Author(s)

Edlira Thanasi, Joseph Riotto

New Jersey City University, Jersey City, USA.

This study discusses the similarities and differences between Ponzi and Pyramid schemes and the unparalleled example of Albania. In particular, this document treats the creation and collapse of a financial scheme in Albania, which had some characteristics of both Ponzi and Pyramid schemes, based on their definitions and examples. The study points out the factors that caused the creation of some financial intermediary entities in Albania, which resulted to be a massive fraudulent scheme; how they were developed; and the consequences for the country in terms of economic, political and social environment after they collapsed. The Case of Albania is an unprecedented case of a fraudulent financial scheme due to the magnitude of the population involved (57%) relative to the country’s economic size (liabilities of the scheme reached the equivalent of 51% of GDP); the chaos and the near civil war state as a result of the population’s violent protest; the state’s measures taken by the governments after the ruin of the economy; the quick recovery; and the process of reducing the impacts of the financial scheme collapse in the long run.

Ponzi, Pyramid Schemes, Population Involvement, Ruin of the Entirely Economy, Quick Recovery

Thanasi, E. and Riotto, J. (2017) The Spectacular Rise and Disastrous Collapse of a Financial Scheme: The Case of Albania. Open Journal of Business and Management, 5, 194-207. doi: 10.4236/ojbm.2017.51018.