It’s surprising what lengths people will go to in order to make an easy buck. In the paper today are a West Roxbury couple that is charged with a multimillion-dollar ponzi scheme. You’d think after years of watching executives get put behind bars for this type of illegal behavior, it would be a theft situation to avoid. However, Steve and Lori Palladino must have somehow believed they could enjoy a life full of riches by living off of other people’s hard-earned dollars. The couple each faces four charges of larceny over $250, two charges of falsifying corporate books, and three counts of loan sharking to name a few. Could an advanced 16-hour theft class help them re-think their ways? Possibly if they had been exposed to this course years ago, it might have diverted this get rich quick scheme.

The scam was fairly elaborate. They set up a company called Viking Financial Group, Inc. in 2007, which got funds from investors to provide high interest loans. But, instead of loaning the money out and using the interest charged to pay back investors, they spend the money on themselves. They would use new money invested to pay back older clients and enter false loan documents in their corporate accounting books to make the business look legitimate.

What did they do with the money? The couple went on vacation to the Bahamas, paid off hundreds of thousands in gambling debts, and paid for an apartment for Steven’s mistress, amongst other things.

The two will certainly face jail time, restitution payments, fines and hopefully some theft classes. These two could use some education on how to develop empathy for their victims and a general social awareness. At this point, it might be a bit late to learn skills to better themselves and live an honest life, but taking a course while serving jail time, will help them if they ever have the opportunity to reenter civilian life.

Before you land yourself in a situation like the Palladino’s have, try taking an online theft class for self-improvement purposes. Online classes are a great way to learn this subject matter because they can be taken in the privacy of your own home. No one else needs to know that you are struggling with this emotional disorder. Once you enroll, the class can be accessed at any time of the day or night so the participant doesn’t need to miss any work, school or family activities to attend. All that is needed is an Internet based computer device like a PC, laptop, Ipad or Smartphone. Nothing needs to be printed out, because the class material is all on the screen in front of you.

Online theft classes can be taken to fulfill court requirements as well. A high quality course will be designed by a licensed and practicing psychotherapist and include all the information that the court wants participants to learn. At the end of the course, a Certificate of Completion is sent out via USPS mail. This is the document that proves to the court that the order was fulfilled.

Online theft classes are an interesting, current and convenient way to learn how and why to live an honest life.