Michelle McPhee

This online setup could take the whole operation to the next level, make their lone mafia legit. But George started hearing hints, just little whispers, that people were after Sarah.

George got spooked, but not enough to quit. He was still on board with the idea of becoming the loan mafia of the OC. So he was still moving forward with his part of the operation, getting the business online.

George got spooked, but not enough to quit. He was still on board with the idea of becoming the loan mafia of the OC. So he was still moving forward with his part of the operation, getting the business online.

It's a fucking mess. He said she couldn't find the paperwork for a single loan.

It's a fucking mess. He said she couldn't find the paperwork for a single loan.

So how did that little piece of chicken scratch turn into a Rolls Royce? How exactly was Sarah able to run a financial business with such sloppy accounting? One of the ideas that's come up is the possibility that Sarah was never actually a lender at all. She was just taking investments, taking money. I've heard this from several people we've interviewed.

So how did that little piece of chicken scratch turn into a Rolls Royce? How exactly was Sarah able to run a financial business with such sloppy accounting? One of the ideas that's come up is the possibility that Sarah was never actually a lender at all. She was just taking investments, taking money. I've heard this from several people we've interviewed.

The idea is she was running a Ponzi scheme from the very beginning, using new investments to pay old ones.

The idea is she was running a Ponzi scheme from the very beginning, using new investments to pay old ones.

Here's our expert on hard money lending again, Derek Lewis. He's familiar with her story.

Here's our expert on hard money lending again, Derek Lewis. He's familiar with her story.

That's certainly what it looks like to me. I asked her about it.

That's certainly what it looks like to me. I asked her about it.

I told her receipts would be helpful. Still waiting on them. Later on in a text message, she claimed all the paperwork was on a computer that had been stolen. We pushed for anything that would prove her business. She'd message back with a text-only list of supposed bank transactions or old photos with people she claimed to have loaned money to.

I told her receipts would be helpful. Still waiting on them. Later on in a text message, she claimed all the paperwork was on a computer that had been stolen. We pushed for anything that would prove her business. She'd message back with a text-only list of supposed bank transactions or old photos with people she claimed to have loaned money to.

Sara gave us the names of a few people she said she loaned money to. A global investor in culture. Another dude with a crazy long rap sheet. We reached out to the name she gave us, but never got a response. I feel for her and the mess she got herself into. I think she's fearless, funny, a total character.

Sara gave us the names of a few people she said she loaned money to. A global investor in culture. Another dude with a crazy long rap sheet. We reached out to the name she gave us, but never got a response. I feel for her and the mess she got herself into. I think she's fearless, funny, a total character.

But at this point, I'm starting to think she's a compulsive liar, a loan shark with a license. George's filthy rich dream had turned into that massive pile of dog crap. And what was more, George realized it was highly unlikely he'd ever get his $125,000 investment back.

But at this point, I'm starting to think she's a compulsive liar, a loan shark with a license. George's filthy rich dream had turned into that massive pile of dog crap. And what was more, George realized it was highly unlikely he'd ever get his $125,000 investment back.

George decided on a strategy at first, stick close to Sarah, in hopes that he'd be the first in line to get his money back. But he wasn't the only investor Sarah wasn't paying back. And these other guys were just about fed up. They weren't going to play nice.