Former advisor to Dustin Johnson convicted of fraud

A jury has found Dustin Johnson’s former advisor, Nathan Hardwick, guilty of embezzling $26 million from his real estate company.

A jury convicted Hardwick of "one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 21 counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements to federally insured banks."

According to Law.com:

"The alleged spending included $18.47 million on gambling, private jet travel and women from 2011 through August 2014. The prosecution submitted two binders of documentation as evidence that Hardwick spent $4.39 million on “female social companions,” including one testifying witness who claimed to have met him through SugarDaddy.com."

"Other alleged expenditures described in testimony include more than $7 million at casinos, more than $3 million with a bookie, $680,000 for a luxury condo at The St. Regis Atlanta, $273,000 on a diamond ring, $186,000 on a deposit for a party on a private island, and $635,000 on a trip to the 2014 British Open for golfing buddies that included a customized jet and round at St. Andrews."

Dustin Johnson sued Nathan Hardwick’s company, Morris Hardwick Schneider, over a $3 million loan he had made to the business in 2014.

Johnson argued that the money was going to make up for shortages created by Hardwick's embezzlement, but later changed his suit to argue that Hardwick, who previously served on the board of the Dustin Johnson Foundation, was being used as a "pawn" by the firm's other partners. 

That suit was settled in 2016 for $2 million.

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