Brothers scammed, lose thousands of dollars

Its a lesson any potential investor needs to keep in mind: If someone promises you a high guaranteed return with no risk, run the other way.

"I've lost sleep and can't get it out of mind," said Jim Taylor, who was scammed along with this brother, Pat.

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"Knowing there are people in this country willing to say or do anything because they are too lazy to get an honest job," added Pat.

The two brothers, bonded by blood, are now bonded by a scheme that cost both of them more than $100,000 each.

Jim learned about an investment involving the buying and selling of foreign currency and told his brother pat about it.

"I had already lost some money in the stock market… if I had not lost that money in 2008 I might not have been as anxious to get into something like this but I was looking for an opportunity to make back some of the money my wife and I lost," explained Pat.

The brothers were lured in by a man who claimed to be a Christian, like them, so they felt they could trust him.

"He was very adamant about the fact that he wanted to only work with Christian people that he would not take non-Christians as clients," said Pat.

"He suckered people in that way and got them to believe that money they put in they would get a 10-13% return guaranteed with no risk at all," said Amanda McMurrey, US Postal Inspector.

Postal Inspectors say there were more than 80 victims and over $50 million in losses.  Their advice:

"If you don't understand how the investment works that might not be the investment for you. A guaranteed return is a guaranteed loss because all investments are risky," said McMurrey.

Jim says his biggest regret was dragging his brother into the scam.

"I brought him in and threw his money away and that matters worse, Not only did I lose my money, I lost his, " said Jim.

"I don't hold him to blame in any way shape or form," said Pat.

The mastermind behind the scheme pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $15 million in restitution to the victims.


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