Investment Fraud Focus of New Documentary

Scammed: Investment Fraud Revealed in Powerful New Documentary

Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson has produced a powerful new documentary in a partnership with WFYI featuring the stories of Hoosier victims who have lost everything to investment fraud. From Wall Street to Main Street in cities and towns across Indiana anyone with money to invest is vulnerable to financial fraud.  Business professionals we thought were trustworthy sometimes lie, cheat, and steal for their own personal gain. 

This documentary, Scammed: Investment Fraud Revealed, highlights criminal cases in which fraudsters bilked Hoosiers out of millions of dollars. The film shows how investors were scammed by deals that sounded too good to be true or by sharing an affinity with the perpetrator.  Viewers will hear how the scams unraveled, learn from past mistakes, and discover how to prevent future financial fraud through education and recognizing warning signs.

In watching Scammed, viewers will experience these cases through the eyes of the victims who lost their hard-earned savings, and hear from Indiana Secretary of State staff who worked tirelessly to bring the fraudsters to justice.

“Our goal is to show that investment fraud happens right here in our own backyard, not just in New York and to people with millions to invest,” said Secretary Lawson. “I travel the state telling people about the investment fraud cases that come into our office, but hearing these stories from the victims themselves has a powerful impact. Going forward, we will use this film to educate Hoosiers across the state.”

Scammed premieres on Thursday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. on WFYI 1. It is also scheduled for rebroadcast at the following dates/times:

WFYI 1                Thursday, June 30 at 5:00am
WFYI 1                Friday, July 1 at 5:00am
WFYI 1                Wednesday, July 13 at 5:00am
WFYI 3                Thursday, July 21 at 8:00 pm                  
WFYI 3                Saturday, July 23 at 10:30 pm                  

The film is also available online here.

The documentary is funded by a grant from the Investor Protection Trust (IPT). The IPT is a nonprofit organization devoted to investor education.