The Man Who Sold a Well That Never Existed: $312K Betrayal

The Man Who Sold a Well That Never Existed: $312K Betrayal A neighbor collected $312,000 from rural families who thought they were funding a shared well, but on December 11, 2019 those GPS coordinates pointed to nothing but a freshly mowed field. How did $312,000 and two years of monthly $760 payments vanish into a cooperative account while no well, rig, casing, pipe rack or equipment ever appeared - and who noticed only after photographs were taken? In this episode, we tell how a trusted local with two decades of infrastructure and procurement experience persuaded 41 households to join a member-funded water cooperative, how steady monthly dues were collected, and how the absence of a well was finally discovered, raising the question of whether this was fraud or a tragic failure of oversight. Person: Russell Rogers Event: Discovery of empty field at GPS coordinates on December 11, 2019 Amount: $312,000 Monthly dues: $760 per household Members: 41 households signed original cooperative agreement - On December 11, 2019 Vernon Morgan drove to given GPS coordinates and found a mowed field with no well or equipment. - Between April 2017 and December 2019 thirty-nine families paid monthly dues into the cooperative account totaling $312,000. - The cooperative agreement authorized a monthly deduction of $760, debited on the fifteenth of each month. - Forty-one households signed the original cooperative agreement in April 2017. - In June 2017 member Albert Finch requested his refund of $2,280 and received $900. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].