Georgia financial CEO Todd Burkhalter sentenced for running historic $380M Ponzi scheme to fund lavish lifestyle
Drive Planning CEO Todd Burkhalter received a 20-year prison sentence for orchestrating a historic $380 million Ponzi scheme.
Coverage (8)
- Judge sentences Drive Planning CEO to 20 years for $380M Ponzi scheme WISH-TV · 5h ago
- Georgia executives handed light sentence for role in historic $380M Ponzi scheme: ‘I was a coward’ New York Post · 5h ago broke it first
- Head of Georgia firm accused in massive Ponzi scheme gets 20 years in prison ajc.com · 5h ago
- Organizer of ‘likely the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history’ sentenced to prison WSB-TV · 5h ago
- Former Drive Planning executive sentenced to prison as two more leaders await their fate The Business Journals · 5h ago
- Leader of Alpharetta firm accused in $380M Ponzi scheme gets 4 years in prison AJC.com · 5h ago
- Metro Atlanta financial CEO who ran $380 million Ponzi scheme, bought $2 million yacht gets 20 years in prison 11alive.com · 5h ago
- Georgia financial CEO Todd Burkhalter sentenced for running historic $380M Ponzi scheme to fund lavish lifestyle New York Post · 5h ago broke it first
What happened
A federal judge sentenced Drive Planning CEO Todd Burkhalter to 20 years in prison for operating what coverage describes as likely the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history. According to outlets including the New York Post, 11alive.com, WISH-TV, and ajc.com, the multi-million dollar operation financed a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of a two million dollar yacht.
Another executive from the Alpharetta-based firm received a four-year prison sentence for a role in the fraud. Coverage emphasizes the sheer scale of the financial operation, which affected numerous investors across the region while funding personal luxuries for its leadership.
Outlets note that additional individuals connected to the firm admitted to their roles, with statements highlighting personal cowardice during court proceedings. Legal proceedings continue as two more leaders associated with Drive Planning still await their fate, leaving further details about remaining sentencings to be determined by the court.
Synthesized by Newsylist from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 1h ago.
Questions people are asking
Who is Todd Burkhalter?
Todd Burkhalter is the CEO of Drive Planning who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for running a $380 million Ponzi scheme.
How much money was involved in the Ponzi scheme?
Coverage states the scheme involved $380 million.
What happened to other executives involved?
Another executive received a four-year prison sentence, while two more leaders await their fate according to reporting.
The coverage curve
How fast coverage is spreading — measured hourly from article rate × source diversity. How this works →
People, places & organizations
Topics
Related trends
Tiffany Haddish Pleads Guilty to Georgia DUI
Tiffany Haddish pleads guilty in a 2022 Georgia DUI case, avoiding trial and jail time.
SEC preseason poll takeaways: Georgia picked to win league, Ole Miss overrated in media rankings
Georgia and Texas lead the way in the 2026 SEC preseason media poll, while other contenders face varied expectations.
2026 SEC Football Preseason Media Poll, All-SEC Team announced
The 2026 SEC football preseason media poll and All-SEC teams have been revealed, positioning Georgia as the favorite to win the league.
Tech giant OpenAI plans to build $20 billion data center near Georgia coast
OpenAI is planning a massive data center investment in Georgia as part of a larger surge in global cloud spending.
Georgia RB Dante Dowdell hospitalized after ATV accident
Georgia running back Dante Dowdell is hospitalized following a serious off-campus ATV accident.
BREAKING: 4-Star S Ta’Shawn Poole commits to FSU over UGA, Tennessee
Four-star safety Ta'Shawn Poole has committed to Florida State, beating out contenders Georgia and Tennessee.