Stanford International Bank former building, infamous for a large ponzi scheme, Osbourn, Antigua Island - stock photo

Osbourn, Antigua, Antigua & Barbuda: the Stanford International Bank scandal was a major financial fraud scheme uncovered in 2009. It was orchestrated by Allen Stanford, who ran Stanford Financial Group and its offshore subsidiary, Stanford International Bank. The bank sold certificates of deposit promising impossibly high returns, which turned out to be a $8 billion Ponzi scheme affecting around 30,000 investors across 136 countries. When the fraud was discovered, it led to the second-largest investment fraud case in U.S. history after Bernie Madoff's scheme. Stanford was arrested in 2009, convicted of 13 criminal felonies in 2012, and sentenced to 110 years in federal prison. The scandal had far-reaching consequences, damaging investor confidence and highlighting weaknesses in financial regulation.