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Fresno Real Estate Operator Gets 52 Months for $9 Million Ponzi Scheme
Matthew Campbell, 43, took $9.1 million from more than 40 investors between 2018 and 2025, using new investor funds to pay earlier investors while lying about returns and company finances. U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston sentenced Campbell to 52 months in federal prison Monday after his guilty plea to wire fraud in February.
Campbell ran two Fresno-based real estate investment firms — Preferred Property LLC and Ampez Rehab Investments LLC — starting in 2012, purchasing and renovating properties while soliciting investor capital. In 2018, the business shifted into a classic Ponzi structure: Campbell made false claims about investment performance and used incoming funds to pay distributions to existing investors rather than generating actual returns.
“Each investor believed Campbell’s claim that his legitimate real estate business could offer guaranteed returns, not knowing those promises were impossible to fulfill,” FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh said. The fraud targeted retirees and families who believed they were securing their financial futures through a legitimate real estate opportunity.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Arelis M. Clemente. A restitution hearing is scheduled for October 22.
The Breakdown
- Campbell operated the scheme from January 2018 through October 2025, collecting more than $9.1 million from over 40 investors.
- He used the funds for unauthorized purposes while representing to investors that their money was generating legitimate real estate returns.
- Campbell pleaded guilty February 9 to wire fraud, a federal offense.
What This Means for You
Campbell’s case is a federal prosecution for wire fraud. The 52-month sentence was imposed following his guilty plea.
What to Watch
The October 22 restitution hearing is scheduled to address repayment to investors.
Campbell’s investors believed they were getting a safe, high-yield opportunity through his real estate firms. Instead, he was operating a Ponzi scheme, using new investor money to pay earlier investors while making false claims about returns.
