By Gates L. Scott

Some suggest that this was a classic Ponzi Scheme. Most likely unintentional in this case, a Ponzi Scheme offers abnormally high short-term returns in order to entice new investors. The high returns that a Ponzi scheme advertises (and pays) require an ever-increasing flow of money from investors in order to keep the scheme going. The system is doomed to collapse because there are little or no underlying earnings from the money received by the promoter—in this case, Mr. Airola. However, the scheme is often interrupted by legal authorities before it collapses. A Ponzi scheme is suspected because the promoter is selling illegitimate value. As more investors, or students, become involved, the likelihood of the scheme coming to the attention of authorities increases.

No matter the scheme, all of these aviation criminals were calculated and looking out for their own investments and financial gains, leaving others in the wake of their fraudulent and illegal activity. In most cases, it is hard to get away with such crimes. No matter how someone may cook the books, deceive the public or their corporate officers, the numbers will always catch up with them. And the law is close behind.

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