They'd roll into town and sell to unsuspecting ya-hoos and leave town before they realize they'd been taken. The first recorded case of this genius came from Stanley's Snake Oil—produced by Clark Stanley, the “Rattlesnake King”. It claimed to be “the strongest and best liniment known for the cure of all pain and lameness.” Its advertising claimed it treated “rheumatism, neuralgia, sciatica, lame back, lumbago, contracted muscles, toothache, sprains, swellings, etc.” Promising “immediate relief,” it sold for fifty cents a bottle. When tested in 1917 by the government, it was found to contain no actual oil extracted from actual snakes. The government sued poor Clark for misrepresenting his product, won a judgment of $20 and “snake oil” soon after became synonymous with false cures and "snake-oil salesmen" became a synonym for charlatans.
Today, we have those that would offer bracelets that protect us from negative ions, spam emails that rely on sheer numbers to drive people to bogus sites, offer everything from funeral plans to fork lifts to amazing offers really designed to park a virus on your computer. The messages that are out to convince receivers that they have won a lottery, free credit checks, Nigerian offers and inheritances from previously unknown relatives. Genius.
Earl Jones: 2010 Scammed people in a similar fashion to Madoff. He received
over $50.3 million,
- See more at: http://www.charlatan.ca/2012/09/famous-charlatans/#sthash.GygtZg9M.dpuf
over $50.3 million,
- See more at: http://www.charlatan.ca/2012/09/famous-charlatans/#sthash.GygtZg9M.dpuf
Earl Jones: 2010 Scammed people in a similar fashion to Madoff. He received
over $50.3 million, but did not invest in it and rather spent investors money for
lavish lifestyle. He defrauded many people, including his own family— his brother
and sister-in-law, who did lose $1 million. Jones collected money from individuals
and estates, but returned the same money as monthly interest payments.
Martha Stewart: 2004 –Found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice
and two counts of making false statements in connection with sale of stocks of
a bio-tech company. She had lost 4000 shares of Imclone, which is part of the
company she invested, which had collapsing stocks.
Lou Pearlman: 2006 - Mogul of boy bands such as N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys.
In 1981 he started Trans Continental Airlines Travel Services, Trans Continental
Airlines Inc and 12 other companies. But they only exited on paper. Shares of
these companies were sold to investors, and he got loans from banks. He invented
a fake accounting firm, and a fake branch in Germany. Tax returns were falsified.
This lasted for 20 years, and cost $300 million.
Reed Slatkin: 2000 - Scientology minister and co-founder of Earthlink, acted as an
investor for Hollywood residents and corporate bosses. He worked out of his
garage and tricked the wealthy out of $ 593 million dollars, with fake statements,
and fake mortgage firms. He was caught in 2000.
Michael Eugene Kelly: 2009- He scammed seniors and retirees of about $428 million
dollars. He let them invest in fake Timeshares in Cancun hotels called “Universal
Leases”. Investors were to get a good fixed rate in return, but they did not, and
Kelly used the money to buy himself yachts and a private jet among other things.
Gerald Payne/Greater Ministries International: 1990′s- Based in Florida,
the church used Bible speak to cheat church goers of $500 million dollars.
Worshippers were able to invest in gold coins. Payne made an investment plan
where the worshippers should have made money, yet he funneled money towards
the church’s fake metals investment and therefore kept the money
- See more at: http://www.charlatan.ca/2012/09/famous-charlatans/#sthash.GygtZg9M.dpuf
over $50.3 million, but did not invest in it and rather spent investors money for
lavish lifestyle. He defrauded many people, including his own family— his brother
and sister-in-law, who did lose $1 million. Jones collected money from individuals
and estates, but returned the same money as monthly interest payments.
Martha Stewart: 2004 –Found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice
and two counts of making false statements in connection with sale of stocks of
a bio-tech company. She had lost 4000 shares of Imclone, which is part of the
company she invested, which had collapsing stocks.
Lou Pearlman: 2006 - Mogul of boy bands such as N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys.
In 1981 he started Trans Continental Airlines Travel Services, Trans Continental
Airlines Inc and 12 other companies. But they only exited on paper. Shares of
these companies were sold to investors, and he got loans from banks. He invented
a fake accounting firm, and a fake branch in Germany. Tax returns were falsified.
This lasted for 20 years, and cost $300 million.
Reed Slatkin: 2000 - Scientology minister and co-founder of Earthlink, acted as an
investor for Hollywood residents and corporate bosses. He worked out of his
garage and tricked the wealthy out of $ 593 million dollars, with fake statements,
and fake mortgage firms. He was caught in 2000.
Michael Eugene Kelly: 2009- He scammed seniors and retirees of about $428 million
dollars. He let them invest in fake Timeshares in Cancun hotels called “Universal
Leases”. Investors were to get a good fixed rate in return, but they did not, and
Kelly used the money to buy himself yachts and a private jet among other things.
Gerald Payne/Greater Ministries International: 1990′s- Based in Florida,
the church used Bible speak to cheat church goers of $500 million dollars.
Worshippers were able to invest in gold coins. Payne made an investment plan
where the worshippers should have made money, yet he funneled money towards
the church’s fake metals investment and therefore kept the money
- See more at: http://www.charlatan.ca/2012/09/famous-charlatans/#sthash.GygtZg9M.dpuf
Earl Jones: 2010 Scammed people in a similar fashion to Madoff. He received
over $50.3 million, but did not invest in it and rather spent investors money for
lavish lifestyle. He defrauded many people, including his own family— his brother
and sister-in-law, who did lose $1 million. Jones collected money from individuals
and estates, but returned the same money as monthly interest payments.
Martha Stewart: 2004 –Found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice
and two counts of making false statements in connection with sale of stocks of
a bio-tech company. She had lost 4000 shares of Imclone, which is part of the
company she invested, which had collapsing stocks.
Lou Pearlman: 2006 - Mogul of boy bands such as N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys.
In 1981 he started Trans Continental Airlines Travel Services, Trans Continental
Airlines Inc and 12 other companies. But they only exited on paper. Shares of
these companies were sold to investors, and he got loans from banks. He invented
a fake accounting firm, and a fake branch in Germany. Tax returns were falsified.
This lasted for 20 years, and cost $300 million.
Reed Slatkin: 2000 - Scientology minister and co-founder of Earthlink, acted as an
investor for Hollywood residents and corporate bosses. He worked out of his
garage and tricked the wealthy out of $ 593 million dollars, with fake statements,
and fake mortgage firms. He was caught in 2000.
Michael Eugene Kelly: 2009- He scammed seniors and retirees of about $428 million
dollars. He let them invest in fake Timeshares in Cancun hotels called “Universal
Leases”. Investors were to get a good fixed rate in return, but they did not, and
Kelly used the money to buy himself yachts and a private jet among other things.
Gerald Payne/Greater Ministries International: 1990′s- Based in Florida,
the church used Bible speak to cheat church goers of $500 million dollars.
Worshippers were able to invest in gold coins. Payne made an investment plan
where the worshippers should have made money, yet he funneled money towards
the church’s fake metals investment and therefore kept the money
- See more at: http://www.charlatan.ca/2012/09/famous-charlatans/#sthash.GygtZg9M.dpuf
over $50.3 million, but did not invest in it and rather spent investors money for
lavish lifestyle. He defrauded many people, including his own family— his brother
and sister-in-law, who did lose $1 million. Jones collected money from individuals
and estates, but returned the same money as monthly interest payments.
Martha Stewart: 2004 –Found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice
and two counts of making false statements in connection with sale of stocks of
a bio-tech company. She had lost 4000 shares of Imclone, which is part of the
company she invested, which had collapsing stocks.
Lou Pearlman: 2006 - Mogul of boy bands such as N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys.
In 1981 he started Trans Continental Airlines Travel Services, Trans Continental
Airlines Inc and 12 other companies. But they only exited on paper. Shares of
these companies were sold to investors, and he got loans from banks. He invented
a fake accounting firm, and a fake branch in Germany. Tax returns were falsified.
This lasted for 20 years, and cost $300 million.
Reed Slatkin: 2000 - Scientology minister and co-founder of Earthlink, acted as an
investor for Hollywood residents and corporate bosses. He worked out of his
garage and tricked the wealthy out of $ 593 million dollars, with fake statements,
and fake mortgage firms. He was caught in 2000.
Michael Eugene Kelly: 2009- He scammed seniors and retirees of about $428 million
dollars. He let them invest in fake Timeshares in Cancun hotels called “Universal
Leases”. Investors were to get a good fixed rate in return, but they did not, and
Kelly used the money to buy himself yachts and a private jet among other things.
Gerald Payne/Greater Ministries International: 1990′s- Based in Florida,
the church used Bible speak to cheat church goers of $500 million dollars.
Worshippers were able to invest in gold coins. Payne made an investment plan
where the worshippers should have made money, yet he funneled money towards
the church’s fake metals investment and therefore kept the money
- See more at: http://www.charlatan.ca/2012/09/famous-charlatans/#sthash.GygtZg9M.dpuf
Join me as we celebrate those that find the fortitude to profit from gullibility.
--------------------
(I jest of course.)
Posts
Ever since money became a religion...
ReplyDeleteOh, that makes me sad.