Pyramid schemes in China

[Randy W]

This seems like an inverse pyramid from what we have in the U.S. - a Bernie Madoff kind of thing, where money is taken from new suckers to pay off the old suckers

 

in the Shanghaiist

 

6 suckers literally trapped in pyramid scheme rescued after writing 'help' on banknotes, tossing out window

 

 

Pyramid schemes in which gullible people are slowly lured into a scam until they find themselves trapped by the money they owe are fairly common in China. But, literally imprisoning victims inside a room, that's a bit less common.