Tai Lopez Review (2026): Are His Courses Worth It After the SEC Lawsuit?

The Short Version

Tai Lopez became famous in 2015 with his "Here in my garage" YouTube ad, which promoted his 67 Steps course. Since then he has sold a long list of low-priced online courses, from personal development to running a social media marketing agency, alongside a book newsletter and the MentorBox membership. He also co-founded Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), which bought brands such as RadioShack and Pier 1.

That second business is now the main reason people search his name. In September 2025, the US Securities and Exchange Commission sued Lopez and his business partner, alleging a $112 million Ponzi-like scheme involving REV investors. In June 2026, the case was administratively closed while the parties negotiated a possible settlement. This review covers his courses, their real costs and refund experience, the SEC case, and a more focused alternative.

Who Is Tai Lopez?

Tai Lopez was born Taino Adrian Lopez in Fullerton, California, in 1977. He grew up in Long Beach and attended North Carolina State University for one semester before leaving. He built his brand on reading, mentors and "the good life," using lifestyle imagery such as cars and mansions in his marketing.

His 2015 "Here in my garage" video, in which he talks about knowledge in front of a Lamborghini, went viral and was widely parodied. Some of his lifestyle marketing has been questioned. For example, he has said he rented his Hollywood Hills house, reportedly for about $93,000 a month, while the marketing implied ownership.

How Tai Lopez Makes Money

Lopez's income has come from several sources: selling his own courses, recurring memberships such as MentorBox (which he reportedly co-owns), promoting other people's products to his large email list, his former dating business, physical products such as sleep glasses, and REV. His Book of the Day newsletter, which had about 3 million subscribers in 2020, gives him a large audience to sell to.

Tai Lopez's Net Worth

Nobody outside his businesses knows his net worth. Estimates in the $60 million to $72 million range circulate online, but none are backed by financial records. Given that the SEC alleges tens of millions of dollars were misappropriated at REV, published net-worth figures should be treated as guesses.

Fact-Checking His Claims

Several claims Lopez has made in his marketing, from statistics about debt and GDP to stories such as living with the Amish and reading a book a day, appear unsupported or wrong. His claims need verification. That does not make his courses worthless, but it is a reason to check anything he presents as fact before acting on it.

Earlier Controversies

He also ran a former dating business, Elite Global Dating. Its sites faced allegations of fake profiles designed to push paid upgrades, and they have since been shut down.

Tai Lopez's Courses and Programs

The prices are low compared with most programs we review. The catch is how they are sold. 67 Steps bills monthly until cancelled, which some buyers do not notice. There are frequent "limited-time" discounts that keep running, and courses that lead to further upsells.

Are the Courses Any Good?

Our overall view is that roughly a third of Lopez's content is genuinely useful. The SMMA course is "well worth the price" if bought on sale, but says you "probably shouldn't buy" 67 Steps. There are complaints that the content can be repetitive or available free elsewhere, and allegations that 67 Steps borrows heavily from Jack Canfield's The Success Principles. Lopez does not claim to have invented the ideas.

The Refund Experience

The refund process can be frustrating. One buyer obtained a refund on 67 Steps only after three calls, an email and a live chat. Live chat was the only channel that worked, and phone and email went unanswered during business hours. It also reports that some courses have "action-based" refund policies and several are not refundable at all, with terms set out on the Terms and Conditions page. The Cashflow System's advertised guarantee had conditions that are hard to meet. Courses sold through ClickBank follow ClickBank's refund policy.

If you buy a Lopez course, check whether it bills monthly, note the refund terms, and use live chat if you need help.

The SEC Lawsuit Over Retail Ecommerce Ventures

This is the part of Lopez's story that matters most in 2026.

What REV Was

Lopez co-founded Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV) in November 2019 with Alex Mehr, with Lopez as CEO. REV bought the brands and intellectual property of struggling retailers, including Pier 1 Imports, RadioShack and Modell's Sporting Goods, and raised about $230 million from at least 660 investors. Investor payments stopped by December 2022.

What the SEC Alleges

The SEC filed its complaint in September 2025 in federal court in Florida, against Lopez, Mehr and REV's former chief operating officer, Maya Burkenroad. The SEC alleges that:

• REV operated a $112 million Ponzi-like scheme, using new investors' money to pay earlier investors.
• Lopez and Mehr misappropriated tens of millions of dollars for personal use.
• Burkenroad aided the scheme. She is reportedly Lopez's cousin.

Where the Case Stands

In June 2026, the case had been administratively closed while the parties negotiated a potential settlement. The parties filed several joint status reports describing settlement talks between December 2025 and June 2026, and the judge ordered a further report by June 30, 2026. In that June 30 status report, the SEC told the court the parties had finalized much of the key terms of a settlement, and that Lopez was willing to sign a consent to a final judgment once one remaining issue was resolved, according to a July 2026 report. No final judgment had been reported at that time. The FBI has reportedly interviewed investors as part of a criminal investigation, but that no criminal charges had been filed as of February 2026.

These are allegations in a civil case, and Lopez has not been found liable. Still, an SEC fraud case, even one heading toward settlement, against a course seller's main investment business is a significant red flag for anyone deciding whether to trust his advice about money.

A Closer Look at the SMMA Course

Of all Lopez's courses, his Social Media Marketing Agency program is the strongest. The SMMA model teaches you to find local businesses, offer to manage their social media or ads for a monthly fee, and deliver the work yourself or through freelancers. It is a real service business, but like every agency model it depends on sales outreach, results for clients and keeping those clients month to month. A $19 to $97 course can teach the basics. It cannot do the client-finding for you, which is where most new agency owners struggle.

If the agency idea appeals to you, compare it with our reviews of agency-focused programs, such as Modern Millionaires, before spending more.

Red Flags to Watch for With Any Guru

• Lifestyle as proof: cars and houses in ads are not evidence that a course works, especially if they are rented.
• Permanent "limited-time" discounts: a sale that never ends is a pricing tactic.
• Recurring billing on cheap courses: a $67 course that bills monthly can cost far more than it seems.
• Hard-to-use refund channels: if only one support channel works, refunds become a test of persistence.
• Investment offers from course sellers: treat any investment opportunity from a marketing personality with extra caution, and check regulators' records first.

Is Tai Lopez a Scam?

His courses are real products, usually sold cheaply, and he is not a scammer in relation to his courses. But the full picture includes aggressive marketing, difficult refunds, recurring billing that is easy to miss, a shuttered dating business with fake-profile allegations, and an SEC lawsuit alleging a $112 million Ponzi-like scheme at his investment company. We would not rely on his programs as your main business education.

Pros and Cons

Who Might Still Buy a Tai Lopez Course

A buyer who wants low-cost motivational content, or a cheap introduction to the social media agency model, might find some value. Buy on sale, check for recurring billing, and keep your expectations modest. Anyone looking for a structured path to a real income should look for focused training from a seller without a pending fraud case.

Our #1 Recommendation for Making Money Online in 2026

If Tai Lopez's courses isn't the right fit for you, here's what we suggest instead.

After comparing hundreds of programs over the years, we know what works and what doesn't. In fact, most of the business opportunities are either instant cash grab schemes or scams or they require experience. However, this beginner-friendly system stood out and is our #1 recommendation for 2026.

Other Programs Readers Compare

• Jeff Lerner review: another heavily advertised business educator.
• Hustlers University review: Andrew Tate's The Real World.
• Anik Singal review: Lurn's digital publishing and marketing courses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Verdict on Tai Lopez

Tai Lopez sells cheap courses with some useful ideas, but they come with aggressive marketing, recurring billing and a difficult refund process. His investment company is the subject of an SEC fraud lawsuit that, as of mid-2026, was heading toward a settlement. If you want to learn to make money online, consider our #1 recommendation for making money online instead.