Investment Manager Tyris Maxey Sentenced to 3 Years for Taking $950,000 From Retired Teacher

Case from 2017–2018 (U.S. Attorney's Office release: Aug. 15, 2017; later developments are from court records and other sources cited below). Published on Scammers.com Oct. 16, 2026; case status is current as of that date.

Tyris D. Maxey, owner of RB Mister Enterprises LLC, a Wyoming company with a Chicago office, was indicted in August 2017 on six counts of wire fraud for allegedly persuading a retired schoolteacher to give him about $950,000 for investments and spending nearly all of it on himself [1].

Outcome: Maxey pleaded guilty to Count One. On Sept. 26, 2018, U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber sentenced him to 36 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and the remaining five counts were dismissed on the government's motion, according to the judgment on the court docket [2].

What prosecutors alleged

According to the indictment, as summarized by prosecutors [1]:

1. The pitch: Maxey said his firm was highly successful, that he put his own money into its investments, and that it invested in medical marijuana, construction, oil, real estate, sugar and concerts.
2. Where the money went: His actual investing was minimal. He spent nearly all of the money on personal expenses, and the few real investments lost heavily.
3. Fake returns: He returned some of the victim's own money and called it a positive return on investment.
4. Fake statements: He gave the victim and the victim's accountant fraudulent account statements.

The indictment said the scheme ran from no later than January 2010 until at least November 2013 [1].

The person charged

Tyris D. Maxey, of Chicago (43 when charged)

• Indictment (Aug. 10, 2017): six counts of wire fraud, unsealed after his arrest on Aug. 14, 2017. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $10,000 bond [1].
• Plea: guilty to Count One under a plea agreement filed March 21, 2018 [2].
• Sentence (Sept. 26, 2018): 36 months in prison and three years of supervised release; Counts 2 through 6 dismissed. Judgment entered Oct. 3, 2018, with a surrender date of Jan. 4, 2019 [2]. The docket text we reviewed did not state a restitution amount.
• Investigation: U.S. Postal Inspection Service [1].

Red flags

• An adviser who says he invests his own money "alongside" yours but won't show proof.
• A grab bag of hot sectors like cannabis, oil, sugar and concerts, with no specific holdings.
• Statements produced by the adviser himself rather than an independent custodian.
• "Returns" that arrive when you start asking questions.

What to do if you're targeted

1. Make sure your money is held by an independent custodian such as a bank or brokerage, and get statements directly from it.
2. Check registration on the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site and FINRA BrokerCheck.
3. Report suspected fraud to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the SEC at sec.gov/tcr or the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.

Case status (as of Oct. 16, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 16, 2026	Source
Tyris D. Maxey, Chicago	N.D. Ill. (Judge Leinenweber)	Indicted Aug. 10, 2017; pleaded guilty to 1 count of wire fraud; sentenced Sept. 26, 2018, to 36 months and 3 years' supervised release; other counts dismissed	[1], [2]

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "Investment Manager Indicted on Fraud Charges for Allegedly Swindling Nearly $1 Million from a Retired School Teacher," Aug. 15, 2017. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/investment-manager-indicted-fraud-charges-allegedly-swindling-nearly-1-million-retired
2. CourtListener, docket for United States v. Maxey, No. 1:17-cr-00547 (N.D. Ill.). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/46886255/united-states-v-maxey/

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