<b>eagle</b>... I've got lots of "gone broke" stories from 2000 - 2001 era learned while contributing content to an option trading website. A lot of readers made huge money there from 1998 ~ 2000, most had no idea how it happened. Then late 2000 and beyond ensued.
The biggest $$ loss I recall was one subscriber who ran +/- $1 million into $18 million strictly by selling deep ITM naked put options. He'd write puts $100 ITM and pocket huge chunks of profit as the Nasdaq soared. Prices moved so fast, early assignment of the contracts often doubled in value the same day.
Well, he leveraged positions bigger as the account balance grew. When late 2000 - early 2001 arrived, this trader had taken some losses and built a huge net-short position of deep ITM puts on Nazz stocks. When price action caved in early 2001, he closed out all positions for a -$10 million loss.
The story goes that he still made a little bit of money in the end, but gave back nearly 100% of realized gains over two years in one fell swoop.
Imagine reading that month-end statement where it shows one day loss of -$10mil or 90+% of the account. How would that go over with you, your spouse and family?
**
I have more of these stories to relate than you have time to read them. For every one "Waxie" Parness who made millions, one thousand traders wiped out their entire accounts.