The biggest Ponzi Schemes in History
There have been many famous Ponzi schemes throughout history, and especially in recent years. These fraudulent investments have affected everyone, from the poor elderly to rich Hollywood stars alike. The most disturbing thing about the Ponzi schemes in recent years are that they are carried out by some incredibly brilliant businessmen, who know that their plans aren’t sustainable
Bernie Madoff
Madoff stole $65 billion from investors and committed over 11 federal felonies. Madoff lived a flashy, luxurious life by most standards, but less so than, for example, Scott Rothstein. Madoff received the maximum sentence of 150 years in prison, which he is currently serving in Raleigh, North Carolina. Madoff ran a wealth management company in New York, which started as a legitimate business, but ultimately turned the entire business into one giant Ponzi scheme.Reed Slatkin
In 1986, Reed Slatkin began a Ponzi scheme for fifteen years, through an unlicensed “investment club,” where he promised a 24% return. Many of Slatkin’s victims were also Scientologists Slatkin was the co-founder of technology company, Earthlink and a Scientology Minister. He stole $592 million from nearly 800 people, guilty of 15 counts of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. Slatkin served his sentence and was released from a half-way house, in July 2013.Tom Petters
Tom Petters established a $3.65 billion Ponzi scheme, where investors funded non-existent electronic goods, to sell to big box retailers who weren’t buying them. Petters owned many well-known large companies, including Fingerhut and Polaroid, which made him appear trustworthy in the eyes of investors. On Decemeber 2, 2009, Petters was charged with 20 counts of fraud, including money laundering, wire fraud and mail fraud. He is currently serving a 50-year prison sentence in a federal facility in Leavenworth, Kansas. Petters’ was the largest frauder the state of Minnesota had ever seen.Adriaan Nieuwoudt
In 1984, South African entrepreneur, Adriaan Nieuwoudt decided to market a beauty product based on an ingredient found in his grandmother’s milk-based cultures, known as “kubus.” Nieuwoudt sold off dried-plant “activator” kits to investors, so they could grow the milk cultures themselves in a “work at home” type scheme. They’d sell the grown cultures back to the company and in turn, would be used as an ingredient for this beauty product that didn’t actually exist.Gary Gauthier
Gary Gauthier hosted a radio show called, It’s God’s Money, in Tampa. It probably wasn’t God’s intention to have him steal $6 million from 38 senior citizens in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties. He promised his victims an 8%-40% return on investments in real estate. Gauthier lured his victims by telling listeners to call him, and he would set up a personal meeting at their homes or at his office. The scheme lasted from 2005-2010.
