Site Reputation Problem

Hi ODP editors and congrats on the launch of your forum. I'll get right to my problem - I am an SEO and I recently signed on a new client in the business of dating and introductions. Now this company had been using another SEO for some months before they dumped them. The problem is that their previous SEO had apparently been using unethical methods to get their site listed, including creating duplicate sites to the main site.com such as othersite.com, other-site.com etc. In the process, I've learned they attempted submitting these sites to a range of search engines and directories including multiple submissions to ODP. Now I have cleaned up their horrible spam attempts to some degree, improved the content of the main site and recommended the client remove all dup sites (which they are doing this month).

My problem is that I am having a very difficult time getting the revised site listed in some directories, including ODP because of the site's "spammy" reputation caused by the previous SEO.

I also made the mistake of submitting the main site to ODP a month ago and sending a follow up to the category editor, before realising the extent of the site's bad reputation. So I fear I have made the situation worse.

What I would like to know is: if I ensure the site is spam free and all those dup sites are removed, is there any way of salvaging a listing in ODP for my client? (not surprisingly, I've heard the URL has been placed in a Do Not List file). Or do I tell my client that the "wicked ways" of his previous SEO have ruined his chance of an ODP listing forever? Thanks for any help you can give.

It really depends to what extent the site was spammed, and what tactics the previous SEO used. Bribing, or attempting to bribe an editor, for example, will get a site banned forever. If you don't feel comfortable disclosing the URL(s) in public, PM me and I'll look into it for you.

Done. Thank you so much for the speedy and helpful reply.