UPDATE: His Fundraising Goal 95 Percent Short Of The Mark, Accused Felon Andy Bowdoin Asks The People He’s Charged With Defrauding For ‘Positive’ Testimonials; ‘I Warmly Invite You To Write Your Personal Viewpoint’

Andy Bowdoin

A Florida man’s weeks-long, nonstop efforts to raise defense funds from the people he is accused of defrauding in a $110 million Ponzi scheme have fallen flat, leaving him 95 percent short of his $500,000 goal.

But AdSurfDaily President Andy Bowdoin says he still wants members to send him money — and he’s asking for one more thing: “positive testimonials . . . for a new page on the fundraising website.”

In a strangely worded email filled with bizarre bullet points some ASD members have received, Bowdoin said this:

Each of you, who have already donated to the Legal Defense Fund, are thanked by me, and I warmly invite you to write your personal viewpoint and testimony in answer to one, or more or all of the following topics:

• Why you want to help us fight back against the Govt injustices.
• Why you think this Fundraising Army is an excellent way to join forces and do something about it.
• Why you donated your small contribution and why you think all ASD members should do the same quickly.
• Why you feel positive and hopeful that I can win my court case AND be found “Not Guilty” by the Jury.
• Why proving to the jury that ASD is not a Ponzi Scheme is so important.
• Why you want us to win the case and what you will do when ASD gets back in business again.
• Why you are hopeful that ASD members can get their advertising money back from the US govt.

The accused felon said in the email that he’d gathered only $24,400 of the $500,000 needed. His formal bid to raise funds began on July 26 after weeks of prelaunch hoopla for his website, which is known as Andy’s Fundraising Army.

In August 2008, the U.S. Secret Service seized tens of millions of dollars from Bowdoin amid allegations he was presiding over a massive international fraud caper. Federal prosecutors say Bowdoin is well aware he was conducting a Ponzi scheme.

The money was seized in civil-forfeiture actions, and U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer issued final orders of forfeiture and judgments in the government’s favor last year. Prosecutors have established a remissions program from which victims of ASD will receive compensation from seized funds.

More than 11,000 people have filed remissions claims, prosecutors said in court filings.

Bowdoin claimed in court filings that the seized money belonged to him. In a September 2009 conference call, he told members it belonged to them — despite what he had told Collyer.

The U.S. Court of Appeals upheld Collyer’s forfeiture orders.