1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:06,240 In this episode of American Greed, to adoring Ohio State Buckeye fans, Arch 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,580 Schliester was once a gridiron great. 3 00:00:09,580 --> 00:00:14,720 Guys wanted to be him. Girls wanted to be with him. He was captivating. He was 4 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,720 charming. But off the field, Schliester's been living a secret life. 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:23,760 I promise you, with all my heart and hope to die, that this check will never 6 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,240 cashed. Nobody will know that this happened. 7 00:00:26,580 --> 00:00:27,840 He was a manipulator. 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,340 and he could persuade people in doing whatever art wanted. 9 00:00:32,780 --> 00:00:37,440 Schliester's also a compulsive gambler who lies and steals hundreds of 10 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,480 of dollars to keep the bets rolling. 11 00:00:39,860 --> 00:00:44,600 I've conjured up every way possible to pay gambling debts off. It makes you 12 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:49,440 creative. And when he sets his sights on a wealthy widow's millions, he's about 13 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:50,720 to destroy them both. 14 00:00:51,540 --> 00:00:53,960 I'll fuck up my ass and your ass if you get it. 15 00:00:54,380 --> 00:00:57,760 I've never been around somebody that thought the thoughts that he thought and 16 00:00:57,760 --> 00:00:59,280 did the things that he did, ever. 17 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:00,940 It was terrifying to me. 18 00:01:15,660 --> 00:01:18,900 It's a cold, lonely December in Columbus, Ohio. 19 00:01:19,710 --> 00:01:24,050 And in 2010, Anita Barney is caught in a living nightmare. 20 00:01:24,590 --> 00:01:25,590 I was a wreck. 21 00:01:25,910 --> 00:01:29,930 It was unbelievable what I was going through. I get shivers now thinking 22 00:01:29,930 --> 00:01:35,410 it. Barney has recently befriended former Ohio State quarterback Art 23 00:01:35,730 --> 00:01:40,570 Schliester was once a living legend in Columbus, but now he's also an unstable 24 00:01:40,570 --> 00:01:43,470 ex -con hiding some dark secrets. 25 00:01:43,950 --> 00:01:47,370 I just never knew anybody in this world existed like him. 26 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,840 And I know he's not the only one, but it was new to me. 27 00:01:51,540 --> 00:01:54,140 It's up to the point where there will be no return. 28 00:01:54,580 --> 00:01:58,580 Schreester charms himself into Barney's life, but then through threats and 29 00:01:58,580 --> 00:02:01,860 intimidation, he helps himself to more than $1 million. 30 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:06,280 Now he's come looking for more. 31 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,100 He would just call me every name in the book and scream at me. 32 00:02:10,300 --> 00:02:12,840 I just didn't know where to turn or what to do. 33 00:02:13,260 --> 00:02:14,640 I was afraid of him. 34 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:15,960 Terrified of him. 35 00:02:16,460 --> 00:02:20,880 Schliester's desperate, and Barney has no idea what he's planning next. 36 00:02:21,300 --> 00:02:27,420 And I really thought he was going to harm me, kill me, or kill us, something. 37 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:35,680 The meteoric rise and tragic freefall of Arch Schliester begins just outside the 38 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,700 sleepy town of Bloomingburg in central Ohio. 39 00:02:39,340 --> 00:02:44,280 Schliester is born in 1960 and grows up on his family's thousand -acre farm. 40 00:02:44,700 --> 00:02:47,440 raising hogs, cattle, and soybeans. 41 00:02:48,020 --> 00:02:50,840 It's like a painting of the American countryside. 42 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:57,340 It's just all back roads and fields for the most part. And folks that live in 43 00:02:57,340 --> 00:02:58,860 that area, they're nice. 44 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:01,700 You stop and ask for directions, they're going to help you. 45 00:03:02,580 --> 00:03:07,940 Schliester may grow up a farmer, but he's a born athlete. From a young age, 46 00:03:07,940 --> 00:03:09,640 clear he's got something special. 47 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:15,180 This was a kid who in grade school could throw a football 65 yards in the air. 48 00:03:15,420 --> 00:03:19,240 He would score 50 points in a 7th grade basketball game like it was nothing. 49 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,060 Coaches had to take him out of games because it wasn't fair. 50 00:03:22,500 --> 00:03:27,100 In the mid -70s, Schliester is the starting quarterback at Miami Trace High 51 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:31,120 School, and his team never loses a game when he takes the snap. 52 00:03:31,540 --> 00:03:34,240 And he was the heads and shoulders above everybody else. 53 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,060 There was no doubt he was going to play at a Division I school where he had his 54 00:03:38,060 --> 00:03:39,060 pick of schools. 55 00:03:39,100 --> 00:03:44,220 And for a boy from central Ohio, there's only one school that really matters. 56 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,540 His talents demanded a bigger stage, and the biggest stage in Ohio is Ohio State 57 00:03:48,540 --> 00:03:49,540 football. 58 00:03:52,380 --> 00:03:54,080 Fans love their Buckeyes. 59 00:03:54,300 --> 00:03:57,460 Fans love the idea of being part of this great tradition. 60 00:03:57,740 --> 00:03:59,540 And there's no question about it. 61 00:03:59,780 --> 00:04:05,400 Jack Park is a radio broadcaster, author, historian, and lifelong Buckeye 62 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,560 He remembers vividly the excitement and anticipation when Schliester took the 63 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:11,880 field his first game. 64 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:16,500 And it was probably the loudest standing ovations I think I've ever seen in Ohio 65 00:04:16,500 --> 00:04:21,120 Stadium. It was a climax to what everybody was anticipating and was 66 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,600 forward to, probably since Art had committed to coming to Ohio State the 67 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:26,600 previous spring. 68 00:04:29,260 --> 00:04:33,640 Schliester sets his first school record that game, but it's not one Coach Woody 69 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,540 Hayes or 60 ,000 screaming fans want. 70 00:04:38,180 --> 00:04:40,700 He threw five interceptions. 71 00:04:41,100 --> 00:04:44,220 That's still an Ohio State single -game record. 72 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,620 And Penn State beat Ohio State that afternoon 19 -0. 73 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:53,560 Schliester's first -year record is an unremarkable seven wins, four losses in 74 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:54,560 one time. 75 00:04:54,670 --> 00:04:58,190 But his freshman year is famous for one of the great college football 76 00:04:58,190 --> 00:05:02,130 controversies of all time, the 1978 Gator Bowl. 77 00:05:02,770 --> 00:05:07,810 Clemson had the lead 17 -15, but the Buckeyes are moving right at the end of 78 00:05:07,810 --> 00:05:13,530 game, and they have a third down and five at the Clemson 24. 79 00:05:14,330 --> 00:05:18,990 With time running out, Schlichter throws an interception to Clemson nose guard 80 00:05:18,990 --> 00:05:20,050 Charlie Baumann. 81 00:05:20,410 --> 00:05:23,230 He was run out of bounds in front of the Ohio State bench. 82 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:28,680 In a second of frustration, Woody Hayes struck Bauman, and, of course, the rest 83 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:29,680 is history. 84 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:34,820 It's the end of Woody Hayes' storied 28 -year coaching career, but it's just the 85 00:05:34,820 --> 00:05:36,280 beginning for Arch Leaster. 86 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:41,900 He starts all 48 games he plays at OSU and comes one point short of winning a 87 00:05:41,900 --> 00:05:44,060 national championship his sophomore year. 88 00:05:44,460 --> 00:05:51,260 And he finished his career with 7 ,547 yards, and to this day, that's the most 89 00:05:51,260 --> 00:05:54,900 passing yards ever by a quarterback in Ohio State football history. 90 00:05:55,500 --> 00:05:59,840 Schlichter appears twice on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He's voted All 91 00:05:59,840 --> 00:06:03,480 -American, and he's a Heisman Trophy candidate three years running. 92 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:10,840 The 6 '3", 190 -pound star athlete even convinces his coaches to let him play 93 00:06:10,840 --> 00:06:14,740 OSU basketball when he's not tossing pigskins. 94 00:06:15,060 --> 00:06:19,400 He got to play basketball against Magic Johnson while he was at Ohio State, and 95 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:21,280 Magic was at Michigan State, which is pretty phenomenal. 96 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:26,560 Off the field, Schleester's rising star makes him a king on campus. 97 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,740 He's the golden boy. Most people loved Art. 98 00:06:30,010 --> 00:06:33,250 They loved being around him. Guys wanted to be him. 99 00:06:33,490 --> 00:06:37,950 Girls wanted to be with him. He was captivating. He was charming. You know, 100 00:06:37,950 --> 00:06:40,390 was the big man on campus and then some. 101 00:06:41,030 --> 00:06:45,850 But the constant scrutiny and adulation must be very difficult for the small 102 00:06:45,850 --> 00:06:48,850 -town farm kid to easily adjust to. 103 00:06:49,630 --> 00:06:53,970 So he learned at an early age how to become someone else. 104 00:06:54,330 --> 00:06:58,610 I think it became a habit over the years. There was the public art and 105 00:06:58,610 --> 00:06:59,610 the private art. 106 00:07:00,099 --> 00:07:04,440 Schliester says he doesn't drink or do drugs, but in later interviews, he does 107 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,600 admit there is another way he learns to blow off steam. 108 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,460 Any time that I wanted to get away or any time that I felt like I needed to 109 00:07:12,460 --> 00:07:14,600 relieve some of the pressure, I always went to the racetrack. 110 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:19,300 In his autobiography, Busted, Schliester says he and his high school buddies 111 00:07:19,300 --> 00:07:24,700 pooled money and placed their first bet on a harness race at nearby Scioto Downs 112 00:07:24,700 --> 00:07:26,980 racetrack. Ended up winning the bet. 113 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,600 That was probably not a good thing for Art Schliester, winning the first ever 114 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,080 bet you make at a racetrack and winning thousands. 115 00:07:33,460 --> 00:07:36,100 I mean, that would be something that would latch on to him right from the 116 00:07:36,100 --> 00:07:39,380 beginning. And I remember when I went home, I was so excited. 117 00:07:39,660 --> 00:07:43,500 And I thought, boy, this is a great way to make a little extra money. And so I 118 00:07:43,500 --> 00:07:44,500 went back. 119 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,260 Soon, Schliester is a regular at the track. 120 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:49,700 And before long, he is betting on other sports. 121 00:07:50,260 --> 00:07:53,960 The stakes start small, but he's hooked, he later admits. 122 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:59,260 The draw, the excitement, even the smell of the racetrack was something I just 123 00:07:59,260 --> 00:08:04,160 loved. By his college junior year, Schliester admits losing thousands of 124 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,320 betting on professional and college sports. 125 00:08:07,860 --> 00:08:12,040 I kept looking for that high that I was getting on the football field, so I 126 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:13,300 started looking for it in gambling. 127 00:08:14,340 --> 00:08:19,760 Few outside Schliester's inner circle know this darker side of him. To most, 128 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,080 is the all -American hero. 129 00:08:21,900 --> 00:08:26,540 A glowing biography written while he's still a student is titled Straight 130 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:29,920 and Art Schliester seems to fit that description to a T. 131 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:35,380 In the fall of his junior year, Schliester visits the bedside of a local 132 00:08:35,380 --> 00:08:40,120 -year -old boy who is recovering from a horrific small plane crash that killed 133 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:41,740 his father and three others. 134 00:08:42,140 --> 00:08:46,440 And this was very genuine. There was no ulterior motive with this one. He just 135 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,020 wanted to make a little boy feel better, and that's what he did. 136 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:54,420 The young boy's recovery has been long and painful, and he suffers from 137 00:08:54,420 --> 00:08:58,560 depression. And then one day, out of the blue, Art Schliester shows up, 138 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:03,980 introduces himself, meets the boy, gives him some football memorabilia, you 139 00:09:03,980 --> 00:09:06,640 know, and really made a difference in the boy's life. 140 00:09:07,740 --> 00:09:12,660 Schliester's actor son's recovery. In her opinion, Art Schliester saved her 141 00:09:12,660 --> 00:09:13,660 son's life. 142 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:18,440 So she felt this huge emotional connection to him from that event. 143 00:09:19,150 --> 00:09:24,730 The mother has no idea that the hero at her son's bedside will ruin her life 30 144 00:09:24,730 --> 00:09:25,730 years later. 145 00:09:26,150 --> 00:09:32,170 Up next on American Greed, when the NFL calls, it's more money, more problems. 146 00:09:32,550 --> 00:09:38,550 And he went through that $350 ,000 signing bonus in a matter of months, and 147 00:09:38,550 --> 00:09:40,130 things just snowballed from there. 148 00:09:52,110 --> 00:09:57,870 In the spring of 1982, Art Schliester scores big when he signs with the NFL's 149 00:09:57,870 --> 00:09:59,030 Baltimore Colts. 150 00:09:59,530 --> 00:10:04,990 Not only was he the first quarterback taken that year, but Art, according to 151 00:10:04,990 --> 00:10:09,290 scouts, had the potential and the ability to be one of the very best 152 00:10:09,290 --> 00:10:11,630 quarterbacks the NFL had seen to that date. 153 00:10:12,550 --> 00:10:17,510 Schliester signs a three -year contract, and he's given a $350 ,000 signing 154 00:10:17,510 --> 00:10:18,850 bonus on the spot. 155 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:24,400 This sudden fortune might be the worst thing to ever happen to Art Schliester. 156 00:10:24,940 --> 00:10:31,440 That $350 ,000 bonus is what led to a lot of Art's troubles. He finally had 157 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,700 mean to support the gambling. 158 00:10:34,020 --> 00:10:38,920 And when NFL players go on strike early in the season, Schliester has too much 159 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,520 time and too much money on his hands. 160 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:46,740 In later interviews, Schliester admits he gambles through his entire bonus in 161 00:10:46,740 --> 00:10:48,520 months, and then some. 162 00:10:48,940 --> 00:10:54,080 It controlled my mind. I worked my day around how to be able to make a bet or 163 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,940 how to go to the track or how to find a bookmaker to bet with. 164 00:10:57,420 --> 00:11:02,760 He found a restaurant outside Baltimore where he could play some action betting 165 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:08,920 -wise. It was a known establishment that bookies would hang out, and one thing 166 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:11,660 led to another, and he fell into debt rather quickly. 167 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,600 Schlichter isn't satisfied betting a game here or there. 168 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:18,220 He's looking for some heavier action. 169 00:11:18,580 --> 00:11:22,440 Well, that would be Art's Achilles heel with something called a parlay, where if 170 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,960 you bet three or four games, you have to win them all at great odds to win your 171 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:31,040 bet. And he loved doing that every once while he'd hit them. But on average, 172 00:11:31,260 --> 00:11:33,080 you're going to lose most of your bets. 173 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,940 Schlichter later admits that within a year, his gambling is out of control. 174 00:11:39,380 --> 00:11:41,080 I lost almost a million dollars gambling. 175 00:11:42,069 --> 00:11:45,310 First week I lost $20 ,000 and I thought, boy, this is crazy. 176 00:11:45,570 --> 00:11:46,950 I got to go win that money back. 177 00:11:47,410 --> 00:11:51,230 And then I doubled it up the next week and lost and doubled it up and doubled 178 00:11:51,230 --> 00:11:54,290 up. And by the time I got done, I was just in such a hole that I could never 179 00:11:54,290 --> 00:11:55,209 out. 180 00:11:55,210 --> 00:12:00,150 But it gets even worse when local bookies come down hard, saying he owes 181 00:12:00,150 --> 00:12:01,970 $150 ,000. 182 00:12:02,830 --> 00:12:04,590 Bart received a number of threats. 183 00:12:05,370 --> 00:12:10,730 and they were portraying themselves to be affiliated with the local mafia 184 00:12:10,810 --> 00:12:13,330 It turned out that wasn't correct, but Art had no idea. 185 00:12:14,490 --> 00:12:19,250 Scared they might break his throwing arm, or worse, Schliester turns to the 186 00:12:19,250 --> 00:12:21,250 for help in March 1983. 187 00:12:22,190 --> 00:12:26,190 Baltimore Colts quarterback Art Schliester is in protective custody 188 00:12:26,190 --> 00:12:30,310 feds arrest the bookies when they come to town to meet Schliester and collect 189 00:12:30,310 --> 00:12:31,089 their money. 190 00:12:31,090 --> 00:12:35,250 Last Friday at the Columbus, Ohio airport, the FBI arrested three of the 191 00:12:35,250 --> 00:12:36,530 bookies in a sting operation. 192 00:12:37,090 --> 00:12:41,590 Schliester isn't charged with any crimes, but he is caught violating 193 00:12:41,590 --> 00:12:47,610 15 of his NFL contract when he knowingly associates with gamblers or gambling 194 00:12:47,610 --> 00:12:48,610 activity. 195 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:53,640 There were real concerns that he might be gambling on games involving the Colts 196 00:12:53,640 --> 00:13:00,120 and that he might be potentially betting on himself or against the Colts. None 197 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:01,120 of that was ever proven. 198 00:13:01,900 --> 00:13:07,400 Schlichter does make NFL history as the first player in 20 years to be suspended 199 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:08,400 for gambling. 200 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:14,160 In 1984, he's briefly reinstated, but is released by the Colts a year later when 201 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:15,940 they learn he's still gambling. 202 00:13:16,829 --> 00:13:21,270 Schliester's promising pro career ends with a whimper, 13 games, three 203 00:13:21,270 --> 00:13:23,690 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. 204 00:13:24,130 --> 00:13:27,710 At that time, Art was considered one of the biggest busts in NFL history. 205 00:13:28,010 --> 00:13:30,930 And it was very sad, very, very sad for many people. 206 00:13:31,570 --> 00:13:35,770 Schliester will continue to play football in Canada and arena leagues for 207 00:13:35,770 --> 00:13:38,830 years. But the glory days fade fast. 208 00:13:39,510 --> 00:13:43,250 In the late 80s, he briefly marries and soon has two daughters. 209 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,860 but his family constantly struggles to manage his growing gambling addiction. 210 00:13:48,460 --> 00:13:53,700 His wife knew that he was gambling, that he continued to gamble more and more. 211 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,820 She did her very best to protect their kids. 212 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:58,920 She separated their finances. 213 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:02,600 She tried never to give him checks, never to give him a checkbook. 214 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,780 Schliester admits it's not enough, and no one is going to be able to save him 215 00:14:07,780 --> 00:14:08,780 from himself. 216 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:13,380 It got to the point where I was losing a ton of money every day and borrowing 217 00:14:13,380 --> 00:14:17,440 and draining my savings and the whole nine yards just to continue to bet. 218 00:14:18,060 --> 00:14:24,320 Between 1987 and 1992, Schliester is arrested three times in Ohio for writing 219 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:27,140 more than $50 ,000 worth of bad checks. 220 00:14:27,740 --> 00:14:33,020 But he's still a football celebrity, and he receives probation or suspended 221 00:14:33,020 --> 00:14:34,660 sentences each time. 222 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:40,260 There are some who think that if he had been treated more harshly early on, if 223 00:14:40,260 --> 00:14:44,040 he had been sent to prison, it might have been a wake -up call for him, but 224 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:45,040 never happened. 225 00:14:45,420 --> 00:14:50,960 Meanwhile, he continues to bet and lose. How much? Only Arch Leaster knows for 226 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:55,840 sure. We're probably looking at millions upon millions upon millions of dollars. 227 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:01,120 He is synonymous with gambling, and in the world of gambling, he's also 228 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:02,280 synonymous with losing. 229 00:15:03,180 --> 00:15:07,820 Because of this constant drain, Schliester and his family never live in 230 00:15:07,820 --> 00:15:09,520 homes or drive luxury cars. 231 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:12,600 There is only one place his money seems to go. 232 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,040 According to art, every dime he would get, he would gamble away. 233 00:15:16,420 --> 00:15:21,360 It's a vicious cycle. He gambled pretty much every penny he ever had. 234 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:27,500 And in 1994, he moves to perhaps the last place on earth he should. 235 00:15:29,140 --> 00:15:30,200 Las Vegas. 236 00:15:32,060 --> 00:15:35,800 You talk about throwing a thick of dynamite in the fireworks factory. 237 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:38,780 Art thought that it was okay, that he could handle it. 238 00:15:39,020 --> 00:15:43,400 But it takes less than a year in the desert for everything to explode once 239 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:49,160 again. To help cover his mounting losses, Schliester steals dozens of 240 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:51,180 from his sister -in -law and others. 241 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:56,440 When the FBI raids their Las Vegas home looking for stolen money, Schliester's 242 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:00,800 wife has had enough. She takes the kids and heads home to Indiana. 243 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,400 His wife and kids are gone. All his money's gone. 244 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:06,020 He doesn't know what he's going to do. 245 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,440 Somehow that night, I think he hooks up with a buddy and they go out gambling 246 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:14,100 again. I mean, it's just hard to make up a story like that. It's going from the 247 00:16:14,100 --> 00:16:16,320 top to the very, very bottom very quickly. 248 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:22,400 Next on American Greed, Arch Leaster's hoping to stay out of jail again, but 249 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:24,940 this time he's miscalculated the odds. 250 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,660 His life was officially destroyed during that 12 -year period. 251 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,900 Arch Schliester's compulsive gambling has cost him his career and his family. 252 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:53,560 But even more trouble comes in 1994 when he's caught passing $175 ,000 in bad 253 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,060 checks to Las Vegas casinos. 254 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:01,440 And when you do that against the casinos, the judges and prosecutors out 255 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:05,160 are going to make you pay for it. And that's what happened. 256 00:17:05,660 --> 00:17:10,720 Instead of the slap on the wrist he's used to, Schliester is sentenced to two 257 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:11,720 years in prison. 258 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:16,859 While Schliester sits behind bars, prosecutors around the country 259 00:17:16,859 --> 00:17:23,720 he's also written nearly $500 ,000 worth of bad checks in Indiana, Nevada, and 260 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:29,460 Ohio. He pleads guilty to felony theft, bank fraud, and forgery. With each plea, 261 00:17:29,620 --> 00:17:32,420 his prison time grows and grows. 262 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:35,200 Earth's path caught up to him. 263 00:17:36,389 --> 00:17:43,250 In a 12 -year period from 1994 to 2006, Art spent time 264 00:17:43,250 --> 00:17:46,450 in more than 40 prisons or jails. 265 00:17:47,450 --> 00:17:50,950 His wife was officially destroyed during that 12 -year period. 266 00:17:52,690 --> 00:17:55,570 Schleester is released briefly in 1999. 267 00:17:56,110 --> 00:17:59,490 He retreats home to the family farm in Bloomingburg, Ohio. 268 00:17:59,950 --> 00:18:03,250 Despite his record, he's still a local hero. 269 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:08,400 He was the old star quarterback, so people would take him in, people would 270 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:09,079 him money. 271 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:12,040 They tried to support him, tried to build him back up. 272 00:18:12,500 --> 00:18:17,040 To make ends meet, Schlichter tells people that he still has connections for 273 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,580 premium sports tickets at Ohio State University. 274 00:18:20,140 --> 00:18:23,380 He asks people to front him money to buy the tickets. 275 00:18:23,620 --> 00:18:28,600 He says once he resells them, there will be huge profits for his investors. 276 00:18:29,220 --> 00:18:30,860 He was a very good salesman. 277 00:18:31,230 --> 00:18:37,550 People were willing to be trustful with him because of his association with Ohio 278 00:18:37,550 --> 00:18:42,150 State, because he was a Ohio State football hero, and they were willing to 279 00:18:42,150 --> 00:18:44,410 depart with fairly large sums of money. 280 00:18:44,890 --> 00:18:49,250 Soon, at least a dozen people give him more than $500 ,000. 281 00:18:49,670 --> 00:18:53,510 But Schlichter doesn't buy the tickets or share the profits. 282 00:18:54,030 --> 00:18:57,490 The only thing he thought about 24 -7 was gambling. 283 00:18:58,090 --> 00:19:02,730 So every time he would get any monies whatsoever, it went towards gambling. 284 00:19:03,430 --> 00:19:09,250 Schlichter even steals $60 ,000 from his own father before he's arrested and 285 00:19:09,250 --> 00:19:13,230 convicted of credit card fraud and sentenced to five more years. 286 00:19:17,590 --> 00:19:20,090 Schlichter is finally released in 2006. 287 00:19:20,590 --> 00:19:25,430 He's broke and owes nearly $500 ,000 restitution to his victims. 288 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:32,220 He moves into his mom's tiny house in Washington Courthouse, Ohio, and tries 289 00:19:32,220 --> 00:19:33,700 piece his life back together. 290 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:39,620 It did appear, at least on the surface, that he was finally, finally going to 291 00:19:39,620 --> 00:19:43,800 beat this and finally going to stop hurting people and finally stop taking 292 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,160 advantage of people. Hello, I'm Mark Shalister, and this is my mother, Myla. 293 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:50,840 Schliester starts a website to help problem gamblers like himself. 294 00:19:51,140 --> 00:19:55,880 He and his mom record public service announcements to keep casinos from 295 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:56,659 to town. 296 00:19:56,660 --> 00:20:01,940 Ohio casinos will destroy Ohio families. Please vote no on issue three. 297 00:20:02,780 --> 00:20:07,700 Schliester also comes clean in an autobiography he co -writes with author 298 00:20:07,700 --> 00:20:12,760 Snook. When pressed why he always seems to repeat the same mistakes, Schliester 299 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:14,020 has only one answer. 300 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:17,900 You just don't understand addiction, do you? 301 00:20:18,380 --> 00:20:22,120 That's what he kept telling me. You just don't understand addiction. 302 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:28,060 It is seven minutes after three o 'clock. Columbus radio personality John 303 00:20:28,060 --> 00:20:34,480 says that by 2009, Arch Leaster's public rehabilitation is almost complete. He 304 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:38,480 could have made a fortune in this town selling anything. 305 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:40,940 He had that kind of personality. 306 00:20:41,580 --> 00:20:42,820 He would have killed it. 307 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:44,480 Absolutely killed it. 308 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:51,000 In 2009, Schliester takes a job at sports radio WTVN 610. 309 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:55,980 What do we have today? There he's paired with Corby, who's been on the airwaves 310 00:20:55,980 --> 00:20:57,020 since 1978. 311 00:20:57,720 --> 00:20:59,840 The big Wednesday hump day show. 312 00:21:00,180 --> 00:21:04,820 Corby says Schliester was a natural on air, and fans flocked to listen to their 313 00:21:04,820 --> 00:21:05,820 Wednesday show. 314 00:21:05,980 --> 00:21:08,040 And he was good. He knew his stuff. 315 00:21:08,420 --> 00:21:11,260 People liked him, and we got a lot of phone calls. 316 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:16,180 But off -air, Corby says that some of Schliester's quirks don't add up. 317 00:21:16,380 --> 00:21:21,300 He had two phones, and his phones went off all the time. I mean, this guy got 318 00:21:21,300 --> 00:21:22,300 more phone calls. 319 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:27,580 Schliester often ducks out to take these mysterious calls, telling Corby they 320 00:21:27,580 --> 00:21:32,640 are other compulsive gamblers he's trying to help. He also says he's 321 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,660 an old business plan to make some extra cash. 322 00:21:36,140 --> 00:21:37,880 Well, Art's in the office one day. 323 00:21:38,380 --> 00:21:45,060 and asked me if I wanted to buy season basketball tickets for Ohio State. And 324 00:21:45,060 --> 00:21:46,720 the time, they had a pretty good team. 325 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:48,700 Corby's set to buy in. 326 00:21:48,900 --> 00:21:53,060 But when he tells his wife about the deal, she quickly cools his jets. 327 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:57,820 She said, seriously, you're going to buy tickets from Art Schliester? 328 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:02,180 Didn't you read the effing book? 329 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,180 I read the book. That's what he does. 330 00:22:06,310 --> 00:22:08,910 Yes, Schlichter's back to doing what he does. 331 00:22:09,170 --> 00:22:10,190 This is a tough issue. 332 00:22:10,430 --> 00:22:14,230 And despite appearances, he has been all along. 333 00:22:14,490 --> 00:22:17,410 You know, who knows what's going to happen in the future. He started 334 00:22:17,410 --> 00:22:20,210 the minute he got out of prison in 2006. 335 00:22:21,450 --> 00:22:27,970 He was gambling in Las Vegas. He was gambling in West Virginia, Indiana, the 336 00:22:27,970 --> 00:22:29,850 casino boats along the Ohio River. 337 00:22:30,780 --> 00:22:35,560 And to keep the action going, Arch Schliester is about to perfect the art 338 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:36,560 steal. 339 00:22:37,020 --> 00:22:42,640 Next on American Greed, Schliester parlays a decades -old connection with a 340 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:47,820 plane crash survivor and a wealthy widow to run the tables on a million -dollar 341 00:22:47,820 --> 00:22:48,820 ripoff. 342 00:22:49,020 --> 00:22:53,940 Anita Barney, in that moment, was prey for Arch Schliester. 343 00:23:05,710 --> 00:23:11,610 On a crisp Sunday morning in October 2009, church is winding down in 344 00:23:11,610 --> 00:23:12,610 Westerville, Ohio. 345 00:23:12,770 --> 00:23:17,570 The sermon has ended, and now a special guest speaks to the crowd. 346 00:23:18,070 --> 00:23:22,830 My children went without a father for 10 years. I was incarcerated for 10 out of 347 00:23:22,830 --> 00:23:25,450 12 years from 1994 to 2006. 348 00:23:26,190 --> 00:23:31,790 It's Arch Leister, making the rounds to come clean on his sordid gambling past. 349 00:23:32,330 --> 00:23:33,990 But I not only lost the... 350 00:23:34,620 --> 00:23:37,180 my profession, but I lost my dignity. 351 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,260 I lost a life. 352 00:23:39,620 --> 00:23:44,720 The audience sits in rapt attention, but one person is especially touched by 353 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:46,000 Schliester's story. 354 00:23:46,360 --> 00:23:50,700 When I heard him in church, I really believed that he was a changed man. 355 00:23:51,100 --> 00:23:52,640 I was so convinced. 356 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:57,980 Anita Barney is a wealthy widow and socialite who feels she shares a unique 357 00:23:57,980 --> 00:24:00,860 connection with the convicted felon, Art Schliester. 358 00:24:01,500 --> 00:24:06,260 They met briefly in 1980 when Schliester was the star quarterback at Ohio State. 359 00:24:06,620 --> 00:24:12,220 Back then, he selflessly visited Barney's 10 -year -old son's bedside 360 00:24:12,220 --> 00:24:14,520 recovered from severe plane crash injuries. 361 00:24:15,180 --> 00:24:16,720 They didn't think he was going to live. 362 00:24:16,940 --> 00:24:18,360 He had internal injuries. 363 00:24:18,780 --> 00:24:22,680 His leg was almost severed, and his femur was broken in three places. 364 00:24:22,980 --> 00:24:24,400 His face was all burned. 365 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:29,760 Barney still believes Schliester's generosity was the key to her son's 366 00:24:30,270 --> 00:24:32,010 Basically got him out of the depression. 367 00:24:32,450 --> 00:24:36,590 For Art to come out and bring all these things and see him and cheer him up, he 368 00:24:36,590 --> 00:24:37,590 didn't have to do that. 369 00:24:37,930 --> 00:24:39,610 So I was quite impressed with that. 370 00:24:40,190 --> 00:24:46,570 So Anita felt as though she was indebted to him. And hence, 30 years later, she 371 00:24:46,570 --> 00:24:50,370 has the opportunity to help the man who helped her. 372 00:24:50,590 --> 00:24:52,050 That's kind of where it started. 373 00:24:52,870 --> 00:24:57,250 Since that fateful encounter, Anita Barney's life couldn't be more different 374 00:24:57,250 --> 00:24:58,550 from Arch Lister's. 375 00:24:58,750 --> 00:25:05,270 In 1982, she remarries, this time to Bob Barney, the future CEO of Columbus 376 00:25:05,270 --> 00:25:06,810 -based Wendy's Company. 377 00:25:07,230 --> 00:25:11,490 The Barneys host lavish parties at their mansion on the Scioto River, 378 00:25:11,750 --> 00:25:14,250 entertaining a wide circle of wealthy friends. 379 00:25:15,170 --> 00:25:18,750 But Anita Barney's life is in transition now. 380 00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:24,720 After nearly 25 years of marriage, Bob Barney has recently passed away, and 381 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:26,580 Anita Barney is once again a widow. 382 00:25:26,820 --> 00:25:31,580 And for the first time in decades, she's in charge of her own finances. 383 00:25:32,060 --> 00:25:37,460 I never had to worry about money the times I was married. My husband took 384 00:25:37,460 --> 00:25:38,279 of everything. 385 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,480 I never wrote a check. I didn't know anything about the checkbook. 386 00:25:42,140 --> 00:25:43,119 No finances. 387 00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:47,140 And now she's about to reconnect with someone else who's never been in control 388 00:25:47,140 --> 00:25:48,480 of his money either. 389 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:52,700 I don't know if it could ever be, the amount of money that I lost could ever 390 00:25:52,700 --> 00:25:55,520 actually added up to known, but it was in the millions of dollars. 391 00:25:55,800 --> 00:26:00,740 When church ends, Barney waits in line to reintroduce herself to Arch Leaster 392 00:26:00,740 --> 00:26:04,220 and to invite him to her son's 40th birthday party. 393 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:07,460 And I reminded him who I was. He said, well, how's Alan doing? 394 00:26:07,940 --> 00:26:10,440 And I said, well, I'm having a party for him. He's doing well. 395 00:26:10,940 --> 00:26:12,700 Here's my number if you'd like to come to the party. 396 00:26:13,100 --> 00:26:16,140 And that was probably the worst thing that Anita Barney could have said to 397 00:26:16,140 --> 00:26:21,480 Leaster. Anita Barney, in that moment, was prey for Arch Leaster. 398 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:26,020 Days later, Barney receives a call from Arch Leaster. 399 00:26:26,300 --> 00:26:30,820 He called and said, well, I cannot make the party, but I'd like to get together 400 00:26:30,820 --> 00:26:32,960 and get caught up on how everybody's doing. 401 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:34,280 I said, well, sure. 402 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:39,660 Schliester has clearly done his homework and discovered Anita Barney's wealthy 403 00:26:39,660 --> 00:26:43,340 past. When he arrives, he brings a special bag of lunch. 404 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:48,860 And he brought Wendy's. And that's how he got his foot in the door, basically. 405 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:51,840 The two catch up over burgers and fries. 406 00:26:52,260 --> 00:26:54,160 It's a friendly, low -key affair. 407 00:26:54,940 --> 00:26:59,560 Until Schliester casually turns up the volume on the TV so that Barney's 408 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,060 housekeeper can't hear what he says next. 409 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:07,960 He's talking about everybody doing so well, but he missed his daughters and 410 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:08,960 sad it was. 411 00:27:09,300 --> 00:27:14,180 He didn't have a car to get over to see them and wanted to borrow $10 ,000 to 412 00:27:14,180 --> 00:27:17,200 buy a car to build a relationship with his daughters. 413 00:27:18,020 --> 00:27:22,580 Barney is caught by surprise, but her trusting nature kicks in automatically. 414 00:27:23,420 --> 00:27:25,960 She agrees to give him the money on the spot. 415 00:27:26,340 --> 00:27:28,500 I didn't mind helping Art because I could. 416 00:27:28,980 --> 00:27:32,380 Why not help him? He helped my child get out of his depression. 417 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:34,520 I couldn't say no. 418 00:27:35,140 --> 00:27:36,740 I could not say no. 419 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:39,680 But Schliester never buys a car. 420 00:27:40,100 --> 00:27:44,880 Instead, a week later, he's calling Barney for another, much larger loan. 421 00:27:45,620 --> 00:27:47,700 He wanted to borrow $100 ,000. 422 00:27:48,140 --> 00:27:51,660 That was to pay people back that he owed money for. 423 00:27:52,620 --> 00:27:54,080 and that was to keep him out of prison. 424 00:27:54,860 --> 00:27:58,820 Schliester's restitution settlements and gambling losses have left him more than 425 00:27:58,820 --> 00:28:00,980 $500 ,000 in debt. 426 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:03,700 And without Barney, he's in big trouble. 427 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:08,440 She agrees to give him the loan, and before she knows it, Schliester has 428 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:10,360 maneuvered himself into her life. 429 00:28:10,700 --> 00:28:15,540 Although they are seen together in public, Barney denies she was a lonely 430 00:28:15,540 --> 00:28:18,440 captivated by a former star's charms. 431 00:28:19,100 --> 00:28:21,500 I never had a sexual relationship with him. 432 00:28:22,010 --> 00:28:23,490 But I could see where people would think that. 433 00:28:23,950 --> 00:28:28,850 I'd think the same thing, giving him money to have a relationship. But that 434 00:28:28,850 --> 00:28:31,450 truly is not the case. It was not the case. 435 00:28:32,030 --> 00:28:37,510 She says she simply trusts him. And by the end of 2009, she gives Sleester more 436 00:28:37,510 --> 00:28:38,890 than $200 ,000. 437 00:28:39,250 --> 00:28:44,930 And he's just getting started. She felt that in order to get her initial... 438 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:50,300 $100 ,000 back, that she would continue to help him and continue to give him 439 00:28:50,300 --> 00:28:54,700 money. And before she knew it, she had given Art pretty much everything that 440 00:28:54,700 --> 00:29:00,580 had. Next on American Greed, Art Schliester turns to threats while Anita 441 00:29:00,580 --> 00:29:02,460 Barney's world falls apart. 442 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:05,660 I was crying and praying because I didn't know how else to get out of this 443 00:29:05,660 --> 00:29:06,660 to kill myself. 444 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:17,700 By 2010, Anita Barney isn't the only angle Art Schliester's working on to dig 445 00:29:17,700 --> 00:29:20,460 himself out of a $500 ,000 debt. 446 00:29:20,740 --> 00:29:25,300 He's still claiming he can use his celebrity status to buy and resell 447 00:29:25,300 --> 00:29:31,300 tickets, particularly premium Ohio State football season tickets for a hefty 448 00:29:31,300 --> 00:29:36,660 profit. Season tickets are hard to come by, and so when Art would... 449 00:29:37,500 --> 00:29:42,120 believably say he could get them because as a former star quarterback there, 450 00:29:42,220 --> 00:29:44,760 people tended to believe he had access to tickets. 451 00:29:44,980 --> 00:29:49,900 This plan bought him a five -year prison sentence in 2001, but that history 452 00:29:49,900 --> 00:29:54,940 doesn't stop several people from foolishly fronting him cash to start 453 00:29:54,940 --> 00:29:56,020 tickets again. 454 00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:02,100 You know, if you pay $2 ,000 for a set of Ohio State football season tickets, 455 00:30:02,340 --> 00:30:04,220 you might be able to sell them for $4 ,000. 456 00:30:04,650 --> 00:30:08,770 It kind of comes back to the old thing, if it sounds too good to be true, it 457 00:30:08,770 --> 00:30:10,930 probably isn't true. 458 00:30:11,270 --> 00:30:15,750 But Schliester often doesn't come through. And before long, he's tipped 459 00:30:15,750 --> 00:30:17,830 of his investors to attract attention. 460 00:30:18,650 --> 00:30:22,430 Schliester's just not able to make those payments, or you ask for particular 461 00:30:22,430 --> 00:30:25,050 tickets and Schliester is not able to produce them. 462 00:30:25,690 --> 00:30:29,630 He didn't have those connections, and he wasn't able to get any kind of great 463 00:30:29,630 --> 00:30:34,950 tickets. There was no real investment program going on. He wasn't doing that 464 00:30:34,950 --> 00:30:40,230 all. As complaints grow, Schliester finds himself under pressure from a new 465 00:30:40,230 --> 00:30:42,470 source, the U .S. Attorney's Office. 466 00:30:42,850 --> 00:30:48,290 There, intelligence specialist Bob Merklin discovers that Schliester has 467 00:30:48,290 --> 00:30:52,190 socialite Anita Varney into giving him nearly $200 ,000. 468 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:57,600 Merklin and another agent meet with Barney to warn her there is a problem. 469 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:02,420 And I just, you know, they say your stomach can flip. I swear mine did. It 470 00:31:02,420 --> 00:31:05,400 that way. I thought, oh, dear, this is really bad. 471 00:31:05,980 --> 00:31:08,900 Barney's May 2010 meeting with the feds is brief. 472 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:13,380 Merklin tries to warn her he suspects Schlichter is stealing from her. 473 00:31:13,860 --> 00:31:19,400 She was adamant that, yes, she had given funds to Art, but did it willingly. 474 00:31:20,010 --> 00:31:24,210 She was not being victimized, wasn't worried about anything, wasn't in fear 475 00:31:24,210 --> 00:31:28,890 anything. When the agents depart, Merklin suspects they will meet again. 476 00:31:29,670 --> 00:31:33,870 She, in the back of her mind or in her heart, knew that she was in trouble 477 00:31:33,870 --> 00:31:38,130 financially, but perhaps just wasn't willing to admit it at that point. 478 00:31:39,610 --> 00:31:45,470 2010 passes as a blur for Anita Barney. She says Schleester continues to beg and 479 00:31:45,470 --> 00:31:46,750 harass her for more money. 480 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:49,880 Gone is the charismatic former football star. 481 00:31:50,220 --> 00:31:53,720 He's been replaced by a man Barney hardly recognizes. 482 00:31:54,380 --> 00:32:00,360 He just became a very vicious, violent man after that with threats. I didn't 483 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:05,300 know what he was going to do. And to hear him screaming, I was afraid of him, 484 00:32:05,380 --> 00:32:06,380 terrified of him. 485 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:13,120 Barney estimates that between November 2009 and February 2011, she loans Arch 486 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:16,640 Leaster an average of $6 ,200 per day. 487 00:32:17,210 --> 00:32:21,150 Before 2010 is over, she's given him more than $1 million. 488 00:32:22,130 --> 00:32:26,350 And I thought I still had money in the bank, and then I didn't. It happened so 489 00:32:26,350 --> 00:32:27,350 fast. 490 00:32:27,790 --> 00:32:28,810 So fast. 491 00:32:29,710 --> 00:32:34,470 As Barney's money dries up, Schliester approaches her with new demands. 492 00:32:35,150 --> 00:32:39,110 Art knew that she was friends with many affluent and rich people. 493 00:32:39,450 --> 00:32:45,930 Anita says that Art suggested to her that she solicit these friends. 494 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:47,760 For money. 495 00:32:48,100 --> 00:32:52,520 Barney says Schlichter forces her to turn against her friends by threatening 496 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:55,540 children, including the son he once befriended. 497 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:59,460 He had friends that would do whatever he wanted to do. 498 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:03,900 And we know where your children live, and this is what we will do to them. 499 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:09,200 And that's when I was like his puppet then. 500 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:11,320 I don't know what else to say. 501 00:33:11,820 --> 00:33:16,200 Barney says Schliester demands she call her friends and sell them tickets to 502 00:33:16,200 --> 00:33:20,480 Ohio State games or even the upcoming Super Bowl in February. 503 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:25,880 There are those who think that at this moment, Anita Barney became an 504 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:30,220 with Arch Schliester and that she too was a criminal. And there are those that 505 00:33:30,220 --> 00:33:35,860 think that Anita Barney was almost being held hostage by Arch Schliester. 506 00:33:36,650 --> 00:33:42,790 Within weeks, 23 of Barney's friends give her more than $65 ,000 to buy these 507 00:33:42,790 --> 00:33:43,790 exclusive tickets. 508 00:33:44,070 --> 00:33:46,890 But they're not always happy with what they receive. 509 00:33:47,650 --> 00:33:50,730 They all got their tickets, but they were never in the same seat. 510 00:33:50,950 --> 00:33:53,290 Sometimes they were two together, sometimes not. 511 00:33:53,610 --> 00:33:58,170 And I was driving around the city, sometimes at midnight, dropping those 512 00:33:58,170 --> 00:34:00,250 off so that they could get their tickets. 513 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:03,460 There's a reason for the mad scramble. 514 00:34:03,660 --> 00:34:07,820 Those tickets aren't coming from the great connection Schliester's been 515 00:34:07,820 --> 00:34:08,819 he has. 516 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:13,739 He would get the tickets from ticket brokers, and in most cases they charge 517 00:34:13,739 --> 00:34:18,900 probably three, four times over the face value of the ticket. So he was paying a 518 00:34:18,900 --> 00:34:21,120 considerable markup for those tickets. 519 00:34:21,540 --> 00:34:26,560 Losing more money than ever, Schliester also demands Barney ask her friends for 520 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:27,560 personal loans. 521 00:34:27,980 --> 00:34:31,840 She says Schliester carefully scripted what she was supposed to say. 522 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:36,860 I needed money to invest right now. I can't get my money until so many days. 523 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:40,679 Would you loan it to me? And that was the main story he used to have me tell 524 00:34:40,679 --> 00:34:41,679 people. 525 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:47,440 Barney collects more than $400 ,000 from her friends and gives it straight to 526 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:48,440 Art Schliester. 527 00:34:48,540 --> 00:34:52,020 I'd get checks, and then I'd go cash it, and he'd wait in the parking lot and 528 00:34:52,020 --> 00:34:53,020 take the money and go. 529 00:34:54,230 --> 00:34:57,430 Schlichter's put himself in a cycle that's spinning out of control. 530 00:34:57,870 --> 00:35:02,910 In order to keep the scheme going, he had to pay off, at least in part, people 531 00:35:02,910 --> 00:35:07,330 who had given him money earlier, and he was doing that with money that he took 532 00:35:07,330 --> 00:35:08,390 in later in the scheme. 533 00:35:08,810 --> 00:35:14,410 But not everyone gets paid back as promised, and those who don't quickly 534 00:35:14,410 --> 00:35:15,410 Anita Barney. 535 00:35:15,470 --> 00:35:19,890 At the end of 2010, my friends, yes, they were threatening to turn me in, to 536 00:35:19,890 --> 00:35:21,710 call the police, and they yell at me. 537 00:35:22,570 --> 00:35:24,650 I was so embarrassed and so humiliated. 538 00:35:24,890 --> 00:35:26,570 I just, I didn't want to live. 539 00:35:27,270 --> 00:35:32,390 Broke and severely depressed, Anita says she even considers suicide. But when 540 00:35:32,390 --> 00:35:37,730 she tells Schliester how she feels, he offers an ominous suggestion of his own. 541 00:35:37,950 --> 00:35:42,710 And he says, do not kill yourself because they'll accuse me of murder. 542 00:35:43,770 --> 00:35:45,870 And I'm crying and still upset. 543 00:35:46,170 --> 00:35:50,310 And he says, we'll just do a double suicide together. 544 00:35:51,850 --> 00:35:55,950 Days later, Schliester unexpectedly pushes his way into her home. 545 00:35:56,930 --> 00:36:01,730 Convinced he's come to carry out his deadly threats, Barney waits in terror. 546 00:36:02,390 --> 00:36:05,830 I really thought this was going to be it. I did not move. 547 00:36:06,090 --> 00:36:09,050 I just sat perfectly still. I just waited him out. 548 00:36:09,350 --> 00:36:13,710 But after 30 minutes of tense near silence, he abruptly leaves. 549 00:36:14,270 --> 00:36:18,530 I lock the door, but I get shaking now thinking about that moment right now. I 550 00:36:18,530 --> 00:36:19,870 have chills and thinking about it. 551 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:24,740 Badly shaken and at the end of a rope, Anita Barney finally decides to break 552 00:36:24,740 --> 00:36:26,360 free of Arch Leaster. 553 00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:31,520 Why am I allowing somebody like this to do this to me? 554 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:34,160 This has got to be stopped. He's got to be stopped. 555 00:36:34,620 --> 00:36:39,180 She digs out the business card. Intelligence specialist Bob Merklin left 556 00:36:39,180 --> 00:36:43,420 back in Maine and for the first time in months feels a sense of peace. 557 00:36:43,900 --> 00:36:44,899 I went to bed. 558 00:36:44,900 --> 00:36:46,040 I slept very well. 559 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:48,400 After that, I wasn't afraid anymore. 560 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:49,760 Up next. 561 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:52,060 Okay, I want you to listen to me now, okay? 562 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:56,780 Arch Leaster knows how to talk himself out of trouble, but now it's his own 563 00:36:56,780 --> 00:36:58,560 words that bring him down. 564 00:36:58,820 --> 00:37:01,640 You have to call him, damn it. Just a minute. 565 00:37:02,460 --> 00:37:04,880 It's up to the point where there will be no return. 566 00:37:16,990 --> 00:37:21,430 Anita Barney's decision to turn the tables on compulsive gambler Arch 567 00:37:21,430 --> 00:37:26,090 is like emerging from a fog, but her choice will cost her as well. 568 00:37:26,530 --> 00:37:31,530 She has helped Schliester steal more than $400 ,000 from many of her former 569 00:37:31,530 --> 00:37:32,530 friends. 570 00:37:33,110 --> 00:37:36,830 We told her from the beginning, if there were people that you stole from, 571 00:37:37,150 --> 00:37:41,630 there'll be a day of reckoning for you, but for the time being, we are willing 572 00:37:41,630 --> 00:37:44,010 to have you cooperate with us, and she did. 573 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:49,760 Detective Scott Davis gives her an audio recorder to begin taping Schliester's 574 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:50,840 endless phone calls. 575 00:37:51,060 --> 00:37:56,920 Just a small little tape recorder, and I put an earbud in my ear, and whenever 576 00:37:56,920 --> 00:37:59,640 the phone would ring, I'd turn it on and hit record. 577 00:38:01,260 --> 00:38:02,260 Hello? 578 00:38:02,740 --> 00:38:04,700 Okay, I want you to listen to me now, okay? 579 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:08,940 Okay. She recorded hundreds, if not thousands, of calls. 580 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,920 Art was calling her 20 to 30 times minimum per day. 581 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:19,880 And if you listen to those phone conversations, he becomes very abusive 582 00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:20,880 threatening. 583 00:38:22,340 --> 00:38:28,960 I'm going to get in trouble for bounce checks. Gone 584 00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:31,600 is the facade of a former All -American. 585 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:35,020 Fury and desperation are all that remain. 586 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:38,280 We will make it today. 587 00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:42,960 If you don't write me this check now, I'll fuck up my ass and your ass will be 588 00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:44,260 dead. Oh, God. 589 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,820 Get in your car right now. 590 00:38:48,820 --> 00:38:53,120 Schlichter's willing to do anything to get more money, and he expects the same 591 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:54,120 from Anita. 592 00:38:54,180 --> 00:38:55,480 You may have to borrow this money. 593 00:38:55,700 --> 00:38:59,760 You may have to second for it. And you want me to do what? 594 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:01,780 And you may have to second for it. 595 00:39:02,110 --> 00:39:07,510 Schliester's last Hail Mary is a promise to deliver tickets to Super Bowl XLV in 596 00:39:07,510 --> 00:39:08,510 Arlington, Texas. 597 00:39:08,830 --> 00:39:13,270 But when Schliester fails to deliver, he knows he's facing some furious fans. 598 00:39:13,710 --> 00:39:17,110 On February 7th, he agrees to come clean with authorities. 599 00:39:17,830 --> 00:39:23,590 He knew the jig was up, and he came in and disclosed all of his own activities. 600 00:39:24,170 --> 00:39:25,850 Did I gamble part of it? Probably. 601 00:39:26,230 --> 00:39:28,210 Did I use someone for tickets? Probably. 602 00:39:28,530 --> 00:39:30,310 Did I use someone to pay somebody back? 603 00:39:30,590 --> 00:39:31,590 Probably. 604 00:39:32,270 --> 00:39:33,770 All three of those could be true. 605 00:39:34,910 --> 00:39:39,010 Schlichter admits he's been ripping countless people off. All to feed his 606 00:39:39,010 --> 00:39:40,550 insatiable gambling addiction. 607 00:39:41,130 --> 00:39:42,390 How much do you think you've won? 608 00:39:42,830 --> 00:39:46,670 I've won $3 million a game in my lifetime, and I've lost $6 or $7 609 00:39:47,550 --> 00:39:52,090 You win a little bit, you lose a lot. You win a little bit, you lose a lot. 610 00:39:52,950 --> 00:39:57,030 Schlichter also admits stealing more than $1 million from Anita Barney. 611 00:39:57,360 --> 00:40:00,980 But now he says he doesn't want her to suffer any more pain. 612 00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:02,800 I want to tell you something about Anita Barney. 613 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:08,260 I love Anita Barney. She did more to help me than any person in the whole 614 00:40:08,260 --> 00:40:09,760 could ever do, times 10. 615 00:40:09,980 --> 00:40:12,300 I hope you don't charge her with anything. 616 00:40:13,020 --> 00:40:19,500 On September 15, 2011, Arch Leister pleads guilty to wire fraud, bank fraud, 617 00:40:19,500 --> 00:40:21,080 filing a false tax return. 618 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:24,540 He's sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. 619 00:40:25,530 --> 00:40:29,110 But the exact amount of money he's stolen will never be known. 620 00:40:29,510 --> 00:40:33,910 There's a lot of people that were involved that wouldn't come forward, so 621 00:40:33,910 --> 00:40:37,090 don't know exactly how much. We do know it was in the millions. 622 00:40:37,950 --> 00:40:43,410 For her role in helping Arch Leaster, Anita Barney is charged with theft and 623 00:40:43,410 --> 00:40:45,270 sentenced to three years probation. 624 00:40:45,830 --> 00:40:50,230 I'm glad it happened because I wanted to be punished for what I did. I felt so 625 00:40:50,230 --> 00:40:53,870 bad about lying to my friends and hurting them. 626 00:40:54,670 --> 00:40:56,350 that I was fine with it. 627 00:40:57,090 --> 00:40:58,210 I deserved it. 628 00:40:58,510 --> 00:41:04,450 To pay her $400 ,000 restitution, Barney must auction all her personal items and 629 00:41:04,450 --> 00:41:06,710 her home will soon be taken by the bank. 630 00:41:06,950 --> 00:41:11,850 All because, Anita says, she tried to help a man she thought she owed for his 631 00:41:11,850 --> 00:41:13,770 kind gesture long ago. 632 00:41:14,230 --> 00:41:16,910 I was just trying to be a nice guy and help somebody. 633 00:41:17,410 --> 00:41:21,570 It wasn't like, oh, I'm going to get in with him to do all this conniving and 634 00:41:21,570 --> 00:41:23,010 stealing. It wasn't that at all. 635 00:41:23,850 --> 00:41:25,310 I just wanted to help him. 636 00:41:26,970 --> 00:41:30,690 Today, Arch Leister sits in a federal prison in South Carolina. 637 00:41:31,250 --> 00:41:36,210 The former Gridiron Great's health is failing, and his brain is battered from 638 00:41:36,210 --> 00:41:38,050 years of abuse on the football field. 639 00:41:39,590 --> 00:41:44,010 His health is not real good. He does have Parkinson's disease and dementia. 640 00:41:44,780 --> 00:41:49,320 And has the tremors that comes with Parkinson's. You know, the doctors are 641 00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:55,360 convinced his brain is full of CTE from probably 17 or more concussions they 642 00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:57,460 diagnosed him with going back to junior high school. 643 00:41:57,900 --> 00:42:02,580 Armchair quarterbacks can debate whether sickness or greed ruined Arch Leaster. 644 00:42:02,780 --> 00:42:04,540 But one thing is certain. 645 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:06,520 His own demons destroyed him. 646 00:42:07,060 --> 00:42:10,060 And unfortunately, he took a lot of people with him when he went down. 647 00:42:11,740 --> 00:42:13,620 On the next American Greed. 648 00:42:14,110 --> 00:42:16,470 A hero cop lives a double life. 649 00:42:16,670 --> 00:42:18,030 His plan worked perfect. 650 00:42:18,250 --> 00:42:19,850 The evidence, the controversy. 651 00:42:20,450 --> 00:42:23,490 American Greed, next. 652 00:42:23,990 --> 00:42:25,730 CNBC, get yours. 653 00:42:26,670 --> 00:42:28,030 Mind your business. 654 00:42:28,450 --> 00:42:30,690 Seriously, go start one.