FBI charges missing radio show adviser with mail fraud

The FBI earlier this week charged a missing Atlanta financial adviser, who went on the lam last month ahead of an investigation with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with one count of mail fraud.

On Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had issued a warrant for the arrest of Christopher W. Burns, 37, who has been missing since he left his home on Sept. 24, according to a statement.

That was the day before he was supposed to turn over documents related to his businesses to the SEC. Burns is also under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, according to the FBI.

The host of a local weekly radio show, Burns conducted business through a number of entities, including Investus Advisers, Investus Financial, Dynamic Money and Peer Connect, according to the agency, which believes the adviser has defrauded a number of victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Financial advisers under duress from regulators and investigations were commonplace during the financial crisis of 2008, and some even fled in an attempt to escape scrutiny into their businesses and practices.

Investus Advisers has no assets under management, according to its most recent Form ADV filing with the SEC. Christopher Burns is listed as the firm’s principal and chief compliance officer.