Todd Burkhalter, CEO, Admits Guilt in Georgia Ponzi Scheme Fraud Case
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The CEO of a financial advisory empire, accused of masterminding Georgia’s largest Ponzi scheme to fund a life of opulent extravagance, has pleaded guilty to “shamelessly” bilking investors out of a staggering $380 million, authorities announced Wednesday.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia stated that 54-year-old Todd Burkhalther, founder of Drive Planning LLC, defrauded over 2,000 individuals between September 2020 and June 2024.
Burkhalther reportedly funneled the stolen funds into a lavish lifestyle, which included chartering private jets, purchasing a yacht, acquiring a multimillion-dollar condo in Mexico, and indulging in luxury vehicles such as Land Rovers and recreational vehicles.
This former trusted advisor from St. Petersburg, Florida, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He is one of two executives, including the company’s former COO, who admitted to participating in the years-long Ponzi scheme, according to the attorney’s office.
TEXAS COUPLE LABELED FAKE ‘CHIP AND JOANNA GAINES’ ADMITS $5M DREAM HOME RENOVATION SCAM
Todd Burkhalther smiling following a trip through Boston, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, according to his Instagram. (@toddburkhalter/Instagram)
“Todd Burkhalther perpetrated what is likely the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history,” stated U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Unbelievably, Burkhalter shamelessly continued to scam his victims even while under federal investigation. Today’s guilty plea is just the first step in holding Burkhalter accountable for the considerable harm he caused.”
“Todd Burkhalther built a massive Ponzi scheme on lies, exploiting trust to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from more than 2,000 victims while funding an extravagant lifestyle,” remarked Paul Brown, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta.
According to federal investigators, Drive Planning attracted ordinary individuals by claiming that they did not need to be accredited investors to participate. They encouraged potential investors to use funds from retirement accounts, savings, and lines of credit.
Todd Burkhalther prepares to fly to Houston, Texas, in a chartered private jet. (@toddburkhalter/Instagram)
Burkhalther promised high returns, including a 10% return every three months from a fabricated real estate loan and a 22% annual return from tax liens, falsely claiming that investors’ money was government-protected or fully collateralized by real estate, officials stated.
To maintain the facade, Burkhalther allegedly created a list of imaginary or irrelevant properties with fabricated valuations to present as collateral.
OLDER AMERICANS LOST UP TO $81.5 BILLION IN THE PAST YEAR TO FINANCIAL FRAUD, FTC REPORT SAYS
Todd Burkhalther stands up to give a speech in front of a large gathering during dinner. (Todd Burkhalther/Instagram)
Burkhalther and Drive Planning also misrepresented their relationships with real estate developers, federal investigators revealed. For example, a prominent Atlanta developer discovered that Burkhalther was using the property’s name to promote Drive Planning and subsequently sued the company.
Authorities noted that Burkhalther did not utilize investors’ money for its intended purpose. Within the initial months of marketing his real estate offerings, he allegedly used the funds to repay earlier Drive Planning investors, cover his ex-wife’s legal fees, and pay for recreational vehicle expenses.
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If Burkhalter fulfills the conditions of his plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a minimum sentence of 17 years in prison. His former colleague, David Bradford, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on December 16, 2025, with his sentencing hearing scheduled for March 17.
Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
The CEO of a financial advisory empire, accused of masterminding Georgia’s largest Ponzi scheme to fund a life of opulent extravagance, has pleaded guilty to “shamelessly” bilking investors out of a staggering $380 million, authorities announced Wednesday.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia stated that 54-year-old Todd Burkhalther, founder of Drive Planning LLC, defrauded over 2,000 individuals between September 2020 and June 2024.
Burkhalther reportedly funneled the stolen funds into a lavish lifestyle, which included chartering private jets, purchasing a yacht, acquiring a multimillion-dollar condo in Mexico, and indulging in luxury vehicles such as Land Rovers and recreational vehicles.
This former trusted advisor from St. Petersburg, Florida, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He is one of two executives, including the company’s former COO, who admitted to participating in the years-long Ponzi scheme, according to the attorney’s office.
TEXAS COUPLE LABELED FAKE ‘CHIP AND JOANNA GAINES’ ADMITS $5M DREAM HOME RENOVATION SCAM
Todd Burkhalther smiling following a trip through Boston, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, according to his Instagram. (@toddburkhalter/Instagram)
“Todd Burkhalther perpetrated what is likely the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history,” stated U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Unbelievably, Burkhalter shamelessly continued to scam his victims even while under federal investigation. Today’s guilty plea is just the first step in holding Burkhalter accountable for the considerable harm he caused.”
“Todd Burkhalther built a massive Ponzi scheme on lies, exploiting trust to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from more than 2,000 victims while funding an extravagant lifestyle,” remarked Paul Brown, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta.
According to federal investigators, Drive Planning attracted ordinary individuals by claiming that they did not need to be accredited investors to participate. They encouraged potential investors to use funds from retirement accounts, savings, and lines of credit.
Todd Burkhalther prepares to fly to Houston, Texas, in a chartered private jet. (@toddburkhalter/Instagram)
Burkhalther promised high returns, including a 10% return every three months from a fabricated real estate loan and a 22% annual return from tax liens, falsely claiming that investors’ money was government-protected or fully collateralized by real estate, officials stated.
To maintain the facade, Burkhalther allegedly created a list of imaginary or irrelevant properties with fabricated valuations to present as collateral.
OLDER AMERICANS LOST UP TO $81.5 BILLION IN THE PAST YEAR TO FINANCIAL FRAUD, FTC REPORT SAYS
Todd Burkhalther stands up to give a speech in front of a large gathering during dinner. (Todd Burkhalther/Instagram)
Burkhalther and Drive Planning also misrepresented their relationships with real estate developers, federal investigators revealed. For example, a prominent Atlanta developer discovered that Burkhalther was using the property’s name to promote Drive Planning and subsequently sued the company.
Authorities noted that Burkhalther did not utilize investors’ money for its intended purpose. Within the initial months of marketing his real estate offerings, he allegedly used the funds to repay earlier Drive Planning investors, cover his ex-wife’s legal fees, and pay for recreational vehicle expenses.
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If Burkhalter fulfills the conditions of his plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a minimum sentence of 17 years in prison. His former colleague, David Bradford, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on December 16, 2025, with his sentencing hearing scheduled for March 17.
