While I was waiting for the above “gold transaction” to finalize, Steve shared with me details about a friend of his named Ralph (Raphael Louis). He explained that both he and Ralph were involved in a significant banking deal facilitated through a contact in Switzerland. According to Steve, Ralph was set to receive a staggering $35 million from this transaction, and in return, he would pay Steve around $5 million for his assistance (assistance probably means to find idiots like me to pay their debts). They were enthusiastic about the prospects of this deal, assuring me that it was on the verge of completion. Several months later, Steve informed me that the deal had indeed gone through, and Ralph was poised to collect his $35 million. He invited me to meet Ralph and another associate, Pat, at pat’s apartment to discuss the details further. During our meeting, Ralph elaborated on the lengthy process he had endured, stating that he had been working on this deal for one to two years before it finally materialized. He explained that he had successfully arranged for a company to secure a loan of approximately $200 million from a banker, and his broker commission for facilitating this transaction was the anticipated $35 million. Ralph mentioned that he was simply waiting for confirmation from his contact in Switzerland to proceed and collect his commission. In light of their current financial situation, both Ralph and Steve asked if I could assist them with some personal expenses until they received their funds, promising that they would repay me along with additional unspecified amount as a token of gratitude for my support. They assured me that once the money was in their hands, I would be compensated for my help. This arrangement seemed risky, yet I felt compelled to assist them, believing in the legitimacy of their claims and the potential rewards that lay ahead. The prospect of receiving not only my money back but also a bonus for my assistance was enticing, and I found myself drawn into their world of high stakes finance, hoping that their promises would soon translate into reality.
I can’t believe I fell for it, but I did. Steve was always boasting about how he was on the verge of becoming a millionaire, yet he constantly came to me for financial help week after week. Pat was in a similar situation, frequently reaching out for money as well. His financial troubles were severe, as he had accumulated significant debts with loan sharks were relentless in their demands for repayment. The pressure was mounting, and the threats from these sharks were dire; they warned that failure to pay the weekly interest could result in physical harm or even death. This constant fear drove both Steve and Pat to scramble for funds from anyone they could find, just to keep up with the interest payments. In their misguided optimism, Steve an dpat were convinced that Ralp would doon come into a large sum of money, which led them to make some questionable decisions. They even went so far as to secure a luxury lodge at the Bell center, believing it would be a worthwhile investment. Naturally, they turned to me for assistance with the costs associated with this lodge. With the allure of Steve’s promised fortune, I along with others, was drawn into their narrative, convinced that Steve would soon have $5 million and that we would be repaid in no time. I found myself contributing to their expenses, hoping for a positive outcome.
To sum it all up, I continued to support Ralph, Steve and Pat, holding onto the belief that the much-anticipated “gold transaction” would take place, or that Ralph and Steve would receive their funds from the supposed “Switzerland deal”. My faith in their promises kept me involved, even as the reality of their financial situations became increasingly precarious. I was caught in a web of hope and desperation, convinced that their fortunes would change and that my assistance would ultimately be rewarded.
Suddenly, ralph reached out to inform me that his contact in Switzerland had passed away. This individual had been experiencing health problems for some time, but the news of his death was still shocking. Ralph assured me that despite this unfortunate event, his financial interests were secure. He explained that the transaction in question had been conducted through banks and his share of $35 million had already been reserved for him, alleviating my concerns about the situation. The day eventually arrived for Ralph to travel to Switzerland to claim his $35 million. However, both Ralph and Steve being completely fucking broke, lacking the funds necessary for their plane tickets, accommodations, and other expenses. Consequently, I decided to accompany them on the trip, covering their travel costs and lodging. We settled into an Airbnb in Zurich for about a week, eagerly anticipating Ralph’s windfall, which we hoped would leave us financially better off – though I was primary looking forward to receiving a token of gratitude from them, along with repayment for the assistance I had provided. At this juncture, I had already lent Steve approximately $50,000.00 to help him manage his debts, a sum that I had distributed gradually over time. Additionally, I had provided Ralph with around $45,000.00 for similar reasons, assisting him in addressing his financial obligations. Furthermore, I had given Pat a total of $100,000.00 primarily to settle debts with loan sharks who were reportedly pressuring him. These financial contributions made with the hope that they would eventually lead to a more stable situation for all involved.
At that moment, as I prepared to leave for Switzerland, I had already invested a total of $345,000.00 of my life savings. This included $150k for a gold transaction, $50k to Steve, $45k to Ralph and $100k to Pat. My hope was that Ralph’s deal would prove legitimate, allowing me to recover my funds along with some additional compensation from both Ralph and Steve for my assistance. The stakes were high, and I was anxious about the outcome of this risky venture. Once we arrived in Switzerland, the three of us – myself, Ralph and Steve – settled into a condo, eagerly waiting Ralph’s contacts to facilitate the cash transfer. Initially, the atmosphere was filled with optimism, but that quickly shifted when Ralph returned from his meetings with troubling news. His Swiss contact who had recently passed away, had left behind significant debts, drastically reducing the expected payout from $35m to a mere $4.5 million. While this was not the outcome Ralph had hoped for, it still seemed like a substantial amount, and we left Switzerland with the understanding that the funds would be transferred to Ralph’s account once the situation was resolved among the various investors involved. Upon returning home, we anticipated updates from Ralph regarding the transfer of his $4.5 million. However, as time passed, it became clear that nothing was forthcoming. Ralph eventually informed us that he had been deceived by the parties involved and expressed intentions to pursue legal action. Yet, given his own financial struggles, it was uncertain how he would manage to follow through with such plans. The entire experience left us feeling disillusioned and wary of the promises that had initially seemed so promising. Bottom line is that from a promised $35 Million dollars, Ralph (Raphael Louis) received ZERO dollars. Actually that’s not true, he got $45,000.00 from me! So i let you (the readers) decide if this was a scam or not. To me, of course this was a scam and i’m kicking myself for believing these piece of shit dishonest people.