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American Greed

NEW Episode This Thursday at 10p ET/PT

Wild West Rip-Off
A charismatic New Mexico real estate broker scams $75 million in a fake land investment program and then pleads for money to pay for his criminal defense on TV.

On the next "American Greed": Wild West Rip-Off: With a 30 year career in real estate, many thought broker Doug Vaughan was a man to be trusted. His charisma helped make him a fortune in New Mexico real estate. But it was all lies. He funded his luxurious living using investors' money to the tune of $75 million, who thought they were getting in on his guaranteed money making investments. When Vaughan ran out of investors and their money, investigators stepped in with undercover recorders to catch his investment pitch on tape and arrest him. He even went on TV in search of new money to pay for his criminal defense.


EPISODE 72: Wild West Rip-Off - Web Exclusives

  • Living the High Life  Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 12:00 AM ET

    Doug Vaughan appears to be swimming in money. KOB-TV anchor Tom Joles, FBI special agent David Backlund, former employee Wayne Unze, and former investors Tommy Hightower and Philip Dugan discuss Vaughan's lavish lifestyle that made his business appear legitimate.

  • Business Model for Success?  Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 12:00 AM ET

    By all appearances Doug Vaughan's business is doing "quite well." Investigators explain how Vaughan kept his investors in the dark.

  • Small Investment No Return  Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 12:00 AM ET

    F.B.I. Special Agent David Backlund describes how Vaughan chose specific people to pay back in order to keep the fraud going.

  • Vaughan Targets a Man with Dementia   Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 12:00 AM ET

    F.B.I. Special Agent David Backlund tells how Doug Vaughan takes advantage of an investors¿ deteriorating mental condition to take more of his money.

  • Brought to Justice Monday, 1 Apr 2013 | 10:04 AM ET

    Read Doug Vaughn’s Indictment

  • Plea Deal Monday, 1 Apr 2013 | 12:13 PM ET

    Read Doug Vaughan’s Plea Agreement

Who's Watching American Greed: LaMichael James

  • Who's Watching American Greed: LaMichael James  Friday, 1 Feb 2013 | 12:00 AM ET

    CNBC sports business reporter Brian Shactman catches up to San Francisco 49er's running back LaMichael James in New Orleans on the eve of the Super Bowl, and the subject is his favorite show.

Contact

  • Do you have a story of American Greed?
    Email: americangreed@nbcuni.com

  • Showtimes

    ALL NEW #72 Wild West Rip-Off
    Thursday, April 4th 10p | 1a ET
    #72 Wild West Rip-Off
    Friday, April 5th 10p ET
    #72 Wild West Rip-Off
    Sunday, April 7th 1a ET
    Looking for more of your favorite American Greed episodes? View the CNBC Schedule

  • "American Greed" is narrated by Stacy Keach. The award-winning actor of stage, film and television is well-known for his portrayals of Detective Mike Hammer and Ernest Hemingway, for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe.

Slideshows

  • When Greed Turns Deadly
    Greed comes in all shapes and sizes, but it takes a special kind of greed to kill someone for money. Here, we’ve assembled some of the most notorious, notable and nasty cases, proving that some people really will do anything for money … even kill.

    We’ve assembled some of the most notorious, notable and nasty cases, proving that some people really will do anything for money… even kill.

  • A Rogues' Gallery of Homes
    A man’s home is his castle, and that’s particularly true for men who have been convicted of swindling others out of their money or other crimes. They’re often decked out with the best that other people’s money can buy – stunning in their sheer size and grandiosity. Other homes are surprising for just how common they are, but in the end, these spreads all have crime in common. Click ahead to see the homes of some of the country’s most infamous criminals.

    A man’s home is his castle, and that’s particularly true for men who have been convicted of swindling others out of their money or other crimes.

  • Wall Street Jailbirds
    The term financial fraud usually brings to mind names like Bernie Madoff, Raj Rajaratnam and Allen Stanford, to name a few. All three men are now doing time in prison for their respective crimes. is serving 150 years for his $50 billion Ponzi scheme. found guilty of insider trading charges, was sentenced to 11 years behind bars. received a 110 year sentence for his $7 billion Ponzi scheme. However, these notorious cases are far from the only ones involving financial crimes. From money managers w

    While not every one of these Wall Street jailbirds had offices in downtown Manhattan, they all dealt in the financial world. Click ahead to see those who have traded in their pinstripes for prison stripes.

Anything For Money

  • Anything For Money 

    Some people think it's funny, they'll do anything for money. That's what CNBC's American Greed narrator Stacy Keach sings in the song he wrote the lyrics to called, appropriately, "Anything For Money."