INDIANAPOLIS — Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress announced today that George S. Blankenbaker Jr. of Westfield, Indiana, was charged in federal court for two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
According to the information, between May 2008 and August 2016, Blankenbaker created three business entities, Stargrower Commercial Bridge Loan Fund 1 LLC and Stargrower Asset Management, LLC (hereinafter the Stargrower Entities) and EDU Holding Trust (the Trust). He later used these entities, which he owned and managed, in the execution of a Ponzi and money laundering scheme.
"The victims of this scheme placed enormous trust in Mr. Blankenbaker to wisely manage and invest their hard-earned money," said Childress. "Instead, he exploited their trust through deception and lies for his own personal gain."