Tim Durham seeks freedom and his victims lash out

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It’s known as one the biggest monetary scams in Indiana historical past. The person on the heart of the $200M scheme, Tim Durham, needs out of federal jail. 

That story has now sparked outrage amongst lots of his 5,000 victims. Now they’re reaching out to I-Staff 8.

Tim Durham and his companions cheated greater than 5,000 traders. Lots of them misplaced their whole life financial savings.

Don Russell and household misplaced $470,000 to Durham, and to say he’s bitter can be an understatement.  

“I hope you rot in jail my pal. I say you took my mom and also you don’t perceive that,” Russell mentioned. 

 Don Russell contacted me after our story final week about Tim Durham. 

Russell instructed me his mom died 29 days after the FBI raided Durham’s Truthful Monetary workplaces in Ohio. His 82-year-old mom had $125,000 with Durham. It was her life’s financial savings.  

“She type of went out of her thoughts just a little bit and mentioned ‘oh my cash, my cash’. She simply couldn’t take care of it as a result of it was all she had you recognize,” Russell mentioned.

The lack of his mom’s cash weighs heavy on Russell. He mentioned he suggested his mom to spend money on Truthful Monetary. On the time, the corporate had a 9% fee of return and a strong popularity.  

“However then she misplaced all of it you recognize. It was devastating to look at her undergo this. She simply had no will to reside after this occurred,” Russell mentioned. 

In accordance with federal prosecutors, Durham and his companions used the corporate to fund a lavish life-style of quick vehicles and large homes. In accordance with the Indiana Election Division, Durham donated greater than $750,000 to Indiana republican campaigns. The cash purchased affect and a seat on the desk with a quick crowd. Russell and his spouse misplaced $350,000, and the lack of that cash is consuming him alive. 

“I can be so consumed by one thing for therefore lengthy, like I mentioned, by not turning lack of it. It has affected my well being. I used to be wholesome for lots of years, I ran and had been figuring out. I’m on the level now the place I can hardly stroll throughout the room with out being out of breath, and I attribute all of this to him. I want to thanks very a lot Tim for actually affecting my world,” Russell mentioned. 

He instructed me this morning his household has recovered lower than $40,000 from Durham and his companions. The courts returned $18M or 9% of the cash Durham and his companions cheated out of traders.   

“It’s been an actual battle you recognize. It’s devastating to have one thing like this occur. I’ve by no means been by way of something that may evaluate to this for the final 13 years,” Russell mentioned.

Tim Durham has the remainder of the week to persuade a federal choose {that a} collection of errors by his legal professional are the one purpose he was convicted and sentenced to 50 years, and that he needs to be let out as quickly as doable.  

It might take the federal choose a number of weeks to render a call.