Police: 50+ people - including Amish - scammed out of thousands in pizza shop scheme DA says man convinced people to spend $750,000 on shares of a pizza business Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT AN ELABORATE INVESTMENT SCHEME.NEWS 8'S SUSAN SHAPIRO EXPLAINSHOW POLICE SAY THE SCAM WORKED.SUSAN: FOX'S PIZZA DEN OPENEDFOR BUSINESS LAST YEAR ININTERCOURSE.BUT ITS NOT EXACTLY COOKING.WE ARE A LITTLE SLOW BUTTOURIST SEASON IS COMING.SUSAN: WILLIAM BROWN STARTED BUTNEVER FINISHED THE PROJECT.HE IS ACCUSED OF TAKING MORETHAN $700,000 FROM 50 TOINVESTORS, INCLUDING MANY AMISH.HE IS CHARGED WITH THEFT BYDECEPTION AND SECURITIES FRAUD.HE DIDN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TOSELL INVESTMENTS.>> I FOUND IT TO BE VERYHEARTBREAKING THAT THE AMISHCOMMUNITY HAD TO GO THROUGH SUCHA TRAGEDY.>> HE DESERVES WHAT HE GOT.SUSAN: THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYSAYS IT WAS AN ELABORATE SCHEMETHAT WENT ON FOR ABOUT TWOYEARS.>> HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME IFNOT ALL OF THE MONEY BACK.THIS KIND OF AMOUNT OF MONEY ISSOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO COLLECT.SUSAN: THREE MEMBERS OF THEAMISH AND MENNONITE COMMUNITYSTEPPED IN AND TOOK OVER THE+PROJECT.THEY PUT IN SOME OF THEIR OWNMONEY.ONE OF THE OWNERS TOLD ME HE DIDIT TO SAVE TO TRY TO SAVE THEFACE OF THE COMMUNITY.RON: THE D.A. ALSO SAYS BROWN ISCHARGED WITH ENTERING INTO ANAGREEMENT WITH AN EPHRATA WOMANWHO INVESTED $50,000 FOR A DONUTSHOP THAT WAS TO OPEN IN THESAME BUILDING AS THE PIZZA SHOPIN INTERCOURSE.

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