Marcel Bessette (full/stage name: Marcel Riley Bessette or "Marcel of the family Bessette"; legal/government name: Marc Riley Zurawell or Marcus Riley Bessette) is the founder, signatory, self-proclaimed "Chief Justice," and primary operator behind Peace Maker Society (launched ~2009–2013 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) and its rebranded successors: Sovereign Empire and Private Law Trusts (the exact site at https://www.privatelawtrusts.org/ and all linked pages, Skool community, Rumble videos, etc.).

He personally appears in site content, client testimonials, interviews, and sign-offs (e.g., "Sincerely Marcel of the family Bessette"). He runs the Complete Freedom Training Center, sells the trust templates/plans, assigns "rights/society coaches," and promotes the "sovereign nation unto yourself" philosophy. His LinkedIn, Instagram (@privatelawtrusts111), and Rumble videos identify him as the driving force.

Background and Activities

Bessette/Zurawell is a long-time Canadian pseudolaw (sovereign citizen / Freeman-on-the-Land style) promoter. He claims to have overcome a difficult youth in Saskatchewan before moving to Winnipeg. The organization started as Peace Maker Society offering "unalienable rights patrols," document kits, "private law firm" services, franchises, and personality-profile memberships. It evolved into selling the exact "unregistered unincorporated non-taxable self-governing society/trust" products now on privatelawtrusts.org (high-fee setups, monthly plans, debt-dissolution templates, tax-free claims).

He has produced numerous YouTube/Rumble videos and interviews explaining the system (many older channels deleted). No evidence exists of formal legal training, bar admission, or professional trustee credentials—he openly provides what peer-reviewed legal analysis calls "unlicensed legal services."

Legal and Criminal History

• Debt and warrants: Older court records show unpaid debts (e.g., ~$7,500 to Centra Gas Manitoba in 2005) and violations of court orders (moving without permission while bound to a residence).
• Threats: Multiple incidents of "uttering threats." In 2014 he made Manitoba RCMP "most wanted" #1 for a workplace dispute (Canada-wide warrant). Again in September 2022, listed as one of Manitoba’s top 10 most wanted (as Marc Riley Zurawell) for uttering threats.
• Protection orders sought against him in 2009 and 2013 were denied.
• No major reported civil or criminal convictions tied directly to the trust scheme itself (as of the latest academic review in 2023), but his channels were repeatedly deleted, and public forums track him as a fringe figure.

Trustworthy or Con Artist? My Evidence-Based Assessment

Trustworthy: ~3–5% chance.   Con artist / predatory operator: ~90–95% chance.

Why so high on the con-artist side:

• The entire product is pseudolaw — explicitly labeled as such in a 2023 peer-reviewed Alberta Law Review article by Canada’s leading pseudolaw scholar (Donald J. Netolitzky). These theories (ALL-CAPS name fiction, natural law trumps statutes, trusts that magically eliminate taxes/debts, self-proclaimed sovereignty recognized by banks/courts) have a 0% success rate in actual Canadian (or U.S.) courts. They routinely cause clients liens, seizures, criminal charges, and financial ruin.
• Claims of “100% legal defense success,” “500+ trusts,” “never pay taxes ever,” “dissolve 90% of debts,” and bank recognition are unsubstantiated marketing hype. No independent court victories or verified client outcomes exist.
• Pricing is classic guru-scam structure: non-refundable “gifts” of $2,500–$250,000+ plus ongoing monthly fees for repackaged, worthless templates and MLM-style recruiting/franchising.
• Pattern matches every known sovereign-citizen kit-seller: high-pressure sovereignty rhetoric, deleted platforms, self-proclaimed titles (Emperor, Chief Justice), and personal red flags (threats, warrants).
• Specialized scam-tracking sites (Quatloos forum since 2013) and Reddit communities (r/Winnipeg, r/amibeingdetained) reached near-universal consensus years ago: greedy pseudolaw MLM selling overpriced fantasy paperwork.
• He continues operating in 2025–2026 despite the documented failures of the ideology and his own criminal warrants history.

The small remaining uncertainty (~5%) exists because:

• No massive class-action victim lawsuits or criminal fraud convictions have surfaced yet (his operation stayed relatively small).
• Some adherents may sincerely believe the ideology (cognitive dissonance is common in these circles).

Bottom line: This is textbook predatory pseudolaw grift. Canadian courts, the CRA, banks, and every legitimate legal expert reject everything being sold. Engaging with it carries real risk of financial loss and legal trouble. If you’re considering one of the plans, consult a licensed Canadian lawyer or tax professional first—do not rely on the site’s claims or templates.