By Michael Johnson

On brightly lit ballroom stages in Tennessee and Florida, Brad Smotherman once captivated rooms of aspiring entrepreneurs. With polished slides and compelling anecdotes, he promised students the same dream he claimed to be living financial freedom through creative real estate. His stamp line was simple: “No banks, no limits — just opportunity.” 

Through his company Fair Offer Cash Now, Inc. and his flashy Investor Creator podcast, Smotherman built a nationwide reputation. His empire spanned seminars across 15 states, boasting profits his audiences could only imagine: a million dollars of equity gained each month, seven-figure incomes, and a lifestyle that prioritized family and travel. 

But away from the spotlight, Smotherman’s empire was built on fragile ground. Today, he faces bankruptcies, lawsuits in multiple states, accusations from his own relatives, and a reputation in tatters. For many, his rise and fall has become a case study in just how thin the line is between speaker and scam artist in the high-stakes world of real estate education. 

A Career Built on Hype 

Smotherman launched Fair Offer Cash Now more than a decade ago, focusing on wholesaling, flipping, and “creative financing” — a strategy of structuring deals outside traditional lending. He positioned himself as a mentor to struggling or beginner investors, charging anywhere from a few thousand dollars for entry courses to $30,000 or more for advanced training. 

For years, it worked. Podcasts invited him on as a guest, local media highlighted his “family-first” message, and his social media feeds doubled as advertisements and testimonials. 

But in 2020, that image began to crack. 

Deals That Went Sour 

In 2020, a Tennessee homeowner in bankruptcy accused Smotherman and associate Tony Woodall of scamming them in an owner-financing agreement. Allegations included failure to settle debts as promised, billing for insurance coverage that didn’t exist, and later outright denial of the deal terms. 

The homeowner’s attorney described it as a textbook case of misrepresentation — and one marking a noticeable shift in how Smotherman’s name started to surface: not in podcasts, but in legal complaints. 

The Betrayal of Family 

Of particular concern were allegations originating from members of his own family. According to relatives, Smotherman siphoned tens of thousands of dollars from his grandmother’s savings while claiming he was helping manage her declining finances. Forged withdrawal slips allegedly linked back to him, and the funds, they claim, went directly toward real estate ventures and personal spending. 

What was once promoted as “helping grandma” became a story of financial exploitation during her last years. 

Internal Whistleblowers 

Employees say they began noticing discrepancies in 2023. Smotherman’s stage claims of steady, outsized profits didn’t match what was being tracked in his ledgers. His longtime bookkeeper and one of his core business speakers and coach confronted Brad about the disparities — and were both swiftly let go. 

By late 2023, more than 20 additional employees had been dismissed. What was once portrayed as an expanding empire was unraveling internally. Past employees discussed how not only Brad but also his wife Casey helped cover up the financial status of his companies. 

Bankruptcy and Broken Trust 

In July 2024, Fair Offer Cash Now formally filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Smotherman personally signed the petition, declaring millions in debt despite years of public boasts about consistent seven-figure monthly earnings. 

One of the most damaging blows to Smotherman’s credibility came in April 2024, when he used his podcast to claim that Tennessee regulators had confirmed certain private lending laws might compel lenders to return “all interest, and maybe even principal.” The statement sounded alarming — and authoritative. 

But it was false. 

Jack Lay, a Tennessee state compliance officer, flatly rejected the assertion, calling it “a lie.” Lay explained that his office has no oversight of private lending at all and that when Smotherman contacted him in 2023, the discussion had nothing to do with the claims later broadcast to his audience. 

For critics, this episode was no minor slip. It was a clear example of Smotherman bending — or outright fabricating — regulatory conversations to bolster his image as an insider with special knowledge. To many, it fit a broader pattern: misrepresenting facts, twisting details, and weaponizing authority to maintain credibility with followers and potential investors. 

Laws Across State Lines 

Bankruptcy was only the beginning. In New York, investors claimed that Smotherman sold a stake in his company, with promises of shared profits and payouts, that never materialized. When pressed, Smotherman allegedly ended communication. This sale happened just a couple months before bankruptcy. There is a pending lawsuit to recover the money invested due to factual misrepresentation. 

In Georgia, lawsuits continue over owner-financing arrangements. Court notices tie him to at least one “fraudulent sale” case in 2023, coinciding with other questionable filings in the state. 

Students Left Behind 

Students who bought into his Investor Creator “Scale” mastermind — more than ten of whom paid over $30,000 each — later discovered the advanced curriculum contradicted much of his beginner program. The expected results did not occur. All have since cut ties, with some calling the experience “financially devastating.” 

Reinventing in Florida 

Seemingly undeterred, Smotherman relocated to Seaside, Florida, in 2025. There, he has sought to rebrand, aiming to rebuild his reputation and attract a new pool of investors and students. 

But as one Nashville-area former colleague noted: “It doesn’t matter where he goes. The pattern follows him — promise, collect, deny, disappear.” 

Unanswered Questions 

Beyond lawsuits and bankruptcy filings, what troubles critics most are the inconsistencies and gaps in Smotherman’s story — contradictions that have yet to be addressed publicly. Among them are questions that insiders, lenders, and even former employees continue to ask: 

• Silence on Compliance: If Smotherman believed he had discovered a potential legal problem with Tennessee lending laws, why didn’t he disclose it to audiences at his seminars, on his podcast, or within local real estate clubs for more than a year? 
• Borrowing Practices: Why did he continue borrowing from multiple lenders — possibly exceeding limits — without seeking clarity from title companies, lenders, or compliance experts? And why didn’t he ask his private lenders to reduce interest rates to stay in line with the law he claimed was being violated? His conversations with Jack Lay and others proved he had this knowledge in 2023. 
• Pre-Bankruptcy Deals: In 2024, Smotherman pitched portions of his company for sale while reportedly preparing to file bankruptcy. Why approach potential partners if he knew insolvency was imminent? 
• Conflicting Legal Strategy: For over six months in 2024, he allegedly worked with attorneys on lawsuits against lenders over what he called “illegal loans.” Yet he continued to borrow from the same sources under the same perceived disputed structures without discussing his concerns. Why pursue both paths simultaneously? 
• Misuse of Funds: Why did he secure construction loans in 2024 without applying the borrowed funds to the properties the money was intended for? 
• Bankruptcy Contradictions: If Smotherman was indeed making upward of $1 million per month, as he often claimed publicly, why did his bankruptcy filings list his net worth at such a low level? 
• Foreclosures and Other Companies: Why did properties under American Community Investments, LLC, another of his companies, go into foreclosure if that business was solvent, as he had advertised? 
• Damaged Relationships: Finally, why have so many of his closest allies — family members, business partners, former employees, and participants in his advanced mastermind program — chosen to distance themselves from him and his companies? Do they know something broader that has yet to reach the public eye? 

Lessons for the Industry 

Financial experts and advocates warn that Smotherman’s trajectory is not unique. The real estate education industry remains largely unregulated, creating fertile ground for well-branded personalities to sell expensive courses with little accountability. 

His fall raises broader questions: Should states tighten oversight around real estate coaching and national speakers? Are Smotherman’s fellow speakers complicit in his questionable deals? And how many more students and sellers could be at risk without more transparency? 

The Cautionary Tale 

Once held up as Nashville’s answer to the “millionaire real estate guru,” Brad Smotherman has become, for many, a cautionary tale instead. 

His story illustrates how charisma and confidence on stage can collapse under the weight of unchecked financial practices — leaving behind a trail of lawsuits, disillusioned followers, and, most painfully, betrayed families. 

And for an industry that thrives on trust and inspiration, his downfall serves as a reminder: behind every promise of quick wealth may lie a much more complicated reality. 

Local consumer advocates encourage anyone else with information about these dealings to come forward, noting this may be just the start of wider scrutiny.