Officials are ramping up efforts to end an alleged pyramid scheme run by Herbalife, a global nutritional company.

Maria David was among the Soundview residents invited to a roundtable meeting with Community Board 9 and local lawmakers. 

"At first it's very energizing," David says. "It's exciting because they set these really high expectations, and they set this dream, but in the end -- that's not the reality."

State Sen. Jeffrey Klein has been investigating the company for some time. In October, he released an undercover video that apparently shows Herbalife representatives making grand promises to people who sign up.

Klein says there are dozens of ongoing investigations into complaints about the company filed with the state attorney general.

He says the roundtable meetings are meant to warn potential future victims and to educate people who've lost money on how to file complaints.

Herbalife declined to comment for this story.

Klein says that Herbalife lobbyists have reached out to his office, and that he responded by asking to see examples of people actually making money through the program.

"So far, I haven't seen that," the senator says.