How get private investor money without going to jail?

[Brent Ludwig]

I'm just getting started and I hear all the podcast talking about private investors but I get a bit nerves about. I had a good friend who was trying to fund a gold mine purchase with private in esters and when the deal went bad and the investor lost the money the courts said he was selling securities without a license and some other stuff and sentenced him to 14 months in federal prison I would really like to avoid that. What do I have to do to make sure I'm in the clear? Thanks