Maya Burkenroad
OSINT Investigative Report
Forensic analysis of alleged participation in a $112 million securities fraud scheme through Retail Ecommerce Ventures LLC — SEC Litigation Release LR-26413 (S.D. Fla., Sept. 25, 2025)
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: All information in this report is derived exclusively from publicly available OSINT sources including SEC filings, court records, and published news articles. This report does not assert wrongdoing. All allegations are unproven and remain subject to judicial proceedings. The subject is presumed innocent unless found guilty by a court of law. This report is presented for informational and research purposes only.
Executive Summary
Overview of investigation findings — all allegations pending judicial determination
On September 25, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges (LR-26413) against Maya Rose Burkenroad, Chief Operating Officer of Retail Ecommerce Ventures LLC (REV), alleging her participation in a fraudulent securities scheme that raised approximately $112 million from hundreds of investors.
The SEC complaint alleges that Burkenroad — cousin to REV co-founder Taino "Tai" Lopez — aided in material misrepresentations about REV's portfolio companies including RadioShack, Pier 1 Imports, and Modell's, while investors' funds were allegedly commingled and used for Ponzi-like payments. The complaint further alleges that REV's website falsely represented Burkenroad as having "over 10 years of experience managing multi-million-dollar companies," when her actual work history consisted of positions as a substitute preschool teacher, radio station promoter, and assistant to Lopez.
The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, civil penalties, and officer-and-director bars against Burkenroad. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Case No. 1:25-cv-24356). All allegations remain unproven.
INVESTIGATION PROFILE
Identity & Background Verification
Comparison of claimed vs. verified professional credentials and background
Maya Burkenroad is identified as the cousin of Taino "Tai" Lopez, co-founder and majority owner of REV. This family relationship raises undisclosed conflicts of interest concerns and contributes to the concentration of control within a tight inner circle. The SEC complaint cites this relationship as part of the governance risk profile.
Claimed on REV Website
ALLEGED FABRICATION- •"Over 10 years of experience managing multi-million-dollar companies"
- •COO & President of Retail Ecommerce Ventures LLC
- •Presented as a seasoned executive to potential investors
Verified Professional History
VERIFIED- •Substitute preschool teacher (pre-2020)
- •Radio station promoter (pre-2020)
- •Personal assistant to cousin Tai Lopez (pre-2020)
- •COO/President of REV: April 2020 – March 2024 (only verifiable executive role)
- •Director at Tuesday Morning Corporation (board role)
- •Director at Wilhelmina International, Inc. (board role)
JURISDICTIONS OF OPERATION & RESIDENCY
Maya Burkenroad's primary state of residence
REV operational base; venue for SEC complaint (1:25-cv-24356)
Tai Lopez and Alexander Mehr listed as Puerto Rico residents
Corporate / Network Mapping
Beneficial ownership analysis, structural risk indicators, and REV portfolio overview
CORPORATE STRUCTURE — REV HOLDING & SUBSIDIARIES
Hover over portfolio companies to see financial detail. Source: SEC Complaint LR-26413.
CONTROL CONCENTRATION ANALYSIS
A notable structural red flag was the absence of an independent Chief Financial Officer at REV or any of its portfolio companies. Instead, Burkenroad, Lopez, and Mehr served as signatories on all bank accounts and directly managed all financial decisions — creating concentrated control within a three-person inner circle bound by both family and business relationships.
Legal, Regulatory & Criminal Exposure
SEC Litigation Release LR-26413 — U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
SEC v. Taino Adrian Lopez, Alexander Farhang Mehr, and Maya Rose Burkenroad
1:25-cv-24356
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
LR-26413
September 25, 2025
PENDING — Civil Enforcement Action
CHARGES AGAINST BURKENROAD
Fraud in the offer or sale of securities — use of devices, schemes or artifices to defraud and engaging in transactions which operate as fraud upon purchasers.
Deceptive or manipulative conduct in connection with the purchase or sale of securities.
Aiding and abetting Lopez's and Mehr's violations related to obtaining money or property by means of untrue statements of material fact.
Aiding and abetting Lopez's and Mehr's violations related to making untrue statements of material fact in connection with securities transactions.
KEY SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS (BURKENROAD)
- ▸Approved transfers of investor funds between portfolio companies contrary to the terms of the offering
- ▸At least $5.9 million in payments to investors constituted Ponzi-like distributions funded by new investors
- ▸Misrepresentation of credentials on the REV website ($112M fraud facilitation)
- ▸Served as bank account signatory enabling alleged fund commingling
- ▸Aided and abetted Lopez and Mehr in material misrepresentations to investors
RELIEF SOUGHT BY SEC
Note on Criminal Charges: As of the investigation date, no criminal charges have been identified against Maya Burkenroad. The SEC action is a civil enforcement proceeding. Criminal referrals from SEC civil actions can occur but are independent proceedings by the Department of Justice.
Claims vs. Verifiable Reality
Interactive comparison of stated claims against verified evidence — click any row for full detail
* All "Alleged False" designations are based on allegations contained in SEC Complaint LR-26413 and have not been proven in court. Click rows to expand detail.
Timeline of Key Events
Chronological sequence of events from REV founding through SEC enforcement action
Retail Ecommerce Ventures LLC founded by Taino 'Tai' Lopez and Alexander Mehr. The company begins acquiring online rights to distressed retail brand names.
Burkenroad, cousin to Lopez, is appointed COO and President of REV. According to the SEC, she is simultaneously represented on REV's website as having '10+ years managing multi-million-dollar companies.'
REV raises approximately $112 million from hundreds of investors through alleged fraudulent securities offerings across eight portfolio companies. Investors offered up to 25% annualized returns. SEC alleges none of the portfolio companies generated profits during this period.
Lopez sends investor email claiming Dress Barn and Stein Mart are 'on fire' with 'positive EBITDA' and 'strong cash flow.' Internal financials show Dress Barn lost $13.7M in 2020 and Stein Mart lost $1.7M in 2020.
Investors begin reporting missed payments. Despite claims that REV 'never missed a payment,' distribution problems emerge. New investor capital alleged to be used as Ponzi-like payments to older investors.
REV hosts an investor conference in Las Vegas. This marks the final phase before the scheme allegedly collapses. Burkenroad is involved in REV operations at this point.
REV discloses financial difficulties. Investor payments cease entirely following the Las Vegas conference. Investors begin demanding repayment and launching complaints.
Maya Burkenroad ceases her role as COO and President of REV as the company's operations wind down amidst investor complaints and regulatory scrutiny.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission files civil charges against Lopez, Mehr, and Burkenroad in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (Case No. 1:25-cv-24356). The SEC alleges a $112 million Ponzi-like fraud scheme.
SEC civil enforcement action remains pending. No criminal charges identified. Final disposition of case and investor recovery prospects remain uncertain.
Risk Analysis Matrix
Categorized risk indicators with severity assessment based on SEC allegations and OSINT findings
RISK SEVERITY SCORES (0–100)
| RISK CATEGORY | SEVERITY |
|---|---|
| Investment Structure | Critical |
| Financial Operations | Critical |
| Fund Misappropriation | Critical |
| Credential Integrity | High |
| Business Performance | Critical |
| Corporate Governance | High |
| Investor Transparency | High |
| Regulatory Exposure | Critical |
KEY RED FLAGS IDENTIFIED
25% annualized returns significantly exceed typical market returns and VC benchmarks.
Alleged use of new investor funds to pay returns to existing investors — classic Ponzi hallmark.
Material discrepancies between claimed executive experience and verified work history.
All portfolio companies allegedly unprofitable while investors were told businesses were profitable.
Burkenroad identified as cousin to co-founder Lopez — undisclosed conflict of interest.
Absence of a CFO; only three insiders controlled all bank accounts and financial decisions.
Adverse Media & Narrative Analysis
Synthesis of coverage from SEC.gov, Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, and other sources
On September 25, 2025, the SEC filed civil charges alleging Burkenroad, Lopez, and Mehr orchestrated a $112 million fraudulent securities scheme. Coverage across financial media has been extensively negative, focusing on the exploitation of well-known retail brand names and the alleged deception of over 660 investors.
The SEC's core allegation — that investors were offered returns up to 25% annualized from businesses that were never profitable — has been widely reported. The alleged credential fabrication of Burkenroad has drawn particular attention as an indicator of a broader culture of deception within REV leadership.
REPUTATION ENGINEERING DETECTION
Credential Fabrication: REV's website represented Burkenroad as having "10+ years managing multi-million-dollar companies." The SEC alleges this was materially false and designed to create investor confidence. No evidence of astroturfing or coordinated positive PR campaigns was identified — the absence of puff pieces is consistent with the alleged scheme relying primarily on personal networks and direct solicitation.
SOURCE DISTRIBUTION BY TYPE
- SEC Filings / Gov Records
- Financial News Coverage
- General Media
- Social Media Signals
Approximate distribution of source types in this investigation
DOCUMENTED MEDIA COVERAGE
Digital Footprint & Historical Changes
Social media presence, online identity analysis, and narrative shift documentation
Maya Burkenroad maintains a limited public digital presence. Social media profiles on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook were identified but substantive content was not publicly accessible during the investigation period.
The primary digital footprint exists through her corporate roles at REV and associated board positions at Tuesday Morning Corporation and Wilhelmina International. No personal websites or domain registrations were found under her name.
Note on Narrative Shifts: No specific evidence of deleted content, profile purges, or coordinated narrative shifts was identified during this investigation. The limited public online presence may itself reflect a deliberate low-profile digital strategy, though this cannot be confirmed.
REPUTATION SIGNALS & COMMUNITY INTELLIGENCE
Public sentiment surrounding Maya Burkenroad is predominantly shaped by the SEC enforcement action and associated media coverage. Online discourse has focused on:
Social media and forum discussions document investor frustration regarding missed payments beginning in 2022.
NegativeMedia coverage of the alleged credential misrepresentation has generated significant negative public commentary.
NegativeCoverage linking Burkenroad to the Tai Lopez brand — itself controversial — amplifies reputational risk.
NegativeGaps & Unknowns
Areas where investigation data is incomplete, unavailable, or requires further verification
No explicit offshore entities or complex layering structures were identified beyond domestic corporate structures. International asset flows unverified.
State-level civil or criminal proceedings are incomplete in this investigation. Federal SEC action is the primary documented litigation.
No criminal charges identified as of investigation date. SEC action remains civil enforcement. DOJ referral status unknown.
SEC litigation filed September 25, 2025 remains pending. No preliminary injunction ruling, consent order, or final judgment rendered as of investigation date.
Distribution mechanisms and recovery prospects for affected 660+ investors remain uncertain. No receiver or disgorgement fund established publicly.
Formal educational credentials of Burkenroad not verified through public records during this investigation.
Complete tracing of investor funds and alleged personal misappropriation not possible through OSINT alone. Requires court-supervised discovery.
Conclusion
This investigation documents publicly available information regarding Maya Burkenroad's role as COO of Retail Ecommerce Ventures and her involvement in SEC enforcement action LR-26413. The SEC alleges Burkenroad participated in fraudulent securities offerings, misrepresented credentials to investors, and aided violations of federal securities laws.
The evidence landscape presents a convergence of structural, financial, and personal conduct red flags consistent with the SEC's allegations of a coordinated securities fraud scheme: unrealistic return promises, lack of independent oversight, family relationships in key management positions, alleged credential fabrication, and Ponzi-like payment structures.
IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTE: All allegations against Maya Burkenroad remain unproven and subject to legal proceedings. She has not been convicted of any crime. This report presents investigative findings based solely on public OSINT sources and does not constitute a determination of guilt or liability. The subject is presumed innocent under the law.
Sources & References
Complete list of sources with dates and verification status — Verified / Allegation / Partial / Unverified
1SEC Filings & Litigation
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Taino Adrian Lopez, Alexander Farhang Mehr, and Maya Rose Burkenroad
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, filed September 25, 2025
SEC charges three with conducting $112 million Ponzi scheme
2News Media Coverage
SEC Charges Tai Lopez, Others With Running $112 Million Ponzi Scheme
Tai Lopez Charged by SEC in Alleged Retail Brand Ponzi Scheme
How an alleged $112M Ponzi scheme unfolded around famous retail brands
SEC Files Fraud Charges in Retail Ecommerce Ventures Case
REV and distressed retail brand acquisitions under SEC scrutiny
3Corporate & Registry Records
Business entity registration and corporate structure documentation
Director appointment records for Maya Burkenroad
Director appointment records for Maya Burkenroad
4Digital & Social Media Records
Professional profile identified; limited public content available
Account identified; content not publicly accessible
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