Fulltimer Scammed Out of Life Savings
Most of us in the fulltime RV lifestyle come with a modest financial background. OK, some of us come with hardly enough to “keep body and soul together.” But then there are those who do have some set aside, and Ronnie Sue Ambrosino was one of those. We say, “was,” because a little over a week ago Ronnie Sue, a fulltimer enjoying the lifestyle in Surprise, Arizona, thought she had millions. And then, the next day, she possessed only the furniture in her Class A Patriot motorhome. The latter itself is now in question, as she was buying on payments. All this, thanks to a man named Madoff.
By now, all of us have heard the jokes about how ‘Madoff “made off” with billions.’ Ronnie Sue Ambrosino was one of those whose life has now become proverbial. In a story published on examiner.com, Ambrosino relates, “‘It feels like I’m drowning, and someone is saying “we’re going to save you, but we have to build the boat first,”‘ said Ambrosino, 55, who had $1.6 million invested with Madoff. ‘We can’t wait for SIPC to go through all the papers.’”
To add insult to injury, as the Madoff story appeared in the media. plenty of opinionated folks have taken potshots at–not Madoff–but those who entrusted their money to him. Ambrosino says she’s not at fault here. Writing in response to barbed comments on the Internet, Ronnie Sue says, “I AM THE VICTIM of the story. I am not a fool, either financially or otherwise. I trusted the SEC that investigated and condoned the Madoff investment company. Twenty-eight years ago, I researched the organization. I never made outrageous returns. When the country’s economics went crazy, I continued to see my income grow. My return rate was in line with the rest of the society who invested with ‘good’ companies.”
Despite her careful checking, as the news continues to reveal, Madoff was operating a bogus, Ponzi scheme, bigger than anything that had come before. Says Ambrosino, “Please don’t blame me and don’t lump me in with the super wealthy who had their charitable funds in with Madoff. I was a working woman who saved for her future and trusted a man who, among other credentials, was a former Chairman of the NASDAQ.”
Now Ronnie Sue and her husband wait to see what the next chapter of a crazy economic world, one based greed and corruption will steer their way. For our part, on a modest living we can only breath a sigh of relief and echo the wise king’s thoughts, “Give me neither poverty nor riches.”
photo: examiner.com
