FTC is Sending Nearly $23 Million to Consumers Who Invested in the Deceptive Sanctuary Belize and Kanantik Real Estate Development Schemes
Sanctuary Belize
deceived consumers about its luxury real estate investment scheme
February 5, 2026
- Consumer
Protection
- Bureau of Consumer Protection
- Investment
- Real Estate and Mortgages
- Advertising and Marketing
- Telemarketing
The Federal Trade
Commission is returning nearly $23 million to consumers nationwide who
bought deceptively marketed overseas real estate lots in what the sellers
pitched as Sanctuary Belize, a supposed luxury development in southern, coastal
Belize, as well as its nearby sister development, Kanantik.
The FTC is mailing 1,659 checks to defrauded investors. The average
amount of each check for Sanctuary Belize consumers is $16,462 and the average
amount of each check for Kanantik consumers is $6,346.39.
Today’s announcement represents the second mailing to consumers who
invested in the Sanctuary Belize scheme, with approximately $10 million distributed previously. The first
round of checks was sent only to consumers who bought property within Sanctuary
Belize. Today’s checks are going to both Sanctuary Belize investors, as well as
consumers who invested in Kanantik, a related development owned and operated by
some of the Sanctuary Belize defendants, and other areas covered by the court
relief in this case.
In November 2018, the FTC filed a complaint charging
that Andris Pukke, a prior FTC defendant, and several other corporate and
individual defendants deceived consumers who invested in Sanctuary Belize
by promising they were investing in a luxury development and resort. The
defendants, however, failed to deliver on the promised amenities, and consumers
who invested in Sanctuary property lost money and could not resell their lots.
Following a trial in 2020, a federal court found that the defendants, who
took in more than $100 million, duped consumers into buying Sanctuary Belize
lots by falsely claiming it would be a safe investment, that the development
would include luxury amenities and be completed soon, and that consumers could
resell their lots.
The defendants appealed, but the Court of Appeals confirmed the deceptive scheme and
the monetary judgment against Pukke and his associates, Peter Baker and John
Usher. The District Court ordered the receiver to send an initial round of payments,
with the money coming from previous settlements.
As part of a second round of payments, the Commission is sending a total
of $22,865,008.34 to consumers. Checks totaling $20,028,170.25 are being sent
to 1,202 claim applicants who invested in properties within Sanctuary Belize,
and checks totaling $2,836,838.09 are being sent to 447 claim applicants who
invested in properties in the Kanantik and other covered development areas.
Consumers who receive checks in this second distribution should cash them
within 60 days, as indicated on the check. Consumers with questions about
their payments should email the redress administrator, Rust Consulting, which
is being supported by Ankura Consulting Group, LLC, at Payment@SanctuaryBelizeRedress.com.
Consumers with other questions about the Sanctuary Belize receivership
can contact info@sanctuarybelizereceivership.com. The
application process for requesting a payment is closed, and the receiver is no
longer accepting applications from consumers. Consumers can also visit the
receivership website at www.SanctuaryBelizeReceivership.com to
find other resources such as FAQs.
The Federal Trade
Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. The FTC will
never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a
prize. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov,
or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer
alerts and the business
blog, and sign
up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.
Press Release Reference
Contact Information
Contact
for Consumers
Rust Consulting
Redress
Administrator
Payment@SanctuaryBelizeRedress.com
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