Jeremiah Joseph Evans

What the public record shows

Jeremiah Joseph Evans, 29, of Utah County — who marketed himself as a trading guru called “The Bull” — admitted to defrauding approximately 530 investors of about $20.9 million through Alpha Influence, and was sentenced to 96 months in prison. This is a criminal conviction — not an allegation.

The scheme — affinity fraud, influencer edition

Alpha Influence is a textbook modern affinity fraud: a charismatic promoter builds a personal brand and following, then converts that trust into investment dollars, promising outsized trading returns. Money from new investors sustains the appearance of success — until it collapses.

Affinity fraud works because it borrows trust — from a shared community, faith, or a relatable “self-made” persona — so victims skip the due diligence they’d apply to a stranger. The SEC warns about it specifically for that reason.

Why we rate this 1 / 10 — Avoid

A guilty plea and an eight-year sentence for defrauding hundreds of investors who trusted a persona. The “successful young trader who’ll let you in” is one of the most effective — and most fraudulent — pitches on social media today.

Red flags this case teaches

• A trading “guru” whose wealth comes from your deposits, not verified trading results.
• Recruitment through a personal brand or community rather than a registered firm.
• No audited track record, no third-party custody, no registration.

Bottom line

Convicted and sentenced. A big following and a flashy lifestyle are marketing, not a track record. “Let me trade it for you” from an unregistered influencer is how affinity fraud begins.

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