INDIANAPOLIS — The former CEO of a financial firm that victimized Indiana families pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
It’s an update to a story WRTV Investigates first broke in 2024 about Drive Planning LLC, which had an office at 8100 E 106th Street in Fishers and was planning a new building at 116th and Olio Road.
Todd Burkhalter, CEO of Georgia-based financial advisory group Drive Planning, pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Wednesday and will be sentenced at a later date.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia says Burkhalter was the mastermind behind a years-long Ponzi scheme that allowed him to live a lavish lifestyle while causing thousands of investors to lose hundreds of millions of dollars.
Throughout the scheme, investors’ money was used to pay off other Drive Planning investors, make commission payments to Drive Planning’s agents, and pay for personal expenditures, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
For example, Burkhalter spent approximately:
- $2 million to purchase a yacht
- $2.1 million as part of a purchase of a luxury condo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- $800,000 on multiple luxury vehicles, including a 2020 Prevost Marathon motorcoach and two 2024 Land Rovers
- Millions of dollars on luxury travel, including chartering private jets
- $320,000 on clothing, jewelry and beauty treatments
“Unbelievably, Burkhalter shamelessly continued to scam his victims even while under federal investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Today’s guilty plea is just the first step in holding Burkhalter accountable for the considerable harm he caused.”
Patrick and Laura Mcloughlin of Noblesville thought they were investing in their future when they trusted their money with Drive Planning LLC.
"Everything sounded great," said Patrick. "I thought I was going to get a 10% return every 90 days. That sounds great to me! "
Instead, they've likely lost $250,000.
"It is still shocking, but we kind of felt like something was going on," said Patrick. "I feel like as things were progressing with Drive, and seeing some of the events they were hosting and the trips they were taking, we started questioning what was going on. It didn’t seem right."
The couple says Drive Planning LLC provided statements that appeared their investments were making money.
Looking back, the statements did not seem official.
"Not everything is as good as it sounds," said Patrick. "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
The couple says they were promised their money would grow, and they're not alone.
“Todd Burkhalter built a massive Ponzi scheme on lies, exploiting trust to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from more than 2,000 victims while funding an extravagant lifestyle,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue those who weaponize fraud and deception against investors, and we are committed to holding them fully accountable and seeking justice for every victim harmed.”
As part of a plea agreement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has agreed to recommend a 17.5 year prison sentence for Burkhalter.
David Bradford, the former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Drive Planning, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud arising from a multi-year Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors out of millions of dollars.
He pleaded guilty on December 16 and will be sentenced in Georgia on March 17 at 11 a.m.
The FBI in Atlanta has been investigating for more than a year, and the agency confirmed to WRTV Investigates that it is still investigating.
“Justice is served in this latest reminder of the significant impact white collar crime continues to have on everyday Americans,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is aggressively pursuing fraud and will continue to ensure crime does not pay in the end. If you steal from others, you are gambling with your freedom.”
WRTV Investigates contacted attorneys listed for Bradford and Burkhalter, and we are waiting to hear back.
No criminal charges have been filed against Gerardo “Gerry” Linarducci, an Indianapolis man who worked as a Managing Partner for Drive Planning.
The FBI urges anyone who believes they were a victim of Drive Planning or has information about it to go to this website and provide information.
“Drive Planning guaranteed investors a return of 10% every six months or a 22% return per year for up to three years,” according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia.
In a separate civil action, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Linarducci with securities fraud—specifically violations of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
As part of the same action, the SEC also charged David J. Bradford, former Chief Operating Officer of Drive Planning.
According to the complaint, Bradford and Linarducci personally raised more than $35 million and $13 million in investor funds, respectively, and Bradford’s and Linarducci’s sales teams raised more than $100 million and $30 million, respectively, by selling Real Estate Acceleration Loans investments.
The complaint alleges that Bradford and Linarducci played key roles in fueling the fraudulent scheme, telling investors, falsely, that the promised 10% rate of return was guaranteed; that investors held an interest in underlying collateral as part of their investment; that Drive Planning partnered with real estate developers in profit-sharing agreements; and that profits from those partnerships funded the promised return to REAL investors.
Bradford and Linarducci received millions of dollars in compensation in connection with such sales, according to the SEC.
WRTV Investigates attempted to contact Linarducci for comment, and we have not yet heard back.
The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, and civil penalties against Bradford and Linarducci.
In June 2025, Linarducci filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, a type of bankruptcy that allows an individual to reorganize their debts and pay them off over time.
Linarducci’s bankruptcy filing lists dozens of creditors, including investors from Indiana, like Rachael Williamson of Batesville and Patrick McLoughlin of Noblesville.
"The Receiver will hold all funds collected and the proceeds of the sale of physical assets in a distribution fund for the benefit of Drive Planning, LLC's investors and creditors to be distributed at a later date," according to its website.
WRTV has also contacted Linarducci’s bankruptcy attorney, and we are still waiting to hear back.
In March 2025, Linarducci launched Eye Can Coaching, LLC, a professional speaking and coaching business.
In April 2025, the SEC reached a partial settlement with Burkhalter in which Burkhalter is prohibited from acting as an officer or director of any company registered with the SEC.
In September 2024, Rachael Williamson filed a class action lawsuit that alleges Linarducci encouraged “countless” people to invest in Drive Planning and caused them to lose “large sums of money.”
Linarducci provided potential investors with Drive Planning promotional materials that touted a “10% return” and “$20,000 minimum” to invest, according to the lawsuit.
The class action complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, also names two of Linarducci’s Indiana firms— Integrity Wealth Partners and Ducci Enterprise LLC.
A court has ruled that the class action lawsuit can proceed against Integrity Wealth Partners LLC and Ducci Enterprise LLC.
Linarducci used those companies to solicit Drive Planning investments, according to the class action lawsuit.
Because of Linarducci’s bankruptcy filing, the class action lawsuit cannot move forward against Linarducci as an individual.
The class action complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, also names two of Linarducci’s Indiana firms— Integrity Wealth Partners and Ducci Enterprise LLC.
A court has ruled that the class action lawsuit can proceed against Integrity Wealth Partners LLC and Ducci Enterprise LLC.
Linarducci used those companies to solicit Drive Planning investments, according to the class action lawsuit.
Drive Planning’s Fishers office was located in a co-working space at 8100 E 106th Street.
