{"id":375696,"date":"2016-03-31T21:36:20","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:36:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/ohio-law\/ohio-pyramid-and-ponzi-scheme-laws.html"},"modified":"2016-06-20T23:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T04:00:00","slug":"ohio-pyramid-and-ponzi-scheme-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/ohio-law\/ohio-pyramid-and-ponzi-scheme-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Ohio Pyramid and Ponzi Scheme Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Ohio Pyramid and Ponzi Scheme Laws<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    <p><i>Created by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw&#8217;s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n                | Last reviewed\n        <time>\n                            June 20, 2016\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n<p>In Ohio, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/fraud-financial-crimes.html\">investment fraud<\/a> can happen in a number of ways. Two of the most prevalent scams are &quot;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/pyramid-schemes.html\">Pyramid<\/a>&quot; and &quot;<a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/ponzi-scheme.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ponzi<\/a>&quot; schemes.<\/p>\r\n<p>Pyramid sales plans operate like giant chain letters. Participants pay to join, then recruit others in order to profit from the new recruits&#8217; fees. Although there may be some profit for the handful of people who join at the beginning, the remaining investors inevitably lose all their money.<\/p>\r\n<p>A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to investors from their own money or money paid by later investors rather than from actual earned revenue.<\/p>\r\n<p>Ohio prohibits these type of activities under the following laws:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Ohio&#8217;s Anti-Pyramid Sales Act (1974).<\/li>\r\n<li><div><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/codes.ohio.gov\/orc\/1334\" rel=\"noopener\">Business Opportunity Purchaser&#8217;s Protection Act<\/a> (1979)<\/div>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>Ohio fraud laws and white collar crime laws<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Here is a brief overview of how Ohio state combats pyramid and Ponzi schemes to protect consumers through laws such as the Anti-Pyramid Sales Act (1974).<\/p>\r\n<p>See <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/white-collar-crime.html\">White Collar Crimes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/fraud-financial-crimes.html\">Financial Crimes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/securities-fraud.html\">Securities Fraud<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/wire-fraud.html\">Wire Fraud<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/property-crimes.html\">Property Crimes<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\r\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"7\" border=\"1\">\r\n<tbody><tr><td><b>Code Section<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td><b>Anti-Pyramid Sales Act<\/b>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/codes.ohio.gov\/orc\/1333.91\" rel=\"noopener\">Ohio Revised Code 1333.91<\/a>, et seq.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><tr><td><b>Nicknames<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td>Pyramid nicknames: &quot;Pyramid sales plan or program&quot;<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><tr><td><b>What is Prohibited<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td><p><b>Pyramid Scheme<\/b> : A pyramid sales plan is any scheme, whereby a person pays money or some other financial benefit for the chance or opportunity to receive compensation, regardless of whether he also receives other rights or property,<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Ponzi Scheme<\/b> : A swindle in which a quick return, made up of money from new investors, on an initial investment lures the victim into much bigger risks.Generally prosecuted as a federal crime, but can be prosecuted as state-crime under fraud and other state statutes.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><tr><td><b>Type of Crime<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-law-basics\/felonies.html\">Felony<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-law-basics\/misdemeanors.html\">Misdemeanor<\/a>-varies on nature of the crime<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><tr><td><b>Who Enforces\/Prosecutes the Law?<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov\/Individuals-and-Families\/Consumers\/Laws-Protecting-Consumers#Anti-Pyramid_Sales_Act\" rel=\"noopener\">Ohio Attorney General Consumer Protection Division<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr><tr><td><b>Punishment<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td>State prison or county jail, probation, fines, restitution to victim, community service, injunction\/restraining order, revocation of business license, freezing business assets.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\r\n<p>There are several federal protections that may be available to you. To learn more about federal consumer protection laws, contact the following agencies:<\/p>\r\n<ul class=\"noindent\">\r\n<li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/consumer.ftc.gov\/articles\/multi-level-marketing-businesses-pyramid-schemes#pyramid\" rel=\"noopener\">Federal Trade Commission<\/a> (FTC)<\/li>\r\n<li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.sec.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission<\/a> (SEC)<\/li>\r\n<li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/about.usps.com\/publications\/pub300a\/pub300a_tech_024.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">U.S. Postal Service<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fincen.gov\/financial-fraud-enforcement-task-force-ffetf\" rel=\"noopener\">Financial Fraud Enforcement Taskforce<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/criminal-fraud\" rel=\"noopener\">US Attorney<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>State laws are constantly changing &#8212; please contact a local <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/consumer-protection\/ohio\/\" rel=\"noopener\">consumer protection attorney<\/a> or a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/criminal-law\/ohio\/\" rel=\"noopener\">criminal defense attorney<\/a> who can help you better understand the current Ohio laws.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n           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<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Ohio, investment fraud can happen in a number of ways. Two of the most prevalent scams are &#8220;Pyramid&#8221; and &#8220;Ponzi&#8221; schemes.<\/p>\n<p>Pyramid sales plans operate like giant chain letters. Participants pay to join, then recruit others in order to profit from the new recruits&#8217; fees. Although there may be some profit for the handful of people who join at the beginning, the remaining investors inevitably lose all their money.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":375586,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2743],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[3304,3302],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-375696","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-state","state_laws_tags-statelaws_36_11","state_laws_tags-statelaws_36_1"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/375696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=375696"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/375696\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/375586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=375696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=375696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=375696"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=375696"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=375696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}