Citigroup Will Pay $730M in Bond Lawsuit Alleging It Misled Debt Investors

Pending court approval, Citigroup Inc. (C) will $730 million to resolve claims that it misled debt investors regarding its financial state during the economic crisis. The plaintiffs had purchased Citi preferred stock and bonds from 5/06 through 11/8. They are accusing Citigroup of misleading the buyers of 48 issues of its corporate bonds. Included among the plaintiffs of this bond lawsuit are the City of Philadelphia Board of Pensions and Retirement, the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Pension and Relief Fund, and the Minneapolis Firefighters’ Relief Association.

The bonds’ declined as the US mortgage market collapsed and the losses grew. According to Bloomberg.com, at one point, Citigroup’s $4 billion of 10-year notes declined to 79.7 cents on the dollar. It went on to lose over $29 billion in ‘08 and ’09.

Struggling from losses involving subprime mortgages, Citigroup ended up having to take a $45 million bailout in 2008, which it has since repaid. However, it is one of the Wall Street firms still coping with the aftermath of the financial crisis. Just last year, Citi consented to pay $590 million over a securities case filed by investors of stock contending that they too had been misled.

In ‘10, a district court judge rejected part of Citigroup’s motion to have this bond lawsuit tossed out. Claims that were dismissed involved the allegedly inadequate disclosure about auction-rate securities and part of the investors’ case involving structured investment vehicles.

Despite settling, the investment bank maintains that the allegations in this bond lawsuit are untrue. Citigroup contends that is only resolved the securities lawsuit to avoid the uncertainty and expense of having to go to court.

If you suspect that your investment losses were a result of securities fraud, contact our institutional investor fraud law firm today.

Citigroup to Pay $730 Million in Bond-Lawsuit Settlement, Bloomberg Businessweek, March 19, 2013

Citi To Pay $590 Million To Burned Shareholders In Toxic Asset Case, Forbes, August 29, 2012

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Citigroup Inc.’s $590M CDO Putative Class Action Settlement Gets Preliminary Approval from District Court, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, September 13, 2012

UBS & Citi Do Have to Arbitrate Auction-Rate Securities Case Filed by Health Care Nonprofit Carilion Clinic, Institutional Investor Securities Blog, January 31, 2013