https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/12/16/starship_chocolate_fraud/

A 73-year-old fraudster has been sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to defraud – after bilking investors out of $2.3m (£1.7m) by convincing them that they were investing in a sure-fire winner: caffeine-infused chocolates for the tech sector.

Barry Schwartz, along with co-conspirators Lisa Bershan and Joel Margulies, set up Starship Snacks Corporation, a US-based biz that was supposed to sell loaded chocolate to caffeine junkies. According to New York district court documents [PDF], the trio promised investors that the snacks were so attractive that both Coca-Cola and energy "drink" slinger Monster were in talks to snap up the confectionery company, but it was all smoke and mirrors.