Dean Black, the confessed creator of the "Marie Shaw" and "Craig Walters" identities within the 5 Star Signals forex scheme, admitted his deception to CEO Mariska Langenberg on March 21, 2015. Black had used these fabricated personas to manage affiliate funds and execute trades, often resulting in significant losses for investors.

The confession came after Langenberg grew suspicious of repeated "hospitalizations" claimed by the Marie Shaw persona. Shaw, presented as a co-founder and fund manager, would purportedly suffer car accidents in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, each time affiliate funds were lost. An unidentified third party, "Rosa," would relay messages during these periods. Craig Walters, introduced as the company's "Fund Manager," consistently emerged to defend Shaw's actions.

Langenberg's investigation into Shaw's communications revealed an IP address in Scotland, not Spain. This contradicted the repeated claims of Shaw's hospitalization in Mallorca. Two other key 5 Star Signals figures, Craig Walters and Dean Black, were also known to be based in Scotland. Further inquiry linked "Marie Shaw" to a "Marie Black" in Scotland, who had a son named Dean P. Black and a history of bankruptcy.

Emily Mendez, 5 Star Signals' former Head of Marketing, recalled a conversation about a Scottish Dean Black who had lost investments in a manner mirroring Shaw's trading losses. This confluence of information fueled Langenberg's suspicions, leading to the confrontation with Marie Shaw, which ultimately prompted Dean Black's confession.

Black explained that he had created the identities to raise funds for 5 Star Signals, hoping to cover substantial personal gambling debts. He also admitted to using his mother's identity to secure loans. In the transcribed conversation, Black expressed remorse, stating, "I'm sorry girls, I really did only want the best for you." He claimed his actions were not malicious and that he had tried to protect 5 Star Signals.

Black mentioned past involvement with individuals scammed in "Zeek," referring to Zeek Rewards, an $850 million Ponzi scheme shut down by the SEC in 2012. He stated that people would come to him for advice after losing money in various schemes, including forex.

Langenberg's response to Black's confession was not to expose the fraud to investors. Instead, she instructed Black to have "Rosa" send a "sad message about Marie's passing." Rosa, it was revealed, was another one of Black's fabricated identities.

Langenberg then directed Black to permanently remove the Marie Shaw profile from social media. She also implemented a new requirement: any future trader not under contract with a 5 Star Signals broker would need to provide a copy of their ID and a MyFXBook link to prove their track record. "Have Marie disappear forever Dean and we will leave you in peace," Langenberg told Black.

Langenberg expressed her feeling of betrayal, particularly after believing she had a real friendship with the Marie Shaw persona for several years. She recounted the elaborate deceptions, including the car accident in Mallorca, the phony phone number, the incorrect IP addresses, and Black's failure to take responsibility for the trading losses. She noted that "Craig's voice sounded so familiar," implying that Black had also voiced the Craig Walters persona.