Inside Money
Pyramid schemes are a terrible con. They breed misery and ruin lives - and surprisingly, as the first in a new series of the money programme reveals, they're perfectly legal.
Victims put in money and are told they'll soon get an eight-fold increase on their investment. The scheme works as long as there's always a new bottom layer of mugs putting in money. When that layer goes, the whole thing collapses.
Business journalist Lesley Curwen hears from listener Linda Smith whose son-in-law set up a pyramid scheme, convinced he was running a bona fide business. It collapsed within 48 hours.
His house was besieged, he worked day and night to put things right and he ended up in a psychiatric hospital. A strong story, well handled.
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