‘Mini Madoffs’ arrested by US marshals

Acting on a tip, US marshals in Arizona put an end to an Illinois couple’s life on the lam, a dozen years after they fled punishment for running a Ponzi scheme that targeted friends, the elderly, and even family members.

As fugitives, Nelson Grant Hallahan, 65, and wife Janet Hallahan, 54, lived in several southwest states and had used a number of aliases. They were arrested on Saturday in Tonopah, near Phoenix. Officials believe they hid in Arizona for the past couple years.

“The 12-year run from justice of the Hallahans, also known as the ‘Mini Madoffs,’ has come to an end,” US marshal for Arizona David Gonzales said.