# Georgia financial CEO Todd Burkhalter sentenced for running historic $380M Ponzi scheme to fund lavish lifestyle

> **Newsylist Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-08-15 07:29 UTC · Category: Business · Sources: 7 · Current Velocity: 5.95

## Executive Summary
Drive Planning CEO Todd Burkhalter received a 20-year prison sentence for orchestrating a historic $380 million Ponzi scheme.

## Intelligence Brief
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.

## Verified Facts & Key Claims
### 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.

## Key People, Organizations & Locations
Georgia, Judge, Ponzi, CEO Todd Burkhalter, Drive Planning CEO, Head of Georgia, Organizer, Former Drive Planning

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Published (UTC) | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| upi.com | CEO sent to prison for 'largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history' | 2026-08-15 05:20 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihAFBVV95cUxQM0pwZjQwd1BybE5zZ05WblBVbXVGRWljOU9Ia2dXZE9pVTVBeG50N040NDRibUpIWGJHUWRaX2NOYjNlSHhPRk5zSHZPWDJEdFFHa0NucXR2dGtoT1ZNMWM4RlZENGxOWUU5R19qTFpENlpPcDBWY19DZDRJMWszNy1XZknSAYoBQVVfeXFMTmV6T3poeGFvdXV1YkxnTFBRcU1udlNKUkF0bGU1eVJaeUhxTjJFWHI5QVE2M3NDVU9LOUowRlh3M3o1eUM5THdqRmxvUURVODJDVGNOdTNrb201WHcxQ3J6UjJXb18yeW43dGw2Zmh6SUVhbzBmTnc4TXllQUxUc3BqakZfeVFaSU9B?oc=5) |
| WISH-TV | Judge sentences Drive Planning CEO to 20 years for $380M Ponzi scheme | 2026-08-15 05:20 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMivAFBVV95cUxPck5SY3h4WElXV3dOUmU1c0xkLVUwU0hwM0pRaFBfM2JueW4yaWFVS2pDY0FzOEZoRGU3LUtJUnVUcldRaUpiNl9Hbjc5SWFDelRZd3cyaHNtTTJfTmtycEdXT1pTNUZHLWthdjY2Q0NBWmdZQjFMOHEwYm9LQXlRRC04VEsyc1djVy1sV0FLTzVNWUU5M18tR1pqa00taDEtWUhTZ1BmV3FyRlJ1RUxEYVFQT3BfemczMUszdQ?oc=5) |
| New York Post | Georgia executives handed light sentence for role in historic $380M Ponzi scheme: ‘I was a coward’ | 2026-08-15 05:20 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiuAFBVV95cUxNWGVKcEJycDZBWGgyS3Jsdk1QZFdveFJuZ19RMktoWmg4cTh6SHRzUC12ZHIwd0JTWVRNQ25nbXdjUzBoakVkNXp3TGJuYmdTYm1EanVNOUlZaTU2Q3hsMGRwLURnYzZRX1VwLXYybTJmLVpqMU9EMVBHNS0wMnpwajVTTWR5RVhFWlE2ajJsUHI5bHdPbWdFSnlLdXluTHd6b1NYR1ZUNk9TM3VSdkFrci1rS192aDVk?oc=5) |
| ajc.com | Head of Georgia firm accused in massive Ponzi scheme gets 20 years in prison | 2026-08-15 05:20 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipgFBVV95cUxQb1JUeWpQSmhqdW5Dc1I1UFJObW50QTJWRFZEeUU1YTY4V0dYd1ZfNjlhOUp4YTNYN0V3a0l1Z3o2TlExQWYwT2JWMFBxNHJQWmpMa0JFVHlTZkkxdTFtWnJhRzBWT1A0OTFiTGlSb01pb1pfVFVKQ19OcHRwM3d5X082dTY2bHdKc0pYQlJEc2ZtSERTOG1qWUh0dEphanJyTUExVy13?oc=5) |
| WSB-TV | Organizer of ‘likely the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history’ sentenced to prison | 2026-08-15 05:20 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiywFBVV95cUxNRmxiSU5uRzd4R2R5Nk9fY2J5UWdDQzc1Q2daQVF6OHNRanFMWDZoZTlPcEZIeHRSNU9WYWJ4ZFVYU0pjdXV0SHJwNGlJVVlpb1o5SUdqYzhIT292SkZOY0lLTnlfMnE1VUR5SVdnMkFyRHJhd1lnY09yQ0VZMThkemtHRzFOMzRBNkFHcU82bk90al93cUtWLXZ6Y3FyN2RpTjJJbERNMmNTMGlpU0tNWG1NRUlNcHlIandLbkUwZW9OWlJIVjBuNGItc9IB3wFBVV95cUxPSGNSVXFldGNXbzFMRF9VVnlPRnlzTHlEVGZDOTdMS1c0TzBJR3hsOVgxbWozSnl4SVZqZklNcm4tNW5HMTNpM2Jhcm1rU2ZXSms1YUlQM1FkQmlVTUU1c1ZtSDV4VmxmUVBoam1vX3l3R1hLVHNESGdiLUlMamNXaDVsX3JsNGZ) |
| The Business Journals | Former Drive Planning executive sentenced to prison as two more leaders await their fate | 2026-08-15 05:20 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxQM09UcmlyLXhESm56b094NkQyMVNUcnY1bmNuRzZLNE15aFhSNkRGbTREYkxmZGx4WnJjdXFiME4xUTVvNVVMOXlKTXpXQWRoX0tzTi00WkU3ajNRWVN6ZVNDam44WlRhcDlvLXB2YVdyUEoxcTlPSVhXdnpvLXB5WTFfN0RwTmNKSWdKMmFad3k5Y284RC1YNWs3ck9OeXJheG1WZm5xRjFYQW8?oc=5) |
| AJC.com | Leader of Alpharetta firm accused in $380M Ponzi scheme gets 4 years in prison | 2026-08-15 05:20 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxQdmZMR0Z6QkxoSUpCSzhoRzdGMTRPM3BXU1AtTWRPd295NGRvZVVfQ3I0WkNqLUdoMmhvZk0wdHNxRmNtS1pjb1ZDWnhaZnJLYXVpUWpISzkxb1lZREZPcGFUTG15VXdKbHJSVE5DUzBPUU9BWnFvS1dKdENwWWc0c0dZVzlBS1dYeTIydVprNURsM0pOU1NEdk01YXB3b3haTUJndWpNczZXU0U2?oc=5) |
| 11alive.com | Metro Atlanta financial CEO who ran $380 million Ponzi scheme, bought $2 million yacht gets 20 years in prison | 2026-08-15 05:20 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi7AFBVV95cUxPV2QtQV9JVGo0VjFzQTVhTUFmZ1hLbkhJVkxxUDBiZEtTYnRQZXAzbUFpVUN1NW9xdXhPN2xpajZlaFo3X2k0UkFsYjduVjhLNU5FckJQdG1EZE1Lb1VQZC1KWWVYQjc0bHd3MFNGUTA1VmpnUlA1ZkhLYUNDc0xMdFBwS29tTGtyRktHeDc0YzJSLUUxTkNzZ3NQYTl3VWJ4LWdncThtZ0pEYzJYUjhoSHB1R003REluZ3ZOUXViQjhYYzdjOFFoQjFiV0xyYTJDV2lnMXlQR1N0TXh1eGp2bmVkUVVVbEFVcVNUdA?oc=5) |
| New York Post | Georgia financial CEO Todd Burkhalter sentenced for running historic $380M Ponzi scheme to fund lavish lifestyle | 2026-08-15 05:20 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi5AFBVV95cUxNQTNjdE15cVBiM1p2RkF5d0RoVVRLaURwNFdxdHVzbnpoVE9ER1Z0MW0zWHJvOVpVQ1JYS0JVSHJmUHpOMFFSY2U0SHJkQUVwaDk4SENnWWZGTWw5RXRUSWF0c1RWQjNpc1RhVE9kMXpSenRyVVRuRUJ6RU1rTncyU3dDREFQMlFrZG1JOXdkT1NGQ0hFajNtNkgwc1BGNzZKVlNwcWdwXzNEWllTTG1YVWYxVmFISmJRUkM0T3ZTVG94T2UxeERDSUdPdmg3MTBtRjhiUHhER0Jjbm5mTDBwbE1RQ0w?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://www.newsylist.com/trend/2026-08-15/georgia-financial-ceo-todd-burkhalter-sentenced-for-running-historic-380m-ponzi*
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