Suspected embezzler dead or on the run?

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Georgia bank director and ordain minister -- -- price wants everyone to think.

He's dead at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.

But investigators say could be almost anywhere with seventeen million dollars.

They say he stole from his investors Scott Truby is a reporter with the Atlanta journal constitution.

He joins us now Scott thanks for being with us this -- My blood -- are right.

Can you tell us you know the money is missing so is -- what's going on here.

Well.

The route he was last seen boarding a -- Key West and as a so that was when he was last seen and -- he left an indication that he might -- that jump to the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.

But authorities have seem to believe he's alive and say maybe traveling South America.

All right and on that what he was in Georgia I mean you've done you know in depth investigation.

What was his reputation.

In the community.

Is very high reputation I mean he I was a Baptist minister.

Helps found churches.

He uses Christian -- to.

Convince people to invest with him.

And he would take investors with him to South America to an orphanage there in Venezuela he would take them to see investments that he had.

-- there -- real statement as well.

People love them people trusted him.

-- right and and it seems that he moved his family from Florida to Georgia just weeks before he disappeared.

Bob -- what what is the thinking in Atlanta about that.

Well he he -- to Valdosta -- house in Valdosta.

His wife hasn't returned my phone calls and as far as and hasn't returned any the investors on calls either.

They kind of got off the grid so to speak and rather than not being is that you know it was kind of an odd move because he moved from a very you know fluent area.

To kind of a small Georgia town that that is not as a fluent they mitigate a community there that it was somewhat of a puzzle and then -- what.

All there is some would say that that move suggested that he knew that he was going to be leaving.

And wanted his wife and their children to be closer to his wife's family who apparently is located there.

Anyway Scott thanks so much for being with us this evening.

My pleasure thank you are right and -- me now is Wendy cross.

Who was swindled out of over 300000.

Dollars by Audrey -- reprise and from Atlanta.

Aaron -- and who was the assistant regional director of the security and exchange commission.

All right Wendy thanks for being with us welcome you invested close to 300000 dollars wind or relieve price.

In your life savings -- I originally.

Had -- aid financial advisors that I meant when I was at Bank of America.

And I had invested with him over the last nine years on and off.

And he introduced me to me price.

And became an associate of wheat prices and that's how I ended up giving my money over to them okay so you did based upon someone making some and he trusted making that reference.

Absolutely -- all right and what was your take on price.

You know IE when I met with him.

I thought that he was this very kind it he was very soft spoken.

There was a gentleness about him and that.

You know obviously.

You know made me think that you know he was he was a very religious guy is an ordained minister well I didn't know that because I think if I'd known that he was Baptist minister probably wouldn't have given all of my money our blog article carefully.

When you first realize that something was wrong -- any spending red flags that went out bill I didn't realize until.

June 27.

When I called to get some money out because I was going to be making an investment in a restaurant in Atlanta.

And when I called.

Nobody was returning my calls.

I called his cell phone and it was you know the Verizon Wireless callers no longer available.

-- how did you feel when that happened -- I mean I was I was panicky I was picking because I think I knew something was terribly terribly wrong.

And what I knew what it was all over when I called the office number and some guy answers the phone we have another company.

That I never heard of and he says.

You know.

We price sold us this company a month and a half ago.

Has anybody offered to reimburse you or give you the money that's that you invested with him.

No no nothing do -- get money back.

Aren't I'm gonna go to Aaron -- and all re an assistant regional director for the SEC.

Aaron -- that thanks for being with us this evening can you tell us what the -- is found out from your investigation.

And what complaints are being filed against -- are really at this point.

Certainly judge early last week we were in federal court in Atlanta.

And -- able to obtain an emergency order freezing all mr.

prices assets.

As well as freezing all of its corporate entities assets so our first step in any case like this is -- as fast as we can.

Locked down all the assets and all of the investor proceeds.

So that to the extent mr.

price or anyone else has continued access to these funds other not further dissipated.

And when you say that you've frozen his assets can you tell us how much.

That you've been able to freeze at this point and we were talking about seventeen million or or 23 million.

That's disappear.

The in -- the allegations in the complaint we filed was that mr.

price.

Raised approximately forty million dollars apparently a hundred investors right that's it's it's a large figure absolutely how much of -- -- runs unfortunately at this point in time it would be detrimental to the investigation.

To reveal certain of those details.

But as we proceed and work with the court agent to try to recover assets from the -- are very legitimate outrage here -- just think that the victims in this case we'll get any of their money back.

We're gonna do our best efforts to work with the court agent to get as much back for investors as we can when you think that -- -- in this case we'll get some money back yes and out.

That's our -- But -- answer -- right Aaron and Wendy thanks so much for being with us and of course anyone with information.

About prices whereabouts should call the Atlanta office of the FBI.

At 4046799000.

Or the -- those county sheriff's office at 2296712985.

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