Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: A financial adviser and church leader who faked his own death is sentenced to seven years in prison for swindling millions of dollars from his clients.

Spencer Walker: He lied to his wife, his kids, all the victims...

Halpern: I’m Mollie Halpern, and this is Gotcha, the FBI’s closed case of the week. Aaron Travis Beaird, of the Seattle area, ran a Ponzi scheme for nearly a decade. His scam unraveled when he tried to collect a half-million-dollar death benefit on a client who was alive. Case Agent Spencer Walker says many victims lost their life savings…

Walker: Worst of all, these people trusted Beaird because he went to church with them. He just betrayed them—that’s perhaps saddest of all.

Halpern: Beaird faked his own death and flew to Scotland. After a week, he flew back to the U.S., and law enforcement was notified of his arrival when he checked in with Customs.

Walker: Unbeknownst to Beaird, as soon as he got back into the airport, we were there waiting for him. I arrested him at the airport.

Halpern: For more information, visit www.fbi.gov