American Greed: The Fugitives Season 2 Episode 12 Hard-Rocking Fraudster/Refi's in Ruin
- TVPG
- November 14, 2013
- 2580 min
American Greed: The Fugitives is a true crime series that follows the stories of individuals who have committed financial crimes and are on the run from law enforcement. In season 2 episode 12, entitled "Hard-Rocking Fraudster/Refi's in Ruin," viewers are presented with two separate cases of greed and deception.
The first story centers around a man named Troy Stratos, who made a name for himself in the music industry as a promoter and manager for various rock bands. However, Stratos had a dark side, as he also engaged in shady dealings and fraud schemes to fund his lavish lifestyle. Stratos convinced investors to give him millions of dollars to finance concerts and tours for his clients, but instead used the money for personal expenses such as cars, jets, and yachts.
One of Stratos' biggest victims was a wealthy heiress named Susan Hatch, who he convinced to invest $10 million in a phony real estate deal. Stratos promised Hatch a high return on her investment, but ultimately used the money to pay off other investors and fund his own extravagant lifestyle. When Hatch discovered the fraud, she sued Stratos and eventually won a $34 million judgment against him. However, Stratos had already fled the country and was on the run from law enforcement.
The second story focuses on a group of individuals who were involved in a mortgage fraud scheme that targeted homeowners who were facing foreclosure. The group convinced these homeowners to sign over their homes to them in exchange for a promise to pay off their mortgage debt and help them stay in their homes. However, the group never paid off the mortgage debt and instead resold the homes multiple times, pocketing millions of dollars in profits.
One of the victims of this scheme was a woman named Paulette Robinson, who was struggling to make mortgage payments on her home in Detroit. Robinson was promised that the group would help her stay in her home and pay off her mortgage debt, but instead they took ownership of her home and sold it to another buyer. Robinson eventually discovered the fraudulent scheme and became a vocal advocate for other victims of mortgage fraud.
Overall, "Hard-Rocking Fraudster/Refi's in Ruin" highlights the devastating impact that financial fraud can have on individuals and communities. The episode showcases the lengths that some individuals will go to in order to enrich themselves at the expense of others and the importance of holding these individuals accountable for their actions.