513: The “Red Flags” of Investment Fraud from a Former $3.8M Ponzi Scheme Manager

BiggerPockets Money Podcast

English - March 22, 2024 06:00 - 54 minutes - ★★★★★ - 2.8K ratings
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Could you be ensnared in an elaborate Ponzi scheme? According to today’s guest, cases of financial fraud are MUCH more common than the average investor suspects. Tune in to learn how to protect your nest egg rather than leave your financial future in the hands of untrustworthy people!
Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Today, we’re sitting down with investment fraudster turned anti-fraud advocate, James Brandolino. In 2003, James set out to start his own hedge fund, pooling over three million dollars from friends and family. But one “down” month was the catalyst for eight years of fraudulent activity—a Ponzi scheme that included lying to investors, mailing false statements, and pulling money from the fund to keep the lights on. When the guilt became too much to bear, James turned himself in and has since committed his life to warning investors about the real threat of fraud.
In this episode, James shares his whole story—from starting his fund to serving six years in prison. He talks about common “red flags” to look out for when investing and the importance of due diligence when something seems off. Of course, fraud is prevalent in the real estate investing space as well. Stick around for tips on avoiding real estate scams and how to vet a syndication partner before entrusting them with your money!

In This Episode We Cover
How this former fraudster built a $3.8 million Ponzi scheme
How to prevent investment fraud from happening to YOU
The most common fraud “red flags” to watch out for
How to properly vet someone before entrusting them with your money
Investment fraud in real estate syndications (and how to avoid scams!)
Using your own network to help uncover fraudulent activity
And So Much More!

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Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-513

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Could you be ensnared in an elaborate Ponzi scheme? According to today’s guest, cases of financial fraud are MUCH more common than the average investor suspects. Tune in to learn how to protect your nest egg rather than leave your financial future in the hands of untrustworthy people!

Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Today, we’re sitting down with investment fraudster turned anti-fraud advocate, James Brandolino. In 2003, James set out to start his own hedge fund, pooling over three million dollars from friends and family. But one “down” month was the catalyst for eight years of fraudulent activity—a Ponzi scheme that included lying to investors, mailing false statements, and pulling money from the fund to keep the lights on. When the guilt became too much to bear, James turned himself in and has since committed his life to warning investors about the real threat of fraud.

In this episode, James shares his whole story—from starting his fund to serving six years in prison. He talks about common “red flags” to look out for when investing and the importance of due diligence when something seems off. Of course, fraud is prevalent in the real estate investing space as well. Stick around for tips on avoiding real estate scams and how to vet a syndication partner before entrusting them with your money!

In This Episode We Cover

How this former fraudster built a $3.8 million Ponzi scheme

How to prevent investment fraud from happening to YOU

The most common fraud “red flags” to watch out for

How to properly vet someone before entrusting them with your money

Investment fraud in real estate syndications (and how to avoid scams!)

Using your own network to help uncover fraudulent activity

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group

Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums

Finance Review Guest Onboarding