The Merchants Area Receiver has filed a clawback lawsuit towards Johnny Wimbrey and the Wimbrey Worldwide Belief.
The Merchants Area was a $283 million plus Ponzi scheme run by Ted Safranko (proper).
Safranko has been in hiding since The Merchants Area collapsed in late 2022, dragging down OmegaPro with it.
OmegaPro was an MLM crypto Ponzi that’s believed to have fed into The Merchants area. This hyperlink is the idea for BehindMLM’s curiosity in The Merchants Area proceedings.
Mentioned proceedings had been initiated by the CFTC towards Safranko and a number of other different The Merchants Area insiders in late 2024.
As a part of the CFTC’s proceedings a court-appointed Receivership was established. A part of the Receiver’s duties goes after The Merchants Area net-winners.
A type of net-winners is Johnny Wimbrey, a Texas resident who The Merchants Area Receiver filed swimsuit towards on April twenty third, 2026.
On his web site, Wimbrey (proper) claims to be “a globally acclaimed motivational speaker, famend creator, and transformational coach”. Surprisingly there’s no point out of recruiting folks into Ponzi schemes like The Merchants Area.
Wimbrey additionally seems to be a DreamTrips promoter, though it’s unclear if he’s nonetheless with the corporate. Wimbrey stopped selling DreamTrips on social media in early 2026.
In Amended Criticism filed on Could twenty first, the Receiver names Wimbley because the Trustee for the Wimbrey Worldwide Belief and the Royal Success Membership Belief (aka Royal Success Membership Spendthrift Belief). The Amended Criticism added the Royal Success Membership Belief as a defendant.
Wimbrey is alleged to have invested $164,279 into The Merchants Area by Holton Buggs and his MLM firm iBuumerang.
Buggs was a named defendant within the CFTC’s The Merchants Area lawsuit, filed in late 2024.
Performing as an middleman between The Merchants Area and Wimbrey, the Receiver alleges Buggs transferred $750,000 to Wimbrey by the Wimbrey Worldwide Belief (WWT).
The WWT False Earnings had been commingled funds of defrauded traders.
The WWT False Earnings originated from financial institution accounts managed by Defendant Buggs situated in Texas.
When the WWT False Earnings had been transferred to Defendant WWT, Receivership Defendant Buggs and his entity Ibuumerang meant to incur, or believed, or moderately ought to have believed that Buggs, and Ibuumerang would incur, money owed to victims of the Merchants Area Ponzi scheme that will be past their skill to pay.
Thus, Receivership Defendant Buggs, individually and by and thru his entity Ibuumerang, had the precise intent to delay, hinder, or defraud traders and collectors, and made the funds of the WWT False Earnings to delay, hinder, or defraud traders and collectors.
By iBuumerang, Buggs transferred an extra $1,469,750 to Wimbrey by the Royal Success Membership Belief (RST).
By his trusts, Wimbrey is alleged to have stolen $2,055,470 by The Merchants Area. The Receiver seeks to clawback $585,720 from WWT and $1,469,750 from RST.
In an effort to keep away from litigation, The Merchants Area Receiver’s authorized workforce contacted Wimbrey in October 2025.
counsel for the Receiver demanded that Defendant WWT return to the Receivership Property the WWT False Earnings obtained from the Receivership Defendant Buggs, and Buggs’ entity Ibuumerang. So far, Defendant WWT has refused to return
such funds.
Why Wimbrey thinks he’s entitled to maintain funds stolen from The Merchants Area traders is unclear. Worse nonetheless, Wimbrey seems to be shamelessly dodging service.
The unique April filed Criticism;
The method server … tried service on WWT on 5 separate events.
The primary try on Could 7, 2026 was at Johnny Wimbrey’s workplace and the method server found it was a digital workplace and that Wimbrey would solely be current at his workplace with a scheduled appointment.
The method server known as Johnny Wimbrey on Could 7, 2026 and Mr. Wimbrey said he was at his … Southlake, Texas property and to only depart the papers on the door, however then hung up on the method server when it was defined that he needed to personally ship the papers.
By extra analysis by Plaintiff in addition to the method server, it was found that Johnny Wimbrey and his household not too long ago moved to Colleyville, Texas (“Colleyville Property”).
The method server tried service on the Colleyville Property on Could 7, 2026, and whereas a younger male in his 20s was seen looking the window, there was no reply on the door.
Moreover, whereas nonetheless on the Colleyville Property, a white Cadillac Escalade with the license plate “NCREASE” pulled into the drive, into the storage, closed the storage door and refused to reply the entrance door.
Extra analysis signifies the Cadillac Escalade with license plate “NCREASE” is registered to Johnny Wimbrey.
By social media, the method server realized that Johnny Wimbrey and his household had been anticipated to attend an occasion at Calabrese Restaurant in Southlake, Texas, on Saturday, Could 9, 2026.
The method server arrived at Calabrese and noticed Mr. Wimbrey arrive in a black Hummer with license plate “#NCREA5E”.
Armed with a present photograph of Johnny Wimbrey, the method server believes the motive force of the Hummer was Mr. Wimbrey.
Sadly, Mr. Wimbrey acknowledged the method server and left the premises earlier than service may very well be accomplished.
On Could 12, 2026, one other try was made to serve Mr. Wimbrey on the Colleyville Property.
There have been no automobiles seen and the method server famous a bundle on the porch addressed to Johnny Wimbrey’s spouse, Crystal Wimbrey.
As the method server was leaving, the white Escalade arrived and instantly pulled into the storage, closed the storage door and refused to reply the entrance door.
A last try by the method server was made on Could 14, 2026 on the Colleyville Property and there was no reply on the door and no automobiles seen.
And the Could filed Amended Criticism;
The method server … tried service on Johnny Wimbrey on 5 separate events.
On Could 22, 2026, the method server tried service of the Summons and Amended Criticism at Mr. Wimbrey’s workplace location and spoke to the receptionist who said Mr. Wimbrey was not within the workplace, however agreed to depart the method server’s calling card in Mr. Wimbrey’s mail slot at his workplace.
On Could 22, 2026, the method server tried service at Mr. Wimbrey’s Colleyville Property, and states he noticed a youthful feminine looking the entrance window of the home, however she refused to reply the door.
The method server famous at this go to there was a automobile within the driveway behind a closed gate, however he was unable to establish the license plate.
On Could 27, 2026, one other try was made to serve the Defendants at Mr. Wimbrey’s Colleyville Property.
On this go to the method server famous he may see somebody within the entrance room of the home, however once more, when he knocked on the
door and rang the doorbell, nobody would reply.On Could 29, 2026, the method server once more tried service on Mr. Wimbrey at his Colleyville Property, in addition to his workplace.
There was nobody on the Colleyville Property and the receptionist at Mr. Wimbrey’s work location said that Mr. Wimbrey was not within the workplace.
In a movement filed on June eleventh, the Receiver requested permission to depart a replica of the Amended Criticism and Wimbley’s summons both
- with Wimbley’s workplace receptionist;
- in Wimbley’s workplace mailbox;
- along with his youngsters on the Colleyville household residence;
- pinned to the door of the Colleyville household residence; or
- posting the paperwork to the Colleyville household residence
The courtroom granted the movement on June seventeenth, giving the Receiver permission to decide on any of the above strategies of different service.
Wimbrey’s case docket suggests he was served twice, on June 18th and June twenty fourth. Wimbrey filed his Reply to the Receiver’s Criticism on July thirteenth.
Keep tuned for updates as BehindMLM continues to trace Johnny Wimbrey’s The Merchants Area clawback case.
