What happened to my college mate?

[MichaelB]

I just read that a college classmate from Costa Rica was arrested in JFK and charged with fraud ($600M). He's now in jail and who knows if he will ever leave.

He was the nicest guy in the school, had an excellent study and work ethic - and we were close friends then and for a number of years after.

I'm speechless.

 

[Nova]

I just read that a college classmate from Costa Rica was arrested in JFK and charged with fraud ($600M). He's now in jail and who knows if he will ever leave.

He was the nicest guy in the school, had an excellent study and work ethic - and we were close friends then and for a number of years after.

I'm speechless.

Sorry to hear about your friend. Who knows why some people do things you would never dream they would do.

 

[samclem]

Where'd you hide the money?

Seriously--I don't know how people get on the wrong track. Sometimes it's astounding.

 

[harley]

$670 million. That would be awfully tempting if you were greedy.

I googled the story after reading your post to see if your friend might have gotten caught up in something, but assuming he's the guy I read about, he was the head fraudster. Very strange. I guess people change over 40 years.

 

[MichaelB]

Nova - thanks. Sam, er, if I had a small percentage of that money I wouldn't be here...

That's the one, Harley.

This news was shocking, and I'm not sure why. Over 3 decades in business in Latin America I've seen quite a bit of bad behaviour and it has never affected me like this. Mostly at work - lying and cheating for sex or petty finances (sales commissions, bonuses, expenses). Some bigger stuff as well, and a fair amount of corruption (mostly public sector). But this is different. Not just the magnitude. He never tried to game the system or cheat people when I knew him (or he was masterful at hiding that part of himself). Also, as Harley points out, because he was the apparent mastermind. A couple of hours browsing last night showed this has been going on for a long while and he has already had problems in some states. He should have seen it coming. I suspect there may be a more ominous aspect to this.

I feel badly for his family.

 

[Orchidflower]

I doubt if anything happened to your old college mate. I'm guessing this was just a part of his personality that nobody saw and he didn't disclose.
He justifies his behavior in his mind because he's good to his mother, takes care of his wife and kids, is good to little animals, pays his taxes, whatever.
It is just a part of his personality, but the flip-side of what everyone around him saw is what blows people away.

 

[bbbamI]

I'm sorry Michael....he let everyone down that cared for him and since you were such a good friend I understand why it hurts.

 

[clifp]

I am sorry to hear about your friend Michael. I probably have somewhat unhealthy obsession about money, but I can understand trying to steal a huge $>10 million amount of money. That amount of money is really life changing. What I don't understand if middle class folks who steal small amount <$1,000. I guess it is easier for me to understand risking 20 years in jail for $670 million, than a slightly shorter jail sentence for a thousand or two.

 

[rmark]

'What I don't understand if middle class folks who steal small amount <$1,000'

I always think that when I read about someone embezzling a farly small amount that costs them a job paying much more.

Or as my mom said about a high school student who stole a 10 yr old Ford Pinto - if you're risking going to jail for stealing a car, at least steal a car.

 

[clifp]

'
Or as my mom said about a high school student who stole a 10 yr old Ford Pinto - if you're risking going to jail for stealing a car, at least steal a car.

I think I'd like your mom.

 

[Texas Proud]

To answer the question you posed....

He got caught...