A Las Vegas, Nevada man is accused of running a Ponzi scheme where, instead of investing money in the stock market, he wagered millions of dollars at casinos, spending tens of thousands of dollars a day.
On Dec. 13, Las Vegas Metro police arrested Rodney Buckle, 65, on a warrant for several fraud-related charges, including securities fraud and theft, records showed.
Buckle’s codefendant, Warisra Stevens, pleaded guilty last year to securities fraud and theft conspiracy charges, records showed. A judge sentenced Stevens to a minimum of 19 months in prison.
Buckle, who ran businesses called “Rodd United, “Rodd U,” and “Rodd One,” called himself a “life coach and financial advisor,” investigators with the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office wrote in documents the KLAS-TV investigators obtained. He was not licensed with the state or federal government, investigators said.
The business was located near Flamingo Road and Arville Street, documents said. An online posting about the business, known in the post as Rodd University, said “Rodd University is a membership-based social club providing a platform for research and discussing topics ranging from current events to the stock market.”
“Buckle offered guidance and advice on [stock accounts], other stock investments and sports betting,” investigators said. “Buckle guaranteed investors weekly return on stocks and…
