Whoever said 'white-collar crime doesn’t pay' never lived in Washington D.C. TierGroup is a business consultancy firm located in the heart of DC. Its Division Heads have a very cold and calculating unorthodox approach to conducting business. Protecting and serving their clients is the only thing that matters. Nevertheless, loyalty can swing both ways in this journey through greed, corruption, and absolute lack of accountability.
As a former Las Vegas Casino Surveillance Director, Michael Crayter, a straight shooter, becomes an unaware, almost, employee of TierGroup in mid-2001. His transformation takes many shapes from idea man to fraud guru. He embarks on a journey to Iraq, through Hurricane Katrina and eventually takes part in one of the biggest scams in the history of the United States - the TARP funding program. His boss, Charles “The Czar” Zarin, is the ultimate manipulation mentor. Michael Crayter’s experience will last for more than eight years and will make his old Vegas job seem like child’s play.
The investment opportunities the United States has to offer during this timeframe are seemingly endless and the public joins in on the greed. The whole country is riding high on the inflated value train with careless abandonment. There are no regulations followed or laws unbroken by the Mortgage Lenders, Stock Brokers, and Bankers. The bubble is getting bigger and the clock is ticking. It's every man for himself. Divide and conquer. Borrow and spend. No one sees the tsunami coming, except for Charles Zarin. Capitalism will be turned upside down and the money spigot will run dry.
By late 2007 the bubble bursts and our country’s economy is left in ruins. The Treasury is sent in to bail out the white-collar thieves. While losing most of its clients TierGroup and Michael Crayter are left to fend for themselves. The tables are turned on the fat-cat bankers who caused the meltdown. Michael Crayter uses his hard gained experience to get even with the fake bastards. Almost everyone loyal to TierGroup gets away with highway robbery and the American taxpayer is left holding the bag. Michael Crayter begins to tell his story, in this Four Part first-person narrative, during a 2005 interview at FBI headquarters in Washington D.C.
Let me first say that this book opened my eyes to more corruption within corporations, companies, and the government than even I could have imagined. I knew things were bad (and I realize this is fiction), but sometimes I tend to turn a blind eye to such things. I believe that when I hear terms like "green company" and even "charities" that work with companies, I may take a somewhat jaded view. Everything is not always what it seems. Scams are all around us. I know about the scams that come through on the phone, in the mail, and on my computer. But that is just the beginning.
Although I was greatly intrigued by the theme of the book, I found myself losing interest throughout the book. I am not a corporate person, so maybe some of the information was a little incomprehensible to me. I did find it engrossing to see that the author wove in events like Katrina and 9/11 into the framework of the story.
My biggest complaint in the book was the superfluous use of the "f" word as well as other profanity. I don't normally mark down a book when there is a lot of profanity, but when it takes away from the story, I have no choice but to do so. At least there are no sex scenes.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
G. Gordon Dean's Bio:
Price/Format: $4.99 ebook
Ruth, thanks for taking the time to read and review G. Gordon's book.
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