'Shield' Star Schemes New Series at FX

Zap2It.com | December 22, 2008

Michael Chiklis

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Michael Chiklis is developing a show about a Ponzi scheme

"The Shield" star Michael Chiklis is staying in the FX fold, moving behind the camera to develop a series about a Ponzi scheme.

The project, called "House of Cards," will focus on a group of people running a complicated scam similar to the one that investment advisor Bernard Madoff is accused of orchestrating. Madoff's alleged scheme, one of the largest in history, reportedly has cost investors as much as $50 billion.

Chiklis has been working on the idea for most of the past year, the showbiz trade papers report. He and his wife were victims of a smaller-scale Ponzi scheme, and he wants to explore the type of character it takes to pull off such a fraud.

FX is searching for a writer on the project and expects to have one on board in the near future. Chiklis will be an executive producer of "House of Cards" but isn't expected to appear on camera.

"I have been very passionate about this project," Chiklis tells Variety. "This is something I want to fast track and get done. I think its time has come, and someone's going to get out there with it."

The show is Chiklis' first crack at shepherding a project from its beginning stages. He was credited as a producer on "The Shield" in its latter seasons.