"You and I start a company.
It issues 300 million shares, 150 million to me and 150 million to you, for no consideration.
The company has no assets, does nothing, and is worth $0.
On Monday, I sell you 10,000 shares for $1 each. All of a sudden we have a $300 million company.
On Tuesday, you sell me back those 10,000 shares for $2 each. Now we have a $600 million company.
On Wednesday, we find some suckers and say "hey, this $600 million company is poised to take off! It was up 100 percent just yesterday! Get in while there's still value!"
The suckers, being suckers, buy 100,000 shares for $2 each.
Now we have $200,000 of the suckers' money, which we split.
We flee to, I don't know, Belize."
http://www.bloombergview.com/articl...e-case-for-buying-friends-naked-short-selling