Sam Mullins

As long as investors kept receiving their 15% annual returns without him bouncing a check, Walker was free to do whatever he wanted. Lavish vacations, Michelin meals, buying a Jaguar, all investments went directly toward the Albert Walker just having the nicest time fund.

As long as his businesses continued to grow, as long as he kept attracting enough new investors to keep paying existing investors, and nothing happened to disrupt the market as a whole, Albert Walker could ball out. But then, 1987 happened.

As long as his businesses continued to grow, as long as he kept attracting enough new investors to keep paying existing investors, and nothing happened to disrupt the market as a whole, Albert Walker could ball out. But then, 1987 happened.

After the 87 crash, Walker was cooked. Until he miraculously convinced his best friends to not only use him as their realtor, but to hand over their whole fortune to him. But even the staley millions wouldn't be enough to save him. It just gave him a bit more time to make a plan. So Albert crunched the new numbers and looked at the calendar.

After the 87 crash, Walker was cooked. Until he miraculously convinced his best friends to not only use him as their realtor, but to hand over their whole fortune to him. But even the staley millions wouldn't be enough to save him. It just gave him a bit more time to make a plan. So Albert crunched the new numbers and looked at the calendar.

In the box, I found a list of all the promissory notes he'd signed that year. Harold Ziegler, 50% matures at 15%, June 6th. June Kaufman, 60,000, matures 13%, June 10th. He'd issued millions of dollars worth of promissory notes that would all mature in early 1991. That was it. That was when he wouldn't have the money.

In the box, I found a list of all the promissory notes he'd signed that year. Harold Ziegler, 50% matures at 15%, June 6th. June Kaufman, 60,000, matures 13%, June 10th. He'd issued millions of dollars worth of promissory notes that would all mature in early 1991. That was it. That was when he wouldn't have the money.

He could carry on the way he was without being found out until the end of the year, December. And then, after that, well, he'd have to figure something out. That was a problem for 1991 Albert, but it was still summer 1990. And he had a much bigger mess to deal with in his own family. Albert Walker had been unfaithful to his wife for years. To those in the community, that was old gossip.

He could carry on the way he was without being found out until the end of the year, December. And then, after that, well, he'd have to figure something out. That was a problem for 1991 Albert, but it was still summer 1990. And he had a much bigger mess to deal with in his own family. Albert Walker had been unfaithful to his wife for years. To those in the community, that was old gossip.

What was new, however, was how shameless and out in the open it all was. He had an open affair with a woman from church, the Reverend's wife to be specific. He was conspicuously courting at least two of the women who worked for him.

What was new, however, was how shameless and out in the open it all was. He had an open affair with a woman from church, the Reverend's wife to be specific. He was conspicuously courting at least two of the women who worked for him.

And I found out in one of the case files in the Staley box that he had a Swiss girlfriend who he paid to fly to Canada and was putting up in a nearby hotel in Woodstock. But that summer was when it all blew up, when Albert and Barb's relationship went nuclear. They were getting divorced, and Albert, of course, was feeling greedy.

And I found out in one of the case files in the Staley box that he had a Swiss girlfriend who he paid to fly to Canada and was putting up in a nearby hotel in Woodstock. But that summer was when it all blew up, when Albert and Barb's relationship went nuclear. They were getting divorced, and Albert, of course, was feeling greedy.

He wanted the house, the kids, the businesses, and he'd do anything to win. The main war was waged through the children. Albert had them all write letters to the court, saying that they preferred him to their mother. Fifteen-year-old Sheena wrote...

He wanted the house, the kids, the businesses, and he'd do anything to win. The main war was waged through the children. Albert had them all write letters to the court, saying that they preferred him to their mother. Fifteen-year-old Sheena wrote...

And Sheena got what she asked for. When they finally had their day in court, the judge said that Sheena and Jill could stay with Albert, while Barb was awarded temporary possession of the house and custody of the two younger children. Under no circumstances was Albert allowed in the house.

And Sheena got what she asked for. When they finally had their day in court, the judge said that Sheena and Jill could stay with Albert, while Barb was awarded temporary possession of the house and custody of the two younger children. Under no circumstances was Albert allowed in the house.

This was the arrangement when the most consequential thing in a summer filled with consequential things happened. One day, Albert crossed the threshold of the house and got into a shoving match with Barb at the door. She called the police, and despite their best efforts to talk her out of it, she said she wanted to press charges. So for the first time in his life, Albert Walker was arrested.

This was the arrangement when the most consequential thing in a summer filled with consequential things happened. One day, Albert crossed the threshold of the house and got into a shoving match with Barb at the door. She called the police, and despite their best efforts to talk her out of it, she said she wanted to press charges. So for the first time in his life, Albert Walker was arrested.

He was processed. They took his mugshots. And crucially, very, very crucially, dear listener, they took his fingerprints.