Advertisement
| the ponzi factor: The Ponzi Factor Tan Liu, 2018-02-10 One of the biggest myths about stocks is the belief that profits from stocks come from the earnings of the underlying companies, and when companies make money, they share the profits with their investors. But the reality is, profits from stocks come from other investors who are buying and selling stocks, and when companies make money, they keep everything. The belief is, stocks represent value in a company. The truth is, stocks are Ponzi assets because investors’ profits are dependent on the inflow of money from new investors and no one is obligated to pay the shareholders anything. This is not just another story that will disappear after another bubble bursts. It is an idea that will remain relevant for as long as the stock market exists. |
| the ponzi factor: Corporate Fraud Maryam Hussain, 2014-03-13 Protect your organisation by looking at it through a new lens to spot the early warning signs of fraud. |
| the ponzi factor: What Investors Really Want: Know What Drives Investor Behavior and Make Smarter Financial Decisions Meir Statman, 2010-11-19 A pioneer in the field of behavioral finance presents an investment guide based on what really drives investors Perfectly timed to give readers a real edge for investing in post-crash markets Author is a leading authority on the theory and application of behavioral finance and a fixture in The Wall Street Journal and other leading media outlets Poised to become the definitive text on how investors and managers make financial decisions—and how these decisions are reflected in financial markets |
| the ponzi factor: Strong Towns Charles L. Marohn, Jr., 2019-10-01 A new way forward for sustainable quality of life in cities of all sizes Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity is a book of forward-thinking ideas that breaks with modern wisdom to present a new vision of urban development in the United States. Presenting the foundational ideas of the Strong Towns movement he co-founded, Charles Marohn explains why cities of all sizes continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, and reveals the new paradigm that can solve this longstanding problem. Inside, you’ll learn why inducing growth and development has been the conventional response to urban financial struggles—and why it just doesn’t work. New development and high-risk investing don’t generate enough wealth to support itself, and cities continue to struggle. Read this book to find out how cities large and small can focus on bottom-up investments to minimize risk and maximize their ability to strengthen the community financially and improve citizens’ quality of life. Develop in-depth knowledge of the underlying logic behind the “traditional” search for never-ending urban growth Learn practical solutions for ameliorating financial struggles through low-risk investment and a grassroots focus Gain insights and tools that can stop the vicious cycle of budget shortfalls and unexpected downturns Become a part of the Strong Towns revolution by shifting the focus away from top-down growth toward rebuilding American prosperity Strong Towns acknowledges that there is a problem with the American approach to growth and shows community leaders a new way forward. The Strong Towns response is a revolution in how we assemble the places we live. |
| the ponzi factor: Ponzi's Scheme Mitchell Zuckoff, 2005-03-08 You’ve heard of the scheme. Now comes the man behind it. In Mitchell Zuckoff's exhilarating book, the first nonfiction account of Charles Ponzi, we meet the charismatic rogue who launched the most famous and extraordinary scam in the annals of American finance. It was a time when anything seemed possible–instant wealth, glittering fame, fabulous luxury–and for a run of magical weeks in the spring and summer of 1920, Charles Ponzi made it all come true. Promising to double investors’ money in three months, the dapper, charming Ponzi raised the “rob Peter to pay Paul” scam to an art form and raked in millions at his office in downtown Boston. Ponzi’s Scheme is the amazing true story of the irresistible scoundrel who launched the most successful scheme of financial alchemy in modern history–and uttered the first roar of the Roaring Twenties. Ponzi may have been a charlatan, but he was also a wonderfully likable man. His intentions were noble, his manners impeccable, his sales pitch enchanting. Born to a genteel Italian family, he immigrated to the United States with big dreams but no money. Only after he became hopelessly enamored of a stenographer named Rose Gnecco and persuaded her to marry him did Ponzi light on the means to make his dreams come true. His true motive was not greed but love. With rich narrative skill, Mitchell Zuckoff conjures up the feverish atmosphere of Boston during the weeks when Ponzi’s bubble grew bigger and bigger. At the peak of his success, Ponzi was taking in more than $2 million a week. And then his house of cards came crashing down–thanks in large part to the relentless investigative reporting of Richard Grozier’s Boston Post. In Zuckoff's hands, Ponzi is no mere swindler; instead he is appealing and magnetic, a colorful and poignant figure, someone who struggled his whole life to attain great wealth and who sincerely believed–to the very end–that he could have made good on his investment promises if only he’d had enough time. Ponzi is a classic American tale of immigrant life and the dream of success, and the unexpectedly moving story of a man who–for a fleeting, illusory moment–attained it all. |
| the ponzi factor: Don't Fall For It Ben Carlson, 2019-12-31 Learn financial and business lessons from some of the biggest frauds in history Why does financial fraud persist? History is full of sensational financial frauds and scams. Enron was forced to declare bankruptcy after allegations of massive accounting fraud, wiping out $78 billion in stock market value. Bernie Madoff, the largest individual fraudster in history, built a $65 billion Ponzi scheme that ultimately resulted in his being sentenced to 150 years in prison. People from all walks of life have been scammed out of their money: French and British nobility looking to get rich quickly, farmers looking for a miracle cure for their health ailments, several professional athletes, and some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. No one is immune from getting deceived when money is involved. Don’t Fall For It is a fascinating look into some of the biggest financial frauds and scams ever. This compelling book explores specific instances of financial fraud as well as some of the most successful charlatans and hucksters of all-time. Sharing lessons that apply to business, money management, and investing, author Ben Carlson answers questions such as: Why do even the most intelligent among us get taken advantage of in financial scams? What make fraudsters successful? Why is it often harder to stay rich than to get rich? Each chapter in examines different frauds, perpetrators, or victims of scams. These real-life stories include anecdotes about how these frauds were carried out and discussions of what can be learned from these events. This engaging book: Explores the business and financial lessons drawn from some of history’s biggest frauds Describes the conditions under which fraud tends to work best Explains how people can avoid being scammed out of their money Suggests practical steps to reduce financial fraud in the future Don’t Fall For It: A Short History of Financial Scams is filled with engrossing real-life stories and valuable insights, written for finance professionals, investors, and general interest readers alike. |
| the ponzi factor: The Rise of Mr. Ponzi Charles Ponzi, 2001 |
| the ponzi factor: A First-Class Catastrophe Diana B. Henriques, 2017-09-19 The definitive history of the 1987 market crash known as Black Monday, by the New York Times–bestselling author of The Wizard of Lies: “Compelling.” —Burton Malkiel, The Wall Street Journal On October 19, 1987, the Dow fell 22.6 percent—almost twice as bad as the worst day of 1929, and equal to a one-day loss of nearly 10,000 points today. Black Monday was more than seven years in the making and threatened nearly every US financial institution. Drawing on superlative archival research and dozens of original interviews, Diana B. Henriques weaves a tale of missed opportunities, market delusions, and destructive actions that stretched from the “silver crisis” of 1980 to turf battles in Washington, a poisonous rivalry between the New York Stock Exchange and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the almost-fatal success of two California professors whose idea for reducing market risk spun terribly out of control. As the story hurtles forward, the players struggle to forestall a looming market meltdown and unexpected heroes step in to avert total disaster. For decades, investors, regulators, and bankers have failed to heed the lessons of 1987, even as the same patterns have resurfaced, most spectacularly in the financial crisis of 2008. A First-Class Catastrophe offers a new way of looking not only at the past, but at our financial future. “A valuable and unfailingly interesting account of a crucial two-decade period in Wall Street history. . . . A highly intelligent and perceptive analysis.” —The New York Times Book Review “A first-class cautionary tale that should be on every financial regulator’s and policy-maker’s desk—and many an investor, too.” —The Washington Post “A fast-paced thriller . . . the book is much more than financial history. It is a tale of unheeded warnings and misguided confidence that is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how the fault lines in our modern markets came to be.” —Bethany McLean, New York Times–bestselling coauthor of The Smartest Guys in the Room |
| the ponzi factor: The Coffeehouse Investor Bill Schultheis, 2013-01-29 In 1998, after thirteen years of providing investment advice for Smith Barney, Bill Schultheis wrote a simple book for people who felt overwhelmed by the stock market. He had discovered that when you simplify your investment decisions, you end up getting better returns. As a bonus, you gain more time for family, friends, and other pursuits. The Coffeehouse Investor explains why we should stop thinking about top-rated stocks and mutual funds, shifts in interest rates, and predictions for the economy. Stop trying to beat the stock market average, which few “experts” ever do. Instead, just remember three simple principles: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. And save for a rainy day. By focusing more on your passions and creativity and less on the daily ups and downs, you will actually build more wealth—and improve the quality of your life at the same time. |
| the ponzi factor: Money Meltdown Judy Shelton, 2009-11-24 In this analysis, Shelton calls for a unified international monetary regime—a new Bretton Woods—to lay the foundation for worldwide stability and prosperity in the post-Cold War era. Despite worldwide rhetoric about free trade and the global economy, the leading economic powers have done little to address the most insidious form of protectionism—the inherently unstable international monetary system. In outlining steps toward a new world monetary structure, Judy Shelton elevates the needs of individual producers—who actually create wealth in the global economy—over the programmes of governments. |
| the ponzi factor: Fraud Edward J. Balleisen, 2018-12-18 A comprehensive history of fraud in America, from the early nineteenth century to the subprime mortgage crisis In America, fraud has always been a key feature of business, and the national worship of entrepreneurial freedom complicates the task of distinguishing salesmanship from deceit. In this sweeping narrative, Edward Balleisen traces the history of fraud in America—and the evolving efforts to combat it—from the age of P. T. Barnum through the eras of Charles Ponzi and Bernie Madoff. This unprecedented account describes the slow, piecemeal construction of modern institutions to protect consumers and investors—from the Gilded Age through the New Deal and the Great Society. It concludes with the more recent era of deregulation, which has brought with it a spate of costly frauds, including corporate accounting scandals and the mortgage-marketing debacle. By tracing how Americans have struggled to foster a vibrant economy without encouraging a corrosive level of cheating, Fraud reminds us that American capitalism rests on an uneasy foundation of social trust. |
| the ponzi factor: Things That Matter Charles Krauthammer, 2015-05-12 From America’s preeminent columnist, named by the Financial Times the most influential commentator in the nation, a must-have collection of Charles Krauthammer’s essential, timeless writings. A brilliant stylist known for an uncompromising honesty that challenged conventional wisdom at every turn, Krauthammer dazzled readers for decades with his keen insight into politics and government. His weekly column was a must-read in Washington and across the country. Don’t miss the best of Krauthammer’s intelligence, erudition and wit collected in one volume. Readers will find here not only the country’s leading conservative thinker offering a passionate defense of limited government, but also a highly independent mind whose views—on feminism, evolution and the death penalty, for example—defy ideological convention. Things That Matter also features several of Krauthammer’s major path-breaking essays—on bioethics, on Jewish destiny and on America’s role as the world’s superpower—that have profoundly influenced the nation’s thoughts and policies. And finally, the collection presents a trove of always penetrating, often bemused reflections on everything from border collies to Halley’s Comet, from Woody Allen to Winston Churchill, from the punishing pleasures of speed chess to the elegance of the perfectly thrown outfield assist. With a special, highly autobiographical introduction in which Krauthammer reflects on the events that shaped his career and political philosophy, this indispensible chronicle takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the fashions and follies, the tragedies and triumphs, of the last three decades of American life. |
| the ponzi factor: Investigation of Failure of the SEC to Uncover Bernard Madoff's Ponzi Scheme H. David Kotz, 2010-03 Contents: (1) Results of the Invest.; (2) SEC Review of 2000 and 2001 Markopolos Complaints: (3) SEC 2004 OCIE Cause Exam. of Madoff; (4) SEC 2005 NERO Exam. of Madoff; (5) SEC 2006 Invest. of Markopolos Complaint; (6) Effect of Madoff¿s Stature and Reputation on SEC Exam.; (7) Allegations of Conflict of Interest from the Relationship between Eric Swanson and Shana Madoff; (8) Private Entities¿ Due Diligence Efforts Revealed Suspicious Activity about Madoff¿s Operations; (9) Potential Investors Relied upon the Fact That the SEC had Examined and Investigated Madoff in Making Decisions to Invest with Him; (10) Additional Complaints Received by the SEC re: Madoff; (11) Additional Exam. and Inspect. of Madoff¿s Firms by the SEC. |
| the ponzi factor: Annals of Gullibility Stephen Greenspan, 2008-12-30 The first book to provide a comprehensive look at the problem of gullibility, this groundbreaking work covers how and why we are fooled in areas that range from religion, politics, science, and medicine, to personal finance and relationships. First laying the groundwork by showing gullibility at play in the writings of historic authors we all know, developmental psychologist Stephen Greenspan follows with chapters that describe social duping across the gamut of human conduct. From people who pour bucks into investment scams, to those who follow the faith of scientologists, believe in fortunetellers, or champion unfounded medicine akin to snake oil, we all know someone who has been duped. A lot of us have been duped ourselves, out of naive trust. It's not a matter of low intelligence that moves us to, without evidence, believe the words of politicians, salesmen, academics, lawyers, military figures, or cult leaders, among others. Greenspan shows us the four broad reasons we become drawn into gullible behavior, and he presents ways people can become less gullible. Greenspan takes us into the vast realm of gullibility from the fictional Pied Piper to the historical Trojan Horse, then through modern-day military maneuvers, political untruths, police and criminal justice scams, and financial and love lies. While there have been earlier books focused on liars and manipulators of all sorts, this is the first to focus on the gullible who are their victims, and how the gullible can become less likely to be taken again. |
| the ponzi factor: The Grand Scam Rob Rose, 2013-11-20 From 2005 to 2009, the heir to one of South Africa’s blue-blood families, Barry Tannenbaum, methodically constructed the largest-ever con in South African history. The Grand Scam exposes details about the brazen greed of the scammers, a bank that facilitated the shady dealings rather than alerting the authorities, and the naivety of business people who should have known better. It goes far beyond the original news stories, containing original research and material that, for the first time, answers the central question of why. Barry Tannenbaum, the grandson of the founder of one of the country’s biggest pharmaceutical firms, Adcock Ingram, offered investors stratospheric returns of more than 200 per cent a year by investing in the components used to make AIDS drugs. It was nothing more than a lie, which suckered the country’s business elite, including the former CEO of Pick n Pay, the one-time head of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the ex-boss of OK Bazaars. After the bubble popped in June 2009, finance minister Pravin Gordhan announced that hundreds of investors in South Africa, Australia and Europe had ploughed more than R12.5 billion into Tannenbaum’s scheme, based on the empty promise of immense riches. Dwarfing the Brett Kebble rip-off, Fidentia and the Krion pyramid scheme, it proved to be the most embarrassing financial disaster in the country’s history, and it exposed holes in a banking and financial system billed as one of the safest in the world. For Tannenbaum’s victims, the nightmare continued after the scheme collapsed, as liquidators, tax officials and criminal investigators demanded their pound of flesh. But Tannenbaum, now at large on Australia’s Gold Coast, continues to live as if nothing happened, working for an Australian insurance company. The question that hasn’t been answered until now is, how did Tannenbaum swindle so many people with such ease? And, more crucially, why did he do it? Through extensive interviews with his family, friends and numerous ‘investors’, this book provides the startling answers to those questions. For the first time, the real motivation that fuelled South Africa’s Bernie Madoff is laid bare. |
| the ponzi factor: No One Would Listen Harry Markopolos, 2011-02-08 Harry Markopolos and his team of financial sleuths discuss first-hand how they cracked the Madoff Ponzi scheme No One Would Listen is the thrilling story of how the Harry Markopolos, a little-known number cruncher from a Boston equity derivatives firm, and his investigative team uncovered Bernie Madoff's scam years before it made headlines, and how they desperately tried to warn the government, the industry, and the financial press. Page by page, Markopolos details his pursuit of the greatest financial criminal in history, and reveals the massive fraud, governmental incompetence, and criminal collusion that has changed thousands of lives forever-as well as the world's financial system. The only book to tell the story of Madoff's scam and the SEC's failings by those who saw both first hand Describes how Madoff was enabled by investors and fiduciaries alike Discusses how the SEC missed the red flags raised by Markopolos Despite repeated written and verbal warnings to the SEC by Harry Markopolos, Bernie Madoff was allowed to continue his operations. No One Would Listen paints a vivid portrait of Markopolos and his determined team of financial sleuths, and what impact Madoff's scam will have on financial markets and regulation for decades to come. |
| the ponzi factor: How They Got Away with it Susan Will, Stephen Handelman, David Brotherton, 2013 A criminological investigation into the social, cultural, political & economic conditions that led to the 2008 financial collapse. |
| the ponzi factor: Crash Proof 2.0 Peter D. Schiff, 2011-11-08 A fully updated follow-up to Peter Schiff's bestselling financial survival guide-Crash Proof, which described the economy as a house of cards on the verge of collapse, with over 80 pages of new material The economic and monetary disaster which seasoned prognosticator Peter Schiff predicted is no longer hypothetical-it is here today. And nobody understands what to do in this situation better than the man who saw it coming. For more than a decade, Schiff has not only observed the economy, but also helped his clients restructure their portfolios to reflect his outlook. What he sees today is a nation facing an economic storm brought on by growing federal, personal, and corporate debt; too little savings; and a declining dollar. Crash Proof 2.0 picks up right where the first edition-a bestselling book that predicted the current market mayhem-left off. This timely guide takes into account the dramatic economic shifts that are reshaping the world and provides you with the insights and information to navigate the dangerous terrain. Throughout the book, Schiff explains the factors that will affect your future financial stability and offers a specific three step plan to battle the current economic downturn. Discusses the measures you can take to protect yourself-as well as profit-during these difficult times Offers an insightful examination of the structural weaknesses underlying the economic meltdown Outlines a plan that will allow you to preserve wealth and protect the purchasing power of your savings Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, Crash Proof 2.0 will help you survive and thrive during the coming years of economic uncertainty. |
| the ponzi factor: Stress-Free Investing Phyllis J. Wordhouse, Maria J. Kuitula, 2011-01 Who wants to put up with investing frustrations and complexity when you can be investing stress-free? How would you feel if you never again felt outside the information loop? Truthfully, once you read this book, you won't want to be in the typical financial information loop; it's full of confusing untruths, half-truths, abuse, and scam artists! Scripture warns us against using oppression and cruelty in amassing wealth (I Timothy 6:10). Start integrating your beliefs with your financial decisions. Wordhouse and Kuitula wrote this book for women and men who know they need to invest but are too busy, over-stimulated, confused by all the conflicting media messages, don't know how the market works, and don't know whom to trust. They teach you the simple and practical free market philosophy integrated with scriptures. This book is easily understood, comprehensive and contemporary. Most people have made investment mistakes... this book reveals some of ours, some our investors, and some others have made before turning to the Free Market Portfolio Theory. We have written this book so you will have an investment road map, therefore you don't need to experience the financial failures others have already endured. Investing mistakes can be very expensive, so save yourself lots of money and frustrations by learning from our stories. Please do not make these same mistakes! |
| the ponzi factor: Trust Your Eyes Linwood Barclay, 2012-09-04 #1 international bestselling author Linwood Barclay’s novels have been praised as “compelling” (The Associated Press), “gripping” (The Wall Street Journal), and “fast-paced” (The Washington Post). Now, Barclay returns with a thrilling story in which two brothers suddenly find themselves pulled into a frightening vortex of power and murder… Thomas Kilbride is a map-obsessed schizophrenic so affected that he rarely leaves the self-imposed bastion of his bedroom. But with a computer program called Whirl360.com, he travels the world while never so much as stepping out the door. He pores over and memorizes the streets of the world. He examines every address, as well as the people who are frozen in time on his computer screen. Then he sees something that anyone else might have stumbled upon—but has not—in a street view of downtown New York City: an image in a window. An image that looks like a woman being murdered. Thomas’s brother, Ray, takes care of him, cooking for him, dealing with the outside world on his behalf, and listening to his intricate and increasingly paranoid theories. When Thomas tells Ray what he has seen, Ray humors him with a half-hearted investigation. But Ray soon realizes he and his brother have stumbled onto a deadly conspiracy. And now they are in the crosshairs… |
| the ponzi factor: The Notorious Mrs. Clem Wendy Gamber, 2016-09 In September 1868, the remains of Jacob and Nancy Jane Young were found lying near the banks of Indiana's White River. Suspicion for both deaths turned to Nancy Clem, a housewife who was also one of Mr. Young's former business partners. Wendy Gamber chronicles the life and times of this charming and persuasive Gilded Age confidence woman, who became famous not only as an accused murderess but also as an itinerant peddler of patent medicine and the supposed originator of the Ponzi scheme. |
| the ponzi factor: 20 for Twenty AQR Capital Management, LLC, 2018-09-25 |
| the ponzi factor: Integrating Omics Data George Tseng, Debashis Ghosh, Xianghong Jasmine Zhou, 2015-09-23 Tutorial chapters by leaders in the field introduce state-of-the-art methods to handle information integration problems of omics data. |
| the ponzi factor: The Money Formula Paul Wilmott, David Orrell, 2017-06-12 Explore the deadly elegance of finance's hidden powerhouse The Money Formula takes you inside the engine room of the global economy to explore the little-understood world of quantitative finance, and show how the future of our economy rests on the backs of this all-but-impenetrable industry. Written not from a post-crisis perspective – but from a preventative point of view – this book traces the development of financial derivatives from bonds to credit default swaps, and shows how mathematical formulas went beyond pricing to expand their use to the point where they dwarfed the real economy. You'll learn how the deadly allure of their ice-cold beauty has misled generations of economists and investors, and how continued reliance on these formulas can either assist future economic development, or send the global economy into the financial equivalent of a cardiac arrest. Rather than rehash tales of post-crisis fallout, this book focuses on preventing the next one. By exploring the heart of the shadow economy, you'll be better prepared to ride the rough waves of finance into the turbulent future. Delve into one of the world's least-understood but highest-impact industries Understand the key principles of quantitative finance and the evolution of the field Learn what quantitative finance has become, and how it affects us all Discover how the industry's next steps dictate the economy's future How do you create a quadrillion dollars out of nothing, blow it away and leave a hole so large that even years of quantitative easing can't fill it – and then go back to doing the same thing? Even amidst global recovery, the financial system still has the potential to seize up at any moment. The Money Formula explores the how and why of financial disaster, what must happen to prevent the next one. |
| the ponzi factor: Every Body Has a Story Beverly Gologorsky, 2018 With the power to break and mend hearts, Every Body Has a Story reveals the fragility of the ties that bind, a grim yet lyrical journey into that other America just around the corner. |
| the ponzi factor: What Works on Wall Street James P. O'Shaughnessy, 2005-06-14 A major contribution . . . on the behavior of common stocks in the United States. --Financial Analysts' Journal The consistently bestselling What Works on Wall Street explores the investment strategies that have provided the best returns over the past 50 years--and which are the top performers today. The third edition of this BusinessWeek and New York Times bestseller contains more than 50 percent new material and is designed to help you reshape your investment strategies for both the postbubble market and the dramatically changed political landscape. Packed with all-new charts, data, tables, and analyses, this updated classic allows you to directly compare popular stockpicking strategies and their results--creating a more comprehensive understanding of the intricate and often confusing investment process. Providing fresh insights into time-tested strategies, it examines: Value versus growth strategies P/E ratios versus price-to-sales Small-cap investing, seasonality, and more |
| the ponzi factor: Money Laundering Control University of London. Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, 1996 |
| the ponzi factor: The Antitrust Paradox Robert Bork, 2021-02-22 The most important book on antitrust ever written. It shows how antitrust suits adversely affect the consumer by encouraging a costly form of protection for inefficient and uncompetitive small businesses. |
| the ponzi factor: A Wealth of Common Sense Ben Carlson, 2015-06-22 A simple guide to a smarter strategy for the individual investor A Wealth of Common Sense sheds a refreshing light on investing, and shows you how a simplicity-based framework can lead to better investment decisions. The financial market is a complex system, but that doesn't mean it requires a complex strategy; in fact, this false premise is the driving force behind many investors' market mistakes. Information is important, but understanding and perspective are the keys to better decision-making. This book describes the proper way to view the markets and your portfolio, and show you the simple strategies that make investing more profitable, less confusing, and less time-consuming. Without the burden of short-term performance benchmarks, individual investors have the advantage of focusing on the long view, and the freedom to construct the kind of portfolio that will serve their investment goals best. This book proves how complex strategies essentially waste these advantages, and provides an alternative game plan for those ready to simplify. Complexity is often used as a mechanism for talking investors into unnecessary purchases, when all most need is a deeper understanding of conventional options. This book explains which issues you actually should pay attention to, and which ones are simply used for an illusion of intelligence and control. Keep up with—or beat—professional money managers Exploit stock market volatility to your utmost advantage Learn where advisors and consultants fit into smart strategy Build a portfolio that makes sense for your particular situation You don't have to outsmart the market if you can simply outperform it. Cut through the confusion and noise and focus on what actually matters. A Wealth of Common Sense clears the air, and gives you the insight you need to become a smarter, more successful investor. |
| the ponzi factor: International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards , 2004 |
| the ponzi factor: The Wealth Solution Steven Atkinson, Joni Clark, Alex Potts, 2013-06-15 Our goal in writing this book is to give you the tools you need to make smarter financial decisions and avoid the mistakes that too often trip up investors. |
| the ponzi factor: Last Woman Hanged Caroline Overington, 2014-11-01 Two husbands, four trials and one bloody execution: Winner of the 2015 Davitt Award for Best Crime Book (Non-fiction) -- the terrible true story of Louisa Collins. In January 1889, Louisa Collins, a 41-year-old mother of ten children, became the first woman hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol and the last woman hanged in New South Wales. Both of Louisa's husbands had died suddenly and the Crown, convinced that Louisa poisoned them with arsenic, put her on trial an extraordinary four times in order to get a conviction, to the horror of many in the legal community. Louisa protested her innocence until the end. Much of the evidence against Louisa was circumstantial. Some of the most important testimony was given by her only daughter, May, who was just 10-years-old when asked to take the stand. Louisa Collins was hanged at a time when women were in no sense equal under the law -- except when it came to the gallows. They could not vote or stand for parliament -- or sit on juries. Against this background, a small group of women rose up to try to save Louisa's life, arguing that a legal system comprised only of men -- male judges, all-male jury, male prosecutor, governor and Premier -- could not with any integrity hang a woman. The tenacity of these women would not save Louisa but it would ultimately carry women from their homes all the way to Parliament House. Caroline Overington is the author of eleven books of fiction and non-fiction, including the top-selling THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY psychological crime novel. She has said: 'My hope is that LAST WOMAN HANGED will be read not only as a true crime story but as a letter of profound thanks to that generation of women who fought so hard for the rights we still enjoy today.' Praise for LAST WOMAN HANGED 'The story she tells ... is a useful challenge to any tendency to simple moral indignation' -- Beverley Kingston, Sydney Morning Herald 'This is a fascinating book, a terrific read, and an excellent reminder of who tells the stories, and whose stories are forgotten' -- Frances Rand, South Coast Register '... what's ... interesting is Caroline Overington's even-handed appraisal of Collins's alleged crime(s) that led her to become the last woman hanged in New South Wales in 1889' -- Launceston Sunday Examiner |
| the ponzi factor: The Money Bubble James Turk, John Rubino, 2013-12 A caution by the authors of The coming collapse of the dollar. They contend that world governments have continued to accumlate even more debt, inflating even bigger financial bubbles, and that the next financial crisis will be even stronger than the previous one. They offer advice to readers to protect their savings and make money during this transition time. |
| the ponzi factor: Irrational Exuberance Robert J. Shiller, 2005 An expert on market volatility offers a timely updated edition of his best-selling study that shows that the value of the stock market may be significantly inflated and urges cautious optimism, predicting that the market may show poorer performance in the future. Reprint. 15,000 first printing. |
| the ponzi factor: Securities Market Issues for the 21st Century Merritt B. Fox, 2018 |
| the ponzi factor: Behavioral Risk Management Hersh Shefrin, 2016-01-11 The psychological dimension of managing risk is of crucial importance, and its study has led to the identification of specific do's and don'ts. Those with an understanding of the psychology underlying risk and the skills to recognize its manifestation in practice, have the opportunity to develop frameworks that embody the do's and don'ts, thereby producing sound judgments and good decisions. Those lacking the understanding and the skills are destined to be more hit and miss in their approach to risk management, doing the don'ts and not doing the do's. Virtually every major risk management catastrophe in the last fifteen years has psychological pitfalls at its root. The list of catastrophes includes the 2008 bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and subsequent global financial crisis, the 2010 explosion at BP's Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico and the 2011 nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. A critical lesson from psychological studies for those involved in risk management is that people's judgments and decisions about risk vary with type of circumstance. In Behavioral Risk Management readers will learn that there are specific actions that organizations can undertake to incorporate understanding, recognition, and behavioral interventions into the practice of risk management. There are many examples throughout the book that illustrate doing the don'ts. The chapters in the first part of the book introduce the main ideas, and the chapters in the latter part provide insight into how to apply those ideas to the practical world in which risk managers operate. |
| the ponzi factor: Whipping Boy Allen Kurzweil, 2016 From the acclaimed author of A CASE OF CURIOSITIES, Allen Kurzweil's stranger-than-fiction investigative memoir, detailing his 40-year-search for his boarding school bully who tied him up at the age of twelve and whipped him to the soundtrack of Jesus Christ Superstar, and who went on to lead a mad-cap life of international crime and financial fraud-- |
| the ponzi factor: The Dot-Com Bubble the Bush Deficits, and the U.S. Current Account Aart Kraay, 2010 Over the past decade the US has experienced widening current account deficits and a steady deterioration of its net foreign asset position. During the second half of the 1990s, this deterioration was fueled by foreign investment in a booming US stock market. During the first half of the 2000s, this deterioration has been fuelled by foreign purchases of rapidly increasing US government debt. A somewhat surprising aspect of the current debate is that stock market movements and fiscal policy choices have been largely treated as unrelated events. Stock market movements are usually interpreted as reflecting exogenous changes in perceived or real productivity, while budget deficits are usually understood as a mainly political decision. We challenge this view here and develop two alternative interpretations. Both are based on the notion that a bubble the 'dot-com' bubble) has been driving the stock market, but differ in their assumptions about the interactions between this bubble and fiscal policy (the 'Bush' deficits). The 'benevolent' view holds that a change in investor sentiment led to the collapse of the dot-com bubble and the Bush deficits were a welfare-improving policy response to this event. The 'cynical' view holds instead that the Bush deficits led to the collapse of the dot-com bubble as the new administration tried to appropriate rents from foreign investors. We discuss the implications of each of these views for the future evolution of the US economy and, in particular, its net foreign asset position. |
| the ponzi factor: The Ponzi Scheme Puzzle Tamar Frankel, 2012-08-13 Charles Ponzi perpetrated his infamous scheme almost a hundred years ago. But his method of using new investments to pay existing investors and finance a highflying lifestyle is alive and well: just as much money is lost in the United States today from Ponzi schemes as from shoplifting. Somehow, con artists are able to dazzle wealthy, educated individuals and sophisticated institutions and convince them to hand over huge sums of money. How? In The Ponzi Scheme Puzzle, renowned legal scholar Tamar Frankel explores these con artists' fascinating power of persuasion and deception, uncovering the subtle signals that mimic truth and honesty. After years of close study of hundreds of cases, Frankel explains the striking patterns that emerge and the common characteristics of the con artists and their victims. She offers clear yet comprehensive descriptions of the various designs of Ponzi schemers' attractive offers and flags the ways in which they mask their deception through specialized methods of advertising and selling. She then constructs lucid profiles of the con artists and their victims, exposing the core nature of the people at the heart of the schemes and showing how over time the lines between predator and prey are blurred. There are indeed many lessons to learn from these stories, and Frankel brings them to light through the insightful results of her research. She shows how peoples' attitudes are ambivalent and uncertain toward con artists, perhaps because their behavior is so seemingly honest, because they act like the social leaders with whom they are likely to mingle, or perhaps because their actions are thought to shake up a complacent society. Frankel concludes by offering a surprising solution on how to prevent charming, dangerous con artists from perpetuating the enduring, disastrous legacy of Charles Ponzi. |
| the ponzi factor: Bullet Points and Punch Lines Lee Camp, 2020-03-01 Our US empire is in steep decline. In order to wrest complete control over the globe and feed a rapacious thirst for resources and wealth, the American ruling elite is wreaking havoc around the world. Meanwhile, average Americans are suffering, legs trembling under a mountain of debt as they toil at unfulfilling, underpaying jobs. And those with enough time and energy to get angry and fight back are told that the answer is to vote for one of the two pro-war, pro–Wall Street corporate parties claiming to be their savior. This epic tragedy does not sound like the beginning of a joke. But somehow comedian and TV host Lee Camp makes it both funny and interesting. Whether he is setting his sights on the scandal of $21 trillion worth of unaccounted-for financial adjustments at the Pentagon or the scorching environmental and human tragedy caused by climate chaos, it’s unsurprising that one of our most incisive political commentators is technically a comedian. Camp knifes his way through the jungle of fake news, alternative facts, mainstream media lies, and government blackouts, trailblazing a path between Hunter S. Thompson and Jon Stewart. Perhaps the present-day story of America can only accurately be told by a comedian, otherwise no one would believe it. In a world where con men are heralded as leaders, locking up peace activists is perceived as justice, trumpeting state propaganda is considered journalism, and mocking environmentalists is championed as strength, it’s only appropriate that a comedian is viewed as more reliable than the evening news. |
Ponzi scheme - Wikipedia
A Ponzi scheme (/ ˈ p ɒ n z i /, Italian:) is a form of fraud that lures investors and pays profits to earlier investors with funds from more recent investors. [1]
Ponzi Scheme: Definition, Examples, and Origins - Investopedia
Jan 26, 2025 · What Is a Ponzi Scheme? A Ponzi scheme is an investment scam that pays early investors with money taken from later investors to create an illusion of big profits.
8 of the most notorious Ponzi schemes in US history
Apr 24, 2021 · Here’s a look at eight of the most notorious Ponzi schemes in US history. Whether on a smaller scale, or superlatively large like financier Bernie Madoff’s, Ponzi schemes are …
Ponzi scheme | Fraudulent Investment Schemes | Britannica Money
May 3, 2025 · Ponzi scheme, fraudulent and illegal investment operation that promises quick, easy, and significant returns on investments with little or no risk.
Charles Ponzi - Scheme, Movie & Wife - Biography
Apr 2, 2014 · Charles Ponzi was best known for the financial crimes he committed when he conned investors into giving him millions of dollars, and paid them returns with other investors'...
Ponzi Scheme | Definition, How It Works, Examples, Red Flags
Nov 24, 2023 · A Ponzi scheme (or a “Ponzi scam”) is an investment scam in which early investors are paid returns from funds contributed by later investors. Why are Ponzi Schemes …
What Is a Ponzi Scheme? - SmartAsset
Apr 14, 2021 · A Ponzi scheme is a kind of investment scam in which investors of longer standing are paid with the buy-in contributions of newer investors. To avoid collapse, a Ponzi scheme …
Ponzi Schemes - Investor.gov
A Ponzi scheme is an investment fraud that pays existing investors with funds collected from new investors. Ponzi schemes are named after Charles Ponzi. In the 1920s, Ponzi promised …
Ponzi scheme | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
Ponzi schemes are a type of investment fraud in which investors are promised artificially high rates of return with little or no risk. Original investors and the perpetrators of the fraud are paid …
What is a Ponzi scheme: Overview, Examples & How to Protect
Jan 8, 2025 · See what experts say about Ponzi Schemes. Know its definition, history, how it works and how to protect yourself from Ponzi fraudsters and scams with real-life examples.
Ponzi scheme - Wikipedia
A Ponzi scheme (/ ˈ p ɒ n z i /, Italian:) is a form of fraud that lures investors and pays profits to earlier investors with funds from more recent investors. [1]
Ponzi Scheme: Definition, Examples, and Origins - Investopedia
Jan 26, 2025 · What Is a Ponzi Scheme? A Ponzi scheme is an investment scam that pays early investors with money taken from later investors to create an illusion of big profits.
8 of the most notorious Ponzi schemes in US history
Apr 24, 2021 · Here’s a look at eight of the most notorious Ponzi schemes in US history. Whether on a smaller scale, or superlatively large like financier Bernie Madoff’s, Ponzi schemes are …
Ponzi scheme | Fraudulent Investment Schemes | Britannica Money
May 3, 2025 · Ponzi scheme, fraudulent and illegal investment operation that promises quick, easy, and significant returns on investments with little or no risk.
Charles Ponzi - Scheme, Movie & Wife - Biography
Apr 2, 2014 · Charles Ponzi was best known for the financial crimes he committed when he conned investors into giving him millions of dollars, and paid them returns with other investors'...
Ponzi Scheme | Definition, How It Works, Examples, Red Flags
Nov 24, 2023 · A Ponzi scheme (or a “Ponzi scam”) is an investment scam in which early investors are paid returns from funds contributed by later investors. Why are Ponzi Schemes …
What Is a Ponzi Scheme? - SmartAsset
Apr 14, 2021 · A Ponzi scheme is a kind of investment scam in which investors of longer standing are paid with the buy-in contributions of newer investors. To avoid collapse, a Ponzi scheme …
Ponzi Schemes - Investor.gov
A Ponzi scheme is an investment fraud that pays existing investors with funds collected from new investors. Ponzi schemes are named after Charles Ponzi. In the 1920s, Ponzi promised …
Ponzi scheme | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
Ponzi schemes are a type of investment fraud in which investors are promised artificially high rates of return with little or no risk. Original investors and the perpetrators of the fraud are paid …
What is a Ponzi scheme: Overview, Examples & How to Protect
Jan 8, 2025 · See what experts say about Ponzi Schemes. Know its definition, history, how it works and how to protect yourself from Ponzi fraudsters and scams with real-life examples.
