A year or two ago, I started noticing these billboards around Salt Lake City proclaiming, "We earned [ridiculously large and also suspiciously accurate (to the cent) sum of cash] with our [high number] credit score" and something about the "Free Capitalist". I doubt I was the only one who suspected some Utah County-based MLM or real estate swindle.
And 'swindle' is a pretty harsh word for most of these outfits. After living in Utah for awhile, you'll see that there's an ebb and flow to the 'next big thing' money making enterprises (with many seeming to originate in Utah County and involving some kind of exotic juice elixir). Most just disappear or their ads become part of the visual white noise of other advertising.
But with the Free Capitalist stuff, lo and behold, the U.S. Attorney for Utah announced that the brainchild behind the company advertised on the billboards has been indicted for mail fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion. How did this financial whiz earn his millions? By (allegedly) running a Ponzi scheme, of course!
For me, I find certain aspects of the case bothersome beyond just the (alleged) stealing money part. For one, in their typical, "Hey, you're at least a superficially successful LDS businessperson. Let us help you out" fashion, it looks like at least one Utah legislator and the Utah Attorney General (allegedly) started running interference for this guy when he went crying to them about being investigated by the state. Who says a defacto single party legislature could be a problem (roll of the eyes here)?
Second, there is a certain subset of Mormon culture (and watch out, here comes the hyerbole) in which there is (allegedly) no higher achievement than making boatloads of cash, getting an offensively huge house in Alpine, UT, and filling said monstrosity with limited edition depictions of Jesus by LDS artists (so everyone knows for sure how devout you are). Take a look at the wall above the staircase at the 0:45 mark of the video. "How can I be guilty?!?! I have pictures of Jesus in my house!!!" As an LDS member, I find this penchant to be embarassingly cliche especially because it affects perceptions of Mormons as a whole.
Finally, in a year that's been full of LDS members (allegedly) ripping people off in similar schemes, I'd like to think that these stories will become fewer and farther between but I doubt they will. There will always be people who give too much trust to another just because they attend the same church.
Maybe this guy can use the 'Paxil Defense' to avoid prison.
Interactive Bonus: Enjoy a single serving of your favorite beverage or Little Debbie snack cake every time you read a version of the word 'alleged'!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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Really? You mean I can't just sit back and make thousands of dollars a month by just going to a few meetings and drinking some funky juice?? Sheesh, Who'd a thought...
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