American Greed

A Scientology minister leaves the church for a more lucrative career in the stock market and scams investors out of more than $500 million. Then, American Greed goes behind the scenes of a sting operation to examine the mysterious world of art fraud.

Church founder Gerald Payne called it "divine inspiration," a way for the faithful to reap what they sow. Instead, he built a $500 million pyramid scheme. Profiled in Case 2: By day, he's a property manager-by night, a daring cat burglar.

First case: The Baptist Foundation of Arizona invests and loses millions entrusted by churchgoers, and its mission ends in scandal. Then, learn how Dr. Mikos, a charming doctor with a lucrative practice, turns out to be a con artist defrauding Medicare.

It's a new crime wave: thieves committing identity theft to fund their raging meth addictions. Then, see how a serial bank robber, armed and dangerous, terrorizes the town of Wheaton, a quiet, affluent Chicago suburb.

In this episode, two men hatch a plan to steal millions of dollars' worth of art. Then... It sounds like a nightmare--big, long needles repeatedly jabbed into a patient's back. But for Dr. Jorge Martinez, it's routine - part of an elaborate billing scheme.

In this episode of American Greed, see the detailed profile of a successful con artist and the investors he left with empty bank accounts. Then go inside a $4 million dollar art heist of Maxfield Parrish masterpieces.