1 00:00:00,330 --> 00:00:05,230 In this episode of American Greed, in the big money world of professional 2 00:00:05,230 --> 00:00:09,650 athletes, life outside the game can get tricky. 3 00:00:11,010 --> 00:00:15,470 There is a cadre of people taking care of all the drama that's going on behind 4 00:00:15,470 --> 00:00:16,108 the scenes. 5 00:00:16,110 --> 00:00:19,950 At the end of the day, the hardest thing to do is trying to trust people. 6 00:00:21,510 --> 00:00:27,030 Introducing Peggy Fulford, a sweet -talking beauty who says she doesn't 7 00:00:27,030 --> 00:00:28,580 cash. She had the money. 8 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,300 Like, you believed it. She had all the money. 9 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:36,460 She always was driving in the Rolls Royce, always had diamonds on, very 10 00:00:36,460 --> 00:00:42,140 diamonds. She worked with Bud Hilliard, Travis Best, and Ricky Williams, and 11 00:00:42,140 --> 00:00:43,140 Dennis Rodman. 12 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:46,200 She's the solver of problems. 13 00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:49,880 She was everyone's go -to for anything. 14 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,660 If I'm going through a divorce, I'm calling Peggy. 15 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,060 Their baby mama drama, she would nip that in the bud. 16 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:02,980 But Peggy is not only looking to manage their personal lives, she wants to help 17 00:01:02,980 --> 00:01:04,140 build a legacy. 18 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:08,660 One of her taglines on business cards was creating generational wealth. 19 00:01:08,900 --> 00:01:13,700 I do control a very large part of their life. And when you control someone's 20 00:01:13,700 --> 00:01:15,340 finances, that is their life. 21 00:01:15,580 --> 00:01:20,260 And when unsuspecting athletes hand over the key to their financial futures, 22 00:01:20,620 --> 00:01:23,280 there's only one drawback. 23 00:01:23,740 --> 00:01:24,780 These athletes... 24 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:31,140 thought that they and their families were set for life, and she got every 25 00:01:31,140 --> 00:01:31,939 they had. 26 00:01:31,940 --> 00:01:35,680 She was siphoning away and stealing everything she could get her hands on. 27 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:00,460 At the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Massachusetts in August 28 00:02:00,460 --> 00:02:07,080 2011, the crowd is tapped as this year's inductee, Dennis Rodman, 29 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:08,860 arrives for the ceremony. 30 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,860 I was invited by Dennis. I thought it was going to be amazing, which it was. 31 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,720 Dennis was very emotional, and it was a great weekend. 32 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:21,840 In a red carpet photo... 33 00:02:22,350 --> 00:02:26,670 An attractive middle -aged woman is positioned directly in front of Rodman. 34 00:02:27,130 --> 00:02:29,730 Her face is beaming with pride. 35 00:02:30,250 --> 00:02:31,650 She was wearing all white. 36 00:02:32,050 --> 00:02:35,590 I mean, she was stunning. I mean, it was really something that you're like, who 37 00:02:35,590 --> 00:02:37,870 is this person? You would think she was getting inducted. 38 00:02:38,350 --> 00:02:44,190 After singling her out with a kiss as he enters the ceremony, Peggy King, also 39 00:02:44,190 --> 00:02:49,570 known as Peggy Fulpern, is among the first people a tearful Rodman mentions. 40 00:02:50,710 --> 00:02:54,370 Peggy King, Elton King, the family, these guys are taking care of me these 41 00:02:54,430 --> 00:02:55,430 Thank you, Peggy. 42 00:02:56,450 --> 00:03:00,550 AJ Bright is a friend and former manager of Dennis Rodman. 43 00:03:00,790 --> 00:03:04,870 It just shows you how much he loved her. 44 00:03:05,450 --> 00:03:10,350 The relationship between Peggy and Dennis was next level. 45 00:03:11,230 --> 00:03:16,590 But in the span of three years... Rodman's lawyer, Bradford Cohen, and 46 00:03:16,590 --> 00:03:21,090 Rodman's team will discover that Peggy is faking her credentials. 47 00:03:21,850 --> 00:03:26,890 They'll accuse her of stealing, quote, a ton of money from the NBA All -Star. 48 00:03:28,910 --> 00:03:30,030 Rodman is not alone. 49 00:03:30,510 --> 00:03:35,430 He's one of several celebrity athletes who will soon say that Peggy King, a .k 50 00:03:35,430 --> 00:03:40,290 .a. Fulford, befriended them, promised to safeguard their finances. 51 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,520 And then cheated them out of millions of dollars. 52 00:03:44,580 --> 00:03:49,060 She was caring and loving, but then also just robbing them blind at the same 53 00:03:49,060 --> 00:03:50,060 time. 54 00:03:51,500 --> 00:03:53,500 There was just two sides to Peggy. 55 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:06,060 Perhaps it's ironic that the story of Peggy Ann Fulford begins in a city built 56 00:04:06,060 --> 00:04:07,960 for both the sinner and the saint. 57 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:09,820 New Orleans. 58 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:15,580 The side hustle is a huge part of people's identity here. A lot of people 59 00:04:15,580 --> 00:04:20,380 that honestly, and other people's side hustle is not honest. 60 00:04:24,180 --> 00:04:29,120 Peggy grows up here in a neighborhood where, according to journalist Ramon 61 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:33,240 Antonio Vargas, the residents look out for their own. 62 00:04:34,780 --> 00:04:37,660 I'm pretty good at finding things out about people. 63 00:04:38,460 --> 00:04:42,080 But this kind of goes to the neighborhood that she's from. It was 64 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,440 anybody that actually wanted to speak about her. 65 00:04:48,700 --> 00:04:52,680 Peggy Fulford declined an interview with American Greed. 66 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:58,660 But records show her attending Spelman College under the maiden name Peggy 67 00:04:58,660 --> 00:04:59,660 Berard. 68 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:05,400 Court records will later reveal multiple aliases attributed to Peggy. 69 00:05:05,950 --> 00:05:09,770 Some include the last names of her five ex -husbands. 70 00:05:12,510 --> 00:05:16,810 Chantel Cohen is 21 years old when she meets Peggy. 71 00:05:17,290 --> 00:05:23,110 They meet by chance through Chantel's friendship with an NFL rookie named 72 00:05:23,110 --> 00:05:24,110 Williams. 73 00:05:24,890 --> 00:05:29,970 Ricky and I met in elementary school. I was about five, he was about six. We 74 00:05:29,970 --> 00:05:32,610 went to the same junior high school, same high school. 75 00:05:33,900 --> 00:05:35,160 He's my bestie. 76 00:05:35,460 --> 00:05:36,700 He's my best friend. 77 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:42,700 Two years before, New Orleans Saints head coach Mike Ditka had made one of 78 00:05:42,700 --> 00:05:47,940 most controversial moves in NFL history, trading eight draft picks in order to 79 00:05:47,940 --> 00:05:50,140 nab Ricky Williams for the Saints. 80 00:05:52,100 --> 00:05:56,340 Ditka's infatuation with the dreadlocked rookie makes Williams the most hyped 81 00:05:56,340 --> 00:05:58,020 young athlete in the NFL. 82 00:05:59,370 --> 00:06:03,970 So for him to come into the NFL, that's a lot of pressure, you know, but 83 00:06:03,970 --> 00:06:05,710 everyone loved Ricky. 84 00:06:06,690 --> 00:06:13,630 When Ricky is chosen for an episode of MTV Crib, he hires an interior designer 85 00:06:13,630 --> 00:06:15,830 to stage his New Orleans condo. 86 00:06:16,490 --> 00:06:18,930 Peggy unexpectedly tags along. 87 00:06:20,530 --> 00:06:24,730 She walks into the condo and I'm just like, who is this lady? 88 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:32,000 Beautiful, hair done, makeup, jewelry, Gucci, like, just 89 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,300 stunning. 90 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,100 The first time that we ever went out, she asked me and my friend to call her 91 00:06:39,100 --> 00:06:44,380 Raquel. People who know me know me as Peggy, but, you know, I don't need 92 00:06:44,380 --> 00:06:47,820 all in my business and everything like that, so when we go out, call me Raquel. 93 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,820 We kind of laughed about it, like, okay, you have an alias? 94 00:06:52,700 --> 00:06:53,700 Okay, cool. 95 00:06:54,350 --> 00:06:59,850 And if Peggy King has a secret to hide, Chantel writes it off as the eccentric 96 00:06:59,850 --> 00:07:02,410 behavior of the rich and beautiful. 97 00:07:06,410 --> 00:07:11,770 In the ensuing months, Peggy becomes close friends with both Chantel and 98 00:07:12,530 --> 00:07:17,870 She tells them that she's a Harvard Law graduate who's made millions on Wall 99 00:07:17,870 --> 00:07:18,870 Street. 100 00:07:19,370 --> 00:07:22,370 She had a huge house in New Orleans, different cars. 101 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:24,480 Always was shopping. 102 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:29,760 She just had all the accoutrements of someone who was extremely successful. 103 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:36,080 She had the whole package. She claims she's also a certified financial advisor 104 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:41,160 with a soft spot for professional athletes. Because they never had like a 105 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,560 plan of what they wanted to do after the field. 106 00:07:45,260 --> 00:07:47,160 Her main goal was... 107 00:07:47,390 --> 00:07:52,510 keep the athletes from getting scammed by family members, by strangers. 108 00:07:53,810 --> 00:08:00,730 In 2001, after a challenging year in the NFL spotlight, Ricky is diagnosed with 109 00:08:00,730 --> 00:08:02,710 social anxiety disorder. 110 00:08:03,610 --> 00:08:07,930 Peggy's there to add a mature and stable influence in his life. 111 00:08:08,470 --> 00:08:13,670 Peggy had that, like, motherly instinct and kind of, you know, she would call 112 00:08:13,670 --> 00:08:16,150 you baby and let me take care of you. 113 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:21,960 When Ricky and his partner Kristen Barnes get pregnant with their first 114 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:24,740 Peggy throws Kristen a baby shower. 115 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:30,240 And Peggy drives Kristen home from the hospital when the baby is born. 116 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:37,840 Peggy was always there. She did dinners for us, and whenever Kristen and Ricky 117 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,419 would get into it, Kristen would automatically call Peggy. 118 00:08:41,799 --> 00:08:45,500 She always said, I love you guys. You guys are like my brothers and sisters. 119 00:08:45,620 --> 00:08:46,620 You're like my family. 120 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:52,700 Although he was not involved in Peggy's case, Chase Carlson is an attorney who 121 00:08:52,700 --> 00:08:55,240 specializes in investment fraud litigation. 122 00:08:55,740 --> 00:08:59,980 He shares what the court records disclose about Kristen and Peggy's 123 00:09:00,940 --> 00:09:03,360 Peggy said that she was the sister he never had. 124 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,660 Ricky's ex -wife said that she was her best friend. 125 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:12,260 That was sort of Peggy's way of getting, latching on to Ricky and getting really 126 00:09:12,260 --> 00:09:13,780 close to him. 127 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:19,380 It's about this time that Ricky Williams agrees to let Peggy manage his 128 00:09:19,380 --> 00:09:20,380 finances. 129 00:09:21,100 --> 00:09:25,160 In his own documentary, he said, money doesn't matter to me. 130 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:29,340 So this was a guy who really needed to be protected. He wasn't going to pay 131 00:09:29,340 --> 00:09:30,340 attention to his finances. 132 00:09:32,340 --> 00:09:35,360 Peggy doesn't even charge Ricky for her services. 133 00:09:37,020 --> 00:09:40,900 Peggy's whole thing was we have to make sure that your kids are good. Like, 134 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:47,080 you're a legend, basically, so your kids need to be set up that same way, so let 135 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:51,580 me help you get to the goal that you need to get to to make sure you're set 136 00:09:51,580 --> 00:09:52,580 life. 137 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,860 Peggy puts the family on a monthly allowance. 138 00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:01,220 The rest of Ricky's income will deposit to a separate account for Peggy to 139 00:10:01,220 --> 00:10:02,220 manage. 140 00:10:02,300 --> 00:10:06,040 The decision gives Peggy free access to the family's finances. 141 00:10:06,900 --> 00:10:10,300 Peggy was going to be sort of the CFO for these players. She was going to help 142 00:10:10,300 --> 00:10:14,660 them with a budget, pay their bills, help them with their investments, and 143 00:10:14,660 --> 00:10:15,599 do their taxes. 144 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:16,980 She was going to do everything for them. 145 00:10:18,820 --> 00:10:23,320 The following season, Ricky Williams gets traded to the Miami Dolphins. 146 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:34,260 Peggy? who is now married to a wealthy anesthesiologist, buys a house in Fort 147 00:10:34,260 --> 00:10:35,260 Lauderdale. 148 00:10:35,680 --> 00:10:39,820 And the entire entourage makes the move to South Florida. 149 00:10:40,140 --> 00:10:43,380 She bought a huge house right off the interculto. 150 00:10:43,780 --> 00:10:45,560 So that was Miami for it. 151 00:10:48,260 --> 00:10:49,260 Party. 152 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:51,240 Party, party, party. 153 00:10:54,060 --> 00:10:55,720 When American Greed returns. 154 00:10:56,890 --> 00:11:02,930 Ricky Williams' popularity soars in South Beach, and Peggy gets free 155 00:11:02,930 --> 00:11:06,010 to the inner circle of celebrity athletes. 156 00:11:06,790 --> 00:11:12,110 She just had a big personality, and mixed with the successful husband, big 157 00:11:12,110 --> 00:11:15,390 house, and the cars, it all looked legitimate. 158 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:35,740 In 2002, Ricky Williams launches his first season with the Miami Dolphins 159 00:11:35,740 --> 00:11:37,860 superhuman display of force. 160 00:11:39,020 --> 00:11:40,780 The guy was a beast. 161 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,320 Unbelievable, phenomenal athlete. 162 00:11:45,180 --> 00:11:50,600 He was highly coveted and a very physical player, one of the best running 163 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:51,600 of all time. 164 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:55,940 Chantel and Ricky are still close. 165 00:11:56,540 --> 00:11:58,480 But their circle of friends has changed. 166 00:11:59,900 --> 00:12:05,240 The wealth -driven lifestyle of Miami's pro ballers make New Orleans look like 167 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:06,240 the Britney. 168 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:08,780 Everyone loved Ricky. 169 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:10,580 He was the hottest thing. 170 00:12:11,680 --> 00:12:14,260 Everyone wanted him at parties, dinners. 171 00:12:15,340 --> 00:12:20,220 Now, 50 -year -old Peggy King is an essential fixture in their lives. 172 00:12:20,900 --> 00:12:25,160 With Peggy the way that she carried herself, she always... 173 00:12:25,850 --> 00:12:30,750 was invited to the different galas or parties, and she was beautiful. 174 00:12:30,970 --> 00:12:36,470 And Ricky's shy, so he could just walk in with her. She takes over, and she 175 00:12:36,470 --> 00:12:37,470 would work the room. 176 00:12:40,370 --> 00:12:44,770 Peggy was the person for Ricky. She was the person he needed in his life to 177 00:12:44,770 --> 00:12:46,970 handle the things he didn't really want to handle. 178 00:12:47,950 --> 00:12:50,650 Peggy takes to the limelight like a natural. 179 00:12:51,150 --> 00:12:53,150 Everybody was giving high fives to her. 180 00:12:53,530 --> 00:12:57,890 There wasn't a time where she would walk into a room or go to a charity event 181 00:12:57,890 --> 00:12:59,830 where people didn't know her. 182 00:13:00,250 --> 00:13:02,170 There were just all these people in her orbit. 183 00:13:03,170 --> 00:13:07,990 Once you get into that orbit, you kind of are vetted and approved in a way. 184 00:13:08,870 --> 00:13:14,290 Peggy and her expanding business, King Management, are even pitched as the 185 00:13:14,290 --> 00:13:16,530 subject of a potential reality show. 186 00:13:16,890 --> 00:13:21,290 Professional athletes get caught up with the material, fancy cars. 187 00:13:23,100 --> 00:13:27,320 Guys who play three years, ten years, it doesn't matter. After they're retired, 188 00:13:27,460 --> 00:13:32,160 within five years, over 75 % of them are completely broke. 189 00:13:34,580 --> 00:13:37,340 My name's Peggy, and I'm the CEO of King Management. 190 00:13:37,580 --> 00:13:41,800 King Management is a company I founded because I wanted to help professional 191 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:43,280 athletes manage their finances. 192 00:13:43,860 --> 00:13:47,140 But the reality show project never gets off the ground. 193 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,780 By the time Rashad McCants meets Peggy in 2005, 194 00:13:57,540 --> 00:14:01,720 she claims to be representing 31 pro athletes. 195 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:06,020 I met her right after the championship. 196 00:14:06,220 --> 00:14:10,740 I was in Miami celebrating with the Detroit Piston. 197 00:14:11,700 --> 00:14:17,760 As a star college player, McCants helped the North Carolina Tar Heels win the 198 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:18,760 national championship. 199 00:14:20,420 --> 00:14:25,970 Now... 21 -year -old McCants is signed on as a first -round draft pick with the 200 00:14:25,970 --> 00:14:27,310 Minnesota Timberwolves. 201 00:14:27,970 --> 00:14:31,710 It's a rookie deal worth $1 .5 million. 202 00:14:34,210 --> 00:14:38,750 When you're at the rookie, the new guy, everyone wants a piece of you because 203 00:14:38,750 --> 00:14:43,050 you're the only one that no one has a piece of, right? You're just like fresh 204 00:14:43,050 --> 00:14:49,030 meat. And while some say Peggy gives off a sisterly vibe... That's how I would 205 00:14:49,030 --> 00:14:50,430 describe her in a family atmosphere. 206 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,940 Rashad calls a distinct flip side to her charm. 207 00:14:56,180 --> 00:14:59,140 But I'll describe her from a male perspective. 208 00:15:00,060 --> 00:15:01,820 Peggy was sexy. 209 00:15:02,140 --> 00:15:03,160 She was attractive. 210 00:15:03,740 --> 00:15:05,140 She was seductive. 211 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:12,320 She knew how to play on a man's heartstrings. She knew what to do to 212 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:18,560 guard. So she knew how to switch it. She knew how to go from I'm almost a 213 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:19,560 stripper 214 00:15:20,780 --> 00:15:22,060 I babysit all the kids. 215 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:27,540 According to Rashad, Peggy charts out an investment plan, one that not only 216 00:15:27,540 --> 00:15:31,660 safeguards his retirement, but builds generational wealth. 217 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:37,280 She really sold me on that female person of color entity where, you know, black 218 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:43,100 woman being in an opportunity to build your wealth and help you become a 219 00:15:43,100 --> 00:15:44,100 billionaire. 220 00:15:44,900 --> 00:15:48,440 Rashad listens to her pitch and likes what he hears. 221 00:15:49,150 --> 00:15:53,170 especially for black athletes, talking about generational wealth, I think is 222 00:15:53,170 --> 00:15:56,990 something that really resonates because when you make millions and millions of 223 00:15:56,990 --> 00:16:00,010 dollars, you'd like to be able to leave some sort of legacy behind. 224 00:16:00,830 --> 00:16:04,410 McCants hires her to manage his investment portfolio. 225 00:16:04,990 --> 00:16:09,030 She had a power of attorney to go into any of my accounts that was set up by 226 00:16:09,030 --> 00:16:13,830 to a bank here in Florida, and my first check came to that account. 227 00:16:15,030 --> 00:16:20,300 Later that fall at the Timberwolves training camp, McCance is baffled when 228 00:16:20,300 --> 00:16:21,700 debit card is declined. 229 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:27,920 He says he's recently deposited his first six -figure paycheck, and he's 230 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:29,580 convinced the bank has made a mistake. 231 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:34,300 Then his agent confirms the money is gone. 232 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:40,440 He called me and told me, I think Peggy got us, man. So my first full check was 233 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:41,440 in her pocket. 234 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:47,810 According to Rashad, when he tries to confront Peggy, She ghosts him entirely. 235 00:16:49,290 --> 00:16:55,250 No email, no return calls, anything. Everything was pretty much far gone from 236 00:16:55,250 --> 00:16:56,250 that point. 237 00:16:56,470 --> 00:17:01,310 Peggy is never charged with any wrongdoing, and she declined to comment 238 00:17:01,310 --> 00:17:02,310 American Greed. 239 00:17:02,910 --> 00:17:07,810 Rashad chalks it up as an expensive rookie mistake and keeps quiet. 240 00:17:08,230 --> 00:17:13,609 I just literally got off stage from being drafted to the Minnesota 241 00:17:14,319 --> 00:17:17,900 I wasn't even thinking about no money at that point. I'm thinking, how do I 242 00:17:17,900 --> 00:17:19,119 become the rookie of the year? 243 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:20,760 How do I do that? 244 00:17:21,940 --> 00:17:28,300 As Brigade severs ties with Peggy, she sets her sights on much bigger prey. 245 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:37,100 When American Greed returns, Peggy Fulford aims high and scores an NBA 246 00:17:37,100 --> 00:17:38,100 legend. 247 00:17:38,670 --> 00:17:44,910 Dennis was relying on her for emotional support, and she was relying on him to 248 00:17:44,910 --> 00:17:47,050 afford her very expensive lifestyle. 249 00:17:59,470 --> 00:18:00,810 By 2009, 250 00:18:01,590 --> 00:18:05,910 Peggy King has a growing number of players interested in her promise of 251 00:18:05,910 --> 00:18:07,370 generational wealth. 252 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:13,100 signs of Peggy's own wealth are on increasingly stunning display. 253 00:18:13,620 --> 00:18:18,680 She always has diamonds on, diamond watches, diamond earrings, and not your 254 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:22,600 common, like, nice pair of diamond earrings. I'm talking about, you know, 255 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:24,500 to America type diamond earrings. 256 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:29,460 She had a five -bedroom waterfront mansion in Fort Lauderdale, marble 257 00:18:29,460 --> 00:18:35,100 with an elevator. She had a fleet of cars, multiple Mercedes -Benzes, a 258 00:18:35,100 --> 00:18:36,300 Maserati, a Bentley. 259 00:18:37,020 --> 00:18:40,780 A Rolls Royce Ghost, a Porsche, completely over the top. 260 00:18:41,700 --> 00:18:46,820 Inside, her home office is decked out with sports memorabilia, including 261 00:18:46,820 --> 00:18:50,220 autographed helmets and signed jerseys. 262 00:18:51,220 --> 00:18:56,500 When Peggy offers to make Chantel Cohen her assistant, Chantel jumps at the 263 00:18:56,500 --> 00:19:02,620 chance. I wanted to be like Peggy. So she said, well, come work for me and 264 00:19:02,620 --> 00:19:03,620 show you the rope. 265 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:05,080 I thought she would. 266 00:19:05,530 --> 00:19:07,010 Someone that was like my big sister. 267 00:19:08,390 --> 00:19:13,610 And while Peggy is still promising to build generational wealth for her 268 00:19:14,030 --> 00:19:18,850 Chantel Cohen doesn't remember much discussion of trades or investments. 269 00:19:20,550 --> 00:19:26,450 It was more of running errands type things, going to the mall with her, 270 00:19:26,450 --> 00:19:32,030 things that did not help solidify what I was really trying to do in the sports 271 00:19:32,030 --> 00:19:33,030 management world. 272 00:19:33,740 --> 00:19:35,900 Once I didn't get paid, I was like, yeah, no, I'm good. 273 00:19:37,060 --> 00:19:42,660 And although Peggy appears to be extremely successful, people associated 274 00:19:42,660 --> 00:19:45,880 the sports world are beginning to question her motives. 275 00:19:46,260 --> 00:19:51,360 For one, her insistence that she never charges her clients a fee. 276 00:19:51,900 --> 00:19:56,240 I thought it was weird. Like who works for free? Like why would you take on and 277 00:19:56,240 --> 00:20:00,420 deal with ex -wives and the child support office and filing taxes? 278 00:20:01,500 --> 00:20:02,840 My friend played in the NFL. 279 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:04,780 He had four cars in his driveway. 280 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,080 Peggy had five cars in her driveway. 281 00:20:07,620 --> 00:20:11,660 You don't want your financial advisor having a bigger house than you or having 282 00:20:11,660 --> 00:20:12,660 more cars than you. 283 00:20:13,020 --> 00:20:15,500 It just doesn't add up. 284 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:23,940 Once you get in the circle, you're sort 285 00:20:23,940 --> 00:20:24,940 of in. 286 00:20:25,830 --> 00:20:30,450 So once Peggy got one foot in the door, she sort of had free reign to meet all 287 00:20:30,450 --> 00:20:31,450 these other athletes. 288 00:20:32,350 --> 00:20:37,570 During this time, Dennis Rodman split ways with the California accounting firm 289 00:20:37,570 --> 00:20:40,970 that handled his affairs and relocates to Miami. 290 00:20:42,170 --> 00:20:45,490 A friend introduces him to Peggy. 291 00:20:46,190 --> 00:20:49,990 From there, Dennis and Peggy became the best of friends. 292 00:20:50,970 --> 00:20:52,970 If you think about it, most... 293 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:56,900 People who can make it to the professional league have been catered to 294 00:20:56,900 --> 00:20:58,140 time they're about 13 years old. 295 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:03,360 So in order for them to continue to progress in their athletic career, they 296 00:21:03,360 --> 00:21:05,400 to rely on a lot of other people to help them. 297 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:10,280 Dennis was one of the guys who needed the most protection out of anyone. 298 00:21:10,860 --> 00:21:13,200 Dennis was going through serious personal issues. 299 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:17,860 He admits himself he had a serious drinking problem, and he needed somebody 300 00:21:17,860 --> 00:21:18,860 protect him. 301 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:26,780 All the same, at 47 years old, the NBA legend still carries an incredible 302 00:21:26,780 --> 00:21:27,820 earning power. 303 00:21:28,340 --> 00:21:31,080 He's one of the most recognizable people in the world. 304 00:21:32,940 --> 00:21:37,920 Even to this day, you know, he makes upwards of a million dollars a year. He 305 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,860 hasn't played basketball in almost 20 years. 306 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:44,220 It was a very symbiotic relationship. 307 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,400 Dennis was relying on her, I think, for emotional. 308 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:53,520 and I think also for some support in terms of his life organization. 309 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:59,260 And she was relying on him to afford her very expensive lifestyle. 310 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:04,620 Peggy puts Dennis on a monthly allowance and creates two joint business 311 00:22:04,620 --> 00:22:05,620 accounts, 312 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:09,540 Star Rod LLC and the Dennis Rodman Group. 313 00:22:09,940 --> 00:22:14,960 In the ensuing years, Peggy provides a grounding influence on Rodman's 314 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:16,300 unconventional lifestyle. 315 00:22:17,660 --> 00:22:19,360 They were very, very, very close. 316 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:24,420 And I think that Peggy knew and understood things that would really 317 00:22:24,420 --> 00:22:28,780 Dennis, just being almost like that motherly figure and someone who's going 318 00:22:28,780 --> 00:22:29,840 look out for his best interest. 319 00:22:30,260 --> 00:22:33,260 And the thing is, is like Dennis is a smart guy, right? 320 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:39,720 I think that him taking the reins of his own investments, he could have done it. 321 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:43,960 I just think that he became very comfortable with Peggy doing it for him. 322 00:22:45,740 --> 00:22:51,800 In August of 2011, Dennis Rodman is inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame 323 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:52,860 Springfield, Massachusetts. 324 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:02,320 Peggy's arrival at the Springfield Marriott for the ceremony resembles 325 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:03,320 royalty. 326 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:07,520 I remember pulling up and Peggy was just arriving. 327 00:23:08,020 --> 00:23:12,740 And then there was two carts, two hotel carts full of LV bags. 328 00:23:13,900 --> 00:23:15,600 First of all, Springfield doesn't see that. 329 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:20,320 Springfield is a very small town and our claim to fame is the Basketball Hall of 330 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:26,040 Fame. To see someone roll up with, you know, two carts of LV bags, full length 331 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:29,740 fur coat, you know, all white, high heels, gigantic diamonds. 332 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:34,720 It was something that you would see in like a movie. It was amazing. 333 00:23:36,140 --> 00:23:42,180 But Cohen recalls how the stunning portrayal of wealth triggered questions 334 00:23:42,180 --> 00:23:43,180 Rodman's team. 335 00:23:43,790 --> 00:23:48,670 Even for me, who I'm a little jaded from living in South Florida, seeing it 336 00:23:48,670 --> 00:23:50,990 every day, I thought that was over the top. 337 00:23:51,950 --> 00:23:57,310 But Peggy's built a winning strategy by convincing clients that she loves them 338 00:23:57,310 --> 00:23:58,310 like family. 339 00:24:13,710 --> 00:24:18,650 I do care. And after all the lights are turned off and they're not running up 340 00:24:18,650 --> 00:24:22,050 and down the football field or the court, I will be there long after them 341 00:24:22,050 --> 00:24:25,150 because I care. I really do. And that's the difference. 342 00:24:25,870 --> 00:24:27,530 When American Greed returns, 343 00:24:28,550 --> 00:24:32,330 Peggy slips up and the IRS comes knocking. 344 00:24:32,790 --> 00:24:36,450 They'd never received the money and they'd never seen that tax return. 345 00:24:49,420 --> 00:24:55,420 By 2012, plenty of pro athletes consider Peggy King a member of their tribe. 346 00:24:55,960 --> 00:25:00,080 She's won their hearts and taken charge of their finances. 347 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:02,700 She would give them an allowance. 348 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:07,480 She'd put them on a budget. So say, OK, I'll give you $5 ,000 a week. Any 349 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:12,440 previous issues you have with the government or ex -wives or anything 350 00:25:12,540 --> 00:25:13,700 I'll clean all that up. 351 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,040 With everyone, she promised to pay their bills. 352 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:22,200 She also promised what she called generational wealth building. 353 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:27,660 That was her thing all the time. Like, I'm looking so far into the future that 354 00:25:27,660 --> 00:25:28,680 you can't even see it. 355 00:25:29,860 --> 00:25:36,040 In October, Rebecca Hilliard, wife of NFL football player Lex Hilliard, meets 356 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:37,480 Peggy at a birthday party. 357 00:25:37,860 --> 00:25:42,660 Peggy tells her she's a Harvard -educated lawyer with an MBA. 358 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,160 Rebecca later testifies in court. 359 00:25:46,700 --> 00:25:49,620 that they've been swindled by members of their own family. 360 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,940 As a result, their savings have taken a hit. 361 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:55,720 Peggy's pitch sounds appealing. 362 00:25:56,300 --> 00:26:01,780 As usual, Peggy unselfishly offers her services, free of charge. 363 00:26:02,620 --> 00:26:07,000 She didn't want people to take advantage of these athletes, and that sounded 364 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:11,040 really good to the Hilliards because they were looking, again, to rebuild 365 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:13,180 their money, and they wanted some help with that. 366 00:26:14,860 --> 00:26:18,900 But problems are emerging with some of Peggy's longtime clients. 367 00:26:19,820 --> 00:26:24,580 Attorney Bradford Cohen gets a call saying the electricity has been shut off 368 00:26:24,580 --> 00:26:26,660 Dennis Rodman's condo in Florida. 369 00:26:27,620 --> 00:26:31,880 So I called Peggy, and Peggy was like, oh, don't worry, baby, I have to move 370 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:34,860 some money into a different account, and it should have been paid. 371 00:26:35,120 --> 00:26:40,120 It's around this same time that A .J. Bright says he gets a disturbing call 372 00:26:40,120 --> 00:26:41,520 concerning Rodman. 373 00:26:44,730 --> 00:26:48,710 Dennis has a $5 million life insurance policy that's going to lapse. 374 00:26:49,070 --> 00:26:54,870 The policy is almost at cash value. And Wright is confounded as to why the $18 375 00:26:54,870 --> 00:26:57,410 ,000 premium hasn't been paid. 376 00:26:57,650 --> 00:27:00,310 I knew he had the money to pay it. It's $18 ,000. 377 00:27:00,530 --> 00:27:01,610 It's not a lot of money. 378 00:27:01,990 --> 00:27:08,990 What financial advisor or business manager is going to allow a $5 million 379 00:27:08,990 --> 00:27:09,990 to lapse? 380 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:15,740 Peggy blames Rodman's spending habits and the struggle she faces trying to 381 00:27:15,740 --> 00:27:16,780 manage his accounts. 382 00:27:17,860 --> 00:27:23,960 She was really good at projecting this very calming influence, and she was the 383 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:26,420 master of the check is in the mail. 384 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:31,560 By 2013, Kristen Williams is living in Austin, Texas. 385 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:37,640 Conveniently, Peggy has moved to nearby Houston with yet another husband. 386 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:41,780 She goes by the name Peggy Fulford. 387 00:27:43,100 --> 00:27:47,520 One morning, Kristen wakes up and discovers she doesn't have enough money 388 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:49,500 checking account to buy groceries. 389 00:27:51,220 --> 00:27:52,520 Peggy always had an excuse. 390 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,360 She would tell them, oh, no, it's fine, it's a mistake. 391 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:57,880 It got lost in the mail. 392 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:03,240 But there had been other episodes when they had noticed things weren't right. 393 00:28:03,940 --> 00:28:07,240 Ricky Williams' car had been stolen while he was visiting Houston. 394 00:28:08,140 --> 00:28:11,700 And when they went to make a claim on their insurance, they found out their 395 00:28:11,700 --> 00:28:12,760 insurance had been canceled. 396 00:28:14,020 --> 00:28:18,900 It was just like her personality was so overbearing with love and everything 397 00:28:18,900 --> 00:28:23,100 that you really didn't want to touch on little stuff that you thought was a red 398 00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:24,100 flag. 399 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,320 Then in October, Christian opens a letter from the IRS. 400 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:38,760 It's a $377 ,000 bill for unpaid taxes dating back to the year 2010. 401 00:28:40,980 --> 00:28:46,640 The IRS claims she and Ricky took a series of false deductions that led to a 402 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:47,640 sizable return. 403 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:54,660 Now, the Williams are on the hook for the illegitimate refund, plus back taxes 404 00:28:54,660 --> 00:28:55,660 and fees. 405 00:28:55,960 --> 00:29:00,040 They'd never received the money, and they'd never seen that tax return. 406 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:07,360 That's when the floodgates opened and Kristen's mind just started rolling. 407 00:29:07,380 --> 00:29:13,240 we just start going backwards of thinking of things. Like, I remember one 408 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:19,020 baby moms saying that she didn't get child support this month. And why didn't 409 00:29:19,020 --> 00:29:21,320 have money to pay rent for this month? 410 00:29:21,940 --> 00:29:27,500 Since 2007, Peggy has held control over the vast majority of Ricky's income. 411 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:29,620 At least $11 million. 412 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,740 The bulk of those funds are nowhere to be found. 413 00:29:35,620 --> 00:29:40,980 Kristen spends months trying to get an explanation from Peggy. But it seems 414 00:29:40,980 --> 00:29:43,120 Peggy's lost interest in their friendship. 415 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:45,580 Her calls go unanswered. 416 00:29:45,900 --> 00:29:48,400 Peggy's Houston home stands deserted. 417 00:29:49,140 --> 00:29:51,800 Then comes a bombshell revelation. 418 00:29:53,399 --> 00:29:57,440 Ricky's ex -wife, Kristen, calls the bank that was supposed to hold all their 419 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,300 investments and realizes that they don't even have an account there. 420 00:30:01,460 --> 00:30:07,940 Instead, Peggy has used a joint account in Florida to drain $6 million through a 421 00:30:07,940 --> 00:30:10,780 maze of wire transfers, debits, and cash. 422 00:30:11,820 --> 00:30:18,140 On December 16, 2013, Ricky Williams and Kristen filed a civil lawsuit against 423 00:30:18,140 --> 00:30:19,280 Peggy Fulford. 424 00:30:20,580 --> 00:30:25,560 FBI Special Agent Jim Hawkins reads about the case in the Houston sports 425 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:30,480 I like sports. That's interesting to me. And that's the kind of case that my 426 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:31,480 squad worked. 427 00:30:31,500 --> 00:30:37,400 White collar crime cases like con men, embezzlers, insiders at banks. 428 00:30:38,060 --> 00:30:43,800 26 years with the FBI tells Agent Hawkins the civil case warrants a 429 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:44,800 investigation. 430 00:30:45,220 --> 00:30:47,200 It seemed like a slam dunk. 431 00:30:48,010 --> 00:30:50,290 I thought it was a one and done. 432 00:30:50,590 --> 00:30:57,090 But the eventual scope of Peggy Fulford's deception will surprise 433 00:30:57,090 --> 00:31:01,330 was not doing anything that she said she was doing. She was just buying Rolls 434 00:31:01,330 --> 00:31:03,290 Royces and fur coats and diamond earrings. 435 00:31:12,030 --> 00:31:14,350 In January 2014, 436 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:20,180 Ricky Williams requests a court injunction against Peggy Fulford for 437 00:31:20,180 --> 00:31:25,460 bank records. He claims Peggy has pilfered $6 million from his savings, 438 00:31:25,780 --> 00:31:30,940 defrauded the IRS, and lied about being an attorney and Harvard graduate. 439 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:38,220 So it was all these lies that she literally played it. And she did it 440 00:31:38,340 --> 00:31:39,760 She played it very well. 441 00:31:41,729 --> 00:31:45,830 The Williamses hand over the few records they have to help launch a federal 442 00:31:45,830 --> 00:31:46,830 investigation. 443 00:31:48,430 --> 00:31:49,450 Paper doesn't lie. 444 00:31:49,910 --> 00:31:54,330 It's like doing a puzzle, and if you can find the paper, you can find the crime. 445 00:31:55,550 --> 00:32:00,350 As we look through them, we would see transactions going to other accounts, 446 00:32:00,350 --> 00:32:04,910 there'd be five or ten other bank accounts that the money from those 447 00:32:04,910 --> 00:32:05,910 went to. 448 00:32:06,090 --> 00:32:08,290 Funds from those accounts funnel to more. 449 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:13,600 including shell corporations and accounts held by other clients of Peggy 450 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:16,600 Fulford, like Dennis Rodman. 451 00:32:17,620 --> 00:32:23,600 Money would just be transferred willy -nilly from account to account to 452 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:24,940 for no business purpose. 453 00:32:25,260 --> 00:32:31,600 Over the next 12 months, their investigation exposes a web of 85 bank 454 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:37,780 That looked like money laundering, and it was sustained and large. 455 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:43,940 In addition to Dennis Rodman and Ricky Williams, the FBI learns that former NBA 456 00:32:43,940 --> 00:32:47,900 player Travis Best was one of Peggy's earliest victims. 457 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:54,080 But one of the most damning transaction links to Peggy's newest victims. 458 00:32:55,100 --> 00:33:01,880 In 2013, Peggy wired $200 ,000 from Lex and Rebecca Hilliard's account in 459 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:05,960 Montana to purchase a half -acre lot in downtown Houston. 460 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:12,820 The property is in Peggy's name, and the transfer shows a clear misuse of funds. 461 00:33:14,820 --> 00:33:19,340 It was the real estate transaction here in Houston that gave us venue on that 462 00:33:19,340 --> 00:33:20,340 federal case here. 463 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:25,260 Agent Hawkins reaches out to schedule a meeting with Dennis Rodman. 464 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:30,740 It turns out that Rodman's management team is sifting through its own 465 00:33:30,740 --> 00:33:32,560 quagmire related to Peggy. 466 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:39,400 A Midwest collection agency is attempting to sue Rodman over unpaid 467 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:41,360 $100 ,000 tax refund. 468 00:33:42,780 --> 00:33:46,620 Everyone was like, wait a minute, what tax return did he get? And why does he 469 00:33:46,620 --> 00:33:50,940 owe these people $30 ,000 on a $100 ,000 tax refund? 470 00:33:51,180 --> 00:33:52,740 We've never seen that money before. 471 00:33:53,060 --> 00:33:58,140 But the NBA all -star has been hesitant to blame his longtime friend. 472 00:33:58,620 --> 00:34:01,340 He had a very, very tight relationship with Peggy. 473 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:08,620 Anyone that would even mention something bad about Peggy, he got very defensive. 474 00:34:09,679 --> 00:34:15,679 Their meeting with the FBI is a come to Jesus moment, even for Rodman. And you 475 00:34:15,679 --> 00:34:20,880 start seeing, oh, there's a Dennis Rodman LLC that Dennis is not on. He's 476 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:24,860 the president. He's not a shareholder. This is just an account that's open that 477 00:34:24,860 --> 00:34:29,080 says Dennis Rodman LLC, where Dennis Rodman checks were getting cashed. 478 00:34:29,889 --> 00:34:34,630 Dennis' agency would send Dennis a wire for $90 ,000 at like, say, 10 .30 in the 479 00:34:34,630 --> 00:34:39,949 morning. By 3 o 'clock that same day, all $90 ,000 is swept out of his 480 00:34:40,070 --> 00:34:42,130 and he shows it showing up in one of Peggy's accounts. 481 00:34:42,389 --> 00:34:47,170 I mean, all of it. She wouldn't even leave him a couple hundred dollars for a 482 00:34:47,170 --> 00:34:49,310 loaf of bread. I mean, she took all of it. 483 00:34:50,830 --> 00:34:52,330 In April 2015, 484 00:34:53,130 --> 00:34:57,170 Bradford Cohen sends Peggy a letter terminating her relationship with Dennis 485 00:34:57,170 --> 00:34:58,170 Rodman. 486 00:34:58,490 --> 00:35:03,440 Cohen writes, Although you claim to have a graduate degree from Harvard, it is 487 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:07,120 more like your resume could be a study in fictional writing at Harvard. 488 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:14,080 In a response published by the tabloid news site TMZ, Peggy says she never 489 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:18,820 claimed to be a Harvard grad, and that she's stuck with the athlete through 490 00:35:18,820 --> 00:35:19,820 thick and thin. 491 00:35:20,860 --> 00:35:26,160 By now, most people aren't buying Peggy's claims, and the scrutiny casts 492 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:28,560 on Peggy Fulford's extravagant lifestyle. 493 00:35:30,110 --> 00:35:31,810 That's when I said it's bigger than us. 494 00:35:32,010 --> 00:35:37,190 I said, she literally has been doing this for a living. Like, it was not just 495 00:35:37,190 --> 00:35:41,290 you, Ricky. Like, she was doing this to everybody. 496 00:35:43,230 --> 00:35:49,750 Next on American Greed, Peggy returns to her hometown of New Orleans and throws 497 00:35:49,750 --> 00:35:51,550 out her last few minutes. 498 00:35:52,230 --> 00:35:54,390 Peggy Fulford is a financial predator. 499 00:35:54,790 --> 00:35:56,830 She looks for prey. 500 00:35:57,610 --> 00:36:03,730 She's looking for someone that she can ingratiate herself with, earn their 501 00:36:03,730 --> 00:36:05,470 trust, and steal their money. 502 00:36:18,490 --> 00:36:22,450 Peggy Fulford has returned to her hometown of New Orleans. 503 00:36:23,250 --> 00:36:26,510 She's burned every bridge with her friends in the sports world. 504 00:36:27,150 --> 00:36:31,090 And some are sick of waiting for the con artist to come clean. 505 00:36:31,590 --> 00:36:34,610 I wanted her to hurt the way that we hurt. 506 00:36:34,950 --> 00:36:39,690 And, you know, just, I wanted to say why in her face. 507 00:36:40,110 --> 00:36:41,790 You know, like, just admit it. 508 00:36:44,110 --> 00:36:50,330 On December 13, 2016, a federal grand jury in Houston indicts Peggy on charges 509 00:36:50,330 --> 00:36:53,970 of mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering. 510 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:57,280 and interstate transportation of stolen property. 511 00:36:58,140 --> 00:37:02,820 We were ready to finish and also stop her because we knew that she was 512 00:37:02,820 --> 00:37:05,280 out victimizing people every day. 513 00:37:06,240 --> 00:37:10,020 FBI agents arrest Peggy at her apartment in New Orleans. 514 00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:15,340 But during the course of her arrest, an agent sees something that sparks his 515 00:37:15,340 --> 00:37:16,340 curiosity. 516 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:22,120 A check made out to Peggy Fulford for $197 ,000. 517 00:37:24,110 --> 00:37:27,730 It doesn't take long for federal investigators and local police to 518 00:37:27,730 --> 00:37:32,270 that Peggy Fulford has already pinpointed her next victim. 519 00:37:33,510 --> 00:37:38,210 It turned out that she was now defrauding non -athletes. 520 00:37:39,270 --> 00:37:44,390 She's managed to sweet -talk a local doctor into investing in a real estate 521 00:37:44,390 --> 00:37:49,870 to purchase a shuttered high school in the Lower Ninth Ward and convert it into 522 00:37:49,870 --> 00:37:51,050 a retirement home. 523 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:58,380 He invested many thousands of dollars, $197 ,000 to be accurate, in that 524 00:37:58,380 --> 00:38:00,620 particular project known as the Holy Cross Project. 525 00:38:02,020 --> 00:38:07,340 There's only one problem, according to Frank Denton, a fraud investigator with 526 00:38:07,340 --> 00:38:08,340 the New Orleans police. 527 00:38:08,980 --> 00:38:13,000 As it turned out upon investigation, the property was not for sale. 528 00:38:13,220 --> 00:38:16,100 The arrest comes just in the nick of time. 529 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:21,960 If the New Orleans FBI had arrested her one day later, That money would have 530 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:22,879 been deposited. 531 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:24,280 That money would have been gone. 532 00:38:25,340 --> 00:38:31,060 On February 1st, 2018, Peggy Fulford cuts a deal with a district attorney in 533 00:38:31,060 --> 00:38:35,460 Houston. She pleads guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen 534 00:38:35,460 --> 00:38:36,460 property. 535 00:38:37,640 --> 00:38:41,700 She's released on bond and placed under probational supervision. 536 00:38:43,820 --> 00:38:48,460 But over the weeks leading up to the sentencing hearing, Peggy stays busy. 537 00:38:49,100 --> 00:38:54,300 Her final scam comes to the attention of prosecutors at the 11th hour. 538 00:38:54,620 --> 00:38:58,660 I was busy and we were preparing for the sentencing the next day and I got a 539 00:38:58,660 --> 00:39:01,260 message on my voicemail at work. 540 00:39:01,740 --> 00:39:05,420 It's from an engineer in New Orleans named Ray Thompson. 541 00:39:05,780 --> 00:39:11,520 Just days before, he succumbed to get another of Peggy's convincing cons. 542 00:39:11,820 --> 00:39:16,500 He'd been working in Saudi Arabia to rebuild his life because he had lost 543 00:39:16,500 --> 00:39:17,680 everything after Katrina. 544 00:39:18,330 --> 00:39:23,050 And she convinced him that for a $25 ,000 investment, they were going to make 545 00:39:23,050 --> 00:39:24,050 lot of money together. 546 00:39:24,830 --> 00:39:30,890 That, I think, really was the nail in the coffin about whether she was going 547 00:39:30,890 --> 00:39:33,890 stop or not or whether she's capable of stopping. 548 00:39:34,730 --> 00:39:38,850 In retrospect, Rashad McCants believes he got off easy. 549 00:39:39,090 --> 00:39:43,750 But he says scammers are prevalent in the world of pro sports. 550 00:39:47,860 --> 00:39:50,660 Hundreds of people around pulling at you, picking at you. 551 00:39:51,100 --> 00:39:54,520 And you finally feel like you meet somebody that you connect with. 552 00:39:54,980 --> 00:39:57,320 And, you know, they have an ulterior motive. 553 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:01,960 And they'll do anything to cover that ulterior motive up until they see the 554 00:40:01,960 --> 00:40:06,080 and they can pick it up and walk out the room with it. Ricky Williams, Dennis 555 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:10,660 Rodman, and other players declined American Greed's request for interviews. 556 00:40:11,240 --> 00:40:14,600 Rodman did offer a message via his friend A .J. Bright. 557 00:40:15,210 --> 00:40:20,550 It makes me sad I trusted someone I considered family to manage my money and 558 00:40:20,550 --> 00:40:22,390 they did terribly wrong by me. 559 00:40:23,010 --> 00:40:26,410 I hope other athletes and celebrities can learn from this experience. 560 00:40:27,490 --> 00:40:33,030 When I read this, I definitely can feel the pain in those words 561 00:40:33,030 --> 00:40:36,790 because Dennis really trusted Peggy. 562 00:40:38,650 --> 00:40:41,170 Chantel Cohen can sympathize too. 563 00:40:41,820 --> 00:40:47,440 For someone to be in your inner circle for that long to do something like that 564 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:53,800 to somebody that Ricky is one of the nicest people that I ever met in my 565 00:40:53,860 --> 00:40:59,220 So for someone to do that to him, I think you're sick. 566 00:40:59,780 --> 00:41:00,960 Something's wrong with you. 567 00:41:02,380 --> 00:41:07,860 In 2018, Peggy Fulford pleads guilty to one charge of interstate transportation 568 00:41:07,860 --> 00:41:09,140 of stolen property. 569 00:41:11,280 --> 00:41:17,000 As part of her sentencing, the judge orders more than $3 million in 570 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:23,900 to Ricky Williams, more than $1 .2 million to Dennis Rodman, $1 .3 571 00:41:23,900 --> 00:41:30,640 million to Travis Best, and $132 ,000 to former NFL player Lex 572 00:41:30,640 --> 00:41:31,640 Hilliard. 573 00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:38,980 Regardless of the big money professional athletes earn, Chase Carlson says this 574 00:41:38,980 --> 00:41:41,880 kind of fraud is devastating for players. 575 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:47,800 A lot of their lifetime earnings are packed into a short period of time. If 576 00:41:47,800 --> 00:41:51,640 get ripped off at the end of their career, there's no time to recoup that 577 00:41:51,640 --> 00:41:53,420 because their playing contracts are over. 578 00:41:53,860 --> 00:41:59,380 In the end, Peggy Fulfer, the woman prosecutors call a financial predator, 579 00:41:59,620 --> 00:42:04,280 receives a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. 580 00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:09,520 As I told the judge when he sentenced her, she's probably not going to stop. I 581 00:42:09,520 --> 00:42:11,480 mean, she'll be 70 years old when she gets out. 582 00:42:12,120 --> 00:42:14,260 Hopefully I'm wrong. I really hope I'm wrong.