| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Recent 'My Story' Profiles |
| Row 1 - Cell 0 | 2008 'My Story Collections |
| Row 2 - Cell 0 | 2007 'My Story Collections |
How much money did you invest? Being conservative New Englanders, we got in slowly. Our first investment was $15,000, in a small project in 1997. We continued to invest in larger and larger projects over the next seven years. All told, we invested $593,000 and lost more than $332,000.
When did you realize something was wrong? We were in Texas awaiting a stem-cell transplant for Peggy in 2005 when a check the company sent us bounced. The company, which was headed by a man named Ulric Sweesy, sent us a good check when we called them; but the next check bounced as well, and no more checks ever arrived.
Have you seen any justice? We were finally connected to the Texas State Securities Board and helped them build a case against Sweesy. He was eventually arrested in Las Vegas and sentenced in 2008 to 20 years in prison for committing fraud. He was a thief, pure and simple. Besides the emotional toll it took on us, we felt guilty because Sam got his mother and cousin to invest. They lost nearly $200,000.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Could you have done anything differently? We thought we were betting on gas and oil prices, which we were convinced would climb. What we were really betting on was this man's character. We tried to prepare. We did the best we could.
How are you doing financially? We're very grateful to have terrific insurance, which covers Peggy's cancer treatments. So we've been able to keep our heads above water.
-
9 Types of Insurance You Don't NeedFinancial Planning If you're paying for these types of insurance, you may be wasting your money. Here's what you need to know.
-
Are You Putting Yourself Last? The Cost Could Be Your RetirementIf you're part of the sandwich generation, it's critical that you don't let the needs of your aging parents come at the expense of your future.
-
Time to Prepare for Disasters Like They Could Happen to YouYou can no longer have the mindset that "that won't happen here." Because it absolutely could. As we head into 2026, consider making a disaster plan.
-
Best Banks for High-Net-Worth Clientswealth management These banks welcome customers who keep high balances in deposit and investment accounts, showering them with fee breaks and access to financial-planning services.
-
Stock Market Holidays in 2025 and 2026: NYSE, NASDAQ and Wall Street HolidaysMarkets When are the stock market holidays? Here, we look at which days the NYSE, Nasdaq and bond markets are off in 2025 and 2026.
-
Stock Market Trading Hours: What Time Is the Stock Market Open Today?Markets When does the market open? While the stock market has regular hours, trading doesn't necessarily stop when the major exchanges close.
-
Bogleheads Stay the CourseBears and market volatility don’t scare these die-hard Vanguard investors.
-
The Current I-Bond Rate Is Mildly Attractive. Here's Why.Investing for Income The current I-bond rate is active until April 2026 and presents an attractive value, if not as attractive as in the recent past.
-
What Are I-Bonds? Inflation Made Them Popular. What Now?savings bonds Inflation has made Series I savings bonds, known as I-bonds, enormously popular with risk-averse investors. How do they work?
-
Kim Kardashian's $1.3 Million Crypto Fine Is a Warning to InvestorsKim Kardashian didn't tell her instagram audience she was paid to promote a crypto token. Now, she'll pay a hefty fine.
-
This New Sustainable ETF’s Pitch? Give Back Profits.investing Newday’s ETF partners with UNICEF and other groups.
