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I just spoke to the fine folks at State of Colorado DORA (Department of Regulatory Agencies), Division of Securities and, apparently, they have not yet put the information about this latest alleged Ponzi scheme based in Colorado online. I could also not find online Friday's court order freezing the assets of Mueller and his companies, Mueller Capital Management, LLC. and Mueller Over Under Fund LP. So, here is the information as reported by Denver Post and 9News - at least somebody is on the ball informing consumers!

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Alleged Colorado Ponzi schemer threatens suicide

SEC Charges Promoters of "Green" Investments With Operating $30 Million Ponzi Scheme Based in Denver Area
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2009-247

Washington, D.C., Nov. 16, 2009 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged four individuals and two companies involved in perpetrating a $30 million Ponzi scheme in which they persuaded more than 300 investors nationwide to participate in purported environmentally-friendly investment opportunities.

A Denver Grand Jury has handed down a 70‐count indictment against two men accused of running a Ponzi scheme to take in millions of dollars. The indictment is the result of an investigation conducted by the Colorado Division of Securities.

Michael Marshall (dob: 06‐28‐48) is charged with violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (F2), conspiracy to commit securities fraud (F4), conspiracy to commit theft (F4), four counts of theft (F3) and sixty‐three counts of securities fraud (F3).

In the great tradition of Mr. Ponzi and Mr. Madoff, here comes another son of a gun. This time it is a 30 year old Jason Brooks of Erie, CO and his partner in suspected crime Donald S. Carew that got indicted. These guys apparently defrauded investors in 15 states, telling them that they could take part in an electronics resale business. For almost three years, Brooks told investors that he would use their money to purchase electronics and appliances via Genius, Inc. from a Japanese firm and resell them at significantly higher prices.

SEC has been very busy so far this year prosecuting Colorado Ponzi scheme operators.

Another billionaire, Sir R. Allen Stanford of Texas bytes the dust. SEC civil complaint alleges among other charges that Stanford and companies lied about the safety of the Stanford International Bank (SIB) CDs, that they faked historical data of other investments and that they falsely reassured investors that there was no exposure to losses from the Madoff affair. Today federal agents raided the offices of Stanford Financial Group and a U.S. federal judge ordered his assets along with those of his companies frozen and placed into receivership.

Here is another genius who thought it was OK to rip people off by engaging in a Ponzi scheme. This time, it was a foreign exchange Ponzi scheme. Roberts through his companies FOMAC International, Inc., and Consultores Las Tres Americas S.A. defrauded over 400 investors in the United States and Costa Rica. Apparently, everything started out innocently enough with Roberts, being just another Forex (foreign currency exchange) trader trying to make an honest living.

Can you imagine somebody specializing in ripping off priests, nuns and elderly Catholics? Apparently that is exactly the business another mini Madoff, the 82-year-old Richard S. Piccoli was in. His 33-year-old business, Gen-See Capital Corp., the vehicle for committing the alleged fraud was finally put to rest earlier this month. We can only hope that Picolli's 33-year-old business does not follow Jesus's example and get resurrected in some other form, someplace.

01/23/09 06:24 AM
Attorney insists Piccoli’s alleged Ponzi scheme is ‘out of business’
By Michael Beebe

Last Friday, the 209th State District Court in Palo Pinto County, Texas handed down a 60 year sentence to Ronald Keith Owens, a 73-year-old from Mineral Wells, Texas, whose sale of nonexistent bank-related investments cost investors at least $2.6 million. This is on top of the 63 months in federal prison that he must begin serving by this Thursday, January 29, 200, based on a December 17, 2008 federal court decision. I guess it is true what they say, everything is bigger in Texas!

Apparently when it rains on Wall Street, it really pours crooks. Here is a story on another alleged Ponzi scheme operator, Daren Palmer, whose company in rather rural Eastern Idaho (of all places), Trigon Group Inc., lost $100 million for his investors. With the word "gone" incorporated right into his corporation's name, why would anybody trust this fellow with their money? Well, apparently, he was a trusted local-yocal and was able to swindle at least 60 of his neighbors...

Saturday, January 17, 2009
By WILLIAM M. BULKELEY and STEVE STECKLOW