Eward Purvis accused of running Ponzi scheme
Edward Purvis, the man who promised churchgoing investors in Arizona and 12 other states he could make them wealthy while funding Christian causes, was indicted Friday on 43 counts of fraud and theft.
Authorities accuse the 40-year-old Chandler man of operating a multimillion Ponzi-scheme through Nakami Chi Group Ministries International.
“These are very serious charges,” Arizona said Friday. “Several hundred years (of prison) are in the offing.”
The indictment comes on the heels of an $11 million restitution order imposed last month on Purvis and his partner Gregg Wolfe and their wives by the , which regulates the sale of securities in the state.
Authorities said that while Purvis promised investors 24 percent annual returns, Purvis was dipping into their money to buy cars and jewelry, to make a down payment on an $800,000 home and to pay gambling debts and other personal expenses.
A Ponzi, or pyramid, scheme is an investment scam that uses money from new investors to pay old investors. Nakami’s investors included at least one pastor, church elders and members of Chandler Christian Church and Vineyard Church in Avondale, many of whom continue to defend Purvis and Wolfe.
Purvis and Wolfe told investors that their company was worth $170 billion and it controlled assets around the world, including gold mines, Australian developments, telecom firms, banks and a technology company.
An Arizona Republic investigation in 2006 raised questions about the size and holdings of Nakami, which used a Scottsdale post-office box as its company business address.
State records showed Purvis was a licensed practical nurse and Wolfe is a former roofing contractor. Records also show Purvis and Wolfe do not have licenses to be brokers, lenders or bankers.
Goddard said his office takes fraud cases very seriously and compared Purvis to some of the worst offenders for his aggressive style of marketing.
“These people act without conscience and their victims are often the aged who invest on trust rather than knowledge,” Goddard said, adding that fraud destroys lives no differently than other crimes.
[…]
See Also
• Fraudsters who targeted churchgoers sanctioned; ordered to pay $11 million in restitution (article)
• You Won, Now Give It Back: How Ponzi schemes work (article)
• Ponzi’s Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend
(book)
• You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man: How Ponzi Schemes and Pyramid Frauds Work… and Why They’re More Common Than Ever (book)
• Religion-based scams take Lord’s name in gain (article)
• Affinity Fraud: How To Avoid Investment Scams That Target Groups U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (article)