The Perfect Scam
The Perfect Scam
AARP
Bad Neighbor: The Man Who Defrauded a Small Town, Part 2
46 minutes Posted Oct 16, 2026 at 4:01 am.
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In part two, residents of the upstate New York hamlet of Hamilton learn of a financial scandal that touches nearly every corner of the community. Burt Marshall offers investment accounts that promise 8% interest, and he's been paying the interest for years. But when his house of cards suddenly comes crashing down, it exposes a Ponzi scheme so widespread that it ensnared not only individuals, but institutions ranging from the local fire department to the cemetery. All the while, Marshall carries on as if nothing has changed, still biking through town daily and living comfortably in his five-bedroom Victorian home in the town center. His crimes, however, soon attract the attention of the New York attorney general.