A Belgium national and Utah business owner has been charged with operating a $5 million Ponzi scheme. Kenny Dirk Van Der Spek, also known as Kenny Vanderspek, aged 35 from South Jordan, Utah, faces federal charges after allegedly defrauding around 75 investors through his company K & K Strategies.
The charges were filed on March 12, 2025, with a subsequent felony information on March 19, 2025. Court documents reveal that Van Der Spek managed K & K Strategies LLC between December 2017 and December 2023. The company was based in Salt Lake County and claimed to assist non-wealthy individuals in investing and learning about stock trading. However, Van Der Spek was not licensed to sell securities.
Van Der Spek is accused of deceiving clients by falsely claiming that K & K Strategies operated a legitimate hedge fund and that he was authorized to manage it. He reportedly showed investors fabricated financial records suggesting their investments were successful while they were actually incurring losses. Additionally, he allegedly displayed a fake "live stream" of trades on the company's website to convince investors of the growth of their funds.
The indictment includes charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering against Van Der Spek. His initial court appearance is set for March 20, 2025, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah announced the case's details. The investigation involves multiple agencies including the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, IRS-CI Phoenix Field Office, and the Utah Division of Securities.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko J. Jepson and Assistant United States Attorney Mark Y. Hirata are handling prosecution duties for this case.
It is important to note that a felony information represents an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.
