Hogash There cannot be true integrity in a ministry that is based on nepotism and where all the benefits flow to and from Mainses and Rutledges! And those who truly know them and are not part of their charade can testify to all the benefits that Mainse brothers enjoyed and acquired enabling them to buy million dollar homes in an exclusive area north of Burlington, Ontario.

God doesn’t make mistakes and He knows why He brought all this to the surface as Jesus promised – MK 4:22 “For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.

Fortunately I had not invested a large amount of funds. As any individual should know, many investments can loose, thats why we shouldnt put all our eggs in one basket… and… if it is too good to be true, it probably is.

Unfortunately however, I do know some people close to me that have lost a lot and this situation will certainly put a long cast shadow over their financial futures… all I can say is that money isn’t everything. I hope there is an effective remuneration from ill gotten gains to those who have lost.

Also, it isn’t surprising the amount of Christianese Politics involved in this, Im sure it makes the enemy happy to divides us even more.

“Since the Mainse brothers disappeared a few weeks ago I’m left wondering if they’ve been busy in the US with lawyers, depositions. If Driver is allowed to settle out of court… Wonder if Cdn legal proceedings are possible/probable?”

This is his response:

“They probably stayed north of the border, but they are probably laying low. A lot depends on how much trouble they are in. If they are part of the scam, they are likely busy preparing a case to defend themselves or mulling over whether to plead guilty to lesser charges in order to get this behind them and be able to rehabilitate themselves to their fans by Thanksgiving rather than Christmas . Excuse the sarcasm, but I had to get that one in.

However, it might just be that they got taken in innocently (as I’ve mentioned before, the greedy seeking of a quick buck isn’t innocent, but not criminal on either side of the 49th) and are just laying low until they dust settles, taking a de-facto summer vacation while they avoid answering all the “tacky” questions you and other reporters would ask.”

It hadn’t occurred to me Ron and Reynold Mainse may have funnelled Axcess finders fees back into the ministry (one of the other commenters brought up that point, thank you!).
Crossroads uses Price-Waterhouse for their audits.

Dr. Byron has done an excellent job of explaining what is occurring in the US with the civil case, what Canadian investors can do, the possibility of this becoming a criminal case and the reality the wheels will grind slowly.

85 Canadians being scammed is no small thing.

Asking any victim questions when they have had the courage to leave a comment here at BDBO is not attacking or blaming.
Since the court documents were filed less than a month ago I can only speculate many investors have recently found out they were scammed.

Perhaps the best thing I have read was by BD was the following, “Jim Cantelon stating it wasn’t sexual impropriety seems to dismiss the harm to victims and minimize the effects of fraud on people.”

My thoughts and prayers are with the viticms, I agree with you the brothers are good people but if they made money off others they need to pay it all back this goes for any finder, do the right thing.

I extend my sympathy to you also. Thank you for stepping forward.

How did you get involved?

The whole point of a confidence man (the accusations against Mr. Driver are not proven in the civil case, and we do not know if there will be any criminal proceedings) is to part his targets with their money for his own gain.

Confidence men can’t operate without finding innocent people to draw in. They are very good at what they do, and they can look you in the eye and lie as smoothly as a sip of ice cold vodka. You’ve experienced that, and you are absolutely correct, good people are the bait. And good people in this case were kept from truth even longer with the issue of false financial statements.

Follow the link in the post on why Christians are such easy targets, it’s a timely article.

We are so used to hearing about scandals in televangelism the default conclusion is ‘guilty.’
Please speak up and correct misconceptions anytime.

As you point out, anyone can be a target, being leaders isn’t an exemption from being a victim. Hook the leader, you hook the followers. Anyone who thinks they can’t be conned is only conning themselves.

Do you have a link to any more OSEC documents?

Did Ron and Reynolds Mainse receive finder fees as early investors at the top of the ponzi scheme?

How did you find out you’d been scammed?

Where you contacted by US or Canadian investigators?

How many other investors do you know personally?

Are victims being kept informed of proceedings against Mr. Driver?

What are you and other victims doing to regain and receive justice?

Are Ron and Reynold Mainse involved in seeking justice?

Crossroads has a very conservative circle of leaders – their bottom line is saving the ministry and one of the things they need to consider is public opinion.
Is Crossroads leadership reacting to the naming of a family member in the OSEC document and the Mainse brothers in the US paperwork?

The Crossroad board statement didn’t go far enough, given the civil case and possible criminal case, they may not be able to say much.

Jim Cantelon stating it wasn’t sexual impropriety seems to dismiss the harm to victims and minimize the effects of fraud on people.

As of yet, I haven’t had a response to my queries to Crossroads.
I don’t know if that’s prudent PR, the optics look bad, and I don’t think viewers are going to read facts as much as jump to conclusions. These are media people and must understand that.

Anything else you’d care to add I may have missed with my questions to you which can help others?

I just posted answers to some questions to a US economics professor to help people look at facts, procedures etc.

First of all, Ron Mainse is a man of great integrity. His involvement in this situation is that of a victim. I am aware there are people who have lost money and may have to sell their homes to recoup that which was lost, however Ron and Ann have lost much more. Imagine the feeling they must have of how they were deceived and in turn were used as pawns in a carefully manufactured scheme to screw Christian circles out of their assets.

If one looks back at the entire time line of events from 2006, it is clear that the ‘accidental’ move by Gordon Alan Driver to Ron Mainse’s street in Flamborough was intentional and one crucial step to ensure success in the scam. Another important step, as Driver detailed in his own statement to the OSC was his initial involvement with Reynold Mainse.

When Reynold had visited Driver to look at a computer he was selling, Reynolds own interest in an alleged ‘propitiatory’ stock trading software that Driver had allegedly helped to develop started the ball rolling. Drivers was reluctant to discuss the software. Upon further prying, Drivers plan fell into place and Reynold was the second pawn used to carry out the plan.

If Driver had tried to ‘sell’ the investment idea to anyone, no one would have invested a cent. Without the credibility of Ron and Reynold, no one would have trusted Driver from the beginning, however his apparent reluctance to ‘allow’ others to be involved was the ‘hook-line-and-sinker.’

The steps the Crossroads board took were completely uncalled for. Ron and Reynold are not named in any legal disputes that I am aware of, however, the board decided to crucify them without even allowing them the explain their sides of the story. Those individuals who are on the board for Crossroads, who have known the Mainse family for years, should be the first ones to defend the character and presume the innocence of those in the leadership roles. Unfortunately, the steps the board made to remove them from position have put a halo of guilt over the characters of Mainse family.

It is so unfortunate. This Ponzi/Affinity fraud has effected many ‘good’ people. The only ones that should be put to blame would be Driver and the investor for blind trust – I guess there is a lot of blind trust though when it comes to being a Christian.

Adding yours to the list of very important questions.

In the court document we don’t even know who besides Gordon Driver of Hamilton, formerly of Oxnard Ca and currently of Las Vegas is involved.

As a resident in the US he is the one charged, while the Ontario document names David Rutledge as the other Canadian.

The defendants are Driver, Axcess Fund Management, Axcess Automation.

According to the facts in the filing Driver is sole owner of Axcess Automation, and had sole control over Axcess Automation bank accounts and commodities futures. (23 and 24).

Look at facts 30 and 31. participants (investors) solicit family and friends. The filing calls them point people. (finders)

Quote:

“32. Some of the point people who solicited their friends and family, received commissions from Driver and/or Axcess Automation. In some cases, these commissions greatly exceeded their principal investment.”

Earlier in the document the finders fee is listed as 5%.

15 investors were from the US, which means that most of the people scammed were from Canada.

Where did they solicit investors from? Crossroads, church?

Which makes your question very important.

Question. How much of those millions were taken from people involved with Crossroads?

At what point (if any) did Reynold or Ron Mainse realize they were participating in a ponzi scheme and were no longer innocently greedy?

Question. Is it against the law to take money for bringing someone into an investment fund?

I see a couple of scenarios here.

a) one or both Mainse brothers knew this was a scam
b) participated anyway
c) Neither knew and drew others in
d) one knew, one didn’t
e ) they didn’t find out until investigators made queries, the money stopped or they were told by another investors
f) the choices they made upon knowing is what in my mind makes the difference between victim and victimizers

I can’t make the leap from victims to victimizers without facts yet.

This is a tight family and leaders in their faith group, and perceive themselves as leaders in Canada.
Easy group to ingratiate yourself into if you are operating a ponzi scheme.

To be conned brings deep shame, according to experts even deeper shame and a desire to isolate and not talk within religious groups.

How do we find out the answer to your question?