Cases by state
Ponzi schemes in Colorado
32 cases announced 2007–2025, involving about $1.9B in reported investor money. Most common types: trading, forex & commodities, investment funds & advisory and crypto & digital assets. Listed by where the main defendant was based.
The largest by reported amount: BitClub Network ($722M, 2019). Charges are allegations unless a court has entered a conviction or judgment.
Pitch phrases seen in these cases
- “leaseback payments”
- “a consistently successful options trader”
- “exorbitant investment returns”
- “approximately 70 percent of ocp italia's operating profits”
- “experience, expertise, and investment track record”
- “bitcoin mining earnings”
- “the most transparent company in the history of the world”
- “too big to fail”
Cases
| Date | Case | Location | Industry | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 23, 2025 | Price Physics Matthew Melton |
Boulder, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $3.4M |
| Aug 8, 2025 | ROI Cash Flow Fund Timothy McPhee |
Estes Park, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $8M |
| Dec 11, 2021 | Trophy Outfitters Inc. Richard K. Sears |
Pueblo, CO | Agriculture & cattle | $5M |
| Oct 26, 2021 | AMV Investments LLC Ann M. Vick |
Mead, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $3.2M |
| Jul 20, 2021 | Outdoor Capital Partners LLC, OCP Italia Fund LLC Samuel J. Mancini |
Denver, CO | Investment funds & advisory | $10M |
| Feb 14, 2020 | Venture Capital Investments Ltd. Breonna Clark |
Denver, CO | Crypto & digital assets | $534,829 |
| Dec 10, 2019 | BitClub Network Matthew Brent Goettsche, Jobadiah Sinclair Weeks, Joseph Frank Abel, Silviu Catalin Balaci |
Lafayette, CO | Crypto & digital assets | $722M |
| Sep 30, 2019 | Mark Ray, Reva Joyce Stachniw, Ron Throgmartin | Denver, CO | Agriculture & cattle | $650M |
| Sep 18, 2019 | Mediatrix Capital Inc. Michael S. Young, Michael S. Stewart, Bryant E. Sewall |
CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $125M |
| Sep 17, 2019 | Tyler T. Tysdal, Grant M. Carter | Lone Tree, CO | Lending & cash advance | $15M |
| Mar 25, 2019 | Daniel Todd Levine | Castle Rock, CO | Crypto & digital assets | $2M |
| Aug 23, 2018 | American Undeveloped Real Estate Fund LaVerne "Vern" Moter |
Gunnison, CO | Investment funds & advisory | $2.6M |
| Jul 26, 2018 | Financial Visions Daniel B. Rudden |
Denver, CO | Investment funds & advisory | $55M |
| Jan 19, 2018 | The Entrepreneurs Headquarters Limited, Real Trade Profits Dillon Michael Dean |
Longmont, CO | Crypto & digital assets | $1.1M |
| Nov 14, 2017 | The End of the Rainbow Partners LLC Michael F. Anderson, Carolyn Anderson |
Vail, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $5.3M |
| Feb 18, 2015 | Kristine L. Johnson, Troy A. Barnes | Aurora, CO | Investment funds & advisory | $3.8M |
| Apr 10, 2013 | Integrity Financial Consulting, Providence Financial Services Perry Sawano |
Wheat Ridge, CO | Investment funds & advisory | $4.8M |
| Mar 20, 2013 | David N. Hawkins | Colorado Springs, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $1.2M |
| Nov 9, 2012 | William Ison, Douglas Ellingson | CO | Investment funds & advisory | $2.8M |
| Oct 19, 2012 | Dresdner Financial, .44 Magnum Leveraged Financing Program Geoffrey H. Lunn, Darlene A. Bishop, Vincent G. Curry |
Sheridan, CO | Investment funds & advisory | $5.8M |
| Aug 15, 2012 | Bridge Premium Finance LLC Michael J. Turnock, William P. Sullivan II |
Denver, CO | Insurance-linked | $15.7M |
| Jun 30, 2011 | Flint-McClung Capital LLC Shawon McClung |
Denver, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $1.9M |
| Nov 23, 2010 | Universal Consulting Resources LLC Richard Dalton |
CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $17M |
| May 28, 2010 | The Dreamweaver Foundation, Hart Financial Inc. Richard Novaria, Jeremy Hart |
Fort Collins, CO | Not specified | $3.4M |
| Apr 29, 2010 | Mueller Capital Management Sean Michael Mueller |
Greenwood Village, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $71M |
| Dec 16, 2009 | Valley Investments (formerly Valley Mortgage) Philip R. Lochmiller, Philip R. Lochmiller II, Shawnee N. Carver |
Grand Junction, CO | Real estate | $31M |
| Dec 3, 2009 | Mark J. Jackson | Denver, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $41M |
| Nov 16, 2009 | Mantria Corporation, Speed of Wealth LLC Wayde McKelvy, Donna McKelvy, Troy Wragg, Amanda Knorr |
Denver, CO | Investment funds & advisory | $30M |
| Jun 2, 2009 | Genius Inc. Jason Trevor Brooks, Donald Scott Carew |
Erie, CO | Investment funds & advisory | $10M |
| Apr 7, 2009 | Shawn R. Merriman | Aurora, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $20M |
| Feb 18, 2009 | William L. Walters | Lone Tree, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $16.8M |
| Jan 11, 2007 | Global Prosperity Fund, Castle Rock Trading Company Joseph A. Ferona |
Castle Rock, CO | Trading, forex & commodities | $2.8M |