Former NFL, Clemson linebacker sentenced in Ponzi scheme
LOS ANGELES, Ca. (WRDW/WAGT) - The U.S. Department of Justice said a former linebacker for the NFL and the Clemson Tigers has been sentenced to federal prison.
John Robert Leake, 43, pleaded guilty in September to wire fraud and money laundering.
He defrauded victims out of more than $5 million, claiming he was involved in luxury real estate, gold mines in Alaska and Ghana, and other ventures promising a high rate of return for investors.
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Leake fabricated the investment opportunities to trick the victims into giving him money. He lied to them, saying he had invested large amounts of his own money as well.
Instead, Leake used money from the Ponzi scheme to pay his own credit card bills, car payments, rent, and gambling expenses. He fraudulently received approximately $8,129,450 from six victims, causing them a total loss of about $5,314,059.
Leake was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and a judge has ordered him to pay $5 million in restitution.
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