Smooth real estate tycoon, 54, outrages Denver high society with alleged scam... years after wife exposed appalling antics with MUCH younger woman

By EMMA RICHTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 23:56, 20 April 2026 | Updated: 23:56, 20 April 2026 A Colorado real estate tycoon is accused of stealing millions of dollars from successful investors - and previously got in hot water after his ex-wife discovered messages he sent to an 18-year-old behind her back, according to court documents.  Sean McClay was indicted by a grand jury on March 20 for allegedly pocketing $1.4 million from '17 confirmed and six apparent investors' between 2021 and 2022, according to an indictment reviewed by the Daily Mail.  The previously-convicted conman allegedly persuaded them to invest in homes that he promised he would fix up, but then he vanished with the cash and left projects unfinished, according to his victims and the indictment. McClay is no stranger to controversy as he pleaded guilty to stealing more than $3,000 from the Wisconsin football team's booster club in 2017, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Daily Mail.  The theft came to light after his wife, Roxanne, 60, stumbled upon Facebook messages between her husband and a then 18-year-old girl.  Roxanne said that their correspondences detailed him giving the mistress, Kaitlin Zoubek, $350 in exchange for 'sexual contact,' court records read.  Zoubek, now 27, had posted on Facebook at the time that 'she needed money or would go to jail,' and according to Roxanne, McClay said he could help her if the teen agreed to 'do him,' the complaint detailed. Roxanne said he then withdrew money from the club's account to pay Zoubek's debts, and Zoubek sent him a message that read she would 'pay him back on the ride home,' the complaint read.  Sean McClay was indicted on March 20 for allegedly pocketing $1.4 million of the $3.9 million he raised from 17 investors from 2021 to 2022. He is currently free on a $20,000 bond His now ex-wife, Roxanne, previously uncovered disturbing messages between McClay and Kaitlin Zoubek in  2017 that she says entailed him giving the then 18-year-old stolen funds in exchange for 'sexual contact,' court  records stated Roxanne told cops that McClay 'indicated' that he 'needed Zoubek (pictured), now 27,  at his disposal' in the Facebook messages She told officers with the Park Falls Police Department that McClay then 'indicated' that he 'needed Zoubek at his disposal,' according to the court papers. After uncovering his alleged unfaithfulness, Roxanne confronted McClay with printed out copies of the messages between him and Zoubek.  He then 'denied engaging in sexual acts' with the teen and called his wife 'crazy,' court documents stated.  Roxanne filed for divorce from him later that year, court records showed. The complaint also noted that Zoubek is the daughter of a Park Falls Police officer.  As part of his latest alleged scam, McClay is accused of spending $1.5 million on acquiring real estate and $947,000 to refurbish the properties.  He then allegedly snatched $1.4 million, or 36 percent, of the investors' money and spent it on himself, according to the indictment.  Now his alleged victims are speaking out after they say he took their hard-earned money and ran.   Toby Ettig, an 82-year-old roofing company owner, told the Daily Mail he first thought of McClay as a 'nice' guy, but now he refers to him as a 'snake'. McClay rolled up to his home in the spring of 2025 in an 'old beat up Chevy,' and asked him for money.  McClay's former investment property in Denver, Colorado Sandi Hewins, a real estate agent in Littleton, said she also had a business relationship with McClay that quickly turned sour after investing in properties that he never saw to the end After Ettig handed him $50,000 in hundred-dollar bills, the disgraced businessman 'ran off like a scared rabbit,' he told the Daily Mail.  He said he has not heard from McClay since, and does not know where his money went.  Sandi Hewins, a real estate agent in Littleton, said she also had a business relationship with McClay that quickly turned sour, Business Den reported.  She said she invested in two properties that McClay was remodeling, and after seeing returns, she put money into two more, but they were never completed, she told the outlet. Hewins recalled the moment she realized she had allegedly been scammed after McClay told her one of her homes was almost ready, but really it was in a state of disarray. The front steps were falling apart, and the door was full of legal notices, she told Business Den. 'I thought right then, 'I'm toast. I'm just toast'. That's when I figured it out,' Hewins added.  Like Hewins, Creighton Bildstein initially trusted McClay, he recalled to the outlet.  Bildstein, the principal at PlattPoint Capital, a commercial real estate capital advisory firm, was told to connect with McClay by a friend, he told the publication.  'He said, 'Oh, I've been investing with this guy who has produced some really strong returns doing fix-and-flips here in Denver',' Bildstein recalled.  Creighton Bildstein said McClay was 'very charismatic' and responsive when he invested $100,000 into projects with him, but after a while, McClay stopped reaching out to him with updates Another property in Denver that was allegedly left unfinished by McClay  At first, Bildstein said McClay was 'very charismatic' and responsive when he invested $100,000 into projects with him, but after a while, McClay stopped reaching out to him with updates.  In the end, he said he lost his mammoth investment and has not heard a word from McClay.  'I don't know how all the money for these properties could have vanished in thin air,' he continued.  Hewins admitted that she and other alleged victims could have been more proactive before deciding to do business with McClay. 'If any of us would have had the brains just to Google his name, we would have seen previous articles about him stealing. But none of us had the brains to do that. 'I just never thought anybody would do anything like this, and when I saw the realm of it, it was mind-boggling. We're talking millions and millions of dollars,' she told Business Den.  McClay also stood accused of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from IKS Industries, a custom machine and fabrication shop in Wisconsin owned by Don Balczewiski, legal documents stated.  McClay was hired as the CEO of the company, but Balczewiski soon terminated his employment after being notified that there was 'some strange activity' on his company account, records said.  According to Balczewiski, his former employee nabbed at least $300,000 from his account without his permission.  After pleading guilty to the misdemeanor of theft-movable property less than $2,500 for his involvement in the school club incident, prosecutors dropped the two felony counts of theft in a business setting for allegedly stealing from IKS, records showed.  He avoided prison time and moved to Colorado for a fresh start. When contacted by the Daily Mail for comment on his recent indictment, McClay said: 'No, thank you' and hung up the phone As his legal woes grow, McClay continues to live his life, posting on Facebook as recently as March 30.  He is the principal founder of Pathway2Progress, a 'supportive housing program designed for individuals ready to rebuild their lives through stability, vocational training, and professional opportunity,' according to the company's website.  In a Facebook post from February 18, McClay posed in a selfie alongside two others, including Pathway2Progress co-founder Jeff Legins, writing: 'Building takes partnership. 'If you believe in structured pathways, workforce development, and measurable impact - let's talk.'  McClay is free on a $20,000 bond and is not represented by an attorney, Business Den reported.  When contacted by the Daily Mail for comment on his recent indictment, McClay said: 'No, thank you' and hung up the phone.  The Daily Mail also contacted Roxanne and Zoubek for comment.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. 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