Ray Brewer was sentenced to 81months in a federal prison for his role in organizing and operating a Ponzi scheme from 2014 through 2019.  The Government alleged that he fraudulently obtained close to $9 million from investors claiming to operate anaerobic digesters installed on dairy farms in four counties in California.

He offered investors an unrealistically high return for their contribution intended to fund equipment to capture and sell methane to generate power. The scheme was perpetuated by a series of false reports, forged contracts and other documentation with token payments to early investors, a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.

Unscrupulous individuals are constantly operating in the areas of energy generation and sustainability offering supposed high-tech solutions.  All Ponzi schemes rely on the credulity and greed of investors and the laxity of regulatory agencies.