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Man Behind $100 Million Ponzi Scheme Escapes Atwater Prison
cbs ^ | 12/07/2017

Posted on 12/07/2017 9:01:46 PM PST by BenLurkin

Prison officials said Frederick Darren Berg, 55, was discovered missing Wednesday from a minimum-security work camp next to a penitentiary in Atwater, California, The Seattle Times reported.

Berg in 2012 was sentenced in federal court in Seattle to 18 years after pleading guilty to wire fraud, money laundering and bankruptcy fraud. Prosecutors said at the time that it was the largest fraud scheme they had prosecuted in Western Washington.

Berg used investment funds from his company, Meridian Group, to buy two Lear jets, several yachts and million-dollar condos and homes in Washington state and California over the course of a decade, federal prosecutors have said.

They said that between 2001 and 2009, Berg used more than $100 million in funds from over 800 investors for his own benefit and to keep his investment fraud scheme going. He used investor money to pay off the loans of earlier investors in order to continue his scheme to defraud, court records show.

(Excerpt) Read more at sacramento.cbslocal.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 12/07/2017 9:01:46 PM PST by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

The Clintons have so far escaped justice and their crimes are much greater.


2 posted on 12/07/2017 9:09:12 PM PST by minnesota_bound
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To: BenLurkin
Ponzi schemes - the second dumbest crime in America.

#1 dumbest - car chase.

My own theory on Ponzi schemes is that the perps lie in bed at night fantasizing about making brilliant, miraculous trades that will put them back on the right side of solvency and the law.

3 posted on 12/07/2017 9:14:56 PM PST by zeestephen
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To: zeestephen

Funny how that works. I would say, until Hillary is prosecuted, this is not a legitimate nation.


4 posted on 12/07/2017 9:17:16 PM PST by ichabod1 (Smoke does not mean fire when someone threw a smoke grenade.)
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To: zeestephen

I was just thinking about that. My imagery led me to think they know they’re going to be caught sooner or later so they have a party now for tomorrow we die attitude.


5 posted on 12/07/2017 9:19:25 PM PST by ichabod1 (Smoke does not mean fire when someone threw a smoke grenade.)
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To: BenLurkin

Sounds like Congressional resume material.


6 posted on 12/07/2017 9:38:15 PM PST by oldplayer
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To: BenLurkin

I wonder if this guy had millions hidden somewhere which he used to get help to bust out. If so he’s likely in some count
ry where he can’t be extradited.


7 posted on 12/07/2017 10:47:25 PM PST by Nateman (The louder the left screams , the better it is for America!)
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To: BenLurkin

There’s really a penitentiary in Atwater? Learn something new every day!


8 posted on 12/07/2017 10:48:55 PM PST by FlyFisher
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To: zeestephen
...My own theory on Ponzi schemes is that the perps lie in bed at night fantasizing about making brilliant, miraculous trades that will put them back on the right side of solvency and the law...

Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time. The perps just keep finding new ways to tax us.

9 posted on 12/07/2017 11:39:53 PM PST by CurlyDave
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To: oldplayer

More like FDIC/Federal Reserve training/qualifications.


10 posted on 12/07/2017 11:40:05 PM PST by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: BenLurkin; fieldmarshaldj; BillyBoy; GOPsterinMA; NFHale; stephenjohnbanker

Good for him.

Is his name “Social Security” by any chance?


11 posted on 12/08/2017 12:11:05 AM PST by Impy (The democrat party is the enemy of your family and civilization itself, forget that at your peril.)
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To: BenLurkin

You can basically walk off that sort of facility

Pensacola federal prison camp used to sponsor an inmate work camp for low sec level fed prisoners and they worked national forests in Florida and lived in motels

St Joe Paper Co lands basically

But you have to behave


12 posted on 12/08/2017 12:15:15 AM PST by wardaddy (As a southerner I've never trusted the Grand Old Party.....any questions?)
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To: BenLurkin

Over/Under for recapturing idiots is 6 days...


13 posted on 12/08/2017 12:17:53 AM PST by Southack (The one thing preppers need from the 1st World? http://tinyurl.com/ktfwljc .)
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To: BenLurkin

Hummm. I wonder if one of the injured investors was diversifying their funds away from criminal enterprises. People like that might be okay with losing a few million because the market tanked, but might be upset to find somebody stole the money and was living large at their cost. Such a person could have a few associate “invite” the thief for a discussion.

Even if the thief had a few million stashed, it would be sheer idiocy not to finish the time and then walk free. He could move to almost anywhere, reestablish himself in a cash business, like managing vending machines, and then live quite comfortably off his millions. He could even declare a few extra hundred thousand as income making it reappear as laundered money.


14 posted on 12/08/2017 4:18:56 AM PST by Gen.Blather
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To: BenLurkin

“The police are urging gullible investors to lock up their checkbooks until he is recaptured....”


15 posted on 12/08/2017 5:43:27 AM PST by proxy_user
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To: BenLurkin

Maybe they shouldn’t put a guy with an 18 year term in a minimum security camp...


16 posted on 12/08/2017 7:31:55 AM PST by Moltke (Reasoning with a liberal is like watering a rock in the hope to grow a building)
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To: fieldmarshaldj; Impy; BillyBoy; NFHale; stephenjohnbanker

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


17 posted on 12/08/2017 4:16:39 PM PST by GOPsterinMA (I'm with Steve McQueen: I live my life for myself and answer to nobody.)
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To: Southack

He likely had an escape plan, overseas bank accounts funded with tens of millions, false ids, a waiting sea going vessel and paid off people to make it happen. There are many countries that will welcome his money in exchange for a free life, like Pakistan or Vietnam.


18 posted on 12/08/2017 6:01:46 PM PST by 2001convSVT (Going Galt as fast as I can.)
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