Every investment fraud follows the same 5-pattern playbook — hidden identity, industry cover, guaranteed returns, referral distribution, and regulatory arbitrage. Here are the checks that would have stopped each one, documented across $6.5B+ in cases covered.
Par Funding raised $547 million from 1,200+ investors. Its founder used a fake name to hide two felony convictions. All eight defendants pleaded guilty. Here are the five red flags that were there from the start — and how to spot the same pattern.
Eli Weinstein received presidential clemency in January 2021 after serving eight years of a 22-year sentence for a $200 million Ponzi scheme. Eleven months later, he was stealing again. This is the affinity fraud playbook — and what to watch for.
Matthew Shane Perkins of Utah pleaded guilty to wire fraud in an $89 million investment scheme that defrauded over 200 victims. He falsified account statements and spent investor money on a home, cabin, and airplane.
Quick Answer: Key Ponzi scheme red flags include promises of 25% returns in 30-60 days and fake documentation, as demonstrated by Jenifer Devine’s case where she defrauded investors of $8 million through her fake wholesale business. Devine received 37 months in prison for using new investor funds to pay existing investors rather than operating a …
Quick Answer: Sydney Jack Williams, a top recruiter in Nevin Shapiro’s $930 million Ponzi scheme, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for failing to report over $12 million in recruiting commissions to the IRS. Williams recruited more than 60 investors into Capitol Investments USA and suffered a $3 million personal loss …
Quick Answer: The Rothstein fraud scheme was not legitimate – it was a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme that has resulted in additional criminal charges against two former employees. William Boockvor and Marybeth Feiss of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler law firm face conspiracy charges and up to five years in prison each.On the first of this month …
Quick Answer: WISE appears to be connected to a fraudulent Ponzi scheme where Duane Allen Eddings and Robert Cephus Brown Jr. defrauded investors of $15 million from 2005-2007. The defendants falsely promised guaranteed stock market returns while actually using new investor funds to pay earlier investors and finance personal luxuries.In conjunction with a $15 million …
Quick Answer: Andrew Hamilton Williams, Jr., was convicted of running a $78 million mortgage fraud scheme called “Metro Dream Homes” that promised to pay off homeowners’ mortgages in exchange for $50,000+ investments. Instead of fulfilling promises, the scheme used luxury hotel presentations to defraud victims while laundering money through fake ATM and kiosk investments.Andrew Hamilton …
Quick Answer: Alfred Gerebizza was named as a new defendant in a $105 million Ponzi scheme case, pleading not guilty to fraud and tax charges on October 26. Gerebizza and co-defendant Daniel Spitzer allegedly defrauded over 400 investors through the “Kenzie Funds,” causing $34 million in losses.A pending federal case investigating a $105 million “ponzi” …
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