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 children, this couple had gone ahead and given Bates' business a half-million dollars of their investment funds. They bought gold from FAMC. And to this day, they have not received any.
These people ever received only a few coins of what they bought. It's true that they had asked FAMC to store their metals for them. But why can't FAMC produce those metals now?
The other story is of a lady who takes care of her quadriplegic boy. He was granted a large sum of money as compensation for a life-altering accident. Although they sent Larry Bates several hundred thousand dollars as far back as the year 2008, they never got any metals.
The total value of these two scams alone, comes to about $4 million.
It's quite obvious that the entire business of FAMC is comparable to the Ponzi scheme run by Bernie Madoff. Customers have been ripped off in many ways. The biggest lie was that this was a Christian financial service, a company that should be considered trustworthy.
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.
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 children, this couple had gone ahead and given Bates' business a half-million dollars of their investment funds. They bought gold from FAMC. And to this day, they have not received any.
These people ever received only a few coins of what they bought. It's true that they had asked FAMC to store their metals for them. But why can't FAMC produce those metals now?
The other story is of a lady who takes care of her quadriplegic boy. He was granted a large sum of money as compensation for a life-altering accident. Although they sent Larry Bates several hundred thousand dollars as far back as the year 2008, they never got any metals.
The total value of these two scams alone, comes to about $4 million.
It's quite obvious that the entire business of FAMC is comparable to the Ponzi scheme run by Bernie Madoff. Customers have been ripped off in many ways. The biggest lie was that this was a Christian financial service, a company that should be considered trustworthy.
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:
Learn more about precious metal investing. Stop by Anne Trimble's site where you can find out all about gold and silver and what it can do for you.