Situated in the tiny village of Sag Harbor on the Long Island Sound, Martin "Marty" Grimes and his colleague, Sal Persico, are retained by a Russian oligarch to protect his financial and reputational interests. The oligarch, married to the niece of the head of the KGB directorate in Moscow, is implicated in a massive pyramid Ponzi scheme involving an international food purveyor with business in the former Soviet Union. The bank in Moscow, owned by the oligarch, is a conduit for the KGB to launder money on behalf of the political elites. When Grimes digs deeper into this scheme, he uncovers a pump-and-dump stock fraud involving the oligarch's brother-in-law. The oligarch's wife, Galina, is found dead in her hotel room in New York City. Persico, retained to defend her brother-in-law who mysteriously disappears, is considered a "person of interest" in Galina’s death. 
Knowing the emotional costs and legal entanglements of conducting investigations on behalf of Russian oligarchs, Grimes attempts to remove himself from what Persico envisions as his newest moneymaking machine. Throughout these investigations, Grimes confronts moral and legal dilemmas that test his loyalty to Persico, his clients, and, ultimately, the rule of law. 
Grimes presents a true-to-life tutorial on how and why con artists evade the long arm of the law with impunity. The Byzantine machinations of an overwhelmed and outdated criminal justice system confronting the psychological and economic consequences of white-collar crime are exposed. With cryptocurrency and AI technology spreading globally, the world is the con artist’s newly discovered oyster.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

“Dark Forces captures the unexplored atmosphere of the former Soviet Union at a time when few knew where it was headed politically and economically. It is a deep dive into the world of intrigue, romance, crime and corruption. Having represented several Russian oligarchs and their minions, Grimes’ journey is one that few live to tell about.”—Blair R. Zwillman, Esq. Criminal Defense Attorney

"For those who question the existence of Russian organized crime, Prisoners of Wealth provides a glimpse into this seedy underworld."—Selwyn Rabb, author, Five Families

"Grimes takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride into the convoluted and arcane machinations of a criminal justice system ill-prepared to address complex crime."—Frank Bellis, former CEO, Claridge Casino Hotel

"Knowing the investigations Grimes undertook, Prisoners of Wealth merely touches the surface of the grimy and diabolical world of those who live in the wealthy conclaves of the Hamptons."—Joseph A. DeLuca, CEO, DeLuca Advisory Services

"If you enjoyed the iconic book, The Gold Coast, you will experience the intrigue and plotting that Prisoners of Wealth captures. A worthy sequel to DeMille's facsinating journey into the bowels of stealth wealth."—Sal Maggio, author, The Life of a New Jersey Road Trooper 

Author: Martin Grimes
Page Count: 302
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: October 21, 2025
Imprint: The Agency Books
Genre: True Crime

TRUE CRIME / Espionage
TRUE CRIME / Organized Crime
TRUE CRIME / White Collar Crime