Ken Fisher's investment book can help you avoid financial fraud

Fisher Investments CEO Ken Fisher believes investment fraud is more prevalent than many people realize—a Bernie Madoff or Allen Stanford isn't unique. In fact, Ken Fisher profiled Charles Ponzi in his 1991 book, 100 Minds that Made the Market (re-released from Wiley under the Fisher Investment Series in 2007. Visit Fisher investments Press website for more information.)

There are many, many investment frauds committed across the country (and abroad as well). According to Ken Fisher, investment frauds vary in size and nature, but they inevitably always have a rat behind them and victims at their core. Yet, it's not so easy to spot investment fraud rats just by looking at them—personalities and company operations may appear legitimate on the surface. That's why Ken Fisher encourages investors to do their due diligence on the investment managers they are considering hiring.

So who are some of the investment fraud rats today? It's not hard to find them in headlines when you do a quick scan. And Ken Fisher's book, How to Smell a Rat, can give you the tools to help spot these investment scam artists before it's too late. Here are profiles of some famous and not so famous investment fraudsters and alleged fraudsters (as of 7/16/10).

Name: Bernard Madoff Location: New York Stolen: $65 billion Crime: Massive Ponzi Scheme, securities fraud, investment advisor fraud Story: Click here Name: Arthur Nadel Location: Florida Stolen: $168 million Crime: Ponzi Scheme, securities and wire fraud Story: Click here Name: Shawn Moore Location: Utah Allegedly Stolen: $180 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme, real estate investment scam Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Edward T. Stein Location: New York Stolen: $30 million Crime: Securities and wire fraud Story: Click here Name: David Hernandez Location: Illinois Allegedly Stolen: $11 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Names: Paul Melbye, Brendan Coughlin, Henry Harrison Location: Texas Allegedly Stolen: $485 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Name: Barry Tannenbaum Location: South Africa Allegedly Stolen: $12.5 billion rand ($1.7 billion) Alleged Crime: Ponzi scheme, investment fraud Story: Click here Name: Joel Steinger Location: Florida Allegedly Stolen: $1.25 billion Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Name: Anthony Vassallo Location: California Allegedly Stolen: $40 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Name: Michael Marshall and Gregory Russell Location: Colorado Allegedly Stolen: $9.7million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Name: Gordon Grigg Location: Tennessee Stolen: $10.9 million Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Tamara Lanz Moon Location: California Allegedly Stolen: $850,000 Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Name: Brice Carrington Location: California Stolen: $4 million Crime: Wire fraud, tax evasion Story: Click here Name: Richard Piccoli Location: New York Stolen: $20+ million Crime: Ponzi Scheme, mail fraud, tax violation Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Matthew Weitzman Location: New York Stolen: $7 million Crime: Investment fraud, securities fraud, wire fraud Story: Click here Name: Tom Petters Location: Minnesota Stolen: $3.65 billion Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Donald Chouinard Location: Montana Allegedly Stolen: $1.5 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Paul Knight Location: Tennessee Stolen: $33 million Crime: Ponzi scheme, conspiracy, fraud, money laundering Story: Click here Name: William J. Chaucer Jr. Location: Louisiana Allegedly Stolen: $11 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Richard Elkinson Location: Massachusetts Allegedly Stolen: $29 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi scheme, tax fraud, civil fraud Story: Click here Name: Michael Winans Jr. Location: Michigan Allegedly Stolen: $11 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Name: Ken Starr Location: New York Allegedly Stolen: $30 million Alleged Crime: Wire fraud, investment advisor fraud, money laundering Story: Click here Name: Brion Randall Location: Texas Allegedly Stolen: $6 million Alleged Crime: Mail fraud, bank fraud Story: Click here Name: Scott Rothstein Location: New Jersey Stolen: $1.2 billion Crime: Ponzi Scheme, wire fraud, mail fraud, racketeering, and money laundering Story: Click here

Name: Joseph S. Forte Location: Pennsylvania Stolen: $80 million Crime: Ponzi Scheme, wire, mail and bank fraud, money laundering Story: Click here Name: Allen Stanford Location: Texas Allegedly Stolen: $9 billion Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme, fraud, conspiracy, obstruction Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Daren Palmer Location: Idaho Allegedly Stolen: $68 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme, securities and wire fraud Story: Click here Name: Nicholas Cosmo Location: New York Allegedly Stolen: $400 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Robert C. Brown Location: California Allegedly Stolen: $20 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme, wire, mail and bank fraud, money laundering Story: Click here Name: Bertram Earl Jones Location: Quebec, Canada Allegedly Stolen: C$75 million ($71.9 million) Alleged Crime: Fraud and theft Story: Click here Name: Marc Dreier Location: New York Stolen: $700 million Crime: Conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Anthony Demasi Location: Illinois Stolen: $4.7 million Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: James Ossie Location: Georgia Stolen: $25 million Crime: Ponzi Scheme, wire fraud Story: Click here Name: Corey Ribotsky Location: New York Allegedly Stolen: $770 million Alleged Crime: Investment fraud Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Thomas Lester Irby II Location: Texas Allegedly Stolen: $3.1 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Name: Philip Barry Location: New York Allegedly Stolen: $45 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Name: Frank Bluestein Location: Michigan Allegedly Stolen: $250 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Michael J. Muzio, Ronnie Eugene Bass Jr., Abner Alabre, Brian Taglieri Location: Florida Stolen: $14 million Crime: Ponzi Scheme, fraud Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Michael Riolo Location: Florida Stolen: $44 million Crime: Ponzi Scheme Story: Click here Name: Kenneth Kenitzer Location: California Allegedly Stolen: $40 million Alleged Crime: Mail fraud and money laundering Story: Click here Name: Dennis Bolze Location: Tennessee Stolen: $21 million Crime: Ponzi scheme, wire fraud, money laundering Story: Click here Name: Won Sok Lee Location: Florida Stolen: $194 million Crime: Ponzi scheme Story: Click here Name: Stephen Clifford Location: Louisiana Stolen: $4.3 million Crime: Fraud Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Marcia Sladich Location: New Jersey Stolen: $15 million Crime: Ponzi scheme Story: Click here Name: Nevin Shapiro Location: Florida Allegedly Stolen: $900 million Alleged Crime: Ponzi scheme, securities fraud, money laundering Story: Click here Actual photo unavailable Name: Robert Emmett McDowell Location: New Jersey Stolen: $337,000 Crime: Theft by deception, resisting arrest, stalking, and criminal mischief Story: Click here Name: Travis L Wright Location: Utah Allegedly Stolen: $145 million Alleged Crime: Investments fraud Story: Click here