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American Greed

ALL NEW Episodes Thursdays at 10p ET/PT

Greedy Groovy Guru/Doomsday Profit
Lydia Cladek, a New Age evangelist becomes a greedy, groovy, guru telling Florida investors that positive thinking can lead to positive returns in her auto financing business. But this false prophet is returning nothing but false profits in her $113 million scam. And, civilization is on the verge of collapse, Ronnie Gene Wilson tells his followers, and the only path to a secure future is paved with investment in precious metals. But for a guy who predicts the imminent demise of the dollar, this South Carolinian certainly seems greedy for greenbacks.

Greedy Groovy Guru/Doomsday Profit

Lydia Cladek, a New Age evangelist becomes a greedy, groovy, guru telling Florida investors that positive thinking can lead to positive returns in her auto financing business. But this false prophet is returning nothing but false profits in her $113 million scam. She draws in some 2000 victims but when the F.B.I. finds out about Cladek's scam, this greedster doesn't have a prayer. And, civilization is on the verge of collapse, Ronnie Gene Wilson tells his followers. The only path to a secure future is paved with investment in precious metals. But for a guy who predicts the imminent demise of the dollar, this South Carolinian certainly seems greedy for greenbacks. He takes in $93 million. Over time, investors realize that Wilson isn't investing their money in metal, but using it to build a luxurious doomsday bunker complete with an organic farm.

Episode 78: Greedy Groovy Guru/Doomsday Profit

  • U.S. Hero Scammed  Thursday, 13 Jun 2013 | 12:00 AM ET

    When Staff Sergeant Kevin Crowell returns from Iraq, he struggles to deal with getting back to everyday life.

  • Silver Salvation  Thursday, 13 Jun 2013 | 12:00 AM ET

    Fraudster Ron Wilson is a trusted member of his South Carolina community where he serves as a County Councilman, and a silver dealer.

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 American Greed

 

  • "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

  • 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 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.

  • 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

  • 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."

Most Popular Video

Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 12:01 PM ET

The Federal Reserve won't change course on quantitative easing this week, Steve Weiss of Short Hills Capital says.

Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 7:10 AM ET

An airline passenger records a Chinese cargo handler as he tosses boxes of something on to and off of a conveyor belt for shipment. Hopefully, the cargo was packed well.

Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 9:33 AM ET

Plans to take PC maker Dell private by leveraging the company's balance sheet are misguided, CNBC's Jim Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street" Tuesday, because the company is facing lower margins and an increased competition from rival Hewlett Packard.