Though oil prices had been rising for years, the market became ripe for fraud in the past year, as oil prices climbed to their peak, gas prices similarly soared, and the stock market headed downward.

• 尽管多年来油价持续上涨，但去年，随着石油价格创出新高、天然气大幅上涨及股市下跌，骗局的市场条件也趋成熟。