A precious metals dealer who recently went on the lam after being convicted in a $30 million Ponzi scheme involving gold and silver bars, has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
Bernard Ross Hansen, 61, and his vault manager and girlfriend, Diane Renee Erdmann, 49, were found guilty by a federal jury in July 2021 of defrauding over 3,000, mostly-elderly customers out of more than $30 million in a gold and silver bullion investment scheme.
The pair failed to show up for their original sentencing hearing in April and went on the lam for 11 days before being caught by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents at a motel north of Seattle with three loaded handguns, boxes of collectible coins and a pet corgi nicknamed “Nugget” in their car, authorities said.
“Every day he was on the run was one more free day,” investigators say Hansen told them after he was arrested, according to court filings.
The couple finally faced the music on Monday, with Hansen receiving an 11-year sentence and Erdmann five years. Hansen was ordered to pay $33.7 million in restitution and Erdmann $32.1 million.
““The impact of this fraud goes beyond the significant dollar figure.” ”
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