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Help Saving Forex Market

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Experiencing Forex trading is not easy to consider yourself that pro in a short time. And to have a good knowledge of the market and its components, you deserve to have a long time of experience to be fully aware of what may affect he market. And above all, it is important to be aware in cases like Forex brokers reviews, like those in Forex Peace Army. To know what to believe and what not to believe.

Among FPA scam cases, there is that story of Sigma Forex broker. First, the story starts with Felix claiming that SigmaForex and ForexGen are the both under different name. Then, he gradually runs to the stage that SigmaForex is linked to ForexGen. And at last, the story is concluded, as usual, with a scam case of stealing one of their client’s money.

And here you are the story in brief,

FPA scam investigations committee has received a complaint from someone called, Hossam Park. He was a client at Sigma Forex who opened an account with $2500 and after making profits, Sigma Forex refused to withdraw his money, and suspended his account and, moreover “ceased communicating with him”. The reason FPA mentioned why Sigma Forex has suspended Hossam’s account was that “they changed their margin requirements on September 19th and that the trades were closed due to these new requirements. They said “our aim was to protect our account holders from any danger that may affect their investments.”

The only comment should be written here is ‘No Comment’. How a broker could change part of its policy and close all the trades without any concern of the traders or any alert for them. How can a broker ignore its clients easily and damage its business in this simple way. And what is really amazing here is that Sigma Forex could close Hossam’s positions at the same price he got profits but this time he was losing. Oh, the luck was really so close to the broker that in two days they could make their client’s profit turn into loss at the same price, meaning as if he didn’t make profits at all.

Then, FPA ended the case or the story with a happy end this time. Seems like the director, Felix, wishes to make a happy ending movie this time, getting bored of all black ends done before. At last, Sigma Forex returns Hossam’s money back and they are healed by FPA committee. Impossible as it is, isn’t it? For the first time some one claimed to be scam becomes pure at the end!

This is significant in itself. First, FPA tried to show that a certain broker is a scam and published its case and let it under investigation. Then, after spotting light on it, they absolved it from being scam. A clear direct propaganda for themselves and it is clear in the comments made there, all members made the comments are praising FPA and Felix. They are trying to prove that they are the eyes and hands of justice, that whenever the opposite of something is proved they will admit it if it is against their will. Innocent as they are! But in the side scene, their dark ethics are glowing.

The Scorpions did not have a legislative mandate to probe foreign exchange offences, the Cape High Court was told on Tuesday.

The court is hearing an application against the unit by Cape Town businessman Gary van der Merwe, who was arrested at Cape Town International Airport in 2004 as he tried to take just about R1-million out of the country.

Though the arrest was carried out by a border control policeman, Van der Merwe said in court papers that the Scorpions were actually behind the arrest, and that they had been driving the investigation against him.

He said this was outside the unit’s legislative and operational mandate of dealing with national priority crimes, and asked for an interim order to that effect.

He also asked the court to declare the foreign exchange charge, and another of defeating the ends of justice, unlawful and unconstitutional.

Van der Merwe said senior Scorpions investigator Phillip Haywood had been pursuing an “unmandated, over-zealous investigation against me”.

He said virtually every postponement in the case since his arrest had been handled by Scorpions prosecutors, rather than staff of the provincial directorate of public prosecutions.

Among the court papers on Tuesday was a letter from Western Cape director of prosecutions Rodney de Kock dated last week, saying that he had decided “solely in the interests of justice” to appoint a member of his staff to conduct the prosecution in future, rather than the Scorpions.

In replying papers, Haywood said his role in the forex case had been “limited to co-operating with other law enforcement agencies by providing them with information and assisting them by identifying [Van der Merwe] to [a] SARS (Custom) official. My contribution to the forex case was certainly not conducting an investigation”.

Argument in the matter continues on Wednesday.

The Scorpions are also investigating separate allegations of fraud, theft and contraventions of the Companies Act against Van der Merwe.

He was arrested in that matter in October 2004.

He is out on bail. – Sapa

 

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  • The Post
    NAB Punjab’s plea to CM for improvement in accountability system
    The Post, Pakistan - 24 minutes ago
    NAB-Punjab is planning to pay Rs 239.9 million to 1306 investors of agents of Double Shah scam and Rs 98.47 million to 976 affectees of forex scams in the
    Businessman challenges Scorpions
    Independent Online, South Africa - Sep 9, 2008
    My contribution to the forex case was certainly not conducting an investigation”. The Scorpions are also investigating separate allegations of fraud,
    NAB Punjab to celebrate silver jubilee next month
    The Post, Pakistan - Aug 26, 2008
    The NAB Punjab paid Rs 23.48 million to 159 persons affected by Forex Scam and Rs 454.338 million to 8672 the ‘affectees’ of Double Shah case during the
    Telltale Signs of a Forex Trading Scam
    Corsavoo.com, France - Aug 22, 2008
    Formerly a domain of banks, hedge funds, and large financial corporations, the forex market has become more accessible to individual traders.
    Alleged scam costs firm
    Knoxville News Sentinel, TN - Aug 30, 2008
    The Fox and Farmer law firm has filed 10 separate claims in US Bankruptcy Court totaling $3953000 against The Forex Project of Chattanooga and its owner,

    New Vision
    Forex boss gets 3 years over fraud
    New Vision, Uganda - Aug 24, 2008
    By Edward Anyoli ROOPESH Dhilrajlal Solanki, the former manager of the defunct Lannex Forex Bureau, was on Friday jailed in Luzira prison for embezzling
    Forex boss gets three years for fraud
    Legalbrief (subscription), South Africa - Sep 1, 2008
    Roopesh Solanki, the former manager of the defunct Lannex Forex Bureau in Uganda, has been jailed in Luzira for embezzling $148 000.
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    The Post, Pakistan - 21 minutes ago
    Still Rich: A court postponed hearing in a reference against directors of Still Rich Forex Company including ex chief executive Chand Pervez till Sep 23 for
    Forex Funnel Review (and a bit about the Expert Advisor business)
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    I know you should better and to never buy systems on back test results and a paltry month and a half of forward testing, but hey even if it was a scam,
    Accountability Diary
    The Post, Pakistan - Sep 9, 2008
    NAB accuses Cheema and others of running an illegal banking business through M/s Skaf Forex and of Rs 13.44 million fraud.
    Forex Education: How To Make The Right Choice
    3×24 – Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany - Aug 25, 2008
    There are companies that are waiting to take advantage of your inexperience and scam you, but there are legit companies out there that you could benefit
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    The Post, Pakistan - Sep 7, 2008
    NAB accuses Cheema and others of running an illegal banking business through M/s Skaf Forex and of Rs 13.44 million fraud. UC Ex-Chairman: A court will
    Retail FX Grows Up
    Forex Factory - Aug 29, 2008
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    Senators say report on oil prices is flawed
    The Associated Press - Aug 14, 2008
    WASHINGTON (AP) — Four Democratic senators on Thursday asked for an investigation into a government report on oil prices that the lawmakers said was based
    In Mystery Cotton-Price Spike, Traders Hit by Swirling Forces Wall Street Journal
    Sovereign Funds Become Big Speculators Washington Post
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    Forex Robots
    TradeTNT.com, Switzerland - Aug 21, 2008
    You may hear that these Forex robots are a scam, but there are reputable ones that have been put through their paces and have traded money for their owners

    Best Syndication
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    Best Syndication, CA - Aug 18, 2008
    That’s not to say all of these trading robot programs are a scam, however. Some of these robots have indicated that they are profitable when back-tested
    Accountability Diary
    The Post, Pakistan - Aug 20, 2008
    Sheikh Ayub: A court postponed hearing in a forex scam reference against accused Mohsin Ayub and his father Mohammad Ayub till Sept 2 for recording of
    VeriSign To Protect Against ‘Pump And Dump’ Schemes
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    The module has shown up at a perfect time as online trading scams are growing by leaps and bounds. Says Forrester analyst Geoff Turner, “Based on anecdotal
    Accountability Diary
    The Post, Pakistan - Sep 8, 2008
    According to the prosecution, accused Zulbijaz and his accomplice Shahid Hassan Awan, being directors of a forex company, misappropriated a sum of Rs 33
    Foreign currency broker sentenced in scheme to rig trades
    EmpireStateNews.net, New York - Aug 25, 2008
    During the late 1990’s, Sweeney worked at Tullett and Tokyo Forex, Inc., 80 Pine Street, Manhattan. The firm offered brokerage services in the interbank
    SEC files suit against Royal Forex, owner
    Dallas Morning News, TX - Aug 22, 2008
    The SEC filed suit Wednesday against Patrick H. Haxton and his company, Royal Forex Management LLC. The suit alleges that Mr. Haxton and his company’s Web
    Today’s Top Ag News — USDA’s Aug. Crop Report Here
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    fraud in the off-exchange retail foreign currency market, also known as forex. The CFTC said there has been a sharp rise in foreign currency trading scams.
    Systemic Distrust and GATA Gold Conspiracy Hype
    The Market Oracle, UK - Sep 4, 2008
    And that authority was not to manipulate the price of gold, but rather to stabilize (manipulate) Forex markets. September 1999: The Washington Agreement on
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    The Post, Pakistan - Sep 3, 2008
    Money Marshal: A court postponed the hearing in a case against Major (r) Nisar Ahmad and Imran Atta, directors of Money Marshal, a forex company,
    Forex kitty
    Calcutta Telegraph, India - Aug 16, 2008
    Mumbai, Aug. 16: The country’s foreign exchange reserves fell $5.46 billion to $300.01 billion for the week ended August 8 from $305.47 in the previous week
    Accountability Diary
    The Post, Pakistan - Aug 28, 2008
    Kashif Iqbal: A court postponed the hearing of a reference against Kashif Iqbal, director of M/s SKAF Int’l, a Forex company, till Sep 18 after recording
    International Forecaster August 2008 (#6) – Gold, Silver, Economy
    Gold Seek - Aug 20, 2008
    Other nations with large forex reserves and trade surpluses like China and Russia may have the money to invest in tangible, real assets, but where will the
    International Forecaster September 2008 (#1) – Gold, Silver
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    and the big holders of dollar forex who acquired their stake in our country through their fraudulent currency manipulations which enabled them to
    CFTC’s New Task Force Targets Forex Fraud
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    “Not only do forex fraudsters prey upon unsuspecting citizens, but their illegal activities taint the reputations of those working honestly in the futures

    The Chattanoogan
    Chattanooga Grand Jury Indicts “Con Man” Rivas
    The Chattanoogan, TN - Aug 27, 2008
    Rivas operated for about a year from a headquarters in Bonny Oaks, and he later set up the satellite offices for his The Forex Project.
    Emet Merchant Group Announces its Premiere Internet Merchant
    24-7PressRelease.com (press release) - Aug 26, 2008
    With specific dedication in the gaming and forex markets, EMG provides a winning and earning payout program. Winnings are dispersed directly to its players
    Why agriculture has suffered?
    The Post, Pakistan - Aug 15, 2008
    That very man was subject to a fist fight with the Chief Secretary of Punjab and was later on implicated in one billion rupees scam that the Punjab
    Accountability Diary
    The Post, Pakistan - Aug 21, 2008
    Money Marshal: A court postponed the hearing of a reference against Major (r) Nisar Ahmad and Imran Atta, the directors of Money Marshal, a forex company
    Accountability Diary
    The Post, Pakistan - Aug 26, 2008
    Money Marshal: A court postponed hearing in a reference against accused Major (r) Nisar Ahmad and Imran Atta, directors Money Marshal, a forex company till
    Stock Market
    Forex Hound, NY - Aug 19, 2008
    (If you cannot read the capcha, refresh the page) The comment will be reviewed by the Forex Hound Team before it is posted. Trading foreign exchange on the
    Институцията “Интернет”
    Политика, Bulgaria - Aug 28, 2008
    Разбира се, има и сайтове, които не плащат – те се означават като SCAM – мошеници. Повечето PTC сайтове разполагат и с paid to click секция, в тази секция
    The following news wire just hit the web, ForexPeaceArmy supported this Pakistani forex criminals fooling hundreds of novice traders with the promise of high profits based on FPA sigmals. Read belowBy Bureau report
    6/17/2008
    PESHAWAR: An accountability court Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Forex Services International Private Limited company director, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, allegedly involved in a multi-billion-rupee scam.The accountability court judge, Khalid Bacha, issued arrest warrants for the accused. During a previous hearing in the case, the same court had issued non-bail able warrants for Shoaibullah Cheema, one of the directors of the Forex Services International.

    Earlier, Peshawar High Court (PHC) had granted him bail but after that he remained absent from the proceedings at the accountability court. This led to issuance of his non-bail able warrants.

    Shoaibullah Cheema and other directors of Forex Services International had reportedly collected more than Rs185 million from 450 people in the Punjab and NWFP through International Stock Exchange on the promise of high profit.

    They misappropriated by acquiring property in their own names. NAB initiated an inquiry and started recoveries by freezing and liquidating their assets. On October 28, 2005, the same court had extended his physical remand for another 14 days. During investigations, it was disclosed that the company had more then 4,000 depositors in Peshawar amounting Rs70 million.

    If you get email, sent to millions of people in the last few days, you are subject to a new fraud attempt from Rob Grespinet and Felix Homogratus. Take care:

     

    To Learn Forex Trading was not as easy as these days . Forex Trading as
    Other trading systems has some secrets which you should know to trade
    successfully without loss . Read this article carufully till the End to
    Learn these Secrets which other forex traders has discovered .

    Until last month, I had no sympathy for trade in currencies. It always
    said to be “smart trade”, people with a degree in mathematics, during the
    modern enterprise, and a good understanding of the global economy to take
    decisions on information in trade. These people have used profit-Crazy
    sums of money.

    But my wish is to learn their SECRET to enter this world, as Forex market
    has really opened up new possibilities for all people to participate in
    trade. There are several reasons why this is the case. Firstly, it is
    possible that the foreign exchange market with a small sum of money to
    work in . Secondly, the currency market is open 24 hours a day, five days
    a week. This gives you an excellent opportunity to buy and sell foreign
    currency at any time of day or night.also, An average of 3 trillion
    dollars a day turnover, was arrested FX largest commercial market in the
    world.

    If you intend to participate with the Forex market, you must do so through
    a broker. When people trade in all markets in the past, do so to define
    their intermediaries and the positioning of orders. Often their
    intermediary would be made available in an opinion that is necessary for
    them to make a commercial success.

    The Internet has truly changed what happened, and now you can buy and sell
    foreign currency easier. The only thing to do is go on the website, do your
    work and the trade made immediately. this avoid you a lot of time necessary
    to make the first, which makes it a much better method. As you will see,
    there are also software that will take care of it for you.

    But, this information already known to most of us, What is the SECRET?!

    There are a number of good automated forex software that can help you make
    decisions about changes in the market. Looking at a variety of trends and
    make some statements speculation, these automated systems are always very
    good to help us making successful trades on a regular basis. These
    automated systems trade for you from start to finish. This is one of the
    fastest ways for you to trade and is also an excellent way for you to good
    decisions on a regular basis

    Better Business Bureau officials said they have received numerous inquiries regarding a business operating under The Forex Project and Luis H. Rivas.

    The BBB “advises anyone who may have invested in the Forex Project to contact their attorney for advice on what action they may need to take in an effort to recover their money. The investor is also advised to provide their name and information to FBI agent Jim Lannamann at 864-948-1497.

    “The Forex Project invested in foreign currency exchange trading. This type investment is a high risk model of trading opportunities.”

    The Better Business Bureau offers the following warning signs of fraud to those who are considering foreign investment opportunities also know as forex trading.

    “Too Good to be true” claims. Quick and high interest returns on an investment is a red flag.
    Offers that predicts or guarantees large profits.
    Offers that promise little or no risk.
    Pressure to invest funds that you cannot afford to lose. Pressure to use home equity funds is an example.
    Unwillingness to provide a performance record.
    Reluctance to provide credentials or background information.

    Jim Winsett, president of the BBB serving Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia said he advises that prior to purchasing a Forex investment, check whether the company is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, (www.cftc.gov) or is a member of the National Futures Association (www.nfa.org). You may contact the BBB at 423-266-0396.

    Arizona Officials In 1988 Warned That Rivas Would “Take The Money And Run”

    Click to Enlarge
    Luis H. Rivas when he was arrested in Arizona in 1988 and recently in Chattanooga

    ForexPeaceArmy latest forex scam, in partnership with the famous con man Rivas. Investors who handed over more than $31 million to Luis H. Rivas while he was headquartered in Chattanooga for the past year had no idea they were dealing with a slick con man who Arizona officials had figured out back in 1988.

    Phoenix, Ariz., prosecutor John R. Evans, at a time Rivas was stealing peanuts compared to his recent run, said Rivas was “an excellent scam artist. He can be very convincing on a variety of subjects. He can take people’s money with no ability to perform on his promises. The man can earn a great deal of money through his words.”

    Prosecutor Evans said Rivas “has a tremendous talent for creating false appearances. If he is allowed to use his talent, people’s hard-earned dollars and false hopes will fill his coffers.

     

    “The defendant has used his talent since 1985 in Illinois. He moved to Florida and used his skills until 1988. His crimes in Arizona started in August 1988 and were stopped Nov. 22, 1988. It is time that his crimes were stopped for as long as possible.”

    Prosecutor Evans noted that Rivas “already had one period of probation in Florida, which did not change his approach to life.”

    Michael L. Goss, Rivas’ probation officer, said, “The defendant certainly appears to exhibit a pattern of fraudulent behavior. Although this writer would certainly agree that the defendant is highly intelligent, he would very likely be very successful if his talents were used legitimately and legally. This writer has great concern for the victims, who suffered significantly not only by the defendant’s actions, but also by their failure to recognize the defendant’s actions as illegal.

    “Based on the number of victims in this case as well as the defendant’s prior criminal history, this writer sees no reason that the defendant should be granted leniency in this case.

    “Obviously, the defendant was not impacted by his placement on a previous probation grant, but alternatively became involved in a series of offenses of a much greater magnitude than those in which he was previously involved.

    “This writer views the defendant as a very dangerous individual in the sense that he is able to talk his way into just about anything.

    “It is this writer’s opinion that the defendant preys on individuals who are not well versed regarding certain financial matters and, by the time the victims realize what has happened, the defendant is long gone.”

    The probation officer said Rivas told him he had enrolled at the University of Maryland in 1974 and obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and mathematics. A check was made with Amy Elzeldin at the University of Maryland records office. She searched through the university records from 1970-1983, including a check of attendance at an overseas class. No Luis H. Rivas.

    John Stahl, the detective assigned to investigate Rivas in Arizona, recommended that Rivas, who was then 35, be sentenced to the maximum term. He said he felt that Rivas “manipulated the victims and misrepresented himself at the outset of the initiation of Golden Dawn Financial.”

    The detective said Rivas “never intended to fulfill any terms of his ‘contract’ and his intentions were evidenced by several attempts to vacate his residence, disconnect his phone and leave no forwarding address.”

    He described Rivas as “a slick individual who may very well have been a success if he used his knowledge and skills in a legal, legitimate business as the defendant is quite convincing and knowledgeable regarding numerous financial matters.”

    Det. Stahl said he felt Rivas “preyed on desperate people.” He cited the fact he had been involved “in similar scenarios in Chicago and Miami.”

    He felt that Rivas “has made a practice of misrepresenting himself – fraudulently accepting money from people with no intention of providing any legitimate service and ultimately moving to a different area to start the cycle over again.”

    Saying Rivas presented a high risk to continue pulling off scams, he recommended that Rivas be imprisoned for the maximum term.

    Authorities in Chicago were also looking for Rivas in 1988 for a scam he pulled off there. He had gone from Chicago to Miami, and he got into similar trouble there.

    Rivas was finally nailed after running an operation for just a few months in Arizona and was given a 10-year state prison sentence. Rivas emerged from prison around 1995 and showed up in Chattanooga last year offering investors amazing returns that he promised he would earn through his knack for foreign currency trading.

    Rivas is now on the run after suddenly closing the Bonny Oaks office in mid-May and pulling $1.6 million in investor funds out of a Chattanooga bank.

    Born in Puerto Rico in 1953, Rivas was raised at Cambridge, Mass., then returned to Puerto Rico when he was 18. His parents, Luis and Anna Rivas, had a stable home and long marriage at Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and none of his siblings got into trouble. Rivas attended the University of Puerto Rico for a couple of years, then enlisted in the Army in October 1973. He went through basic training, then was shipped to Turkey and later West Germany. He suffered “stress syndrome” and was treated at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Fort Gordon, Ga. He was given an honorable discharge from the Army in May 1977.

    While Rivas was in Germany, he began living with a woman named Monica Russell, and they had a daughter who was born in 1977. Ms. Russell and the daughter stayed behind in Germany with her parents after Rivas left.

    Rivas was back in Puerto Rico briefly, trying college again “for a weekend.” He told an interviewer, “I was finding it difficult to live there because of the differences in the cultures since I was raised stateside. I’m fluent in Spanish, but I don’t necessarily feel comfortable in the culture.”

    Rivas married Brenda Hildred in 1974, and they were divorced two years later after she moved back to England. He met Delia Carponell in Puerto Rico and they married in 1977. They had two daughters, Sara and Alexandria. Delia moved with him to Ledo Beach, Fla. She eventually returned to Puerto Rico.

    He met a woman named Holly Feldner while he was with Avon in Chicago, and they were married April 30, 1978. She had a daughter and two sons and they also split up.

    While he was in Florida, Rivas was involved in a firm called Sigma Financial, where he would charge consulting fees for financial assistance. Rivas was also in telemarketing sales, selling “original signed lithographs” and teaching people how to collateralize loans. In Chicago, he said he worked as an equity raiser for Paine Webber and at another time was in Avon, overseeing more than 200 sales ladies. Then he set up International Equity Investment Inc. in which authorities said “a woman was used to take messages and give the appearance of large-scale activity. Money was taken from desperate people with promises of hope.” Homeowners who were in the process of foreclosure would pay Rivas a fee to find someone to buy the home and lease it back to the homeowners under a seven-year lease. Rivas “guaranteed” that if the buyer defaulted that he would find another buyer. He took a total of $15,000 from 15 homeowners facing foreclosure until he was stopped by authorities.

    After he was arrested in Chicago, Rivas ran to Florida. He married Allison Coffman in Miami. They had a daughter together. Rivas was struggling when he was first in Florida, but later “I had two BMWs. A friend went out with my wife and looked at all kinds of furniture. We had about a hundred thousand dollars worth of furniture.” He had a 4,500-square-foot house with a pool table in Hollywood, Fla. He and Allison “traveled, bought furs, the whole thing.” He was worth about a quarter million dollars at the time.

    He and Allison split in 1987 and that October he met Belinda Kay Miller when he advertised for topless dancers. He said he was not in the club business himself, but the owners had offered to pay him a fee if he could find topless dancers with clean records. He moved in with Belinda, who had three children of her own, and they soon decided to move to the Phoenix area of Arizona. They arrived June 21, 1988, and first stayed at the Phoenix Sunrise Motel on East Van Buren and then the Ambassador Suites on Thomas Road at 44th Street. When funds were running low, they moved to the Lazy U Motel at 27th Avenue and Indian School Road.

    There he tried a variety of jobs, including the topless dancing recruiting. But he said that didn’t pay because he was unable to find any dancers who didn’t have drug problems or arrest records. Rivas sold vitamins over the phone for awhile. Also, he tried raising money for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, but he said, “It’s very difficult to convince somebody to donate to the Veterans of Foreign Wars when you have two bikers on the floor drunk, fighting over the girl they just hired that morning.”

    He hit upon the idea of setting up Golden Dawn Financial and placed an ad in USA Today that brought in a number of customers. For a fee ranging from $100-$700, Rivas was to help those in financial jeopardy or in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. The clients believed that Rivas was in contact with their lenders, arranging to re-negotiate their loans. Instead, he cashed all their checks and kept changing addresses without leaving forwarding addresses. Several of the clients, as a result, lost their homes.

    Paul Anderson said he was one of those who answered the USA Today ad in October 1988. He was told that Rivas could negotiate a $150,000 loan for his business, Thin Layer Coating. He was told to wire $1,762.85 to a Rivas account, which he did on Nov. 1, 1988.
    A few days later, Rivas got the money out of the account and moved from 4627 W. Perdue in Glendale, Ariz., to parts unknown. His phone was disconnected.

    Phillip Craine also responded to the ad and was told by Rivas that for a $175 advance fee he would get a $30,000 loan. After paying the money, he heard nothing more from Golden Dawn Financial.

    Beth Camacho and Pat Schwendemann were told that Rivas could help them with their telemarketing operation, including writing the script. They turned over $1,500 to him, then Rivas moved again.

    David Thompson paid Rivas $287.50 for supposedly helping him line up a $40,000 small business loan. He didn’t get his money back or obtain the loan.

    Dan Isabelle, who was behind on his house payments, paid Rivas $650 in hopes he could help with a refinancing. After waiting several weeks, Mr. Isabelle found that Rivas had moved on without leaving a forwarding address.

    After getting a foreclosure notice, Virginia Stanfield saw the Rivas ad and paid him $525. She got no help from the swindler.

    Robin Herrera was also facing foreclosure on her home, and she paid Rivas $650 to intervene with HUD. She later said she felt from the start that Rivas was “underhanded and illegal.” She wound up losing her home.

    Luis Hiram Rivas

    1985 in Chicago, Ill. Arrested for felony theft by deception. Rivas cashed two checks on a closed account. Met with Illinois investigators to explain problems with his International Equity Investment Inc. Promised to provide the Illinois attorney general with 15 names and addresses as well as make restitution. Fled to Florida and began selling artwork.

    1987 (August) in Miami, Fla. Arrested for grand larceny involving an equity skimming scam. Placed on six months probation.

    1988 (November) in Phoenix, Ariz. Charged with illegally conducting an enterprise, theft, and fraudulent schemes and artifices.

    2007-2008 in Chattanooga, Tn. Accepted over $31 million in investor funds. Skipped out to parts unknown.

    Arizona Officials In 1988 Warned That Rivas Would “Take The Money And Run”

    Click to Enlarge
    Luis H. Rivas when he was arrested in Arizona in 1988 and recently in Chattanooga

    ForexPeaceArmy latest forex scam, in partnership with the famous con man Rivas. Investors who handed over more than $31 million to Luis H. Rivas while he was headquartered in Chattanooga for the past year had no idea they were dealing with a slick con man who Arizona officials had figured out back in 1988.

    Phoenix, Ariz., prosecutor John R. Evans, at a time Rivas was stealing peanuts compared to his recent run, said Rivas was “an excellent scam artist. He can be very convincing on a variety of subjects. He can take people’s money with no ability to perform on his promises. The man can earn a great deal of money through his words.”

    Prosecutor Evans said Rivas “has a tremendous talent for creating false appearances. If he is allowed to use his talent, people’s hard-earned dollars and false hopes will fill his coffers.

     

    “The defendant has used his talent since 1985 in Illinois. He moved to Florida and used his skills until 1988. His crimes in Arizona started in August 1988 and were stopped Nov. 22, 1988. It is time that his crimes were stopped for as long as possible.”

    Prosecutor Evans noted that Rivas “already had one period of probation in Florida, which did not change his approach to life.”

    Michael L. Goss, Rivas’ probation officer, said, “The defendant certainly appears to exhibit a pattern of fraudulent behavior. Although this writer would certainly agree that the defendant is highly intelligent, he would very likely be very successful if his talents were used legitimately and legally. This writer has great concern for the victims, who suffered significantly not only by the defendant’s actions, but also by their failure to recognize the defendant’s actions as illegal.

    “Based on the number of victims in this case as well as the defendant’s prior criminal history, this writer sees no reason that the defendant should be granted leniency in this case.

    “Obviously, the defendant was not impacted by his placement on a previous probation grant, but alternatively became involved in a series of offenses of a much greater magnitude than those in which he was previously involved.

    “This writer views the defendant as a very dangerous individual in the sense that he is able to talk his way into just about anything.

    “It is this writer’s opinion that the defendant preys on individuals who are not well versed regarding certain financial matters and, by the time the victims realize what has happened, the defendant is long gone.”

    The probation officer said Rivas told him he had enrolled at the University of Maryland in 1974 and obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and mathematics. A check was made with Amy Elzeldin at the University of Maryland records office. She searched through the university records from 1970-1983, including a check of attendance at an overseas class. No Luis H. Rivas.

    John Stahl, the detective assigned to investigate Rivas in Arizona, recommended that Rivas, who was then 35, be sentenced to the maximum term. He said he felt that Rivas “manipulated the victims and misrepresented himself at the outset of the initiation of Golden Dawn Financial.”

    The detective said Rivas “never intended to fulfill any terms of his ‘contract’ and his intentions were evidenced by several attempts to vacate his residence, disconnect his phone and leave no forwarding address.”

    He described Rivas as “a slick individual who may very well have been a success if he used his knowledge and skills in a legal, legitimate business as the defendant is quite convincing and knowledgeable regarding numerous financial matters.”

    Det. Stahl said he felt Rivas “preyed on desperate people.” He cited the fact he had been involved “in similar scenarios in Chicago and Miami.”

    He felt that Rivas “has made a practice of misrepresenting himself – fraudulently accepting money from people with no intention of providing any legitimate service and ultimately moving to a different area to start the cycle over again.”

    Saying Rivas presented a high risk to continue pulling off scams, he recommended that Rivas be imprisoned for the maximum term.

    Authorities in Chicago were also looking for Rivas in 1988 for a scam he pulled off there. He had gone from Chicago to Miami, and he got into similar trouble there.

    Rivas was finally nailed after running an operation for just a few months in Arizona and was given a 10-year state prison sentence. Rivas emerged from prison around 1995 and showed up in Chattanooga last year offering investors amazing returns that he promised he would earn through his knack for foreign currency trading.

    Rivas is now on the run after suddenly closing the Bonny Oaks office in mid-May and pulling $1.6 million in investor funds out of a Chattanooga bank.

    Born in Puerto Rico in 1953, Rivas was raised at Cambridge, Mass., then returned to Puerto Rico when he was 18. His parents, Luis and Anna Rivas, had a stable home and long marriage at Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and none of his siblings got into trouble. Rivas attended the University of Puerto Rico for a couple of years, then enlisted in the Army in October 1973. He went through basic training, then was shipped to Turkey and later West Germany. He suffered “stress syndrome” and was treated at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Fort Gordon, Ga. He was given an honorable discharge from the Army in May 1977.

    While Rivas was in Germany, he began living with a woman named Monica Russell, and they had a daughter who was born in 1977. Ms. Russell and the daughter stayed behind in Germany with her parents after Rivas left.

    Rivas was back in Puerto Rico briefly, trying college again “for a weekend.” He told an interviewer, “I was finding it difficult to live there because of the differences in the cultures since I was raised stateside. I’m fluent in Spanish, but I don’t necessarily feel comfortable in the culture.”

    Rivas married Brenda Hildred in 1974, and they were divorced two years later after she moved back to England. He met Delia Carponell in Puerto Rico and they married in 1977. They had two daughters, Sara and Alexandria. Delia moved with him to Ledo Beach, Fla. She eventually returned to Puerto Rico.

    He met a woman named Holly Feldner while he was with Avon in Chicago, and they were married April 30, 1978. She had a daughter and two sons and they also split up.

    While he was in Florida, Rivas was involved in a firm called Sigma Financial, where he would charge consulting fees for financial assistance. Rivas was also in telemarketing sales, selling “original signed lithographs” and teaching people how to collateralize loans. In Chicago, he said he worked as an equity raiser for Paine Webber and at another time was in Avon, overseeing more than 200 sales ladies. Then he set up International Equity Investment Inc. in which authorities said “a woman was used to take messages and give the appearance of large-scale activity. Money was taken from desperate people with promises of hope.” Homeowners who were in the process of foreclosure would pay Rivas a fee to find someone to buy the home and lease it back to the homeowners under a seven-year lease. Rivas “guaranteed” that if the buyer defaulted that he would find another buyer. He took a total of $15,000 from 15 homeowners facing foreclosure until he was stopped by authorities.

    After he was arrested in Chicago, Rivas ran to Florida. He married Allison Coffman in Miami. They had a daughter together. Rivas was struggling when he was first in Florida, but later “I had two BMWs. A friend went out with my wife and looked at all kinds of furniture. We had about a hundred thousand dollars worth of furniture.” He had a 4,500-square-foot house with a pool table in Hollywood, Fla. He and Allison “traveled, bought furs, the whole thing.” He was worth about a quarter million dollars at the time.

    He and Allison split in 1987 and that October he met Belinda Kay Miller when he advertised for topless dancers. He said he was not in the club business himself, but the owners had offered to pay him a fee if he could find topless dancers with clean records. He moved in with Belinda, who had three children of her own, and they soon decided to move to the Phoenix area of Arizona. They arrived June 21, 1988, and first stayed at the Phoenix Sunrise Motel on East Van Buren and then the Ambassador Suites on Thomas Road at 44th Street. When funds were running low, they moved to the Lazy U Motel at 27th Avenue and Indian School Road.

    There he tried a variety of jobs, including the topless dancing recruiting. But he said that didn’t pay because he was unable to find any dancers who didn’t have drug problems or arrest records. Rivas sold vitamins over the phone for awhile. Also, he tried raising money for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, but he said, “It’s very difficult to convince somebody to donate to the Veterans of Foreign Wars when you have two bikers on the floor drunk, fighting over the girl they just hired that morning.”

    He hit upon the idea of setting up Golden Dawn Financial and placed an ad in USA Today that brought in a number of customers. For a fee ranging from $100-$700, Rivas was to help those in financial jeopardy or in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. The clients believed that Rivas was in contact with their lenders, arranging to re-negotiate their loans. Instead, he cashed all their checks and kept changing addresses without leaving forwarding addresses. Several of the clients, as a result, lost their homes.

    Paul Anderson said he was one of those who answered the USA Today ad in October 1988. He was told that Rivas could negotiate a $150,000 loan for his business, Thin Layer Coating. He was told to wire $1,762.85 to a Rivas account, which he did on Nov. 1, 1988.
    A few days later, Rivas got the money out of the account and moved from 4627 W. Perdue in Glendale, Ariz., to parts unknown. His phone was disconnected.

    Phillip Craine also responded to the ad and was told by Rivas that for a $175 advance fee he would get a $30,000 loan. After paying the money, he heard nothing more from Golden Dawn Financial.

    Beth Camacho and Pat Schwendemann were told that Rivas could help them with their telemarketing operation, including writing the script. They turned over $1,500 to him, then Rivas moved again.

    David Thompson paid Rivas $287.50 for supposedly helping him line up a $40,000 small business loan. He didn’t get his money back or obtain the loan.

    Dan Isabelle, who was behind on his house payments, paid Rivas $650 in hopes he could help with a refinancing. After waiting several weeks, Mr. Isabelle found that Rivas had moved on without leaving a forwarding address.

    After getting a foreclosure notice, Virginia Stanfield saw the Rivas ad and paid him $525. She got no help from the swindler.

    Robin Herrera was also facing foreclosure on her home, and she paid Rivas $650 to intervene with HUD. She later said she felt from the start that Rivas was “underhanded and illegal.” She wound up losing her home.

    Luis Hiram Rivas

    1985 in Chicago, Ill. Arrested for felony theft by deception. Rivas cashed two checks on a closed account. Met with Illinois investigators to explain problems with his International Equity Investment Inc. Promised to provide the Illinois attorney general with 15 names and addresses as well as make restitution. Fled to Florida and began selling artwork.

    1987 (August) in Miami, Fla. Arrested for grand larceny involving an equity skimming scam. Placed on six months probation.

    1988 (November) in Phoenix, Ariz. Charged with illegally conducting an enterprise, theft, and fraudulent schemes and artifices.

    2007-2008 in Chattanooga, Tn. Accepted over $31 million in investor funds. Skipped out to parts unknown.

    Arizona Officials In 1988 Warned That Rivas Would “Take The Money And Run”

    Click to Enlarge
    Luis H. Rivas when he was arrested in Arizona in 1988 and recently in Chattanooga

    ForexPeaceArmy latest forex scam, in partnership with the famous con man Rivas. Investors who handed over more than $31 million to Luis H. Rivas while he was headquartered in Chattanooga for the past year had no idea they were dealing with a slick con man who Arizona officials had figured out back in 1988.

    Phoenix, Ariz., prosecutor John R. Evans, at a time Rivas was stealing peanuts compared to his recent run, said Rivas was “an excellent scam artist. He can be very convincing on a variety of subjects. He can take people’s money with no ability to perform on his promises. The man can earn a great deal of money through his words.”

    Prosecutor Evans said Rivas “has a tremendous talent for creating false appearances. If he is allowed to use his talent, people’s hard-earned dollars and false hopes will fill his coffers.

     

    “The defendant has used his talent since 1985 in Illinois. He moved to Florida and used his skills until 1988. His crimes in Arizona started in August 1988 and were stopped Nov. 22, 1988. It is time that his crimes were stopped for as long as possible.”

    Prosecutor Evans noted that Rivas “already had one period of probation in Florida, which did not change his approach to life.”

    Michael L. Goss, Rivas’ probation officer, said, “The defendant certainly appears to exhibit a pattern of fraudulent behavior. Although this writer would certainly agree that the defendant is highly intelligent, he would very likely be very successful if his talents were used legitimately and legally. This writer has great concern for the victims, who suffered significantly not only by the defendant’s actions, but also by their failure to recognize the defendant’s actions as illegal.

    “Based on the number of victims in this case as well as the defendant’s prior criminal history, this writer sees no reason that the defendant should be granted leniency in this case.

    “Obviously, the defendant was not impacted by his placement on a previous probation grant, but alternatively became involved in a series of offenses of a much greater magnitude than those in which he was previously involved.

    “This writer views the defendant as a very dangerous individual in the sense that he is able to talk his way into just about anything.

    “It is this writer’s opinion that the defendant preys on individuals who are not well versed regarding certain financial matters and, by the time the victims realize what has happened, the defendant is long gone.”

    The probation officer said Rivas told him he had enrolled at the University of Maryland in 1974 and obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and mathematics. A check was made with Amy Elzeldin at the University of Maryland records office. She searched through the university records from 1970-1983, including a check of attendance at an overseas class. No Luis H. Rivas.

    John Stahl, the detective assigned to investigate Rivas in Arizona, recommended that Rivas, who was then 35, be sentenced to the maximum term. He said he felt that Rivas “manipulated the victims and misrepresented himself at the outset of the initiation of Golden Dawn Financial.”

    The detective said Rivas “never intended to fulfill any terms of his ‘contract’ and his intentions were evidenced by several attempts to vacate his residence, disconnect his phone and leave no forwarding address.”

    He described Rivas as “a slick individual who may very well have been a success if he used his knowledge and skills in a legal, legitimate business as the defendant is quite convincing and knowledgeable regarding numerous financial matters.”

    Det. Stahl said he felt Rivas “preyed on desperate people.” He cited the fact he had been involved “in similar scenarios in Chicago and Miami.”

    He felt that Rivas “has made a practice of misrepresenting himself – fraudulently accepting money from people with no intention of providing any legitimate service and ultimately moving to a different area to start the cycle over again.”

    Saying Rivas presented a high risk to continue pulling off scams, he recommended that Rivas be imprisoned for the maximum term.

    Authorities in Chicago were also looking for Rivas in 1988 for a scam he pulled off there. He had gone from Chicago to Miami, and he got into similar trouble there.

    Rivas was finally nailed after running an operation for just a few months in Arizona and was given a 10-year state prison sentence. Rivas emerged from prison around 1995 and showed up in Chattanooga last year offering investors amazing returns that he promised he would earn through his knack for foreign currency trading.

    Rivas is now on the run after suddenly closing the Bonny Oaks office in mid-May and pulling $1.6 million in investor funds out of a Chattanooga bank.

    Born in Puerto Rico in 1953, Rivas was raised at Cambridge, Mass., then returned to Puerto Rico when he was 18. His parents, Luis and Anna Rivas, had a stable home and long marriage at Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and none of his siblings got into trouble. Rivas attended the University of Puerto Rico for a couple of years, then enlisted in the Army in October 1973. He went through basic training, then was shipped to Turkey and later West Germany. He suffered “stress syndrome” and was treated at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Fort Gordon, Ga. He was given an honorable discharge from the Army in May 1977.

    While Rivas was in Germany, he began living with a woman named Monica Russell, and they had a daughter who was born in 1977. Ms. Russell and the daughter stayed behind in Germany with her parents after Rivas left.

    Rivas was back in Puerto Rico briefly, trying college again “for a weekend.” He told an interviewer, “I was finding it difficult to live there because of the differences in the cultures since I was raised stateside. I’m fluent in Spanish, but I don’t necessarily feel comfortable in the culture.”

    Rivas married Brenda Hildred in 1974, and they were divorced two years later after she moved back to England. He met Delia Carponell in Puerto Rico and they married in 1977. They had two daughters, Sara and Alexandria. Delia moved with him to Ledo Beach, Fla. She eventually returned to Puerto Rico.

    He met a woman named Holly Feldner while he was with Avon in Chicago, and they were married April 30, 1978. She had a daughter and two sons and they also split up.

    While he was in Florida, Rivas was involved in a firm called Sigma Financial, where he would charge consulting fees for financial assistance. Rivas was also in telemarketing sales, selling “original signed lithographs” and teaching people how to collateralize loans. In Chicago, he said he worked as an equity raiser for Paine Webber and at another time was in Avon, overseeing more than 200 sales ladies. Then he set up International Equity Investment Inc. in which authorities said “a woman was used to take messages and give the appearance of large-scale activity. Money was taken from desperate people with promises of hope.” Homeowners who were in the process of foreclosure would pay Rivas a fee to find someone to buy the home and lease it back to the homeowners under a seven-year lease. Rivas “guaranteed” that if the buyer defaulted that he would find another buyer. He took a total of $15,000 from 15 homeowners facing foreclosure until he was stopped by authorities.

    After he was arrested in Chicago, Rivas ran to Florida. He married Allison Coffman in Miami. They had a daughter together. Rivas was struggling when he was first in Florida, but later “I had two BMWs. A friend went out with my wife and looked at all kinds of furniture. We had about a hundred thousand dollars worth of furniture.” He had a 4,500-square-foot house with a pool table in Hollywood, Fla. He and Allison “traveled, bought furs, the whole thing.” He was worth about a quarter million dollars at the time.

    He and Allison split in 1987 and that October he met Belinda Kay Miller when he advertised for topless dancers. He said he was not in the club business himself, but the owners had offered to pay him a fee if he could find topless dancers with clean records. He moved in with Belinda, who had three children of her own, and they soon decided to move to the Phoenix area of Arizona. They arrived June 21, 1988, and first stayed at the Phoenix Sunrise Motel on East Van Buren and then the Ambassador Suites on Thomas Road at 44th Street. When funds were running low, they moved to the Lazy U Motel at 27th Avenue and Indian School Road.

    There he tried a variety of jobs, including the topless dancing recruiting. But he said that didn’t pay because he was unable to find any dancers who didn’t have drug problems or arrest records. Rivas sold vitamins over the phone for awhile. Also, he tried raising money for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, but he said, “It’s very difficult to convince somebody to donate to the Veterans of Foreign Wars when you have two bikers on the floor drunk, fighting over the girl they just hired that morning.”

    He hit upon the idea of setting up Golden Dawn Financial and placed an ad in USA Today that brought in a number of customers. For a fee ranging from $100-$700, Rivas was to help those in financial jeopardy or in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. The clients believed that Rivas was in contact with their lenders, arranging to re-negotiate their loans. Instead, he cashed all their checks and kept changing addresses without leaving forwarding addresses. Several of the clients, as a result, lost their homes.

    Paul Anderson said he was one of those who answered the USA Today ad in October 1988. He was told that Rivas could negotiate a $150,000 loan for his business, Thin Layer Coating. He was told to wire $1,762.85 to a Rivas account, which he did on Nov. 1, 1988.
    A few days later, Rivas got the money out of the account and moved from 4627 W. Perdue in Glendale, Ariz., to parts unknown. His phone was disconnected.

    Phillip Craine also responded to the ad and was told by Rivas that for a $175 advance fee he would get a $30,000 loan. After paying the money, he heard nothing more from Golden Dawn Financial.

    Beth Camacho and Pat Schwendemann were told that Rivas could help them with their telemarketing operation, including writing the script. They turned over $1,500 to him, then Rivas moved again.

    David Thompson paid Rivas $287.50 for supposedly helping him line up a $40,000 small business loan. He didn’t get his money back or obtain the loan.

    Dan Isabelle, who was behind on his house payments, paid Rivas $650 in hopes he could help with a refinancing. After waiting several weeks, Mr. Isabelle found that Rivas had moved on without leaving a forwarding address.

    After getting a foreclosure notice, Virginia Stanfield saw the Rivas ad and paid him $525. She got no help from the swindler.

    Robin Herrera was also facing foreclosure on her home, and she paid Rivas $650 to intervene with HUD. She later said she felt from the start that Rivas was “underhanded and illegal.” She wound up losing her home.

    Luis Hiram Rivas

    1985 in Chicago, Ill. Arrested for felony theft by deception. Rivas cashed two checks on a closed account. Met with Illinois investigators to explain problems with his International Equity Investment Inc. Promised to provide the Illinois attorney general with 15 names and addresses as well as make restitution. Fled to Florida and began selling artwork.

    1987 (August) in Miami, Fla. Arrested for grand larceny involving an equity skimming scam. Placed on six months probation.

    1988 (November) in Phoenix, Ariz. Charged with illegally conducting an enterprise, theft, and fraudulent schemes and artifices.

    2007-2008 in Chattanooga, Tn. Accepted over $31 million in investor funds. Skipped out to parts unknown.

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