Trading Places

Garrett Bauer was born on July 14, 1967 to a middle-class family and was raised in Long Island, New York.  It was clear early on in Garrett’s childhood that he had a head for business. While most boys just delivered papers, Garrett did that and sold Christmas cards door-to-door. He was already going to the houses every day, so why not make a little extra money? As he grew older, Garrett juggled several jobs, including working at the local amusement park and at the ice-cream shop; he even tried his hand as a street vendor. Garrett was never intimidated by hard work and was always eager to make an extra dollar.

Garrett went on to study economics at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.  Upon graduation, Garrett moved to Manhattan and soon landed a job as a municipal bond administrator at the venture capital firm, Weiss, Peck & Greer. It was hardly a glamorous life, but it was a start. 

By age 44, Garrett Bauer appeared to have it all.  He was a successful day trader with millions in the bank and lived in a sprawling apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Garrett even bought his mother a house in Florida. He also regularly donated his time to helping others by volunteering at the Make-A-Wish Foundation, serving soup at local homeless shelters and working with autistic children; but Garrett’s perfect life was a facade.