"Correct on one point. You almost never find a guilty person in jail. Just ask them!"
I worked off and on as a debt collector---for whatever reasons I have a very low opinion of debt collectors. :) Hey, it doesn't make sense because if the debt is real, then the person needs to pay it, imo. First thing I'd try and find out is if there was any reason the alleged debtor believed he shouldn't pay the debt. Debtor disputes the debt in seeming good faith and I'm generally moving on. The debtor might just be the real victim.
Anyway, I'm working to collect this relatively small debt from this company that makes all manner of promises and never pays. The owner is an old woman who is very sharp and crooked to the core based on first impression. She wants to pay, but she just has a cash flow problem. For "good faith" she even gives be a "bogus" check with the all important proviso that I wait at least 10 days before depositing. Sure, I could have cashed it immediately and cleared her debt----however, I take my promises seriously and decided it'd be better to waste more hours and time collecting in a more honorable manner.
Sure enough after 10 days the money in the account was gone! Not a surprise in the least and I even found it amusing. But, I gain her trust and as she explained her dire financial straits and her desire to pay, I just agree and give total sympathy. But, I explained that as part of my job I'd have to make regular visits just to show my boss that I wasn't loafing. She got to enjoy my visits and I learned more and more about her hoodlum operation! :)
Over the many months (remember this was a relatively small debt) I noticed that she kept getting new employees and no old ones stayed. When I mentioned this to her, with large sad eyes she lamented that good workers were so hard to find! Oh, poor baby. One day I noticed a crew that really worked their tails off and seemed so eager to please. I mentioned with a big happy smile that it looked like she finally found good workers. With bright beaming eyes she says "YES, and I might even pay them." For a moment she looked like she'd been caught, but I didn't let on that I caught or understood her slip of the tongue.
A relatively short time later she was all upset because her trusted employees (the good workers) had stolen company checks and forged her signature! Oh, she tries to help people and give then a job and how is she repaid? BY THEFT!!! Poor baby. I'm sure the police officers felt so sorry for this old lady. Yep, must have felt really good arresting these ungrateful scum who were stealing from this old lady.
Now the game had changed, however. I didn't appreciate the old lady having those pea brained workers arrested. I remarked "YES, it is really bad that your workers wanted to get paid their wages. I think the police might be interested in learning about your business." The game was up and now she wanted to pay cash in full to settle her debt. :) She probably thought I was a sucker for not pressing the advantage. I was a sucker for wasting so much time on her and my hands were filthy for not at least attempting to help her arrested employees. My attitude was that these imbeciles need to start learning the truth about their government. Who knows maybe the morons got off with a slap on the wrist.
Also, in this vile country even if I had come forward to try and set the record straight it is very possible the prosecutor and judge would still view these illiterate wage slaves as criminals----how dare they try and collect their hard earned wages in any manner other than that provided by law. Stupid wage slaves need to learn their place. And, the wealthy need to be legislated into criminals. :)