HOUSTON, Texas — A 40-year-old man from suburban Houston has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in defrauding victims of over $17 million, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Christopher Knight Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on February 19. U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison ordered Lopez to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. During the sentencing hearing, 13 victims shared the impact of Lopez’s crime on their lives. Judge Ellison remarked that he had never encountered a more offensive white-collar crime during his tenure.
From May 2015 to January 2025, Lopez and his brother, Jayson Lopez, operated an investment business, misleading clients with false information about the companies in which they invested. They used forged bank letters and fabricated account statements to deceive investors about the companies’ financial health, according to the press release…