Federal authorities have sentenced former NFL linebacker John Leake to 30 months in prison for his role in a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme. Once a promising college football star at Clemson, Leake played for the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons before facing legal trouble. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California confirmed the sentencing, which includes an order for Leake to pay $5,314,059 in restitution to his victims.

John Leake pleaded guilty in September to wire fraud and transactional money laundering. Prosecutors revealed that between 2015 and 2020, he lured investors into fake business ventures, including luxury real estate deals and gold mining projects in Alaska and Ghana. By promising high returns and falsely claiming personal financial success, he convinced victims to lend him money- funds he never intended to repay.

Elaborate Scheme Defrauded Investors

According to Justice.gov, John Leake created an illusion of financial success by telling victims he was involved in lucrative investments. He issued fraudulent promissory notes and personally guaranteed returns despite lacking the assets or income to support his claims. Prosecutors say he operated the scheme for years, deceiving investors out of more than $5 million.

The scam relied on classic Ponzi tactics: Leake used funds from new investors to pay earlier ones, temporarily maintaining the illusion of profitability. However, the deception unraveled, leading to his eventual arrest and guilty plea.

Once a rising football star, John Leake entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2004. Over three seasons, he played in 25 games and recorded 17 tackles. Now, instead of game plans, he faces years in a federal prison cell, paying the price for a financial playbook built on fraud.

With his sentencing finalized, John Leake’s victims may find some closure. However, recovering their lost millions remains uncertain as the former athlete’s legal troubles come to a close.