Key Takeaways
- • Todd Burkhalter, 59-year-old founder and CEO of Atlanta-area Drive Planning LLC, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on August 15, 2026, for orchestrating Georgia's largest Ponzi scheme, which defrauded over 2,000 investors of approximately $380 million between September 2020 and June 2024.
- • The scheme operated as a classic Ponzi structure: Drive Planning marketed fraudulent investment opportunities to raise nearly $400 million, then immediately deployed proceeds to pay earlier investors while diverting substantial sums to Burkhalter's personal luxury consumption, including a $2 million yacht, $2.1 million Cabo San Lucas condominium, $800,000 in vehicles, and $320,000 in clothing and jewelry.
- • Burkhalter pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges following a years-long federal investigation; two of his executives received shorter sentences (less than five years) for their roles in the scheme, with co-conspirator David Bradford sentenced to just over four years in prison.
- • Federal prosecutors recommended 17.5 years at sentencing; Burkhalter's defense team sought 14 years; U.S. District Court Judge Tiffany R. Johnson imposed 20 years, exceeding both recommendations and underscoring the severity of the fraud's scope and the defendant's continued exploitation of victims during the investigation period.
- • The FBI and federal authorities flagged this case as likely the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia's history, with victims dispersed across multiple states, highlighting regulatory vulnerabilities in financial advisory oversight and the scale of reputational damage to legitimate financial services providers.
Summary
Todd Burkhalter, a 59-year-old financial CEO and founder of Drive Planning LLC based in the Atlanta area, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on Friday for perpetrating what federal investigators describe as Georgia's largest Ponzi scheme. The fraud defrauded over 2,000 investors of approximately $380 million, representing one of the most significant financial crimes in the state's history.
Between September 2020 and June 2024, Drive Planning marketed purported investment opportunities to potential investors, raising nearly $400 million in deposits. Rather than executing legitimate investment strategies, Burkhalter operated a classic Ponzi structure, using incoming investor funds to pay returns to earlier participants while systematically diverting substantial portions to finance an extravagant personal lifestyle. According to court records, Burkhalter's expenditures included the purchase of a $2 million yacht, a $2.1 million luxury condominium in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, $800,000 on high-end vehicles including a motorcoach and two Land Rovers, millions on private jet charters, $800,000 to cover his ex-wife's legal fees, and $320,000 on clothing, jewelry, and beauty treatments.
Burkhalter pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in January 2026 as part of a plea agreement. Prosecutors had recommended a 17.5-year sentence, while his defense counsel sought leniency with a 14-year request. Judge Tiffany R. Johnson of U.S. District Court imposed 20 years, exceeding both recommendations. Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of FBI Atlanta emphasized that 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," underscoring the defendant's deliberate perpetuation of fraud despite active government scrutiny.
Two of Burkhalter's co-conspirators were also sentenced this week to terms of less than five years for their complicit roles in the scheme. One executive, David Bradford, a Peachtree Corners resident, received just over four years in federal prison. The involvement of multiple executives and the scheme's geographic reach across state lines demonstrate the organized nature of the fraud and the breadth of its victim impact, with investors identified in Indiana and throughout the Southeast.
Between September 2020 and June 2024, Drive Planning marketed purported investment opportunities to potential investors, raising nearly $400 million in deposits. Rather than executing legitimate investment strategies, Burkhalter operated a classic Ponzi structure, using incoming investor funds to pay returns to earlier participants while systematically diverting substantial portions to finance an extravagant personal lifestyle. According to court records, Burkhalter's expenditures included the purchase of a $2 million yacht, a $2.1 million luxury condominium in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, $800,000 on high-end vehicles including a motorcoach and two Land Rovers, millions on private jet charters, $800,000 to cover his ex-wife's legal fees, and $320,000 on clothing, jewelry, and beauty treatments.
Burkhalter pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in January 2026 as part of a plea agreement. Prosecutors had recommended a 17.5-year sentence, while his defense counsel sought leniency with a 14-year request. Judge Tiffany R. Johnson of U.S. District Court imposed 20 years, exceeding both recommendations. Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of FBI Atlanta emphasized that 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," underscoring the defendant's deliberate perpetuation of fraud despite active government scrutiny.
Two of Burkhalter's co-conspirators were also sentenced this week to terms of less than five years for their complicit roles in the scheme. One executive, David Bradford, a Peachtree Corners resident, received just over four years in federal prison. The involvement of multiple executives and the scheme's geographic reach across state lines demonstrate the organized nature of the fraud and the breadth of its victim impact, with investors identified in Indiana and throughout the Southeast.
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