For Ponzi Victim, One Last Luxury: A Trip to Fort Lauderdale

Allen Stanford

Yeah, depressing isn't it? Today's Houston Chronicle reports on one victim of that slightly lesser (alleged) Ponzi, the Stanford Group. A North Carolina man named William Allen couldn't close his Stanford account before the Feds froze it. Among the last things he bought before the company went Madoff? A trip to the Venice of America.

Allen still plans to head to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., later this month to watch the Baltimore Orioles in spring training because he paid for his game tickets, airfare and hotel well in advance.

"Hopefully I'll have my money and I won't just have to sit in my suite," he said. "I may have no money even for the McDonald's dollar menu."

Sorry, condo flippers. Looks like this tourist won't be taking any units off your hands. Then again, with the way prices have been falling...