Sunday, June 29, 2014

Even A Sidelined Bates Continues To Reap Victims

By Anne Trimble


The man and his company have been put into receivership in federal district court in Tennessee because enough customers and potential customers finally caught on to their essential dishonesty. And the resolution of an $80-million class-action suit against Bates and FAMC still hangs over them like the sword of Damocles.

But still, heartbreaking news continues to stream in of more individuals that Bates managed to cheat before his business reached its just end.

I'm posting two true stories here that deeply upset me. A woman contacted me recently after her father transitioned. While organizing her mother's affairs, she saw some statements from FAMC that went back all the way to 2009.

Without a word to their kids, this couple had actually gone ahead and provided Bates' business a half-million bucks. They purchased that value of gold from FAMC, but up to the present time, they have actually not received any of it.

These individuals got just a few gold coins as proof of their purchase. Although one could argue that they did ask FAMC to save their metals for them, I find it curious that FAMC simply can't find a way to produce them now?

Then there is the story of a woman which deals with taking care of a quadriplegic kid, who was provided a significant amount of money as recompense for an accident that affected his life. In 2008, they provided Larry Bates a few hundred thousand dollars as an investment, but they never received any precious metals in return for their money.

These two rip-offs alone amount to a staggering total of $4 million.

By this point, it is probably becoming abundantly clear to you that the entire business model of FAMC is comparable to the infamous Ponzi scheme pulled off by Bernard Madoff. Although Bates' clients were scammed in lots of ways, what really upsets me is the front he used as a Christian financial planner and service, a deliberate ploy to appear to be someone of the Christian faith who could be trusted.

Anne continues to be horrified as she hears such devastating stories. Besides the raw sin involved, it reminds her of how she herself was victimized by another businessman who had claimed to be a Christian." He stole a half-million dollars, and the ministry operated by Anne and her husband, Jay Trimble, more than 20 years ago. She recounts that story in her biography, Faith Through the Flames.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment