Today's Ponzi Scheme Du Jour has a twist: Most of the victims, and the perp, are Deaf.

[KamaAina]

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090219/NEWS01/902190339/1001

In separate complaints filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission accused Marvin Cooper, chief executive officer of Billion Coupons Inc., of fraud and making unauthorized offers and sales of securities. The agencies are seeking an injunction to stop Cooper from continuing his operation and order him to make full restitution to his investors and pay civil fines....

According to one of the lawsuits. from September 2007 to January 2009, Cooper, 32, sought investors to engage in foreign currency trading. Through his Web site, seminars and personal contact, Cooper was able to raise $4.4 million from at least 125 investors, most of whom were deaf, the suit said.

Cooper, whom the SEC said is deaf himself, also had a nationwide network of seven "fundraising entities" that solicited investors and were promised a 5 percent to 10 percent referral commission, the lawsuit said.

In documents obtained by the SEC, many people said they were investing their life savings with Cooper and BCI to improve their lives as well as help the hearing-impaired community.

Today's Worst. Person. In The World! :banghead:

[malaise]

1. What a scumbag

:puke:

[jillan]

2. It is for people like this that make me hope there really is a place called HELL.

[aquart]

3. They bilk where they're trusted. People trust their own.

[BR_Parkway]

4. True enough - that's why those who work the churches do so well

fleecing out more in the name of Jesus