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Todd Burkhalter Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Orchestrating Georgia's Largest Ponzi Scheme

Todd Burkhalter, the founder and CEO of Drive Planning, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Friday for orchestrating what authorities described as the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history. Between September 2020 and June 2024, Burkhalter defrauded more than 2,000 investors of approximately $380 million by promising guaranteed high returns on investments that were often fictional or poorly managed. U.S. District Judge Tiffany Johnson imposed the maximum sentence allowed, characterizing Burkhalter's conduct as "despicable" due to the extraordinary harm caused to victims who lost retirement savings and college funds. Burkhalter used the defrauded funds to finance an extravagant lifestyle, including a $2 million yacht and a luxury condo in Mexico. In addition to the 20-year term, Burkhalter was ordered to pay $233.7 million in restitution. Earlier this week, two other executives from Drive Planning were also sentenced, including Chief Operating Officer David Bradford and Chief Administrative Officer Julie Edwards.

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