Minn. investors learn money trail has weird turns

Dozens of investors who have been frantically trying to withdraw their life savings from a controversial currency investment program promoted by some Twin Cities firms learned this week that the money trail may lead to Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

But so far, they were told, no one knows exactly where their money is, except perhaps a Burnsville investment adviser named Trevor Cook, and he's not talking.

No one seems to know how many people invested in the "currency arbitrage" strategy. But a lawyer who spoke to Cook's attorney, John Thompson, said he thinks there are about 1,000 accounts averaging somewhere between $250,000 and $500,000. Thompson declined to comment Friday and said Cook would not comment either.