Articles Posted in Private Placements

Institutional Investor Fraud Roundup: 3,001 Whistleblower Tips Sent to SEC in ’12, CFTC Contends with ‘Regulatory Cliff,’ and Private Placement Failures Prompt Insurers to More Closely Examine Alternative Investments

Published on: November 17, 2012 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

According to the SEC’s Whistleblower Office, during fiscal year 2012 it received 3,001 tips. The categories that received the most complaints involved the areas related to manipulation, offering fraud, and corporate disclosures and financials. Although complaints came from every state, the states with the most complaints were California, with 435 whistleblower tips, 246 from New York, while 202 tips came from Florida. Tips also were sent in from 49 countries.

During this past fiscal year, there were 143 notices of covered enforcement actions that resulted in sanctions of over $1 million—the minimum amount that needs to be collected for a whistleblower to obtain a reward. (A quality, original tip may entitle a whistleblower to 10-30% of what the government recovers). The SEC said that its Investor Protection Fund, which pays these rewards to qualifying whistleblowers, is fully funded and at the end of FY 2012 contained over $435 million. In August, the SEC paid its first whistleblower reward of $50,000 under the program.

In other securities regulator news, Scott O’Malia the CFTC commissioner announced that the agency will have to contend with a “regulatory cliff” next month when the temporary no-action relief stemming from new swaps rules expires. The regulator had put out 18 no-action letters and other guidance on October 12, providing a lot of swap market participants with a brief reprieve from rules that were scheduled to go into effect the next day. The relief for most expires on the last day of the year, and O’Malia wants the agency to take action to resolve this situation. He made his comments at the DC conference sponsored by George Mason University’s Mercatus Center.

Texas Broker-Dealer Pinnacle Partners Financial is Expelled by FINRA Hearing Officer Over Allegedly Fraudulent Sales of Unregistered Securities and Private Placements of Oil and Gas

Published on: April 25, 2012 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

In a default decision, San Antonio broker-dealer Pinnacle Partners Financial, Corp. has been expelled by a FINRA hearing officer for Texas securities fraud. The company’s president Brian Alfaro has also been barred. The financial firm and its head are accused of running a boiler room, engaging in the fraudulent selling of unregistered securities and private placements for gas and oil, and making numerous misrepresentations related to these investments. Alfaro is also accused of taking some of the investors’ money to pay for personal spending and unrelated business costs. The default decision was issued after Alfaro failed to show up at the FINRA panel hearing.

It was a year ago that FINRA issued an indefinite suspension against Alfaro and Pinnacle for not complying with a temporary order to cease and desist from making fraudulent misrepresentations. The two parties, however, allegedly kept making them, in addition to omissions related to the sale and offering of specific oil and gas joint interests.

According to the hearing officer, the Texas securities firm and its president operated the boiler room between August 2008 and March 2011. 10 brokers made cold calls numbering in the thousands to draw in investors for drilling investments involving gas and oil that was controlled or owned by Alfaro. They were able to get over 100 investors to put in more than $10 million.

Allegedly, between January 2009 and March 2011, Alfaro misused some of these monies, which investors thought were going toward well production and drilling, to cover some of his personal spending and other businesses. The misrepresentations and omissions that they are accused of purposely making in numerous private placements about a number of matters, include those involving inflated natural gas prices, cash flow, gross returns, and projected returns for natural gas. For example, they allegedly gave out a document claiming that over $14 million had been distributed to investors when, in fact, that figure was closer to under $1.5 million. Alfaro and Pinnacle also supposedly got rid of unfavorable, key information from well operator reports and gave investors maps that didn’t show undesirable wells that were located close to sites where drilling was supposed to take place.

To make restitution, Pinnacle and Alfaro will have to rescind the contracts of those that invested in the fraudulent offerings. They also must pay back the sales commission to clients who don’t ask for rescission.

FINRA Hearing Officer Expels Pinnacle Partners Financial Corp. and Bars President for Fraud, MarketWatch, April 25, 2012
Texas broker-dealer expelled by FINRA hearing officer, Reuters, April 25, 2012

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Texas Securities Fraud: US Supreme Court Turns Down Ex-Enron Corp Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling’s Appeal to Have His Criminal Conviction Overturned, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, April 18, 2012
Texas Securities Fraud: State Law Class Action in R. Allen Stanford’s Ponzi Scam Not Barred by SLUSA, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, March 20, 2012
Three Oil Service Executives Face SEC Charges in Texas Court For Allegedly Bribing Nigerian Customs Officials, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, March 22, 2012 Continue Reading ›

Sale of Interest in Private Placement Offerings by Medical Capital Holdings, Provident Royalties DBSI Leads to FINRA Order that Investors Get $3.2M in Restitution

Published on: November 29, 2011 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has ordered another 10 individuals and 8 financial firms to pay $3.2M in restitution to clients who were sold interest in risky private placements that were issued by DBSI, Inc., Medical Capital Holdings, Inc., and Provident Royalties, LLC. The parties that were sanctioned allegedly sold the interests without having reasonable grounds to recommend the securities to customers. The SRO believes there were inadequate supervisory systems in place.

FINRA fined the following parties for allegedly failing to reasonably investigate the private placement offerings to ensure that the firms making the sales were fulfilling their obligation to customers.

• NEXT Financial Group, Inc.: $2 million in restitution and a $50,000 fine. VP Steven Lynn Nelson was fined $10,000 related Provident Royalties private placements sales.

• Investors Capital Corporation: About $400,000 in restitution over Provident Royalties private placement sales and a CIP Leveraged Fund Advisors-offering.

• Garden State Securities, Inc.: $300,000 related to a Medical Capital private placement. Kevin John DeRosa was fined $25,000. Vincent Michael Bruno, who is chief compliance officer, will pay a $10,000 fine.

• Capital Financial Services: Clients will get $200,000. Ex-principal Brian W. Boppre is fined $10,000. Private placements from both Medical Capital and Provident Royalties were involved.

• National Securities Corporation: $175,000 in restitution related to the sale of Provident Royalties and Medical Capital private placements. Director Matthew G. Portes was suspended and fined $10,000.

• Equity Services, Inc.: Nearly $164,000 in restitution and a $50,000 fine. Sr. VP Stephen Anthony Englese was fined $10,000 while representative Anthony Paul Campagna must pay $25,000.

• Securities America, Inc.: Fined $250,000.

• Newbridge Securities Corporation: A $25,000 fine related to private placements sold by DBSI and Medical Capital. Ex-Chief Compliance Officer Robin Fran Bush was fined $15,000.

• Former Meadowbrook Securities CEO and President of LLC Leroy H. Paris II must pay a $10,000 fine related to the sale of Medical Capital and Provident Royalties private placements.

• Michael D. Shaw was barred from the securities industry. He was previously associated with VSR Financial Services, Inc.

Between ’01-’09, Medical Capital Holdings was able to raise about $2.2 billion through the private placement offerings of promissory notes. Over 20,000 investors participated. Meantime, from September ’06 to January ’09, Provident Asset Management, LLC sold and marketed limited partnerships and stock in 23 private placements issued by Provident Royalties. More than $485 million was raised from over 7,700 investors who made their purchases through over 50 retail broker-dealers. Last year, however, a number of the private placement deals soured, causing a number of broker-dealers that sold them to shut down, while the investors sustained financial losses.

FINRA Sanctions Eight Firms and 10 Individuals for Selling Interests in Troubled Private Placements, Including Medical Capital, Provident Royalties and DBSI, Without Conducting a Reasonable Investigation, FINRA, November 29, 2011

FINRA fines eight firms for private placement sale, Reuters, November 29, 2011

More Blog Posts:
FINRA Wants Brokers Selling Regulation D Private Placements to Take Part in Tougher Due Diligence Process, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, June 7, 2011

Boogie Investment Group Inc. Fails Because of Fraudulent Private Placements by Provident Royalties LLC and Medical Capital Holdings Inc., Stockbroker Fraud Blog, October 27, 2011

Boogie Investment Group Inc. Fails Because of Fraudulent Private Placements by Provident Royalties LLC and Medical Capital Holdings Inc.

Published on: October 27, 2011 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Boogie Investment Group Inc. has submitted its withdrawal request to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The small broker-dealer is the 20th financial firm that sold Provident Royalties private placements to either leave the brokerage business or announce its intentions to depart. According to Investment News, that’s nearly 40% of independent broker-dealers. Just this year alone, 11 broker-dealers that sold the private placements closed shop. Provident’s bankruptcy receiver reports on its Web site that 52 broker-dealers sold the shares.

Boogie sold about $410K in private placements. Its revenue at the end of the fiscal year was $422K-a definite reduction from the $1.2M of three years back. One of the reasons Boogie decided to bow out of the industry is because of the litigation expenses stemming from the failed private placements. Not only is Boogie contending with a class action lawsuit, but also, it is faced with a securities case filed by investors that purchased Provident’s Shale Royalties products and other arbitration cases not related to Provident private placements.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has been tough on the financial firms and individuals that sold interests in private placements while allegedly failing to thoroughly investigate these products or even have reasonable grounds to believe that placements were suitable for clients. The failure to do the appropriate due diligence resulted in the firms being unable to know what were the risks involved. FINRA also says that the principals it has sanctioned lacked a reasonable basis for allowing their financial firms’ registered representatives to keep selling the offerings.

Ban on Private Securities Offerings Solicitations Could Be Revised by SEC or Congress, Says Ex-Official

Published on: July 11, 2011 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

According to ex- SEC’s Office of International Corporate Finance chief Sarah Hanks, there is the strong possibility that Congress or the Securities and Exchange Commission will modify the agency’s ban on the general solicitation for private securities offerings and the number of shareholders that trigger reporting requirements. Hanks says that comments made by lawmakers and SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro indicate congressional intent to loosen the requirements, as well as “regulatory momentum.” Such changes could happen in the next couple of years.

Restricted securities are securities that did not go through the SEC’s registration and public processes. Requirements don’t allow issuers of nonpublic offerings relying on Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act or its safe harbor—Rule 506 of Regulation to use advertising or general solicitation to draw investors to their placements. The 1934 Securities Exchange Act’s Section 12(g) mandates that an issuer register securities “held of record” by at least 500 individuals and if the issuer’s total assets are over $10 million.

It was just recently that it became known that the SEC was investigating Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s (GS)’s reselling of Facebook-issued securities to investors. Earlier this year, the investment bank made the decision to limit the offering to offshore investors over concerns that the degree of media attention might result in a violation of US securities laws. According to The Wall Street Journal, although Facebook executives had to restructure the deal, the private offering of up to $1.5 billion in Facebook shares stayed on track. As of January, more than $7 billion in orders came through from foreign investors.

FINRA Wants Brokers Selling Regulation D Private Placements to Take Part in Tougher Due Diligence Process

Published on: June 7, 2011 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is calling on broker-dealers that sell high-risk Regulation D private placements to step up their due diligence efforts, including “pushing and pulling” for information about the financial products. FINRA chief executive and chairman Robert Ketchum says that although granted, levels of due diligence will not be the same for each deal, broker-dealers still need to play an active role when examining a Reg D offering.

Due diligence related to the sale of private placements has become a focus of attention since the Provide Royalties LLC and Medical Capital Holdings Inc. deals collapsed and the Securities and Exchange Commission charged them with fraud. With both deals, many of the broker-dealers that sold them depended on third-party firms to write the due diligence reports about the offerings. Yet, despite not doing any due diligence of their own, these broker-dealers still received a 1% “due-diligence fee” as part of the sale.

Ketchum says that attending a “canned information session” or just reading a document is not enough when part of one’s job is to actively sell or offer advice about private placements. He even suggested that in certain instances, such as when selling gas and oil well partnerships, broker-dealers should visit some of the key production areas.

Regulation D Private Placements
Regulation D Private Placements are usually sold to “accredited” investors” and a limited number of non-accredited investors. In addition to investigating Regulation D private placements before selling them, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds to believe that the investment is suitable for each customer and that each client fully comprehends the risks involved in investing.

Related Web Resources:
Finra’s Ketchum: B-Ds must ‘push and pull’ for Reg D details, Investment News, June 8, 2011
FINRA Sets Regulatory Guidance for Investigating Private Placements, FINRA, April 20, 2010

More Blog Posts:
Ameriprise to Sell Securities America Even as it Finalizes Securities Settlement with Investors of Medical Capital Holdings and Provident Royalties Private Placements, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, April 26, 2011
Provident Royalties Faces $485 Million Texas Securities Fraud, Says SEC, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, July 26, 2009 Continue Reading ›

SEC to Propose Rule Banning “Felons and Bad Actors” From Involvement in Private Offerings

Published on: May 29, 2011 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

In a 3-2 vote, the Securities and Exchange Commission has agreed to propose a rule (mandated by Congress) that exempts Felons and Bad Actors” from private offerings pursuant to Rule 506 of Regulation D under the 1933 Securities Act. The SEC has also agreed—again in a 3-2 vote—to adopt final rules to set up a whistleblower bounty program.

Under the financial reform legislation’s Section 926, the SEC must bar the sales and offerings of securities by recidivist violators that are subject to certain disciplinary proceedings and sanctions or have a misdemeanor or a felony related to the sale or purchase of a security from being able to avail of the safe harbor act’s Rule 506. The rule lets issuers avoid the reporting requirements of the 1933 Act. It also makes up for approximately 93% of private securities that Reg D. offers.

The proposal would prevent a private placement from taking advantage of the rule if the issuer or individual covered by the rule had a disqualifying event, such as a criminal conviction, restraining order, court injunction, certain commission disciplinary orders, U.S. Postal Service false representation orders, commission “stop orders” to suspend exemptions, suspension or expulsion from membership in a “self-regulatory organization” (or from association with an SRO member), or final orders of insurance, state securities, banking, or credit union regulators. Covered persons include officers, directors, managing members of the issuer, 10-percent beneficial owners, and promoters of the issuer.

National Securities Corp., Independent Financial Group LLC, & Centaurus Financial Inc. among broker-dealers sought by Massachusetts securities regulators over private placements

Published on: April 19, 2010 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Massachusetts Securities Division is requesting information from six broker-dealers regarding the sales of two private-placements that were marketed by Provident Royalties, LLC and Medical Capital Holdings Inc. The investment firms that have been subpoenaed are Centaurus Financial Inc., Investors Capital Corp., Independent Financial Group LLC, CapWest Securities Inc., National Securities Corp., and QA3 Financial Corp.

According to a statement issued last month by Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, Provident and Medical Capital put forth billions in securities that were purchased from the brokerage firms. Now, the state’s securities regulators want information from the broker-dealers regarding suitability data, due-diligence efforts, and promotional materials involving the private placement sales.

The six broker-dealers have expressed surprise that they received the subpoenas. Financial Group claims that the brokerage firm never approved the sale of any offerings from Provident Royalties or Medical Corp. Centaurus Financial is also claiming that it never approved any offerings that were bought from either company.

Investors Capital’s president and CEO, Tim Murphy, says the broker-dealer has never had a selling agreement with Medical Capital, while CapWest CEO Dale Hall says that the brokerage firm has just one client in Massachusetts. QA3 says that two of its clients in Massachusetts purchased $175,000 in Provident offerings but that the brokerage firm did not sell any Medical Capital offerings to investors in the state.

The Massachusetts Securities Division has been intensifying its efforts to examine private placement sales made by independent broker-dealers. Earlier this year, regulators in the state filed a securities fraud lawsuit against Securities America accusing the broker-dealer of misleading investors that bought risky private placements, which included $7.2 million in promissory notes.

Related Web Resources:
Broker-dealers dumbfounded by private-placement subpoenas, Investment News, March 23, 2010
Massachusetts Securities Division
Continue Reading ›