A 40-year-old Katy resident has been caught up in a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme, admitting to his role in defrauding dozens of victims of over $17 million, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Christopher Knight Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. From May 2015 to January 2025, he and his brother, Jayson Lopez, conspired with others to defraud their clients by providing false information about the companies in which the clients invested.
They operated under several LLCs, including Knight Nguyen Investments, Knight Advisory and Planning, Aevum Holdings Inc., Exempt Management LLC, and Ping An Financial Services Pte. The Lopez brothers misappropriated their clients’ funds for personal use and to pay purported returns to other investors to mislead their clients into believing their investments were profitable.
Christopher and Jayson Lopez also admitted that they falsely claimed access to $2 billion in U.S. Treasury bonds. They told their clients that they could use these funds to finance their clients’ businesses if the clients paid large advance fees. The brothers collected the fees from their clients but never issued the loans.
The scam resulted in an approximate loss of $17 million for over 40 victims, including senior citizens and others looking to invest their retirement savings and children’s college funds, as well as local and international businesses.
Defendant Information:
Name: Christopher Knight Lopez
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
City and State: Katy, Texas
Date: January 2025 (plea date)
Sentence: Up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Sentencing is set for May 7.
Dollar Amount: $17 million
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
White Collar CrimeWhite Collar CrimeWhite Collar CrimeWhite Collar Crime