Uncover the elaborate scheme of an "accountant" who defrauded his own Amish and Mennonite community, exploiting deep-seated trust for personal gain.
This course examines one of the most devastating examples of affinity fraud in recent history through the story of Philip Elvin Real's $60 million Ponzi scheme that targeted Amish and Mennonite communities in Pennsylvania.
Drawing from FBI reports and court documents, participants will explore how Real exploited the deep-seated trust and shared faith within these insular communities over nearly a decade, affecting approximately 400 families who lost their life savings.
Through detailed analysis of Real's "Real Investment Program" and the failed Trickling Springs Creamery, participants will learn to identify the warning signs of affinity fraud, understand the psychological and cultural factors that make certain communities vulnerable to such schemes, and develop strategies to protect clients and organizations from similar fraudulent activities.
This course goes beyond the headlines, offering crucial insights into the mechanisms of affinity fraud, the importance of due diligence, and the profound ethical responsibilities of professionals, particularly when trust is paramount. Learn from the mistakes of the past to safeguard against future vulnerabilities and appreciate the delicate balance between community trust and financial accountability.
Founder of Sheriff Consulting
I am the founder of Sheriff Consulting which specializes in the development and delivery of accounting, auditing and foundational skill courses and workshops. Teaching and working with professionals in diverse and dynamic learning environments has been my passion and experience for over 10 years. As a qualified Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA), I work with finance and accounting professionals in both the U.S. and Canada to meet their training and development needs. My goal has always been to create an engaging and interactive learning environment. To help my own path of continual improvement in achieving this goal, I have also received training and worked as a professional actor. I am a member of ACTRA (the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) and a graduate in improvisation from the Second City Training Centre. http://sheriffconsulting.com/
Co-host of The Fraud Complex Podcast
Josh Sager is a co-host of The Fraud Complex podcast, bringing engaging storytelling and analysis to complex fraud cases. His background in performance and communication helps make intricate financial crimes accessible and memorable for professional audiences.
This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.
If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.
