Financial Fraud — The Victims Are?
Trump was convicted of financial fraud in New York and ordered to pay a rather hefty fine. He and his defenders claim he was unfairly targeted. After all, the loans were all repaid and the banks made a lot of money. There were no victims.
Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
The victims are everyone who tries to play by the rules. When someone gains an advantage by cheating, honest people get shortchanged. A real estate developer loses a bid because they didn’t get a loan with ‘special’ terms. A 1990s baseball player didn’t make it to the majors because his competitors were using steroids. A Tour de France rider never got a sweet endorsement deal because of the doping done by too many others.
People cheat for a reason — they expect it will give them an advantage in getting something they want. They think it will improve their control of their lives. Unfortunately, cheating often does work. Trump could serve as the poster boy.
I expect most honest people like it when a cheater gets caught and has to pay a price. The playing field will never become level, but occasional justice at least helps minimize the tilt.
