From the article: Besides being a multimillionaire businessman and humanitarian, Johnson, court records show, is a chronic a gambler...By his own admission, Johnson is not good with money. But when you've made $275 million in a decade's time, what's the use of keeping track. He would rather spend it anyway. Of that amount, court records show $59 million supported a lavish lifestyle devoted to mansions, property, gold and silver, businesses, a dozen helicopters and airplanes, a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. He gave money to family, friends and his LDS Church ward.
JOHN L. SMITH: Thieves in the temple: How 'affinity fraud' hurts LDS church members
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sept. 12, 2010
Local political gadfly arrested for exploiting elderly woman
Source: Provo Daily Herald, May 4, 2010
Preying on the faithful: Though Mormons often victims, LDS church skips fraud-prevention event
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, May 2, 2010
Kaneohe swindler is sentenced
Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 6, 2010
Investors with troubled firm have Mormon ties
Source: Austin American Statesman, Jan. 16, 2010
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
KSL 5 News investigates affinity fraud
Source: KSL.com Nov. 9, 2009
Mormon victims are caught up in $50M scam to sell gold bullion
Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 18, 2009
LDS Church returned $200K in Southwick Tithing
Source: AP, Sept. 14, 2009
Merriman's church donations may be tained [Momon Ponzi schemer's tithe monies ill-gotten?]
Source: Denver Post, April 24, 2009
Man Who Defrauded Fellow Church Goer Pleads Guilty
Source: Fox News, April 8, 2009
Calif. Man Charged with $40 million Ponzi scheme
Source: AP, March 20, 2009
The bottom line here is that you would expect a church that has 2% of the nation's population to have about 2% of affinity fraud cases -- even if they were as criminal as the atheists and agnostics! [You would expect them to have less than 2% if there was a true higher moral standard at operation here]. You don't expect cases involving $one and a half BILLION!
If you only have time to click on one article link above...read the first...be sure to read the comments of FBI special agent Cameron Saxey (who is Lds)...the article mentions how the Utah jurisdictional Securities Fraud Task Force was working on 100+ cases...meaning that $1.4 billion total mentioned in the article doesn't tell it all!
...and did this actually APPEAL to potential 'customers'?