Ronald Wayne Leavitt, 61, of Stansbury Park, Utah, admitted in federal court Wednesday to running a calculated affinity fraud scheme that ripped off friends, church members, and their relatives for $679,420.55. Leavitt pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, confessing he exploited personal relationships and religious trust to sell fake investment opportunities with promises of sky-high returns.
The plea deal includes a stipulated 36-month federal prison sentence, pending judicial approval. Leavitt has already returned $160,000 to three victims but agreed to pay $519,420.55 in restitution. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooke Wells accepted the change of plea, with sentencing set for June 4, 2018, before U.S. District Judge David Nuffer.
Court documents reveal Leavitt spun elaborate lies to lure victims, claiming he owned limousines, controlled a massive trust fund, and inherited millions from deceased parents. He manufactured urgency, telling some targets an investor had bailed and he’d squeeze them in—offering returns as high as 300 percent in just 60 to 90 days. The pitch was slick, the lies consistent, and the trust he shattered was personal.
Leavitt admitted he pushed investments in three ventures—none of which were legitimate as presented. He fabricated a California real estate deal from scratch. The Hidden Mesa development in Moab was real in concept—discussed with a landowner—but Leavitt acted alone, pocketing investor money without ever forwarding it. The third, a sugar substitute start-up tied to his brother, was an actual company, but Leavitt never notified them of the funds or delivered any money.
Instead, Leavitt used the stolen cash to fund his own life. At the plea hearing, he acknowledged he spent the majority of the $679,420.55 on himself, leaving victims with nothing but broken promises. The fraud spanned years, feeding off the kind of trust that forms in tight-knit communities and houses of worship—trust he exploited with cold precision.
The FBI and its Financial Crimes Task Force led the investigation, with support from an IRS Criminal Investigation agent. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Salt Lake City is prosecuting. The case stands as a stark reminder: sometimes the biggest rip-offs come from someone you know—and trust—at church.
Related Federal Cases
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- Park City Mogul Gets 12 Months for $1.7M Wire Fraud Scheme · Utah
- Ohio Man Sentenced for $8 Million Investment Fraud Scheme · Utah
- Leavitt Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering · Utah
Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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