Richard Maike is going to prison for a decade. The Infinity2Global founder drew a 10-year sentence after orchestrating one of the more brazen Ponzi schemes of the 2010s, swindling at least $16 million from investors before the scheme collapsed.
On top of the prison time, Maike faces a $100,000 fine. A federal judge will determine restitution at a later hearing, meaning victims may eventually recoup some losses—though the process has proven far messier than anyone anticipated.
Maike launched Infinity2Global in 2013 as a multilevel marketing operation that promised easy money. It was a classic Ponzi setup: new investor cash paid returns to earlier investors while Maike and his inner circle skimmed profits. The scheme eventually imploded, but not before bleeding millions from people chasing the promised returns.
Federal prosecutors indicted Maike in 2017, years after the fraud had already collapsed. His trial didn't begin until July 12 of this year—a delay caused by various court proceedings and scheduling issues. On September 7, a jury convicted him on four counts: conspiracy to commit mail fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, and securities fraud.
Maike tried to salvage his case with an eleventh-hour motion for acquittal and a new trial. The judge rejected it. Now he's locked into his sentence, set to be 65 years old when he gets out—assuming he serves every day without reduction.
Two of Maike's co-conspirators faced their own reckoning. Doyce Barnes and Faraday Hosseinpour were convicted alongside him. Barnes went to sentencing shortly after Maike; Hosseinpour's sentencing timeline remains unclear.
The restitution process has dragged on since February. The government filed proposed restitution orders under seal, keeping victims and the public in the dark about actual dollar figures. Back-and-forth filings and scheduling delays have extended what should have been a straightforward hearing into a months-long ordeal.
Maike's legal troubles didn't end at sentencing. He filed an appeal in January, but it collapsed when his attorney withdrew in February. He had 30 days to hire new counsel or proceed as an indigent defendant. On May 10, the appeals court dismissed his case anyway.
The Bureau of Prisons has adjusted his release date multiple times since his conviction, moving it from September 16, 2030, to September 1, then to July 3, and most recently to June 18, 2030. The DOJ has offered no explanation for the shifting dates. Maike remains ineligible for parole regardless.
The case illustrates how federal fraud prosecutions can stretch across years even after conviction. Between delayed trials, restitution disputes, and appeals, the machinery of justice moves slowly—and Maike's victims have waited years just to know their fate.
🤖 Quick Answer
Who is Richard Maike and what was his conviction?Richard Maike, founder of Infinity2Global, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded at least $16 million from investors during the 2010s. He also faces a $100,000 fine and potential restitution obligations to victims determined at a later hearing.
What was the Infinity2Global scheme structure?
Infinity2Global operated as a multilevel marketing scheme launched in 2013, employing classic Ponzi mechanics where new investor funds paid returns to earlier investors while Maike's inner circle extracted profits, ultimately causing the operation to collapse.
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