A Katy man has pleaded guilty to his role in a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that defrauded dozens of victims out of more than $17 million, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Christopher Knight Lopez, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Federal prosecutors say the scheme operated from May 2015 through January 2025 and involved false promises, forged documents and fabricated financial statements used to mislead investors.
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The fraud affected more than 40 victims, including senior citizens, people investing retirement savings and college funds, and both local and international businesses.
Court records show Lopez and his brother, Jayson Lopez, worked through multiple business entities, including Knight Nguyen Investments, Knight Advisory and Planning, Aevum Holdings Inc., Exempt Management LLC and Ping An Financial Services Pte. Prosecutors say the brothers falsely claimed their companies had access to billions of dollars in U.S. Treasury bonds and used forged bank letters to support those claims.
Authorities allege the Lopez brothers collected large advance fees from clients who believed the funds would be used to finance business ventures. The loans were never issued, and investigators say client money was instead used for personal expenses and to pay supposed returns to other investors in order to sustain the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei said Lopez “turned an investment firm into [his] own personal piggy bank,” adding that federal prosecutors will continue to aggressively pursue financial crimes targeting community members.
Christopher Lopez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison set sentencing for May 7.
Jayson Lopez, 43, of Orlando, Florida, previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2. A third defendant, Nadir Abdel Torres, 46, of Mandan, North Dakota, also pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing on March 12.