From IN to AZ: Victims who say they were scammed by former 'Pickleball Rocks' owner span multiple states

The pickleball community all over the country was left shaken, as the FBI served a search warrant at the home of Rodney Grubbs.

Grubbs is the former owner of Pickeball Rocks or "All About Pickleball LLC".

According to federal bankruptcy court documents, investors are accusing Grubbs are scamming them out of millions. Some of those investors are from as far away as Arizona, according to WCPO's sister station ABC15.

"It's just something that brings you together, and Rodney was there doing that," said Doug Smook.

Smook lives in South Dakota, but spends the winter in Arizona. He is the tournament director for the Happy Trails Pickleball Club in Surprise. Smook told ABC15 that's how he met Grubbs a few years ago.

Currently, Smook said he is one of the investors who has not received their money back despite asking.

"I invested $15,000 and the promissory note was for a 14% interest over the year," said Smook.

He said in 2023, he discovered others posting about investing on social media. Smook then said he reached out to Grubbs.

"Well I sent an email to Rodney and said, look, I'm just calling my note," said Smook. "Just FYI, let me know. And it was radio silence, so never had any additional contact with Rodney."

Federal bankruptcy court documents allege hundreds invested with Grubbs in the form of promissory notes through his pickleball company or an alleged real estate business dating back to the early 2000's.

"I don't think that I ever felt that I was investing in Rodney," said Smook. "I was investing in pickleball, the sport of pickleball."

Multiple Arizonans all shared similar stories, many meeting Grubbs at a tournament. They described him as well-known and a trustworthy friend. A few said his pitch was focused on growing the sport.

One woman did tell ABC15 there was a time Grubbs asked her for a personal loan. That woman said, at this point, she's owed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As Grubbs deals with legal issues in civil court, WCPO was there as the FBI served a search warrant on his Indiana home.

In January, Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales issued a cease and desist order to Grubbs "to stop an alleged fraudulent investment scheme concerning a Pickleball apparel and equipment company All About Pickleball LLC., also known as 'Pickleball Rocks.'"

The petition alleges Grubbs solicited investments in the form of promissory notes from investors that "contained a high interest rate of 12% compounded monthly and contained an 18% penalty provision in the case of default."

Wednesday the FBI did not tell WCPO if Grubbs was facing criminal charges. Court documents show he has denied fraud allegations in the past.

But the FBI sent out an alert asking for people who invested with Pickleball Rocks to fill out an online form.

But people like Smook want to know one thing.

"Rodney, where's the money at?"

After speaking to the FBI Thursday, ABC15 is reaching out to the US Attorney General's office.

Online, the FBI has information on how to protect yourself from investing and possible schemes.