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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAn Indianapolis businessman who was accused of taking part in a Ponzi-like scheme that robbed numerous investors of their retirement savings has been convicted of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, federal authorities announced Monday.
George R. McKown, 70, was convicted Friday after a five-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge Philip Simon in Hammond, Indiana.
McKown and Richard E. Gearhart of Lowell, Indiana, sold securities to individuals who transferred their traditional individual retirement accounts, pensions, annuities, 401(k)s, and cash to Asset Preservation Specialists, a company controlled by Gearhart and McKown.
McKown and Gearhart promised investors returns of 6% to 8% and ensured liquidity. They also provided investors a fraudulent monthly statement showing positive returns even though they were losing money. Without the investors’ knowledge or consent, McKown and Gearhart used investors’ money to fund ventures in which both had an interest.
The pair also used money from investors to repay other clients to keep them from getting suspicious.
Authorities say the loss to at least 25 individual who made investments from 2008 to 2013 was more than $5 million. Many of the victims learned that they had lost their savings in 2013 when Gearhart filed for bankruptcy, listing them as creditors rather than investors. Authorities said all of the victims were between 50 and 90 years old when they began giving their assets to McKown and Gearhart.
In July, Gearhart pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay more than $5.3 million in restitution.
McKown’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 8.
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5 years is much too short for someone whose greed sent trusting folks into a life of poverty and government dependency. A lifetime sentence would be better.
Completely agree Jerry. They should both get 20 years or more.
Didn’t the Enron CFO only get 6 years?
I agree with Jerry. If someone robs a bank and gets caught stealing $5,000 (with just a note and no weapon) would end up with more jail time.
You have to wonder if their is any chance of collecting the $5mil in restitution as well as will that go to the people that lost their money. If I was a judge giving short sentence like this it would only be done with the likelihood of the victims getting their lost money back.
When will these people realize the Federal Reserve is the only ponzi scheme the Federal Government supports.