what a shame... these guys are willing to give up a lifetime of relationships and a good reputation for the cold hard dollar. What's a "reasonable" figure to ruin your name? $20M, $50B??? You know these guys are miserable and won't be able to enjoy their money. (especially once they get caught).
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/18/bolze-victims-speak-out-on-absent-trader/ The latest blurb on Dennis Bolze.
"packing my bags to go on a Christmas vacation." Bwawahahahaha ... this guy is classic ... but at last he was smarter than Bernie.
In the news today...an editorial from his home town newspaper, the Mountain Press. UNWORTHY OF COMPASSION editor@themountainpress.com Jan 20,2009 Those who knew and liked Dennis Bolze were hoping that this was all just a case of bad investments and poor judgment. When when he disappeared, his friends and supporters felt, at least a little bit, that he'd be back with an explanation and an apology to face his accusers and accept his punishment. Those hopes were dashed for good Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Knoxville. The words "Ponzi scheme" were attached to Dennis Bolze's actions, and that seals the deal. A Ponzi scheme, named for the Italian immigrant who first masterminded such a fraud in the early 1900s, essentially means you take what people give you and invest it, then get more money from other people and use that to pay the earlier investments, The thing builds upon itself until it collapses from the weight of the dishonesty. Officials in court Thursday opened called Bolze's actions a Ponzi scheme. Combine that with his refusal to give investors their money when they asked for it, the foreclosures, the lawsuits, the disappearance — well, this guy is a crook, no matter what the courts or a jury have yet to say. It's all sad for those who trusted this man with their money, who loaned it to him or invested it with him because Bolze told them his plan was sound and proven and had worked before. He probably didn't tell them about the sales tax evasion seven years ago that required him to pay back thousands to the state. Or that he didn't have a license to do what he was doing. The bankruptcy judge has named a trustee to protect whatever is left of Bolze's assets so he can't dispose of them and cheat investors even more. Bolze remains a guy on the lam, a coward who flees instead of owning up to his misdeeds and facing the consequences. His actions have intensified the scorn and hatred felt toward him and eroded whatever was left of his support from friends and perhaps even family. He has given up his presumption of innocence. If Dennis Bolze is out there somewhere, he'll be found. Too many people are looking for him. He has no more bridges to burn. He is our Bernie Madoff, a man who, like the New York swindler, lived high and well on other people's money until confronted with is crimes. Madoff didn't run — maybe he didn't have time to do that. Bolze knew what was coming and skipped town. He is unworthy of sympathy or compassion. editor@themountainpress.com
If you look up over the widows watch and across the road from Dennis' house, there was a big gray house in those trees that I and my family lived in. It and everything in it burned to the ground one year ago tomorrow. I got a "sorry for your loss" from Dennis' daughter the day of the fire but never heard anything from Dennis or Kathy. Mutual friends asked me what kind of help Dennis had offered and I just laughed. The people next door to Dennis on the other hand are true philanthropist and never looked for credit like Dennis always did. I'm speaking of Buckberry Creek Lodge. Great people, and no I don't get any benefits from mentioning them. I just feel like they should get some exposure for doing good things when Bolze got all the exposure he did for being a fake and thief. These people put us up the night of the fire and a few more days afterwards until the vacationers were out of our rental chalet we owned on the other side of the mountain. They fed us in their first class restaurant and basically opened their arms to us in our time of need. It's a first class operation if you ever get a chance to visit them. As far as Dennis is concerned, I would guess he is out of the country. But I hope he slips up and has the opportunity to be extradited back to visit with all of his "friends"! That's what a great guy like him deserves.