Jamie Dimon, Marc Rowan, Unitarian Church Members - Should Fraud Victims Receive Compassion?

 In the sentencing of wunderkind fraudster Charlie Javice federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein didn't have sympathy for the victims of her cleverness. Among them were JP Morgan which had bought her startup Frank for $175 million and over at Apollo Marc Rowan who had personally invested in that startup. Those smartest kids in the room turned out to be, well, fools. Part of their "stupidity" was not using adequate due diligence. 

Overall being duped seems to be rooted in the age-old Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Those in the money game likely didn't want to be outfoxed by high-powered competitors and they wound up being just that by a scheming 20-something.

It was a different situation at the First Unitarian Church in Toledo, Ohio last Sunday. Rev. Tim Barger delivered a sermon of compassion for the members duped by emails requesting funds. He framed that essentially as people being generous who assumed they were doing the right thing. In addition, he educated the congregation on how not to become victims in the future. That is, the red flags in that kind of digital fraud.

Whatever the attitude of others toward those who had lost money to deception there's the internal cringe of the victims. I know. It was only once that I was separated from my money. The amount was peanuts: 12 bucks. But my shock and sense of self-loathing were intense. I contacted the FBI. Like Judge Hellerstein they were not sympathetic. 

Returning to other smartest kids in the room - law firm leaders at Paul, Weiss, Kirkland & Ellis, Skadden and more - were they victims of an illegal scheme when confronted with Executive Orders which they feared could close down their businesses? Are they "worthy" of compassion? Those of us who have run businesses understand the terror when the enterprises are threatened. A hard-nosed street kid from pre-gentrified Jersey City, even I "felt" for some of them. 

On the other hand, fraud can be comic. In medieval times Chaucer gave us the Pardoner in "The Canterbury Tales." That rascal sold indulgences which guaranteed that sins would be forgiven and there would be a safe passage to heaven. 

In coaching I warn job searchers of red flags in the process. For example, is a business simply trying to pick their minds for ideas, not having the intent of hiring?

Thrown off your game, maybe the first time since you started working? You made all the right moves and then the world moved in another direction.

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