American Scammers

The biggest, most audacious scams and the infamous masterminds behind them.

Curated byNuwan Piyasena, Hark Contributor

5 CLIPS32 MINS

Clip 1 of 5

Paul le Roux and Rx Limited

Before becoming a global drug kingpin, computer engineer Paul le Roux founded an illegal online prescription company called Rx Limited, contributing to America's opioid crisis and netting millions along the way. From Reply All.

Reply All

6 MINS

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Bernie Madoff and the Largest Ponzi Scheme in History

Bernie Madoff and his associate Frank Pascali conned investors out of almost $65 billion in what would turn out to be the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Reporter Steve Fishman describes how it all came crumbling down. From Ponzi Supernova.

Bernie Madoff and the Largest Ponzi Scheme in History

Ponzi Supernova

7 MINS

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Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos

With a $9 billion valuation at its peak, Theranos was billed as the future of health, able to run 200 tests with a single drop of blood. But, it never worked, and many patients were left with confusing and frightening test results. From The Drop Out.

The Dropout

5 MINS

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Billy McFarland and the Fyre Festival Fraud

Plagued by mismanagement and fraud, by its founder Billy McFarland, Fyre Festival staff received multiple warnings that it would not be ready in time. McFarland went ahead anyway in one of the biggest disasters in music history. From Swindled.

Billy McFarland and the Fyre Festival Fraud

Swindled

7 MINS

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Fake Socialite and New York Scam Artist Anna Delvey

In 2017, fake socialite Anna Delvey also known as Anna Sorokin, was arrested on six counts of grand larceny for scamming wealthy friends and New York businesses out of nearly $275,000. From Illegal Tender.

Fake Socialite and New York Scam Artist Anna Delvey

Illegal Tender