Hearing held by the Senate on the counterfeiting & fraudulent use of financial instruments such as currency, checks, credit, debit, & ATM cards, & a new crime, identity theft. Witnesses include: Diana Christiansen, Private Citizen, Provo, Utah; Robert M. Edmund, Chief Executive Officer, Edmund Scientific Co.; Dana Brown, Deputy Special Agent-In-Charge, Financial Crimes Div., accompanied by Robert A. Boothe, Graphic Arts Supervisor, Forensic Services Div., U.S. Secret Service; Charles L. Owens, Chief, Financial Crimes Section, FBI; Dennis Brosan, Security Dir., Visa U.S.A., Inc.; & Roger Leblond, Sr. V.P., Operations, Pacific Southwest Bank.

Access Device Fraud and Related Financial Crimes offers front-line exposure. It is a reference text that affords the student, financial investigator or law enforcement professional a true insight into a wide spectrum of criminal activity involving financial crimes. This book brings the reader back to the scene of cases in which the intensity and ma

The “greater fool” theory of economics states that it’s possible to make money by buying paper (securities), whether overvalued or not, and later, selling it at a profit because there will always be an even greater fool willing to pay the higher price. Many described in this book profited by peddling such worthless junk to foolish investors. But for some people—Bernie Madoff, Norman Hsu, Sholam Weiss, and “Crazie Eddie” Antar, aka the “Darth Vader of Capitalism”—overvalued securities were not enough. Outright fraud was their way of life. History of Greed is the compelling inside story of the names you know—Charles Ponzi, Baron Rothschild, Lou Pearlman—and the names you don’t—Isaac Le Maire, the world’s first “naked” short-seller. It’s also our story—why we ignore the lessons of the past and fall prey, most every time, to the promise of easy money. For thousands of years, alchemists unsuccessfully tried to turn worthless base metals into gold. Where science failed at turning nothing into something, business succeeded. Sometimes we praise the creators of derivatives, collateral debt obligations, subprime mortgages, credit default swaps, or auction rate securities as Wall Street’s new financial wizards, the creators of “magic paper.” Other times, we vilify and prosecute them as scam artists. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell who is who. History of Greed reveals the inside secrets of how the markets really work, and how scam artists abuse them to gain an unfair edge or to outright steal. It describes how luftgescheft (“air business”), wizardry, dishonesty, and fraud are used to swindle people. Along with a comprehensive bibliography, History of Greed also details: 400 years of financial fraud—from everyday fraud to the odd and unusual Accounting fraud (phantom sales), stock option fraud (backdating), auction rate securities, hedge fund fraud, Ponzi schemes, promotion fraud (pump-and-dump scams), and money laundering How to detect fraudulent schemes How government regulation only fixes yesterday’s problems If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. If they say you can’t lose, you probably will. History of Greed shows that there really is no such thing as a free lunch, while also detailing how not to become the “greater fool.”

The bestselling author of "F.I.A.S.C.O." presents a riveting chronicle of the rise of dangerous financial instruments and the growing crisis in American business. Partnoy recounts the rise of the trading instruments and corporate financial structures that now imperil the economic health of the country. Author speaking tour.