The first major delay happened on a Thursday in August. Victor messaged saying withdrawals were paused while he closed some large trading positions. Adrian was uneasy, but the technical explanation sounded plausible. The second delay came with an apology. The third came with total silence.
Adrian began waking up before dawn to check his phone. Anxious texts from relatives and friends piled up: Any news? Have you heard from Victor? Should we worry? Adrian called and emailed, but got no response. He drove to Victor’s office, only to find the lights off and the glass doors locked.
Then Marcus’s text arrived with the news link. The police revealed that Victor was running a Ponzi scheme, using new investor money to pay off older ones. The trading records were entirely fabricated. There was no skill or market timing involved. Adrian stared at the truth until the words blurred. Victor had lied, and Adrian had helped everyone believe him.