Former Clemson football player sentenced in $8M Ponzi scheme

(WSPA) — A former Clemson football player will spend the next 30 months in federal prison after scamming people out of more than $8 million.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, John Robert Leake told victims that he was investing in multiple ventures, including real estate and gold mines in Alaska and Ghana.

Leake, 43, previously played as a linebacker for the Clemson Tigers from 2000 to 2003.

Between June 2015 and March 2020, investigators said victims would lend Leake money to invest in the alleged ventures for a “high rate of return.”

Officials said Leake was aware that the investment opportunities were non-existent.

The former NFL player would also give victims promissory notes, saying he would repay the victims at a fixed rate of interest.

Investigators said that Leake would use the money lended to him to pay for personal expenses, rent, car payments and gambling expenses. Leake even went as far to use some of the victims money to pay “interest” and “capital” payments on the promissory notes. Leake also used some of his personal funds to pay his victims.

In total, Leake received around $8,129,450 from six victims, causing a loss of $5,314,059.

Leake pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of wire fraud and one count of transactional money laundering. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, and ordered to pay $5,314,059 in restitution.