Saturday, January 17, 2009

Arizona Man Indicted In $8 Million Ponzi Scheme

Edward Anthony Purvis, 39, of Chandler, Arizona, was indicted today charges he ran an $8 million Ponzi scheme through Nakami Chi Group Ministries International. Purvis is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence after he was convicted on one count of bribery of a Chandler police officer and four counts of harassment of public employees in attempt to disrupt the Arizona Corporation Commission's investigation of his investment scheme. Specifically, Purvis has been indicted on one count of "fraudulent schemes and artifices," 21 counts of theft and 21 counts of securities fraud. Between February 2002 and March 2007, Purvis offered unregistered securities through his company promising 24 percent returns, according to the complaint. Prosecutors claim the business was never profitable and that he paid earlier investors off with proceeds from later investors. In December 2008, the Arizona Corporation Commission ordered that Purvis and his wife, Maureen Purvis, pay $11 million in restitution, plus a $250,000 fine. Also arrested with Purvis on the bribery and harassment of public employees charges was co-conspirator and former partner, Gregg Lawrence Wolfe, 45, of Scottsdale.

Read the story here, here and here.

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