Ponzi began canvasses friends and acquaintances for money – promising them a 50% return or a doubling of their money in 90 days. When he realised he had been conned, he was too embarrassed to tell the police and Lustig escaped with the money. On March 12, 2007 Hogue pleaded guilty to a single felony count of theft of more than $15,000 in exchange for a prison sentence not to exceed 10 years, and prosecutors’ agreement to drop other theft and habitual criminal charges.