Todd, while it's natural to believe the principals brother Jeff, is just one of the three stooges and just as dopey. However, reading shaj's synopsis of the principal and I'd say accurate profile of the principal, brother Jeff may be the only immediate family member with some normal intelligence.
Reading about the principals potential to be a sociopath and psychopath, the principal may have been able to manage a pretty good facade of his abilities and entrepreneurship acumen. The principals size and bulk could also have been a natural imposing feature as a tool.
The principals fake front may have been so good that Jeff may not have felt to question too much.
Did Jeff believe everything? Perhaps not, but if Jeff asked questions, the principal may have blown him off or just told him not too worry, it's all good. In other words lied totally to jeff. Also, not to forget, the principal had a few others who were totally part of the scam such as paid promoters bennie and madson, who could have been part of the con to keep jeff in line and believing.
Personally, I I'd like to think Jeff may have started out more or less innocent and was later convinced by the principal that 'everyone' did this with stocks and he won't get in trouble, and if anything happens, the principal has his back. The only other scenario is Jeff is in full knowledge of the scams and the principal told him they won't get caught or something. I'm kind of leaning that jeff was knowledgeable and still went ahead knowing what he was doing was wrong. Even if jeff didn't know the full ramifications possible with his involvement down the road, doesn't mean doing wrong presently is okay. Then again, I tend to want to believe people are better and that jeff had morals and at least someone in this corrupt enterprise had value. Maybe wishful thinking.
Could the principals fake front also fool the wife and other associates? Due to other sources also commenting that people around the felon had no clue what was going on with the courts and everything was cool, the possibility of the principals cons were convincing enough to keep this going with outsiders. I have a difficult time thinking all close associates who knew the principal was sent to prison for fraud, lying to the courts, etc etc etc, that they would just ignore his past.
Time will tell.
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