Ep 26. Billionaire Boys Bust
- TV-PG
- February 13, 2017
- 42 min
American Greed has long been known for delivering thrilling stories of white collar crime featuring some of the most notorious con artists in American history. Season 10 episode 26, titled "Billionaire Boys Bust," follows one such criminal mastermind who defrauded dozens of people in a multi-million dollar scheme.
The episode begins with the story of Joseph G. Green, a smooth-talking con artist from Southern California who is known for his luxurious lifestyle and flashy personal image. Green was a key player in a series of Ponzi schemes that wreaked havoc on the lives of his unsuspecting victims. He had perfected the art of luring in potential investors with promises of high returns on their investments and unparalleled access to the financial markets.
Green founded his company, Jade Capital Partners LLC, in the early 2000s and began actively recruiting investors looking to make big profits in the financial markets. He was known to host lavish parties, provide VIP access to major sports events, and drive around in expensive sports cars to flaunt his wealth and success to potential investors.
With several high-profile investors already on board, Green managed to amass millions of dollars worth of investments in just a few short years. However, it wasn't long before the cracks started to show. Instead of investing his clients' money as promised, Green began to use the funds for personal expenses and to pay off earlier investors in a classic Ponzi scheme.
As more and more investors started to request their money back, Green's web of lies began to unravel. He tried to cover up his fraudulent activity by forging documents and creating false account statements, but eventually, the scheme became too big and too complicated to hide any longer.
"Billionaire Boys Bust" tracks the path of the investigation into Green's fraudulent activity and the legal proceedings that ultimately brought him to justice. The episode features interviews with several key players, including law enforcement officials, victims of the Ponzi scheme, and journalists who covered the story as it unfolded.
As each new layer of deception is revealed, viewers are left wondering how someone like Green could get away with such an elaborate scheme for so long. The episode sheds light on the intricacies of Ponzi schemes and the lengths some con artists will go to in order to maintain the illusion of success and wealth.
Overall, "Billionaire Boys Bust" is a captivating look at the dark side of the financial world and the devastating consequences of greed and deception. It's a cautionary tale of the dangers of placing blind trust in someone who promises to make you rich and a reminder that, when it comes to investing, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.