August 13, 2026

Letter: Fraud case ready to hit its climax

Those who had invested their hard-earned life's savings with a friend's mortgage loan company, owned by Harley L. Harmon, were defrauded out of more than $13 million. This fraud will go down in the history books of Nevada as the largest, and has nothing to do with the old "Mafia" gangs.

These mostly retired senior citizens needed to invest their hard-earned money for a meager income from the interest derived from First Trust Deeds, so they found Harmon, who owned the Harley Harmon Mortgage Co. and who also happened to be a friend of them all.

Last week, Judge Stephen Huffaker invited all the people concerned (about 400) who had been wronged by Harmon and Co. to his chambers to hear their complaints.

It seems that up to this point nobody, the attorney general's office or the judge, have ever accused Harmon of any crimes.

All they suggested was to harm the investors (suckers) by having the investors pool their meager earnings (crumbs) and divide them, letting Harmon take his ill-gotten gains, $13 million, and go home, with a pat on the back, and probably a medal for the "Crook of the Century".

Even the designated "receiver," Berne Chippoletti, will be there with his umpteen lawyers trailing behind, to scoop up what they can.

Ben Marcus

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