Great American scammers Bashny.Net

Bernard Madoff - the former financial manager and uollstritovsky gates, June 29, 2009 was sentenced to 150 years in prison without possibility of parole, for the organization of the financial pyramid at 65 billion. Dollars (US pyramid scheme known as the Ponzi-scheme (Ponzi scheme ) after the first organizer of such fraud) - the biggest fraud in the history of the United States. Over 1,300 investors for many years, invested in Madoff. As a result, many of them suffered financial ruin. Among the victims of the financial pyramid appeared a number of celebrities, including director Steven Spielberg and actor Kevin Bacon.





Ken Lay, CEO and chairman of energy company Enron, well known for his role in the corrupt and fraudulent scandal that led to the collapse of the company. In 2002, he was charged with 11 counts of securities fraud in 2006, he was found guilty on 10 of them, according to experts, it threatened to sentence him to up to 30 years in prison. He died on holiday for three and a half months before the verdict. As a result, the judge who presided over the court considers the case Leia, overturned the verdict.

Jeffrey Skilling, former chief executive of Enron, was convicted in 2006 on several counts related to the collapse of energy trader finance. Currently serving a 24-year prison sentence.

Bernie Ebbers, co-founder and former CEO of telecommunications company Worldcom, who was convicted of the largest (to date), accounting fraud in US history. Because of falsified financial statements, investors have lost $ 11 billion. He is serving a 25-year prison sentence.

Dennis Kozlowski, the former chief executive of the conglomerate Tyco, was convicted of embezzling more than $ 400 million of company funds. Currently serving time in prison, he must serve at least eight years and four months.

Martin Frankel, a former financier, convicted in 2002 on charges of insurance fraud (208 million dollars), racketeering and money laundering.

James Lewis was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison for creating a financial pyramid. It operated more than 20 years, he has collected about 311 million dollars from investors - many of whom were elderly, promising high returns. He spent the money on a luxurious life for themselves and their friends, to buy expensive homes and cars. Lewis was caught after he was wanted by the FBI.

Lou Pearlman, former head of the famous American groups Backstreet Boys and 'N'Sync, organized the pyramid, after which left more than $ 300 million of debt. For more than 20 years, he persuaded banks and individuals to invest in Trans Continental Airlines Travel Services Inc. and Trans Continental Airlines Inc., which exist only on paper. In 2008, following his conviction on charges of conspiracy, money laundering and making false statements, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Charles Ponzi, one of the greatest scam in the history of the United States, who gave his name Ponzi scheme - a financial scam (in Russia is known as a pyramid scheme, translator's note), where earlier investors are paid with money obtained from later investors. He promised customers a 50% profit within 45 days, or 100% profit within 90 days.

Frank William Abaneyl (Abagnale), a former swindler, forger and impostor, whose life inspired the filmmakers «Catch Me if You Can» (Catch Me If You Can). He became notorious in the 1960s, after cashing bad checks worth about $ 2, $ 5 million in 26 countries. After he spent at least five years, in 1974, the US federal government released him on the condition that it will be celebrated once a week and no payment will help the federal government to deal with crooks and swindlers. He later founded Abagnale & Associates, a financial consulting firm was engaged in anti-fraud scams.

Barry Minkov led a seemingly successful business - carpet cleaning company, «ZZZZ Best» (pronounced as «Zee Best»), which went bankrupt in 1987, its collapse is estimated to have cost investors $ 100 million. He was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to 25 years in prison but served only seven years. During his stay in prison, he became involved in Christian worship. Today he is - the pastor Community Bible Church in San Diego. He is known as an expert on issues of fraud and to prevent such crimes, he lectures on these subjects to university students and businessmen.

Tom Petters was sentenced to 50 years in prison for organizing a pyramid scheme in the amount of 3, 65 billion. Dollars, the scheme included in a cover purchase of the company Polaroid. Petters, with the help of accomplices, deceit received billions of dollars in cash and assets, prompting investors to provide them Petters Company Inc - a fictitious company he created in 1994, ostensibly to buy goods, which then had to be re-sold at retail to produce a significant profit. No goods bought and received from investors' funds Petters directed to the "lulling" payments to investors, paying those who helped in the fraud and the financing of companies that he and other persons involved in the scam were owned or controlled. The number of companies included Petters purchased Polaroid, Fingerhut and Sun Country Airlines.