GARDINER, Maine — Securities officials say a man who bilked investors in Maine in an energy scam by preying on their religious beliefs has been sentenced to 12 years in jail.
Maine Securities Administrator Judith Shaw said Friday that James Rivera was sentenced in a federal court in California.
Rivera last year was convicted of wire and phone fraud in connection with a scheme that defrauded investors, including several in Maine, out of more than $1 million.
Shaw said Rivera gained investors’ confidence by claiming they could trust him because he shared their religious faith. He operated his schemes under names including Almighty Wind and Apostles Inc.
Peter, Paul and Mary said it best, “When will they ever learn? Oh when will they ever learn?”
Not nearly the same thing as what Carlson did to people who trusted and believed in him, but pretty close. Two people using the name of god and the respect that comes with it in order to benefit themselves for personal and financial gratification.
Churches scam people out of their money all the time, what is the difference? They tell people if you give to the church you will be rewarded and sadly a lot of elderly people on fixed incomes fall for this scam every single month.
Maybe some churches, especially those run by one charismatic leader, but far from all.
Checking credentials should be uppermost in anyone’s mind whether hiring or investing. If one does not do that, then he/she should not be blaming anyone but themselves for their foolish investments.
It seems that Carlson was not even checked out by the church or Husson, or EMMC or the sheriff’s department or anyone else he was associated with. He is still being called “reverend” by the news, but he did not and does not deserve the distinction. It should be questioned as to how he was able to get PCHC money so quickly and the organization so distinctive. How was it accomplished at the federal level?