I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unethical behavior, such as scamming people for money is rarely a “one and done” mindset. It may start out that way, but the fraudster invariably tries to take more power, more money or more “liberties.” Whether the fraud occurs in a bank, in a sports setting, a medical billing office or a relationship, it increases and seeks to damage more, not less.
Point in case, is a rather unlikely scam artist by the name of Nathaniel Holzapfel, a resident of the Salt Lake City area. In September 2021, he was arrested and found guilty on three counts of what is called “communications fraud.” It is a second-degree felony. In any case, he scammed an alleged girlfriend out of $200,000.
According to business writer Spencer Burt of Fox31 television, Salt Lake City (March 8, 2022), “Court documents say he convinced a woman with whom he was romantically involved to sell her home, then he handled the sale and paperwork but refused to give her the money.
Since then, investigators say they have learned of multiple other victims that he has stolen money from with similar methods.”
Then in new charges, another woman stepped forward and told police that she too had gotten involved with Holzapfel and he “volunteered” to sell her wedding ring from a previous marriage as a favor. He took it to an appraiser. The ring was valued in excess of $20,000. He basically pocketed the money and when she insisted on payment (or she would go to the police), he essentially said it was valued at less and gave her $3,000.
He also sold a car for her in a kind of swap deal where he sold her vehicle behind her back and pocketed that money as well.
In the latest charges against the scam artist, he was accused of sexual assault against a third woman. The particulars are published in other news sources, and as is my policy, I don’t wish to repeat the prurient details, other than to say that he forced himself upon her.
So, in addition to the three counts of communications fraud for which he is facing imprisonment, he is additionally charged with two counts of theft and two counts of forcible sexual abuse.
According to Utah County Attorney David Leavitt: “The charges alleged against this individual keep growing because we have victims coming forward and working with our investigation team. I’m so grateful for the courage of these victims.”
Of course, it is growing
Whether a Ponzi scheme involving billions of dollars, opioid fraud or (so far) three women coming forward with accusations of theft and sexual abuse, the commonality I need to emphasize is that once the fraudster is locked into his or her pattern, without immediate consequences, the unethical behavior and its levels will increase.
For example, in speaking to groups around the country on sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace, I point out that I have never seen an abuser “simply stop at the first ‘no’” and walk away; I’ve almost never seen a case of company theft limited to “a box of paper clips,” or misuse of a corporate credit card to a one-time only purchase. Once emboldened, fraud, abuse and other unethical behaviors expand.
Nathaniel Holzapfel operated in a world without oversite, he had a need for money and power and his rationalization might have been that these victims “deserved it,” or that they could afford it. The same dynamics are always in place, and the slippery slope always becomes more slippery.
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