A New Jersey man previously convicted twice for defrauding investors was sentenced on November 14, 2025, to 37 years in prison for his involvement in a Ponzi-like fraud scheme that caused more than $44 million in losses. His co-conspirator received a 12-year sentence. Both were ordered to pay over $44 million in restitution to victims, according to Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba.
Eliyahu “Eli” Weinstein, also known as “Mike Konig,” age 50, and Aryeh “Ari” Bromberg, age 51, were convicted earlier this year after a six-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court. The charges included conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, multiple counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, transacting in criminal proceeds, conspiracy to make false statements to the U.S. Probation Office, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice. Weinstein was also found guilty of four counts of making false statements to the United States Probation Office.
Five other individuals—Christopher Anderson (49), Richard Curry (39), Shlomo Erez (57), Alaa Hattab (37), and Joel Wittels (59)—previously pleaded guilty in connection with the same scheme and are awaiting sentencing.
Court documents and trial evidence revealed that after being released from prison for prior convictions involving real estate Ponzi schemes and additional fraud while on pretrial release—with combined investor losses around $230 million—Weinstein started a new scheme soon after his release on January 19, 2021.
Using the alias “Mike Konig,” Weinstein operated Optimus Investments Inc. through Bromberg and Wittels while concealing his true identity from investors. He acknowledged in a secretly recorded conversation that if investors knew he was involved they would not invest.
The group obtained most investor funds through Tryon Management Group LLC—owned by Anderson and Curry—which promised lucrative opportunities related to COVID-19 masks and test kits, scarce baby formula, and first-aid kits purportedly destined for Ukraine. Investors gave money believing these deals were legitimate; Tryon then transferred funds to Weinstein via Optimus.
When Optimus could not pay its investors in 2021, the conspirators pooled money from both Optimus and Tryon’s existing investors to make monthly payments in a manner similar to classic Ponzi schemes. They falsely told investors these payments came from legitimate investment returns rather than other investors’ contributions.
In August 2022, Hattab disclosed Weinstein’s true identity to Anderson and Curry. Recorded meetings showed Weinstein admitting he misappropriated investor funds: “I finagled, and Ponzied, and lied to people to cover us.” Even after this revelation, conspirators continued efforts—including lying—to prevent reporting their misconduct.
Overall, defendants fraudulently obtained over $88 million from investors with losses exceeding $44 million.
Weinstein and Bromberg also laundered proceeds from their activities and concealed assets from authorities intended for restitution payments exceeding $200 million owed from previous cases. Secret recordings captured Weinstein discussing hidden assets kept out of reach during supervised release because otherwise “they would go to jail.” He said: “I just told you something that no one in the world knows because I hid money. Get it?”
Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba credited FBI special agents under Acting Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy (Newark) as well as IRS-Criminal Investigation agents under Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan with leading the investigation that resulted in these convictions.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn Silane (Chief of Economic Crimes Unit) and Marko Pesce (Deputy Chief of Bank Integrity, Money Laundering & Recovery Unit) represented the government at trial.
Defense counsel for Weinstein were Ilana Haramati and Henry E. Mazurek of New York; defense counsel for Bromberg were Marc Agnifilo and Jacob Kaplan of New York.
