An Alpharetta man, Matthew Neet, 43, has been charged with wire fraud for allegedly running a nearly $1 million scam targeting real estate investors and University of Georgia football fans. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia said Neet convinced about two dozen victims to part with roughly $943,000.
According to U.S. Attorney's Office, Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg stated, “Neet allegedly defrauded at least two dozen football fans and investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.” He urged fans and investors to carefully verify the legitimacy of college football-related offers. Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta, echoed the warning, noting the heightened risk of fraud where large sums of money are involved.
Neet is accused of offering fake real estate investments in Costa Rica and falsely claiming to sell UGA football tickets for high-profile games against Alabama, Texas, and Mississippi. Court documents say his promises were a ruse to siphon funds for personal use.
On Friday, Neet waived indictment and opted to proceed by criminal information. Although charged, "the defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government's burden to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial," according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samir Kaushal is set to lead the prosecution on a case continuously under investigation by the FBI.
Updates on the case are available through the U.S. Attorney’s public affairs office. Neet’s arraignment was announced following his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins III. The public is reminded to be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true, especially in sports and investment opportunities.
