Anderson man operated Ponzi scheme, stalked 2 social media content creators, DOJ says
GO. WE HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, YOUR TRAFFIC AND YOUR WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. WE START WITH A FEDERAL JUDGE’S TEMPORARY BLOCK ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S OFFER OF BUYOUTS TO FEDERAL WORKERS. AT 1159 LAST NIGHT, IT WAS THE DEADLINE FOR THE WORKERS TO ACCEPT. DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS HAVE WARNED THE BUYOUTS HAVE NOT RECEIVED CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION. WE KNOW MORE THAN 60,000 FEDERAL WORKERS ACCEPTED TRUMP’S OFFERS. NORTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF JACKSON IS INVESTIGATING THE POWERSCHOOL DATA BREACH. STUDENT AND TEACHER DATA ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WAS COMPROMISED AFTER A BREACH OF THE SCHOOL INFORMATION SYSTEM BACK IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO JACKSON, THE INFORMATION OF NEARLY 4 MILLION NORTH CAROLINIANS IS AT RISK, AND HE SAYS HE’S INVESTIGATING WHETHER POWERSCHOOL BROKE ANY LAWS AND IF NECESSARY, HE’LL TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THEM. WELL, THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WILL SOON BE GATHERING AROUND THE TV TO WATCH SUPER BOWL 59, WHICH IS WHY THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION IS REMINDING YOU ABOUT THE DANGERS OF TV AND FURNITURE. TIP OVERS. ISABELLE MARAK JOINS US LIVE THIS MORNING FROM THE NEWSROOM WITH THEIR MESSAGE. GOOD MORNING, ISABELLE. HEY ERIN AND DUSTIN, ANYTHING CAN REALLY BECOME A HAZARD, BUT THE CPSC SAYS THAT TELEVISIONS ARE ESPECIALLY WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR DURING THE SUPER BOWL. BUT THERE ARE A FEW SAFETY TIPS YOU CAN USE TO STAY SAFE FOR THE SUPER BOWL. FIRST, ASK FOR A TIP OVER KIT WHEN YOU BUY A TV OR A PIECE OF FURNITURE. YOU CAN ALSO PURCHASE ONE AT A HARDWARE STORE FOR ABOUT $20. THEY TAKE ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO INSTALL. SAFETY OFFICIALS RECOMMEND KEEPING OBJECTS LIKE REMOTES, TOYS, OR OTHER VALUABLES OFF OF FURNITURE TO PREVENT KIDS FROM CLIMBING ON IT, AND ALWAYS CHECK THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY WEBSITE FOR THE LATEST RECALLS. BACK TO YOU. ISABELLE. THANK YOU. FOR THE FIRST TIME, NORTH CAROLINIANS CAN PLACE A LEGAL BET ON THE SUPER BOWL, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM TO CHOOSE FROM AS WELL. FOR EXAMPLE, HOW LONG THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WILL BE TO THE COLOR OF THE GATORADE POURED ON THE WINNING COACH. BUT OF COURSE, THE OBVIOUS BET IS WHO WILL WIN THE GAME. THERE ARE ALREADY SOME PRETTY NOTABLE BETS TO REPORT. A COUPLE OF HIGH ROLLERS WENT IN HUGE AT BET MGM IN LAS VEGAS. IN FACT, ONE CUSTOMER PUT A WHOPPING $800,000 BET ON THE EAGLES MONEYLINE IF PHILADELPHIA WINS SUNDAY, THAT WAGER WILL PAY OUT 1.68 MILLION. THEN THERE’S ANOTHER CUSTOMER THAT PUT 326,000 ON THE CHIEFS MONEYLINE. IF KANSAS CITY WINS, THAT PAYOUT WILL BE MORE THAN $586,000. I’M THE WORST GAMBLER EVER. I GET NERVOUS FOR LOSING $5. ME TOO. WELL, RAPPER KENDRICK LAMAR IS GEARING UP FOR HIS APPEARANCE AS FEATURED PERFORMER FOR THE SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW ON SUNDAY. HE SAT FOR A RARE INTERVIEW DURING THE APPLE MUSIC SUPER BOWL PRESS CONFERENCE. LAMAR EXPLAINED WHAT THE SHOW MEANS TO HIM AT THIS POINT IN HIS CAREER. BEING IN THE NOW AND BEING JUST LOCKED IN TO HOW I FEEL AND THE ENERGY I HAVE NOW, THAT’S THAT’S THE LA ENERGY FOR ME. THAT’S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO CARRY OVER TO NEW ORLEANS AND FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. SINGER AND SONGWRITER SZA WILL JOIN HIM ON STAGE. SUPER BOWL 59 WILL BE HELD AT THE CAESARS SUPERDOME IN NEW ORLEANS ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH. KENDRICK LAMAR IS ALSO THE FIRST SOLO HIP-HOP ARTIST TO HEADLINE THE HALFTIME SHOW. SUNDAY’S PERFORMANCE COMES A WEEK AFTER WINNING TWO GRAMMY AWARDS FOR HIS DISS TRACK NOT LIKE US, WHICH HAS 101 BEATS PER MINUTE, MAKING IT THE RIGHT TEMPO FOR HANDS ONLY CPR. THAT’S INTERESTING, AND THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION. AS PART OF AMERICAN HEART MONTH, TODAY IS NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY. IT’S THE FIRST FRIDAY IN FEBRUARY. THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO WEAR RED CLOTHING TODAY, TO DRAW AWARENESS TO HEART DISEASE IN WOMEN AND WHAT IT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT IT. HEY, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. HAPPY FRIDAY. 647 IT IS A NICE MILD START TO THE DAY. 50S AND 60S FOR MOST OF US. GAFFNEY ARE A LITTLE BIT COOLER RIGHT NOW 44 DEGREES. WE’VE GOT 62 IN GREENVILLE THOUGH, AND 62 IN ANDERSON AND GREENWOOD AND ABBEVILLE. AS WE TAKE A LOOK ACROSS THE AREA, ELBERTON, ABBEVILLE, DUE WEST, GREENWOOD, YOU HAD SOME RAINFALL JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO. THIS IS PART OF A SYSTEM THAT ROLLED ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS LAST NIGHT, AND THEN EVENTUALLY ACROSS PARTS OF THE UPSTATE. NOW WE’RE DONE WITH THAT FOR THE MOST PART. WE’LL SEE A MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS TODAY. HIGHS WILL BE IN THE MID 70S WITH A FEW STRAY SHOWERS OR A PASSING SHOWER POSSIBLE THIS EVENING. MOST OF US WILL STAY DRY. AS WE TAKE A LOOK ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW TO MID 60S THIS AFTERNOON. PRETTY NICE WEATHER TO GET OUT AND ABOUT. WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE WEEKEND? AND WHAT ABOUT NEXT WEEK? WELL, WE’VE GOT SOME CHANGES THERE. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FOUR-DAY PLUS IN LESS THAN EIGHT MINUTES FROM RIGHT NOW. FIRST THOUGH, LET’S GET A LOOK AT THE ROADS, SEE HOW TRAFFIC IS DOING. DESTINY CHANCE. HEY, PARELLA, RIGHT NOW IT IS 648 AND WE ARE TAKING A LIVE LOOK AT I-85 AT HIGHWAY 14 IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY. IT IS A SMOOTH COMMUTE FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE IS A CRASH ON I-85 SOUTH AT EXIT 66 NEAR WELLFORD, WHERE THE LEFT LANE IS BLOCKED. AGAIN, THAT IS I-85 SOUTH EXIT 66 NEAR WELLFORD. THE LEFT LANE IS BLOCKED. IT’S CAUSING BACKUPS, SO I WOULD LEAVE OUT THE DOOR EARLY OR AVOID THE AREA ON THIS FRIDAY MORNING. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE TRAVEL TIMES. I. TO ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY 11 MINUTES. AIRPORT TO WOODRUFF ROAD SIX MINUTES. FAIRVIEW ROAD TO DOWNTOWN 13 POST-HURRICANE HELENE. A NEW DINING OPTION IS OPENING IN HENDERSONVILLE. HERE’S STEPHANIE TROTTER WITH MORE IN THIS WEEK’S NEW FOR YOU. IF YOU HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN, THINK ABOUT HEADING TO SPARTANBURG FOR THE OPENING OF STORYBOOK AT THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF THE UPSTATE. THE NEW 1300 SQUARE FOOT EXPANSION AT THE SPARTANBURG CAMPUS INCLUDES A MEDIEVAL CASTLE, LITERACY FOREST, CLIMBING STRUCTURES, AND A DRAGON THEMED SLIDE. THE WHIMSICAL SPACE OPENS SATURDAY MORNING, SPARKING THE IMAGINATION WITH HANDS ON ACTIVITIES. PERHAPS YOU WANT TO GET OUTSIDE WHILE TWO FARMERS MARKETS ARE OPENING THIS WEEKEND. THE WINTER POP-UP MARKET IN TRAVELERS REST STARTS THIS SATURDAY AT TRAILBLAZER PARK. AMONG THE 70 VENDORS, NEWCOMERS BLUE BIKE ART, PALMETTO, LIFESCAPES PHOTOGRAPHY, AND WHOLE HEARTED TEA COMPANY AND VALENTINE’S IS THE THEME OF GREER’S WINTER MARKET. ON SUNDAY. NEW VENDORS THERE INCLUDE TWO BROKE GIRLS AND LITTLE CASTLE DESIGNS, AS WELL AS A NEW GUEST, MINNIE MOUSE WILL BE HAPPY TO MEET FOLKS AT GREER CITY PARK, AND JUST IN TIME FOR MARDI GRAS. A LOUISIANA FAMILY IS NOW COOKING UP CAJUN FOOD IN HENDERSONVILLE. WITH ADAIR’S CAJUN COOKING. FOOD TRUCK AT THE BUZZ ON SOUTH GROVE STREET. THEY’RE OPEN TUESDAYS THROUGH SUNDAYS WITH DELICIOUS GUMBO, RED BEANS AND RICE AND JAMBALAYA. WELL, AS THEY SAY IN NEW ORLEANS, LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL WITH THESE PLACES AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NEW FOR YOU. THAT WAS STEPHANIE TROTTER REPORTING. WE HAVE AN EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT THIS MORNING ABOUT THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR WIFE, FOUR FAMILY, AND HER HUSBAND HAVE WELCOMED THEIR BABY GIRL. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS PICTURE. IT’S SO CUTE. BAILEY. OH, SHE IS SO CUTE. BAILEY WAS BORN THIS PAST TUESDAY WEIGHING 6 POUNDS, SEVEN OUNCES. I KNOW, THEY’RE SO EXCITED. MOMMY, DADDY, BROTHER. WELCOMING THE LITTLE BAILEY DANIELLE INTO THE WORLD AS WELL. LOOK AT THE PINK. I LOVE THE PINK TOO. I HAD THE PINK ON. THEY JUST MATCHED AND THE SMILES. YES. SHE SENT ME A PICTURE OF PHILIP, HER HUSBAND, TWO HOLDING THE BABY. HE DIDN’T HAVE ON PINK, BUT HE WAS THERE IN FULL SUPPORT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT IS SO GREAT TO SEE ALL OF THIS COME FULL CIRCLE. WE LOVE YOU AND WE’RE SO HAPPY FOR HER FAMILY. LOVE IT. WELL, IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, WYFF4.COM MADE A CAMEO LAST NIGHT ON LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS. TAKE A LOOK. THAT MUG LOOKS A LITTLE FAMILIAR. IT WAS FEATURED ON SETH’S DESK, AND HIS GUESTS INCLUDED SNL ALUM AND COMEDIAN PETE DAVIDSON, AS WELL AS CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT KAITLAN COLLINS. BIG SHOUT OUT TO BIG THANKS. BIG SHOUT OUT. SETH, THANK Y
Anderson man operated Ponzi scheme, stalked 2 social media content creators, DOJ says
Updated: 1:32 PM EST Feb 7, 2025
An Anderson County, South Carolina, man could be headed to prison for operating a multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme and stalking two social media content creators.Michael J. French, 41, of Pendleton, has pleaded guilty and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, according to the United States Department of Justice. A news release from the DOJ outlined the case: “Evidence put forth at the plea hearing established that French owned MJF Holdings, LLC and MJF Capital, LLC. “Beginning in March 2019, through these companies, French offered promissory notes to investors that projected annual returns of 12 percent. He represented to investors that their funds would be used to provide loans to small businesses and that he had experience in the financial industry, including underwriting the loans in which the investor would be invested. French represented to investors that he would not receive compensation unless the promissory notes earned in excess of the 12 percent guaranteed to investors. “These were false representations. French paid previous investors with new investor monies because his investment product was not generating returns. This lulled investors into believing the product was successful, when, in fact, French was spending investor money to maintain a lavish lifestyle that included supporting female social media content creators by paying them thousands of dollars each month.”At one point, the content creators stopped communicating with French. He became angry with the women and began harassing them through various “burner” phone numbers and fake email accounts. French claimed that he was a sniper, had killed people, and that the police could not protect them. French traveled to one woman’s home unannounced, forcing her to hide in a locked vehicle in the garage with her 2-year-old child. She called 911 as French attempted to force his way into the home. He was arrested by local police before he could reach them. “United States Chief District Judge Timothy Cain accepted French’s guilty plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report from the U.S. Probation Office. French faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment. “The FBI Columbia Field Office and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins is prosecuting the case.”
An Anderson County, South Carolina, man could be headed to prison for operating a multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme and stalking two social media content creators.
Michael J. French, 41, of Pendleton, has pleaded guilty and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, according to the United States Department of Justice.
A news release from the DOJ outlined the case:
“Evidence put forth at the plea hearing established that French owned MJF Holdings, LLC and MJF Capital, LLC.
“Beginning in March 2019, through these companies, French offered promissory notes to investors that projected annual returns of 12 percent. He represented to investors that their funds would be used to provide loans to small businesses and that he had experience in the financial industry, including underwriting the loans in which the investor would be invested. French represented to investors that he would not receive compensation unless the promissory notes earned in excess of the 12 percent guaranteed to investors.
“These were false representations. French paid previous investors with new investor monies because his investment product was not generating returns. This lulled investors into believing the product was successful, when, in fact, French was spending investor money to maintain a lavish lifestyle that included supporting female social media content creators by paying them thousands of dollars each month.
“At one point, the content creators stopped communicating with French. He became angry with the women and began harassing them through various “burner” phone numbers and fake email accounts. French claimed that he was a sniper, had killed people, and that the police could not protect them. French traveled to one woman’s home unannounced, forcing her to hide in a locked vehicle in the garage with her 2-year-old child. She called 911 as French attempted to force his way into the home. He was arrested by local police before he could reach them.
“United States Chief District Judge Timothy Cain accepted French’s guilty plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report from the U.S. Probation Office. French faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.
“The FBI Columbia Field Office and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins is prosecuting the case.”
