Repeat Fraudster Ralph 'Tres' Rogers III Sentenced to 6½ Years for Fake Tesla-Chip and Fiber-Optic Investments

Case from 2025–2026 (U.S. Attorney's Office latest release: March 27, 2026). Published on Scammers.com Oct. 16, 2026; case status is current as of that date.

Ralph Rogers III, also known as "Tres Rogers," 63, of Batavia, Illinois, was sentenced on March 26, 2026, to 78 months (six and a half years) in federal prison for persuading people to invest in business opportunities that did not exist, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced [1]. He committed the fraud while on court-supervised release after prison time for an earlier federal fraud conviction, according to the release.

How the scheme worked

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office [1]:

1. The persona: Rogers presented himself as an entrepreneur and investment advisor.
2. The pitches: From 2021 to 2023, he took money from multiple people by promising to invest it in ventures including fiber-optic cable installation, computer chip manufacturing for Tesla and a fitness recovery studio. The 2025 indictment also mentioned copper piping and materials for auto parts [2].
3. Where the money went: He spent the money on travel, hotel rooms, jewelry, apparel and gym fees.
4. Ponzi-type payments: He made payments to earlier investors to keep them from complaining.

Prosecutors said in their sentencing memo that Rogers picked victims from his daily surroundings, including "his gym, the local bicycle store, the local smoothie shop, the hotel bar where he is a guest, the restaurant where he is dining, the relatives of his romantic partner" [1].

The person sentenced

Ralph Rogers III ("Tres Rogers"), 63, Batavia, Ill. [1]

• Indictment: six counts of wire fraud, returned March 4, 2025 [2].
• Plea: pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of wire fraud.
• Sentence: 78 months in federal prison and $238,044.62 in restitution, imposed March 26, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis.
• Prosecution: Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin M. Pinkston; investigated by the FBI Chicago Field Office.

Red flags

• A friendly stranger at the gym, bar or shop who pitches an exclusive investment.
• Name-dropping big companies (such as Tesla) with no paperwork connecting the deal to them.
• Small "returns" paid early to build trust before larger asks.
• A promoter with a prior fraud record. Search court records and news for the person's name before investing.

What to do if you're targeted

1. Search the person's name in federal court records (PACER) and news archives.
2. Ask for documents tying the investment to the named company, and verify them with that company.
3. Report investment fraud to the FBI at ic3.gov.

Case status (as of Oct. 16, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 16, 2026	Source
Ralph Rogers III ("Tres Rogers"), 63, Batavia, Ill.	N.D. Ill. (Judge Ellis)	Pleaded guilty to wire fraud Nov. 2025; sentenced March 26, 2026, to 78 months in prison and $238,044.62 restitution	[1]

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "Suburban Chicago Investment Advisor Sentenced to Six and a Half Years in Prison for Swindling Clients," March 27, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/suburban-chicago-investment-advisor-sentenced-six-and-half-years-prison-swindling
2. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "Suburban Chicago Investment Advisor Charged With Swindling Clients," March 6, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/suburban-chicago-investment-advisor-charged-swindling-clients

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