Posted on 04/09/2009 12:44:56 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
AURORA, Colorado A former bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints allegedly operated a pyramid scheme from his suburban Denver home for about 15 years, bilking investors out of millions of dollars to collect religious art and classic cars.
A lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Denver by the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges Shawn Merriman, an unlicensed broker, collected up to $20 million from investors in several states to support a lavish lifestyle.
Merriman has not been charged with a crime but the matter remains under investigation, said Jeff Dorschner, spokesman with the U.S. attorney's office.
Authorities say Merriman had several classic cars including a silver Aston Martin, 1932 and 1936 Auburns and a 1932 Ford Highboy guns, taxidermy and artwork that included Rembrandts and other Old Masters. Federal marshals Wednesday were freezing bank accounts and seizing cars, guns, artwork and a home in Aurora, two properties in Idaho, and artwork from a home in Alpharetta, Georgia.
Merriman, a former stock broker, allegedly began an investment fund in 1995 that employed an aggressive strategy, but he quickly lost $400,000. He allegedly started other funds to hide his losses and cover withdrawal requests.
A message left for Merriman at his Aurora home Wednesday was not immediately returned, and court records did not list an attorney for him.
The U.S. attorney's office, which moved to seize Merriman's assets earlier this month in an effort to preserve as much money as possible, said Merriman attracted investors through friends and business associates. Thirty-eight people or groups in Colorado, Minnesota and Utah, as well as other states invested money with Merriman.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Whatever, Glenn
Stand for nothing, fall for anything.
Hey don’t include the Presbyterians in your mix, we don’t stand for anything anymore, we can go any direction.
But I understand..........
Ha!!
Free America!!
>>many of whom he met through his Mormon church
Seems to be a pattern.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2225800/posts?page=26#26
How much do those rungs on the “Ladder” cost, anyhow?
LOL...
We Methodist seem to have a case of that in some areas as well...
Oh, Golly Gee. Let me see, how many money-grubbing people are there who claim to be “ministers” in the protester faiths? Ever seen the TV scam TBN?
Right, you don’t claim them, do you?
“YOUR church leaders claim contact with GOD before making CALLINGS FROM GOD for everything including ward janitor.”
Did Christ ‘call’ Judas?
This is news.
I didn't know the ex-Mormons had bishops.
Everyone needs at least one Bishop along with a few pawns.
Now it is kind of confusing was he an ex-bishop or an ex-mormon. Or was he really an ex-mormon-bishop.
This is one more thing that shows that no one’s actions hurt or help just themselves. No one is exempt from the devil’s tangled web.
As you go through life you have spiritual ups and downs, Satan gets no enjoyment from entangling a man while he is down, in fact that is when men are least likely to be tempted. So the fact that this man used to be a bishop means he was constantly being tempted by Satan and somewhere during that time allowed his material goods to come between him and his relationship with God. The rest is history.
Thank heaven he wasn’t another religion, we would never have known if he even had a religious affiliation, much less what it was. Since say he was an Ex Mormon Bishop Republican, he must have been a Democrat.
This surprises me since I’ve always thought Mormons were pretty honest.
ALL? I hardly think so.
Sounds like YOU are the one with drunk speak.
LOL!
The "queries" are indeed endless. It's Joe's fault; bottom line.
Hey, here's a lot of good questions to ask. :)
http://www.towertotruth.net/Mormon/witnessing/50_questions.htm
Following that logic... would also "prove" that when Jesus chose that one Apostle who sold him for 30 pieces... oh wait never mind, lets not follow your faulty logic.
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