Before interviewing Fredrick, as any good writer does, I did some research on him and some of what I found wasn’t very flattering, to say the least. I learned that he had pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and had gone to prison for 5 years. Reading articles that other media outlets had written during the time of his arrest and sentencing gave me the perception of a slick-talking con man who had stolen money from our community something that upset me, and, rightfully so! As I continued to research, I started noticing things that didn’t quite fit. To begin, I went to his website and social media pages and one of the things that stood out immediately is the fact that he wasn’t trying to hide his conviction but instead was candidly and openly speaking about it, he’d even written a blog about what happened to him on his website: (https://bit.ly/3fjTlPt).
I read the blog, visited all of the references Fredrick cited in the footnotes, and began to realize that there was far more to his conviction than what appears on the surface. Being the skeptical person I am, however, I took the time to look at the case records of his criminal conviction. That is when things became clear, I found that Fredrick was actually telling the truth, he had never been indicted, he did plead guilty on a prosecutor’s information and there is no record of anyone else ever being charged in his case. Based on my reading of the definition of a Conspiracy under federal law, I cannot understand how the government got away with this!
As I continued to look at Fredrick’s social media pages, I began to realize that he is a very very knowledgeable black man in the areas of finance and business development. I was impressed with the amount of content and resources that he provides to the community free of charge. More, I was impressed with who and what Fredrick is. Fredrick is currently a business consultant, private equity investor, social activist, and philanthropist who has authored 6 books in the areas of financial literacy and business development. He is the CEO of The Scott Family Office Intl., a Single Family Office, and the Chairman of the Board for his family foundation, The Scott Family Foundation Intl. which is a Civil Society Organization and member of the United Nations Global Compact. Fredrick is also a Committee Member for the National Action Networks Second Chance Committee in New York and on the Board of Directors for Our Women In Politics.
His client testimonials and reviews speak to someone who is good at what he does, puts his clients first, and produces real results. I was surprised to learn, when I spoke to Fredrick, that most of his clients, he’s helped free of charge! When I asked him why he simply said “I believed in them, wanted to see them succeed, and I knew they didn’t have the capital to pay a consultant. I have learned the hard way to be a giver where it makes sense because when you give to the right people you gain so much more in return long term.”
Speaking to Fredrick, I could feel the passion and love he has for what he does immediately. I found him to be well-spoken, candid, and funny. When we spoke of his past trials, he was honest and admitted that he was arrogant, selfish, and didn’t manage relationships in the way he should have. He was quick to add that while he didn’t do what he was accused of, he certainly wasn’t an angel. He was on the institutional side of Wall St. and things are never “cut and dry” at that level, but, he didn’t do anything different in his investment banking and advisory firm than what is done every day on “the street” the only difference was the color of his skin and the unconventional path he took to get as far as he has.
When asked about his future plans he spoke of continuing to manage and grow his family's assets, continuing to make an impact through his family's foundation and his own efforts in underprivileged communities of color globally, and continuing to be an outspoken advocate for Social and Criminal Justice Reform in America. In the end, I am glad that I decided to do this interview, that I didn’t judge a book by its cover, and that I took the time to do the research and get to know Fredrick for myself. I look forward to the impact that I believe he will make in our community and his continued growth as he continues to re-establish himself as the knowledgeable, authoritative figure he once was. Furthermore, we recently had a discussion regarding bringing him into my music and entertainment space to potentially deliver his expertise for a couple of companies I currently advise for. He agreed and for now, the future looks promising.
To learn more about Fredrick D. Scott, FMVA, or gain access to the amazing content he shares visit his website at https://fredrickdscott.com or look for him on Instagram @fredrickdscott and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/FredrickDScottllc.
