UBS to Pay $2.2M to CNA Financial Head for Lehman Brothers Structured Product Losses

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority arbitration panel says that UBS Financial Services Inc. must pay $2.2 million to CNA Financial Corp. Chief Executive and Chairman Thomas F. Motamed for losses that he and his wife Christine B. Motamed sustained from investing in Lehman Brothers structured products. The Motameds, who filed their claim against the UBS AG (UBS, UBSN.VX) unit and ex-UBS brokers Judith Sierko and Robert Ashley early in 2009, are alleging misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, and other charges.

This is the largest award involving UBS-sold Lehman structured products. However, the Motameds’ securities fraud case is just one of many against UBS over its sale of about $1 billion in Lehman-related structured investment products to US clients. Many of the claimants contend that the broker-dealer failed to properly represent the investments. As part of this arbitration case, UBS must also pay 6% yearly interest on the $2.2 million to the Motameds from April 4, 2008 until payment of the award is complete. The ruling is supposed to represent rescission of the Motameds’ structured products purchase.

UBS reportedly has not won even one case over the Lehman structured products where the claimant had legal representation. Just a few months ago, UBS AG was ordered to pay $529,688 to another couple over their Lehman structured notes purchase. Steven and Ellen Edelson bought the notes while under the impression that they were “principal protected” when in fact the securities did not have such protection.

The award is the largest involving Lehman structured products purchased through UBS, which has expressed disappointment over the panel’s ruling. The broker-dealer maintains that the losses sustained by the Motameds are a result of Lehman Brothers’s failure and not UBS’s handling of the products.

To Pay $2.2 Mln To CNA Chief for Lehman-Related Losses, The Wall Street Journal, December 23, 2010
UBS Must Pay Couple $530,000 for Lehman Brothers-Backed Structured Notes, Institutional Investors Securities Blog, November 5, 2010
If you suffered losses from investing in Lehman Brothers structured products, do not hesitate to contact our stockbroker fraud law firm today.