Securities Fraud

Morgan Stanley Gets $5M Fine for Supervisory Failures Involving 83 IPO Shares Sales

Published on: May 6, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (MS) will pay a $5 million fine for supervisory failures involving its advisors soliciting shares in 83 IPOs to retail investors. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority says that the firm lacked the proper training and procedures to make sure that salespersons knew the difference between “conditional offers” and “indications of interest.”

By settling, Morgan Stanley is not denying or admitting to the supervisory failures securities charges. It is, however, consenting to the entry of findings by FINRA.

FINRA believes these issues are related to Morgan Stanley’s acquisition of Smith Barney from Citigroup (C) a couple of years ago. In addition to inheriting more high net worth clients, the SRO contends that Morgan Stanley ended up with financial advisers who might not have gotten the needed training.

SEC Files Fraud Charges Against American Pension Services and Its Founder Over $22M Investor Losses

Published on: April 30, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed charges against American Pension Services Inc., a third-party administrator of retirement plans based in Utah and its founder Curtis L. DeYoung. The regulator says that they caused clients to lose about $22 million in risky investments involving certain business ventures. American Pension Services is now under receivership.

The securities scam allegedly goes back at least to 2005. Customers with retirement accounts containing non-traditional assets usually not found via IRA custodians, such as traditional (401)K retirement plans, were targeted. The Commission says that APS and DeYoung solicited customers to set up self-directed IRA accounts with third party administrator. DeYoung purportedly said this was “genuine self-direction” for investors seeking other options besides stocks, mutual funds, and bonds.

These clients had to fill out IRS Form 5305-A, which say that a third-party administrator doesn’t have discretionary authority over assets and it is up to the depositor to direct the assets’ investments. Although clients’ funds were kept at a bank in two master trust accounts, the complaint claims that APS controlled the money and mixed clients’ money together.

Ex-Sentinel CEO is Convicted of $500M Fraud

Published on: April 24, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Eric Bloom, the CEO of Sentinel Management Group, Inc., the now bankrupt hedge fund, has been convicted of bilking over 70 customers of more than $500 million prior to the firm’s collapse. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bloom misappropriated securities that belonged to customers when he used the financial instruments as collateral to get a loan for Sentinel from Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BK). The loan was partially used to buy risky illiquid securities for a trading portfolio to benefit Bloom, other Sentinel officers, corporations controlled by his family, and his relatives.

Also, says the DOJ, even though Bloom knew that Sentinel was at risk of defaulting on the loan from the bank, he caused the hedge fund to take over $100 million from customers while hiding its true financial state. A federal jury returned guilty verdicts against him on one count of investment adviser fraud and 18 counts of wire fraud.

The guilty verdict comes six months after Charles K. Mosley, Sentinel’s former head trader, pleaded guilty to two counts of investment adviser fraud related to the charges filed against Bloom. Mosely admitted to covering up their actions. In his plea agreement, he said that customers were sent statements according to interest income rates that he and Bloom had calculated rather than the performance of investment portfolios.

Institutional Investors Sue BP for Securities Fraud

Published on: April 21, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

A number of pension funds in the US are suing BP (BP) for fraud. The institutional investors, including funds for public workers in Texas, Louisiana, and Maryland, and Bank of America’s (BAC) private pension plan, claim, that the corporation bilked them when it made misstatements about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Also bringing securities fraud causes against the oil company, just within the statute of limitations, are a number of foreign institutions.

The oil spill claimed the lives of 11 people. It is considered the worst offshore spill in US history. According to Reuters, BP is now the defendant in numerous securities fraud cases filed by at least 20 institutional investors contending that their investment managers were influenced by misrepresentations the company made when they deciding whether to purchase BP shares. The securities lawsuits claim that BP violated British securities and fraud laws when misrepresenting it safety record and the extent of the oil spill.

It was in 2010, when the Supreme Court issued its decision in Morrison v. National Australia Bank that foreign-based companies in general obtained immunity from securities fraud claims. In that lawsuit, the nation’s highest court held that American securities laws couldn’t be applied beyond the borders of the United States. Trial courts took this to mean that companies found on foreign exchanges cannot be sued for fraud under the Exchange Act of 1934—save for claims made by investors that traded in American Depository Shares.

SEC Charges Total Wealth Management With Securities Fraud, Receiving Undisclosed Kickbacks

Published on: April 18, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a financial fraud case against Total Wealth Management Inc., an investment advisory firm based in Southern California. The regulator is accusing the firm of getting undisclosed kickbacks over investments recommended to clients. It is also alleging breach of fiduciary duty.

According to the SEC’s complaint, Total Wealth placed about 75% of 481 client accounts into Altus Funds, which is a family of proprietary funds. The investment advisory firm has a revenue-sharing deal that allows them to get kickbacks. The regulator says this was a conflict of interest because customers did not know about the agreement.

The Wall Street Journal reports that according to the SEC, Altus invested 92% of all its investments-$32 million-in funds that had revenue sharing deals with Total Wealth. The agency says that clients likely wouldn’t have put their money with Total Wealth if they had known that the majority of the Altus funds were paying the firm.

SEC Files Securities Charges Against Massachusetts Company Over Pyramid Scam that Primarily Targeted Immigrants

Published on: April 17, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has filed fraud charges against TelexFree Inc. and TelexFree LLC over an alleged Pyramid scam that targeted immigrants-those from Brazil and the Dominican Republic, in particular. The agency sought and was able to obtain an asset freeze, securing millions of dollars.

Also facing charges are a number of TelexFree officers and promoters and several other entities as relief defendants. The Investors involved are located in Massachusetts and 20 other US states.

According to the SEC, the two entities made it appear as if they were operating a multilevel marketing company that sold phone service using VoIP technology when in fact this was a Pyramid scheme. The defendants sold securities as “memberships” along with the promise of 200% or greater yearly returns to people who promoted TelexFree via ad placements and participated in new member recruitment. $300 million was raised.

SAC Capital Advisor’s $1.8B Criminal Securities Fraud Settlement with the DOJ is Accepted by a Federal Judge

Published on: April 12, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain has approved the criminal settlement reached between the US Department of Justice and SAC Capital Advisors LP. The hedge fund, which was founded by Steven A. Cohen, consented to pay a $1.8 billion penalty and plead guilty to insider trading charges that resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal profits.

According to an indictment issued last year, for over a decade, insider trading involving stock of over 20 publicly-traded companies occurred at SAC Capital. The hedge fund is pleading guilty to numerous counts of securities fraud and a single count of wire fraud.

Eight of its employees have either been convicted or pleaded guilty over their involvement, including former SAC Capital portfolio managers Mathew Martoma and Michael Steinberg, who were convicted in their trials but will likely appeal. Cohen, however, has not been criminally charged—although the Securities and Exchange Commission did file a civil case against him. The regulator also put forth an administrative action to get Cohen barred from the securities industry because he failed to properly supervise Steinberg and Martoma or prevent the insider trading from happening.

SEC Files Charges Over Securities Fraud Scams that Used YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, & Other Social Media

Published on: April 9, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has filed securities fraud charges against Joseph Signore, Paul L. Schumack II, and their respective companies for their Florida-based Ponzi scam that purportedly used YouTube videos to target hundreds of US investors to get them to invest in virtual concierge machines that were supposed to garner 300-500% returns in four years. The two companies are T.B.T.I. Inc. and JCS Enterprises Inc.

According to the SEC, the two men and their companies falsely promised investors that their money would go toward the purchase of these ATM-like machines, which businesses would then use to promote services and products via touch screen, coupons, or printable tickets. The machines were to be placed at airports, hotels, and stadiums.

Instead, contends the regulator, Schumack, Signore, and their companies used investors’ funds in Ponzi scam-fashion, taking new investors money to pay the “returns” of earlier investors and paying for their personal expenses (including credit card bills, restaurants, unrelated business ventures, and family spending).

Bank of America, Its Ex-CEO To Pay $25M to Settle Securities Case with NY Over Merrill Lynch Deal

Published on: March 31, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Bank of America Corp. (BAC) and its ex-CEO Kenneth Lewis have consented to pay $25 million to settle the remaining big securities fraud case accusing them of misleading investors about the financial state of Merrill Lynch & Co. during the 2008 financial crisis. The New York securities case accuses the bank of deceiving shareholders by not disclosing Merrill’s increasing losses before the acquisition deal was closed or letting them know that the deal let Merrill give its officials billions of dollars in awards.

As part of the settlement, the bank will pay the state of New York $15 million and it will enhance its oversight. Lewis, meantime, has consented to pay $10 million and he cannot work at or serve as a director of any public company for three years.

Also named as a defendant in the securities lawsuit but who refused to settle is ex-Bank of America CFO Joe Price. NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman intends to pursue a summary judgment against him, as well as ask a judge to reach a decision without a trial. Schneiderman reportedly wants Price permanently banned from serving as a director or working at a public company.

Bank of America Settles Mortgage Bond Claims with FHFA for $9.3B

Published on: March 29, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Bank of America (BAC) will pay $9.3 billion to settle securities claims that it sold faulty mortgage bonds to Freddie Mac (FMCC) and Fannie Mae (FNMA). The deal, reached with the Federal Housing Finance Agency, includes $3.2 billion in securities that the bank will buy from the housing finance entities and a cash payment of $6.3 billion.

The mortgage bond settlement resolves securities lawsuits against the bank, Countrywide, and Merrill Lynch (MER). FHFA, which regulates both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, accused Bank of America of misrepresenting the quality of the loans behind residential mortgage-backed securities that the mortgage financing companies purchased between 2005 and 2007.

This is the 10th of 18 securities lawsuits reached by the FHFA over litigation involving around $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities. To date, it has gotten back over $10 billion over such claims.