The supply of money and marks always dries up in the end. ibid.
Madoff may have stolen as much as $64 billion. ibid.
He [Scott Rothstein] ran a Ponzi scheme from inside his law firm. Then, the murder of a promising young attorney lifted the lid on a Pandora’s box of secrets. Could the victim’s best friend have prevented the tragedy? True Crime with Aphrodite Jones s2e4: Loyalty, Lies & Loss, ID 2011
‘We’re lawyers; if we’re not going to break the law, who is?’ ibid. Rothstein at party
Rothstein offered potential investors the chance to make a tidy profit if they purchased settlements he claimed to have negotiated for his clients. ibid.
He relied on his connections to pull off the con. ibid.
Rothstein vanished without a trace … Rothstein was found to be hiding out in Morocco. ibid.
Just days before Bernard Madoff captured headlines as the largest Ponzi schemer in US history, Marc Dreier, a prominent Manhattan attorney, was arrested for orchestrating a massive fraud that netted over $750 million. Storyville: The $750 Million Thief, caption, BBC 2012
He has not answered any independent questions about his crime … In our conversation he seemed relaxed … The biggest Ponzi scheme on record: $65 billion. The Wizard of Lies 2017 starring Robert de Niro & Michelle Pfeiffer & Alessandro Nivola & Hank Azaria & Nathan Darrow & Sydnye Gayle & Lily Rabe & Kristen Connolly & Kathrine Narduccci & Steve Coulter & Michael Kostroff et al, director Barry Levinson, opening commentary
There are no investments. I made them up. I made them up. They’re fake, all fake, basically a big Ponzi scheme. ibid. Madoff
There is no innocent explanation. ibid. Madoff to rozzers
We’re talking about a man who created the modern market as we know it. ibid. son
Think of it as having an ATM in your living room. ibid. lady
You want something you got to fucking work for it. ibid.
Decades – double digit returns every year. ibid.
I am responsible for a great deal of suffering and pain. ibid.
Sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 150 years. ibid. judge
This is the story of some inexperienced rich kids from Beverley Hills trying their hand at a high stakes investment game who turned to a conman in a moment of desperation. It’s the story of two men obsessed with money and power and status. Marcia Clark Investigates: The Billionaire Boys Club, A&E 2018
‘None of the investments had paid off. They were spending a lot of money.’ ibid.
The cruelty of Ron Levins’ hoax deals Joe Hunt’s ego not to mention his finances a crippling blow. ibid.
The jury votes to send Joe Hunt to Life in prison without the possibility of parole. ibid.
‘It was a Ponzi scheme connived in by federal agencies. Money for Nothing: Inside the Federal Reserve, 2013
What may very well be the final steps of freedom for perhaps the most despised man in America: Bernie Madoff entered a federal court in Manhattan today and pleaded guilty to the greatest investor fraud in US history. The 2000s: The Platinum Age of Television V, news, Sky Arts 2019
Everyone gambles ... If you’re gambling, then I’m the guy you wanna see. Runner Runner 2013 starring Ben Affleck & Justin Timberlake & Gemma Arterton & Anthony Mackie & Michael Esper & Oliver Cooper & Christian George & Yul Vazquez & John Heard & James Molina et al, director opening scene
This whole thing is a Ponzi scheme? ibid. Richie’s friend to Richie
‘We were running a Ponzi scheme … [Epstein] manipulated them totally with his charisma … Jeffrey Epstein became my partner in crime … Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich: Follow the Money s1e2, Hoffenberg, Netflix 2010
Steven Hoffenberg’s $460 million Ponzi scheme used false financial statements to exaggerate the value of his company and lure new investors. ibid. caption
There isn’t a definitive answer to this murder. So I don’t want to lose you because I don’t know, you know. Murder on Middle Beach II, victim’s son, HBO 2020
Nobody bothered to figure out what really happened … People were losing their money [pyramid scheme gifting tables]. I don’t know if your mother was implicated or not, but her name came up. Somebody testified they thought that she was murdered because of that. ibid. husband
After the divorce, that’s when her drinking started becoming a problem. She started plunging downhill. She said she was drinking until she passed out every night. ibid. relative
When women were invited to these Tuesday night events which were typically in someone’s home, they would be told not to tell your drinking, not to tell anyone about it afterwards. It was just women getting together and it was all cash based. ibid. WDRC radio
‘Make sure the party is fun for everyone’ … Position One: Appetizer … Position Two: Soup & Salad … Position Three: Entrée … Position Four: Dessert … ibid. old introductory video to gifting tables
There were complainants. There were enough complainants that it was really having an impact. We felt strongly that we had to act to protect others, if only to warn others. The likelihood of their actually making money here was very very remote. What struck me about the gifting table was the abuse of trust: women were enticed to join with the promise of sisterhood and bonding. ibid. Senator Richard Blumenthal
An aspiring Hollywood actor has been accused of scamming millions from film investors by tricking them with fake Netflix deals to fund a lavish lifestyle.
Zachary Horwitz, 34, was arrested on Tuesday by FBI agents on suspicion of running a $690m (£502m) Ponzi scheme.
Mr Horwitz, whose stage name is Zach Avery, allegedly raised funds from investors for film licensing deals with Netflix and HBO that did not exist.
He was charged with wire fraud.
If convicted, he could be jailed for up to 20 years.
The criminal complaint was filed by prosecutors and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday. BBC online article 8th April 2021, ‘Zach Avery: Hollywood actor arrested over $690m scam scheme’
In the UK one of the most well-known cases was that of Barlow Clowes. Between October 1983 and May 1988 about 11,000, mainly elderly, small investors entrusted their money to Barlow Clowes International, the vast majority of whom were persuaded to do so by misrepresentation that their funds would be securely invested in gilts (government bonds). In fact, very little, if any, of that money was invested in gilts. Investors’ moneys were stolen and used to buy houses, farms, yachts, cars, antique furniture, a vineyard and shares in private and public companies. In 1992, after a trial lasting 112 days Peter Clowes got 10 years in prison. This case is still relevant in that it was only in 2011 (7 February 2011) that the case was finally declared closed when HM Treasury announced it had finally recovered £125 million of the £150 million defrauded from investors. John Lea, A Brief Introduction to Corporate Crime
In 2008 a Texan tycoon landed his helicopter on the hallowed turf of Lord’s, the spiritual home of cricket. He came with a proposition – a showdown between England and his own Caribbean team at his personal ground in Antigua. He was offering one of the greatest cash prizes ever for a team sport. $20 million. But nobody knew where Sir Allen Stanford’s money really came from. The Man Who Bought Cricket I: Lord’s, captions, Sky Documentaries 2022
In 2008, the biggest and most lucrative tournament in the world was the Indian Premier League, or IPL. ibid.
Just as Sir Allen was flaunting his wealth at Lord’s, US authorities were starting to question how he’d made his billions. ibid.
Cricket was starting to fail in the Caribbean. Financially bereft. And the soul had gone from West Indies’ cricket. ibid. Jonathan Agnew
Sir Allen’s first multi-million-dollar investment in cricket was a Caribbean tournament called the Stanford 20/20. ibid. Caption
He had a lot of money to throw around. And that was raising red flags. Where was this money coming from? ibid. Vanessa Walther, FBI special agent
The money laundering allegations continued to swirl around Stanford for a long time. But at the same time he starts selling Certificates of Deposit. ibid. Laurel Calkins, business journalist
Stanford appealed to customers by offering a CD that promised to pay 2% more in interest than rival banks. ibid.
After four years on Montserrat, Allen relocated his bank to the larger Caribbean island of Antigua. ibid.
Stanford International Bank: 2008 its $7.6 billion in deposits. ibid.
There was always the sense that this felt weird. The Man Who Bought Cricket II: ‘You’ve Sold Your Soul, Lads’, Stuart Broad
As the England cricket team prepare for Stanford’s tournament, both the FBI & SEC are investigating his businesses. ibid.
He got a bit friendly with the players’ wives and girlfriends. ‘Turning into an ego-fuelled farce’ says The Mail. ibid. Sky News