An 81-Year-Old Florida CEO Just Indicted for a $250 Million Ponzi Scheme Ran a Sprawling Senior Citizen Crime RingCarl Ruderman is the fifth senior citizen in the Miami-Fort-Lauderdale-Palm Beach metropolitan area to face charges in connection with the scam.

ByAmanda Breen•Jul 31, 2023

Ruderman was the CEO at short-term business loan company 1 Global Capital.
1 Global Capital allegedly paid large commissions to unregistered brokers and otherwise misappropriated funds.

It looks like 81-year-old Carl Ruderman, the former CEO of short-term business loan company 1 Global Capital, might be saying goodbye to aluxurious retirement.

Ruderman has been indicted on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud — making him the fifth老年人in the Miami-Fort-Lauderdale-Palm Beach metropolitan area to face the consequences of a $250 million 1 Global Capital fraud scheme,The Miami Heraldreported.

Hallandale Beach-based 1 Global Capital would make short-term, high-interest loans to small businesses while, unbeknownst to investors, the company paid large commissions to brokers (including unregistered ones) and otherwise misappropriated funds, per the outlet.

Prosecutors allege Ruderman used investors' cash to finance travel, insurance payments for his art collection, drivers, housekeepers, mortgage payments and a luxury car for his wife,Miami New Timesreported.

Other key players in the scam, whichspanned dozens of statesand racked up a $50 million cash deficit, include 65-year-old Alan Heide, 1 Global Capital's former CFO; 78-year-old Steven Schwartz, the company's former chief operating officer; 81-year-old attorney Andrew Ledbetter; and 78-year-old attorney Jan Atlas.

Those involved in the sprawling senior citizen crime ring received sentences ranging from eight months to five years in prison and were ordered to pay restitution between $29 million and $148 million, and the two attorneys agreed to disciplinary revocation from the Florida Bar, perThe Miami Herald.

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.