• Red Flags Apparent in Alleged Ponzi Scheme

    Recent news of the alleged $50 billion Ponzi scheme perpetrated by investment advisor Bernard L. Madoff has done nothing to ease the fears of investors who have been annihilated by the stock market over the last couple of months.How does […]

  • Authorities Charge Head of MX Factors With Fraud

    Another fraud busted by Barry Minkow, this one a pyramid scheme called MX Factors. The head of MX Factors was charged with federal crimes initially uncovered by Minkow and his Fraud Discovery Institute. Current target of an informal SEC investigation, […]

  • Tri Energy an Affinity Fraud and Ponzi Scheme

    From The BizOp News blog by Michael Webster, Tri Energy: Massive Affinity Fraud And Ponzi Scheme. A U.S. District Judge in California ruled against Tri Energy Inc., H&J Energy Company Inc., and several others last week. The defendants are permanently […]

  • Scam Busting: The Development of Charles Ponzi’s Pyramid Scheme

    Ponzi demonstrated to himself that he could achieve astronomical profits with the postal reply coupons, a far better return on investment than interest paid by the banks or profits created in the stock market. His investment pitch included the mention […]

  • Scam Busting: The Father of the Pyramid Scheme

    Charles Ponzi could be described as a clever businessman, or a ruthless cheater, depending upon how you look at him. I view him primarily as a charismatic leader who was able to convince people to give him large sums of […]

  • Operator of Ponzi Scheme Sentenced to 30 Years

    James Lewis Jr., the operator of one of the largest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history was sentenced to 30 years in prison last week. That was the maximum sentence that could be imposed. He was also ordered to pay $156 […]