What religion was Bernie Madoff? … How about some of the others in recent pyramid/ponzi schemes? Why is it relevant here, that there were "LDS ties", other than the LDS “leadership has issued periodic advisories about it...”? The same thing happens in both religious and secular service organizations, charities, country clubs, and other groups; not just churches. So again, why the emphasis on LDS, even though the article does speck to other groups? What is the (not so) hidden agenda? [Applegate Ranch]
I don’t think affinity hustles are restricted to any one denomination or religion. [thecodont]
This is a hit piece on the Mormons. [Little Bill]
Just another chance to attack Mormons… [panaxanax]
Lds are 2% of the U.S. population – and about 2.5%-3% of the religious population. So you’d expect to see Lds responsible for these schemes in about 3% of the church-related schemes, right?
So, y’all, please explain, why in less than 10 months, we’ve seen all these journalists’ Lds-based articles, as noted on these FR threads (this is the seventh article in less than 10 months – many of these involving Ponzi schemes from Sacramento, CA, to Aurora, CO to Texas to Utah)?
Please inform us ALL of you -- if this is such a rampant epidemic in other denominations or religions -- which denominations are you referencing? (Name names)
If you can't, stop the innuendo that this is a "rampant epidemic" problem in Christian denominations vs. an occasional problem in those denominations...and start producing facts like what you see as follows below:
Besides, I think we all, myself included, could be better instructed on how to actually empathize with all the $ victims behind all these articles listed below -- including well-off older widows who suddenly have to hunt for jobs. (I noticed all of you have basically, by having the above as your first post response, wind up either intentionally or inadvertently siding with the fraud perps!!! Where's our hearts for the victims here?)
Man Who Defrauded Fellow Church Goer Pleads Guilty
Source: www.connect2utah.com (KUTV) Jan. 7, 2010
Lindon Man Accused of Trying To Kill Witnesses To Alleged Scam
Source: MidUtahRadio.com, Nov. 19, 2009
Calif. Man Charged with $40 million Ponzi scheme
Source: AP, March 20, 2009
Man Who Defrauded Fellow Church Goer Pleads Guilty
Source: Fox News, April 8, 2009
Merriman's church donations may be tainted [Mormon Ponzi schemer's tithe monies ill-gotten?]
Source: Denver Post, April 24, 2009
LDS Church returned $200K in Southwick Tithing
Source: AP, Sept. 14, 2009
From this article: Affinity fraud among Latter-day Saints members has been common enough that the church leadership has issued periodic advisories about it...interviews...indicate there was a group whose fortunes were even more tied to Triton: members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons.
Oh, snap. ;-)
I’m not siding with the fraud perps at all. Sorry if you misunderstood my post. I am very sorry that trusting people have been taken in by these monsters.
Six links looks worse than it is, since 3 of them all refer to the same case.
Another one is allegedly [”Jeff also claims to be married to Erin Mowen - and has 5 children by her. The State of Utah also says he is merried to Elixzabeth Ward.” http://www.whoisjeffmowen.com/] a bigamist...hardly a “good” mainstream LDS member. Oh, and he was already jailed and standing trial on the other charges, operating the intimidation attempt from jail.
As for your stats, if Mormons are 2% of the population, then how does that stack up agains this?
In all, more than 150 Ponzi schemes collapsed in 2009, compared to about 40 in 2008, according to the AP’s examination of criminal cases at all U.S. attorneys’ offices and the FBI, as well as criminal and civil actions taken by state prosecutors and regulators at both the federal and state levels. http://www.journalnet.com/news/national/article_36fcf528-ef05-5163-a379-29fe3a8defac.html
As for the LDS leadership warning members, maybe other groups should follow suit, rather than trying to make it out to be a bad thing?