Tr?id=566623520170033&ev=PageView&noscript=1

Arizona Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi-Style Fraud

Posted on September 10th, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Arizona Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi-Style Fraud

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

An Arizona man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for running a Ponzi-style investment scheme that defrauded more than 100 victims out of millions of dollars, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. According to KRQE News, many of the victims are from Northern New Mexico.

John Lopez, 74, operated through his company, Personal Money Management Company (PMMCO), from 2014 to 2022. He falsely promoted a proprietary algorithm that he claimed generated above-market returns. In reality, Lopez used investor funds to purchase precious metals and to make Ponzi-style payouts totaling $6.1 million to earlier investors to maintain the appearance of profitability, according to KRQE News.

The Department of Justice reported that Lopez raised approximately $24 million from investors. Of that amount, he used $16 million to acquire precious metals, which he stashed in his home, office, a rented storage unit, and even buried underground. When federal agents seized PMMCO’s assets in November 2021, they recovered less than $15 million—far below the $39 million Lopez falsely claimed to manage. Despite the seizure, Lopez continued to solicit new investors and issue fabricated account statements.

KRQE News reports that prosecutors presented evidence that Lopez failed to track individual investments, misrepresented account balances, and discouraged large withdrawals to keep the scheme afloat. He paid himself a six-figure salary and portrayed himself as a wealthy investor with holdings comparable to major institutions.

Lopez’s misconduct extended beyond the scheme itself. After his indictment, he violated court-ordered release conditions at least five times—both before and after his conviction—by committing additional fraud, making unauthorized transactions, refusing to turn over financial records, and contacting victims and witnesses in violation of restrictions.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

I cannot thank you enough for your guidance. It's a good feeling knowing someone is fighting for you.

Matt J.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1782226532 Law
June 23, 2026
NASAA Advances Investment Adviser Advertising Reforms and Franchise Broker Registration Framework

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) has approved significant regulatory initiatives aimed at modernizing oversight of investment advisers and strengthening protections for individuals considering franchise investments.

1782150000 Law
June 22, 2026
Illinois Regulators Accuse "Mr. Finance" of Operating Unlicensed Investment Scheme

Illinois securities regulators have accused a Chicago-area businessman known as "Mr.

1781893504 Law
June 19, 2026
FINRA Suspends Former Stifel Rep for Undisclosed Customer Settlements

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has suspended a former Stifel representative for three months and imposed a $10,000 fine after finding that she settled customer complaints without notifying her firm and conducted securities-related communications through an unapproved personal device.