Fair was 'powerless' in Durham case

Donald Fair, 85, stayed quiet for years about concerns he had with Fair Finance. The man with a modest home in Akron, Ohio sold his firm to Tim Durham in 2001. He only confided his concern in a few friends and he only said it wouldn’t be wise to invest in Fair Finance. Only one got out.

The contrast between Fair and Durham is stark — Fair, a family man and Bible study attendee; and Durham, a divorcé and man about town. Fair has a home with a two-car garage and Durham amassed a collection of cars that were ultimately hauled off by federal investigators.

“Did you realize he’s loaning a lot of money to himself?” 24-Hour News 8’s Brad Edwards asked Fair.

“I did, and I was concerned,” he said but his lawyer advised him to keep quiet. “It’s out of your hands. You don’t own the company, and be careful what you say,” he says as he describes his legal council’s instructions.

Fair says he feels worst for those who lost money and the Fair Finance employees.

Don Russell is one of those who lost money. He says he talked to the FBI in an interview over the winter.

“I told them it was a sad state of affairs when retirees and the elderly could be victimized by these outsiders, really, by the state of Ohio, that let them come in, from your state, Indiana,” Russell said.

And that’s how it played out. Indy playboy Durham swept in and took advantage of Ohio investors.

Click play in the video player above to see Donald Fair’s first TV interview since the demise of the company he and his father worked so hard to build.

“You put your life’s work into this, following your father to have it trashed, looted, and you’re powerless,” said Fair. “It’s … not very comfortable.”