The Face of Truth

This evening I met with a few of the people cheated by Trevor Cook. There is much more to say than simply these scant few words, and I hope to write more on the subject in the next few days, but I was left with a deep and abiding sorrow. Sorrow at the hurts they've received and sorrow that there is little I can do to help.

Each day in this world many people are born, many others die. There are tragedies in every town, regrets in every community, but one of the most profoundly moving things anyone can do is to take the time to become personally familiar with those who have suffered an injustice. The anguish is palpable in pain evident in the words and visible on the faces of those who've lost much, including unfortunately some of their faith in their fellow men. It was my distinct pleasure to meet and get to know these people and to put real faces, personal experience and real human emotion to what would otherwise have been yet another set of words on a page about a case of fraud resulting in human tragedies.


In coming away from that meeting above all else, I feel a duty to express on their behalf that they were not greedy, not seeking excessive remuneration or to "get rich quickly." In fact, if anything, the reverse was and is true. They simply sought safety for their life's savings in these turbulent times. They put their trust in people with whom they shared a commitment to faith, or so they believed. They were presented apparently fake credentials, seemingly fake trades, and promises of security in opulent settings. Many people trust on much less than they were shown. Many people lost money in the Madoff scandal who were very shrewd money managers. Madoff fooled even the SEC which failed to further investigate Madoff after allegations were made that it wasn't possible for the returns he was promising and showing to have been real.

The point is this, before you assume it might not have been you, that you'd have been more careful. Trust that these were cautious people who did their level best to be careful, who'd not have been involved but for the uncertainty of other market opportunities and who only put forward their money based on the assurances of people whom they trusted. Then, think again about those folks who lost money with Enron, or Global Crossing/MCI, or Merril Lynch, and to be clear, that isn't alleging any of the above companies engaged in anything illegal - but rather that their investors lost money even though they invested in companies they thought were safe. All of those investors, like these folks, simply made the best choice they could at the time. Any of us could have been such a victim, it is only the Grace of God which kept us from being one this time. Perhaps when we question why their are too few investigators, or when we insist that their not be too much government intrusion, we can bring ourselves to remember that prevention is better than cure and to not quibble quite so much about a little tax or a little intrusion to protect our neighbors from those people like Cook who would pose as honest and upright people in order to steal their money and their dreams.

But most of all, when Trevor Cook is sentenced tomorrow, hope that he finds the compassion in his heart to tell the truth, and pray that those who suffer because of his acts may find justice and peace.