The Ponzi Playbook

4. Johanna Garcia: Mother Teresa Ran a Ponzi Scheme?

The Ponzi Playbook

Show Notes

Mother Teresa is the last person you'd expect to be caught up in a Ponzi scheme. Well, not the iconic humanitarian we all know, but a certain Johanna M. Garcia from North Lauderdale who went by that moniker in her community. In 2021, The SEC filed a complaint against Garcia and her colleagues at MJ Taxes and More. Initially known for helping businesses secure the funds they needed through Merchant Cash Advances, Garcia positioned herself as a savior for hardworking individuals seeking financial assistance. She boasted annualized returns of 120% to 180% for investors willing to participate as "Purchasers" in her scheme. However, as the investigation unraveled, it became evident that Johanna Garcia, or the self-proclaimed Mother Teresa, was orchestrating an elaborate fraud scheme. Listen to the story of Johanna Garcia, a Ponzi schemer who tried to hide behind the name of an angelic figure.

Follow The Ponzi Playbook on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ponziplaybook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More from The Ponzi Playbook

Apr 23, 2025

This is an Interview with a man convicted of a Ponzi scheme. It originally aired on the PRETEND podcast.

Mar 31, 2025

What happens after the feds kick in your door?

Mar 27, 2025

What if you could create thousands of songs using AI… and make millions off them without a single fan? That’s exactly what prosecutors say Michael Smith did.

Feb 26, 2025

When the FBI raided financial advisor Dawn Bennett’s luxury penthouse in 2017, they expected to find evidence of fraud. What they didn’t expect? Freezers packed with mason jars—each containing a severed cow tongue, labeled with the initials of SEC attorneys investigating her. Bennett, once a well-respected investment advisor, promised her clients 15% annual returns. Instead, she drained millions from retirees and funneled the cash into her lavish lifestyle—funding high-end fashion, $100K in cosmetic treatments, and nearly $1 million in payments to Hindu priests she believed could perform rituals to keep investigators at bay. In this episode, we unravel the bizarre world of Dawn Bennett’s Ponzi scheme—where financial fraud meets mysticism. From luxury sportswear investments that never paid off to occult rituals designed to silence her enemies, this case proves that some con artists will try anything to keep the scam alive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 12, 2025

A guaranteed 10% return in just 90 days—sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it was. In this episode, we investigate Todd Burkhalter and Drive Planning, a Georgia-based financial firm that promised real estate-backed investments but instead ran a massive $372 million Ponzi scheme. Hosts Javier and Neal expose how Burkhalter and his team lured in over 2,000 investors, convinced them to hand over their life savings, and then used their cash to fuel an extravagant lifestyle—complete with private jets, luxury vacations, and a $3.1M yacht named Live More. We break down the tactics he used, the warning signs investors ignored, and how the SEC finally unraveled the scheme. Plus, we dig into exclusive testimony from Drive Planning’s executives—including some incredibly shady responses (or lack thereof) during questioning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See all episodes →