Our approach

The evidence
guides the story.

Fraud cases involve real people, real losses, and records that do not always tell a simple story. Precision matters.

Start with the record

Primary records provide the foundation: court decisions, charging documents, regulatory filings, official reports, and contemporary records. Reporting and historical accounts add context, with their limitations made clear.

Keep legal outcomes distinct

An allegation is not a finding. A settlement is not automatically an admission. A conviction, appeal, reversal, or pardon must be described in its proper context. Articles carry a review date because the record can change.

Explain what the numbers mean

Money raised, investor losses, restitution, and forfeiture measure different things. We identify the measure and its source rather than treating every large dollar amount as interchangeable.

Respect the people

The series does not invent dialogue, private thoughts, motives, or scenes. It explains the circumstances that made a promise persuasive without treating victims as scenery or assuming they should have known better.

Show the sources

Companion articles include links to their supporting records. Historical images, when used, carry source and rights information. Cover artwork and decorative imagery are not presented as evidence from a case.

Make corrections possible

If you find an error or a later development, send the page or book title, the passage, and a supporting record. A specific citation helps us evaluate the issue and correct the relevant account.