A Georgia financial advisory CEO was sentenced Friday to 20 years behind bars for masterminding a $380 million Ponzi scheme to finance his lavish lifestyle of yachts, private jets and luxury stores. Todd Burkhalter, founder of Atlanta-area Drive Planning LLC, orchestrated one of Georgia’s largest schemes, stealing millions from more than 2,000 investors in a years-long scam. Burkhalter, 59, was ordered to serve two decades in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Tiffany R. Johnson, while two of his executives were sentenced to less than five years for their roles this week. Drive Planning CEO Todd Burkhalter was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for orchestrating a $380 million Ponzi scheme. Instagram/toddburkhalter Burkhalter’s lawyers had asked for a 14-year sentence, while federal prosecutors recommended 17 and a half years as part of a plea deal in January. “Todd Burkhalter organized what is likely the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history to fund an extravagant lifestyle. He even continued to exploit victims while under federal investigation,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham. The Florida executive had pleaded guilty to wire fraud following a years-long investigation into the shady companies. Between September 2020 and June 2024, Drive Planning marketed investment opportunities to potential investors to secure nearly $400 million in funding, even using the money immediately to pay early investors. Burkhalter then used the cash fund for high-end personal expenses, including the purchase of a $2 million yacht, a $2.1 million condo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and spent $800,000 on vehicles, including a bus and two Land Rovers. He also spent millions on luxury travel, private jet charters, $800,000 to pay his ex-wife’s lawyer and another $320,000 on clothing, jewelry and beauty treatments. Burkhalter used the cash fund for high-level personal expenses, including luxury travel. Instagram/toddburkhalter Two of the investment options offered to victims were the “Real Estate Acceleration Loan” (“REAL”) opportunity and the “Real Estate Retirement Fund” (“CORE Fund”). Burkhalter and his team claimed the investments were “easy and simple” and encouraged their victims to use money from retirement accounts, savings and lines of credit. REAL was the main investment vehicle Burkhalter used in the plan as short-term loans (bridge loans), while the CORE Fund was promised to provide “100% passive income from tax liens.” “Burkhalter and Drive Planning deceived investors into believing their investments were safe by claiming they were fully secured by real estate,” the North Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office said. “To perpetuate these lies, Burkhalter directed Drive Planning to prepare fraudulent ‘collateral sheets’ identifying properties (some of which did not even exist) with fictitious valuations that supposedly served as collateral for investments.” Burkhalter and his team claimed the investments were “easy and simple” and encouraged their victims to use money from retirement accounts, savings and lines of credit. Instagram COO/Toddburkhalter David Bradford and CEO Todd Burkhalter speak ahead of their arrests in the Ponzi scheme. Facebook/Todd Burkhalter Drive Planning COO David Bradford assisted Burkhalter in the CORE Fund scheme that stole $4.1 million from investors. Bradford, a 53-year-old pastor and father of six, pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced to four years behind bars and ordered to pay $4,297,878.16 in restitution to the victims, some of whom he had met at church. Bradford called himself a “coward” for being part of the plan. “I participated in that fraud and I benefited from it, and there is no excuse for what I did. I deceived myself, and in turn, I deceived the people who trusted me,” he said during his sentencing hearing. Drive Planning Managing Director Julie Edwards was sentenced to two years in federal prison for her role in the money laundering scheme and used $630,000 of investor funds to purchase a home in Cumming, Georgia. The three scammers will face three years of supervised release following their prison sentences.
