American Greed-CNBC

[WhenItWasAHobby]

Originally Posted by ElCabron

Bill Mastro had to pay a fine. No restitution. It would have been a logistical nightmare to try to figure out actual losses and come up with an amount to be paid. But I'm sure now that he is out of prison and has had a spiritual awakening, he is working hard crunching the numbers to figure out how much he stole so he can pay it back and make things right. Look for your checks as soon as GAI opens on Monday.

-Ryan

After watching the American Greed episode a second time, one thing that jumped out at me was the repeated statement that Mastro Auctions made over $200,000,000.00 in gross sales and then later filed for bankruptcy in 2009 when the Feds started breathing down their necks and making them record all auction bids thus causing the sales to plummet. If they were taking 15% buyers and 15% sellers fees, plus making profits on re-sold items, ie the Evers Lot and other items owned by Mastro, then Mastro Auctions was netting at least $60,000,000 over that duration. Obviously there was some overhead, taxes and employees salaries, but clearly a substantial portion must of gone into Bill Mastro's and Doug Allen's pockets.

Was there any financial accountability of those two during the investigation, trial or sentencing for seizing assets or were they found to be conveniently broke? As Ryan Christoff wisely noted in the closing of the program, the punishment didn't appear to fit the crime.