COLUMBIA, S.C. — Michael J. French, 42, of Pendleton, has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for orchestrating a $13 million Ponzi scheme and subjecting two TikTok content creators to relentless cyberstalking.
French was also ordered to pay over $14 million in restitution. U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling described French’s scheme as a house of lies, where hardworking investors were robbed to fund his opulent lifestyle, from luxury cars to real estate. Stirling emphasized that financial crime fueled by greed has no bounds, and the sentence sends a clear message: fraud and endangerment have consequences.
FBI Columbia Field Office Special Agent Kevin Moore highlighted French’s betrayal of trust, using investor funds for his lavish pursuits while terrorizing social media stars. The FBI remains committed to exposing such schemes and protecting financial systems through adherence to the rule of law.
Evidence presented at the plea hearing revealed French’s ownership of MJF Holdings, LLC and MJF Capital, LLC. Starting in 2019, he offered investors 12% annual returns, falsely claiming his funds were used for small business loans. However, he siphoned investor money to support a lavish lifestyle and pay TikTok creators, spending as much as $40,000 a day on them.
After losing contact with the content creators, French resorted to harassment using multiple phone numbers and fake email accounts. He threatened the women, traveled to their homes, and initiated a standoff with law enforcement when one woman called 911. French was eventually arrested after barricading himself in a hotel room with a firearm, surrendering only after talks with FBI hostage negotiators.
United States Chief Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced French to 156 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, ordering him to pay $14,750,990 in restitution. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, with Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins handling the prosecution.
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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