A dissection of the dark side of the American Dream, a survey of how far some people go to become rich, no matter the cost to themselves and those around them. Real-life cases are reviewed and involve such criminal activity as credit card scams, identity theft, counterfeiting and Ponzi schemes.
Showing Season 5 of 17
Season 5
2011
No overview available.
01. Bank Robbing Broker
2011-01-19
Stephen Trantel is a husband, a father…and a bank robber. He was once a broker making hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Manhattan trading pits. Unemployed, Trantel embarks on a new career…. one of crime. His life - and the lives of those who love him - are changed forever.
02. Financial Guru Gone Bad
2011-01-26
His pitch is irresistible. Troy Titus promises to make you rich. The self-proclaimed real estate guru travels the seminar circuit. Thousands attend his lectures, buy his DVDs and invest with the man who portrays himself as a moneymaking magician. It’s true to an extent … Titus makes money disappear in a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme!
03. Fool's Gold
2011-02-02
He’s a philanthropist, diplomat and international man of mystery. Dr. Henry Jones promises to get investors in on a secret gold deal. But Dr. Jones is leading a double life --- a life unknown even to his partners in crime. American Greed profiles the golden allure of an elusive conman and a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme!
04. Hackers: Operation Get Rich or Die Tryin'
2011-02-09
A mysterious ring of social outcasts. Albert Gonzalez leads a gang with an insatiable appetite for sex, drugs…and your encrypted information. They steal credit card numbers and make a fortune by selling them on the black market. But the multi-million dollar scam has deadly consequences. American Greed profiles the story of Albert Gonzalez... the most cunning cyber crook in American history!
05. A More Generous Criminal
2011-02-16
He’s a trusted advisor. A philanthropist. Bob McLean runs a successful investment firm and donates millions to his favorite causes. But McLean has a dark, devastating secret. American Greed profiles a story of phony philanthropy!
06. $1.2 Billion Scam: Ft. Frauderdale
2011-02-23
Scott Rothstein is a Ft. Lauderdale attorney making millions. He’s the life of the party, a guy who wants the world to love him. But Rothstein is secretly a criminal mastermind. American Greed reveals the story behind the largest Ponzi scheme in Florida history!
07. Bling Ring, The Fraudster, The Ex-Stripper and the Missing Millions
2011-03-09
They’re called The Bling Ring. A fast crowd of celebrity wannabes. This gang of teenagers rob celebrity homes and steal millions in jewelry, clothing and artwork. How far will they go to be like their favorite Hollywood stars? Danny Pang is a high-rolling financier with a devil-may-care attitude. He makes millions betting on when people will die. But Pang has a shady past, a gambling habit and a murdered wife. Soon, this gambler’s house of cards will collapse.
08. Fraudster of the Opera, Frozen Assets - The Ice Capers
2011-03-16
Albert Vilar funds symphonies and operas around the world. But it’s curtains for Vilar when he scams the mother of a Hollywood star. William “Boots” Del Biaggio III is a hockey team owner skating on thin ice. His insatiable desire to be a sports mogul causes him to commit a multimillion-dollar fraud!
09. The Slaughterhouse
2011-03-23
A slaughterhouse employs hundreds of workers in a small Iowa town. But there are whispers of threats, extortion and shocking child labor abuses. Sholom Rubashkin runs the family business. Is he a dutiful son or a corporate crook?
10. The Royal Scam: Kings of Counterfeit
2011-03-30
A tough guy from Chicago’s South Side finds his way off the streets and into a life of crime. Art Williams Jr. prints millions in fake dollars. American Greed profiles the case of the counterfeiting craftsman.
11. The Art of the Steal, The Folsom Felon
2011-04-06
Larry Salander is one of the biggest names in New York’s art world. But collectors see red when he swipes more than $100 million from their pockets. American Greed profiles art collectors who lost a fortune in priceless art. Stefan Wilson says his investment fund is a sure-fire winner. Investors even mortgage their homes to join his fund. But business with Wilson comes at a very high price. American Greed profiles a story of deception!
12. Hedge Fund Imposter
2011-04-13
Marc Dreier is a high-powered lawyer with celebrity clients. But Dreier is a conman and steals more than $700 million from hedge funds. American Greed profiles a story of deception and fraud!
13. The Wizard of Sarasota
2011-04-20
Arthur Nadel conjures a $330 million hedge fund. In the blink of an eye, he disappears and leaves clients without their life savings. American Greed profiles a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme!
14. Mark Weinberger: Nose No Bounds
2011-04-27
Dr. Mark Weinberger – a self-proclaimed “nose doctor” – has it all and isn’t afraid to flaunt it. But inside The Weinberger Sinus Clinic, all is not what it seems. American Greed profiles a multi-million dollar tale of deception!
