copied or “infringing” article and that the copied article is the “original,” requesting the takedown of the ‘true’ original article. After sending the DMCA request, the person who sent the wrong notice takes down the fake original URL, likely to make sure that the article doesn’t stay online in any way. If the takedown notice is successful, the disappearance from the internet of information is most likely to be legitimate speech.

As an integral part of this scheme, the ‘reputation management’ company hired by Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc creates a website that purports to be a ‘news’ site. This site is designed to look legitimate at a glance, but any degree of scrutiny reveals it as the charade it is.

The company copies the ‘negative’ content and posts it “on the fake ‘news’ site, attributing it to a separate author,” then gives it “a false publication date on the ‘news’ website that predated the original publication.

The reputation company then sent Google a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice claiming the original website infringed copyright. After a cursory examination of the fake news site, Google frequently accepts the notice and delists the content.

 

 

In committing numerous offences, Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc either premeditated actions or were unaware of the consequences. Despite hiring an agency to make Google disregard any negative information about Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc, ignorance does not excuse this wrongdoing.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. FSMSmart is certainly keeping interesting company here.

 

The Reputation Laundering

Rogue Reputation agencies use spurious copyright claims and fake legal notices to remove and obscure articles linking clients to allegations of tax avoidance, corruption, and drug trafficking. Most of these reputation agencies are based offshore, mainly in Russia, India, and Eastern Europe, and they do not worry about complying with US-based laws.

The content in all of the articles for which the fraudulent DMCA notices have been sent relates to allegations of criminal allegations, including corruption, child abuse, sexual harassment, human trafficking and financial fraud against businesses and individuals with ultra-high net worth.

 

 

In addition to the misuse of the DMCA takedown process, there is a notable absence of enforcement concerning perjury violations. The statutory requirement related to perjury is designed to deter copyright holders from submitting fraudulent or knowingly false takedown requests, as they may face legal consequences for making false declarations under penalty of perjury. However, to date, there have been no known instances of any individual being prosecuted for perjury in connection with the submission of false DMCA takedown notices.

This lack of enforcement has emboldened copyright holders to exploit the DMCA takedown process to suppress dissent, criticism, or other unfavorable content, without fear of legal repercussions.

Some of the people and businesses who have employed this tactic to remove legitimate content from Google illegally include a Spanish businessman-turned-cocaine-trafficker, Organised crime, an Israeli-Argentine banker accused of laundering money for Hugo Chávez’s regime, a French “responsible” mining company accused of tax evasion, child molesters and sexual predators. Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc is in great company ….

What else is Jonathan Wilhelm - Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc hiding?

We encourage you to ‘Dork‘ Google by searching for keyword combinations such as [Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc] + {Negative Keyword, such as Scam, Fraud, Complaints, Lawsuit, Sanction, etc} on Google. It’s likely if you scroll down to the bottom of this Google search results, you’ll stumble upon this Legal Takedown notice (pictured below)

 

 

To make such an investigation possible, we encourage more online service providers to come forward and share copies of content removal requests with industry experts and researchers. If you have any information on Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc that you want to share with experts and journalists, kindly email the author directly at [email protected].

All communications are strictly confidential and safeguarded under a comprehensive Whistleblower Policy, ensuring full protection and anonymity for individuals who provide information.

Authorities we may contact and share this report with for further actions

GOOGLE LEGAL HEAD

Halimah DeLaine Prado

NEWS DESK

Washington Post & NY Times

The above decision-makers and authorities will be provided a comprehensive dossier of our findings, including anonymously submitted evidence and tips. We invite journalists to contact us to receive a copy of our complete investigation here

Credits and Acknowledgement

16/10/2024

Many thanks to FakeDMCA.com and Lumen for providing access to their database.

Photos and Illustrations provided by DALL-E 3 – “a representation of Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc censoring the internet and committing cyber crimes.”

  • We’ve reached out to Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc for a comment or rebuttal regarding this investigation. It will strongly suggest they were behind the takedown attempt if they remain silent.

    • Our investigative report on Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc‘s efforts to suppress online speech is significant, as it raises serious concerns about its integrity. The findings suggest that Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc has engaged in questionable practices, including potential perjury, impersonation, and fraud, in a misguided attempt to manage or salvage its reputation.

    • We intend to file a counternotice to reinstate the removed article(s). While this particular instance is relatively straightforward, it is important to note that, in other cases, the overwhelming volume of automated DMCA takedown notices can significantly hinder the ability of affected parties to respond—especially for those not large media organizations.

    • You need an account with fakeDMCA.com and Lumen to access the research data. However, accounts are not widely available since these non-profit organisations manage large databases that could be susceptible to misuse. Nevertheless, they do offer access to non-profits and researchers.

    • It’s unclear why U.S. authorities have yet to act against these rogue reputation agencies, whose business model seems rooted in fraudulent practices.

  • We’ve reached out to Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc for a comment or rebuttal regarding this investigation. It will strongly suggest they were behind the takedown attempt if they remain silent.

About the Author

16/10/2024

The author is affiliated with Harvard University and serves as a researcher at both Lumen and FakeDMCA.com. In his personal capacity, he and his team have been actively investigating and reporting on organized crime related to fraudulent copyright takedown schemes. Additionally, his team provides advisory services to major law firms and is frequently consulted on matters pertaining to intellectual property law. He can be reached at [email protected] directly.

USER FEEDBACK ON Jonathan Wilhelm – Pro Chiropractic and Big Sky Spinal Care Center Inc

1.8/5

Based on 2 ratings

Trust
20%
Risk
70%
Brand
20%
by: Daniel Scott
December 12, 2024 at 9:34 am

How could Jonathan Wilhelm think he could hide hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash payments? The tax evasion scheme might have worked for a while, but they have to pay for it, no doubt.

by: Grace Hughes
December 12, 2024 at 9:04 am

Jonathan Wilhelm and his wife thought they could get away with tax evasion, but the law caught up with them.

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