First published 2010
Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme devastated thousands of investors across America. Twenty nine victims from different backgrounds unite to share their experiences directly with readers. These are not wealthy club members as media portrayals suggested. Most were ordinary Americans who worked hard and saved for retirement. They include blue collar workers, professionals, artists, and retirees from Florida to California. Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Picower, and Stanley Chais were exceptions among mostly small investors. Author Erin Arvedlund presents their unfiltered accounts of financial ruin and recovery. The victims expose who enabled the forty year fraud to continue. They reveal what authorities prefer to hide from the public. Their stories show how anyone can fall victim to such schemes. Despite losing life savings to history's worst financial criminal, these survivors demonstrate resilience and hope for rebuilding their lives.
Genres: crime, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: resilience, survival
Setting: America, California, Florida
Period: 40-year-fraud
244 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform