Ep 15. Driven By Greed

Driven By Greed is the 15th episode of the second season of the popular true crime show American Greed. The episode takes the viewers into the story of Michael Mastro, a prominent real estate developer in Seattle who was once called the "Crown Prince of Seattle Real Estate."

Mastro was known to be a self-made millionaire, with a string of successful residential and commercial properties in the Pacific Northwest. But as the episode reveals, his success was built on a foundation of deceit and greed. In 2008, when the housing bubble burst and the economy went into a tailspin, Mastro's business began to crumble. But rather than accept failure and come clean, Mastro doubled down on his fraudulent activities, hoping to save his crumbling empire.

Driven By Greed takes the viewers on a gripping journey through Mastro's rise and fall. The episode chronicles how Mastro began his career with a small property in suburban Seattle, and quickly built a reputation for himself as a shrewd businessman who knew how to get things done. He was soon acquiring large tracts of land, and building expensive high-rise condos and commercial buildings. By the early 2000s, Mastro was one of the most successful developers in the region, with a net worth of over a hundred million dollars.

But as the episode reveals, Mastro's financial success came at a great cost. He routinely lied on loan applications, inflated property values and hid assets to avoid paying taxes. By 2008, he was struggling to keep his business afloat, owing millions of dollars to various lenders. But instead of admitting defeat, Mastro continued to cook his books, issuing bad checks, funneling money to offshore accounts and manipulating property values.

Driven By Greed is a cautionary tale of the dangers of greed and dishonesty. The episode shows how Mastro's obsession with money and power led him down a path of destruction, causing pain and suffering to his employees, friends and family. The episode features interviews with Mastro's former employees, business partners and victims, who detail the lies and fraudulent activities he engaged in.

The episode is packed with tense moments and shocking revelations. The viewers witness Mastro's fall from grace, as the FBI, IRS, and local law enforcement agencies close in on him. The episode reveals how Mastro tried to flee the country on his private plane but was eventually arrested in France and extradited back to the US. The viewers are also shown how Mastro's extravagant lifestyle came to an abrupt end, with his luxury homes and cars being sold off to repay his creditors.

Driven By Greed is a gripping episode that shows how even the most successful and powerful individuals can be undone by their own greed. It is a testament to the power of American Greed that it can unmask the true nature of people like Mastro, and expose the destructive effects of their dishonesty and greed.