Investor Lawyers Blog

Stronger Enforcement of Civil Penalties Act Seeks To Raise SEC Enforcement Penalties

Published on: March 30, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

A bipartisan bill introduced in the US Senate wants to let the US Securities and Exchange Commission order violators of securities laws to pay much higher sanctions. If turned into law, the legislation would allow the regulator impose up to $1M as a penalty on individuals for every violation of the most serious offenses. The per penalty violation maximum for financial firms would be raised to $10M.

Currently, individuals cannot be ordered to pay a more than $181,071 penalty and the maximum for firms is $905,353. The SEC would have the option of tripling the cap on the maximum for repeat offenders who have been held civilly or criminally liable for securities fraud within the last five years.

At the moment, the SEC can calculate penalties that are the equivalent of the gross amount that were the ill-gotten gains only if the case is heard in federal court. The regulator cannot do so if it deals with the case administratively. The bipartisan bill would allow the regulator to assess such penalties in-house.

SEC Uses Restraining Order Against Chicago-Based Investment Adviser, Alleges Massive Senior Fraud

Published on: March 28, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is accusing investment adviser Daniel H. Glick and his unregistered firm, Financial Management Strategies, of bilking older investors of millions of dollars. The regulator issued a temporary restraining order against the Chicago-based investment adviser, as well as an emergency asset freeze.

According to the Commission, Glick and his firm gave false account statements to clients to conceal his use of their money, which included paying for his own personal and business expenses. He allegedly raised millions of dollars from older investors by saying he would do their taxes, pay their bills, and make investments for them. After investors would give Glick huge sums of money to invest, he either obtained power of attorney or took over control of their bank accounts.

In its complaint, the SEC stated claims that Glick not only took advantage of seniors who trusted him with their retirement funds but also he allegedly exploited these clients’ family members. Most of his investors, said the regulator, belonged to two distinct families.

Indiana Public Retirement System’s Institutional Investor Fraud Case To Be Heard by US Supreme Court

Published on: March 27, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The US Supreme Court said that it will hear a securities fraud lawsuit accusing Leidos Inc. (LDOS) of leaving out key information, as well as misstating other important ones, in securities filings. The lead plaintiff in the case is the Indiana Public Retirement System, which brought its complaint in 2012.

The investor fraud lawsuit is related to a kickback scam that took place when Leidos, it was called Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) at the time, was constructing a computerized payroll system for New York City. The scam resulted in fraud charges being brought against two SAIC employees. The government contractor ended up paying over $500M in fines to settle related charges.

The Indiana retirement fund contends that SAIC failed to dislose its liability connected to the fraud when it submitted its filings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission and that it only made the necessary disclosures in June 2011, which was months after the scam collapsed. Under SEC provision Item 303, companies must disclose uncertainties and trends that may impact their business. The retirement fund also is accusing SAIC of misstatements regarding ethics and internal controls, including the alleged misstatement that the contract with NY was immaterial to its operations.

MBS Fraud Cases: Wells Fargo, Deutsche Bank AG, and Royal Bank of Scotland Reach $165M Class Action Settlement, Bank of NY Mellon Ordered to Face $1B Lawsuit Brought by Commerzbank, and Judge Says Royal Park Must Better Define “Class” in Securities Case

Published on: March 25, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

$165M Class Action Settlement Reached in MBS Fraud Case Involving NovaStar Securities
Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc (RBS), Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC), and Deutsche Bank AG (DB) have reached a $165M with investors in their class action mortgage-backed securities case involving underwriting for NovaStar Mortgage Inc., a former subprime lender. The lead plaintiff in the case is the New Jersey Carpenters Health Fund.

NovaStar, which filed for bankruptcy last year, had specialized in low quality residential mortgages. Many of these were bundled into risky securities that were issued prior to the 2008 financial crisis. The class action settlement resolves claims contending that the offering documents put together by the banks misled investors into thinking that the loans underlying about $7.55B of NovaStar MBSs were safe and had been underwritten properly.

A district court judge must still approve the settlement. Meantime, despite the resolution, the banks continue to deny wrongdoing.
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Securities Fraud: RIA and Broker Will Go to Prison Over $15M Scam, Ohio Financial Adviser Pleads Guilty in Senior Financial Abuse Case, and SEC Wants Ex-Financial Investment Broker Barred

Published on: March 25, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Registered Investment Adviser and Broker Convicted in $15M Pump-and-Dump Scam
A federal jury has found Sheik F. Kahn, a Nevada RIA, and Christopher Cervino, a New Jersey broker, guilty of securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in an over $15M stock scam that targeted 100 investors. Kahn also was convicted of aggravated identity theft crimes and investment adviser fraud. Both she and Cervino were previously affiliated with New York-based firm Primary Capital.

According to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the pump-and-dump scam involved VGTEL (VGTL), a publicly traded over-the-counter company. The securities scam was led by Edward Durante, who pleaded guilty last year to a number of crimes, including securities fraud, conspiracy, perjury, and money laundering involving VGTL.

Cervino and Kahn are accused of artificially inflating the stock price of VGTel from 25 cents/share to up to $1.90/share in 2012 and they also inflated trading volume, raising their ability to bring in private investments in the stock.

Dallas Financial Adviser Indicted in $3M Texas Investment Fraud

Published on: March 23, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Carlton Chadbourne Sayers has been indictment in district court. The 51-year-old is accused of Texas investment fraud and he is charged with mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity fraud, and bank fraud. The scam caused dozens of investors to lose over $3M.

According to the indictment, Sayers allegedly sought to bilk a number of fraud victims by asking that they lend or invest funds with him and Wellington & Franklin Financial. He allegedly promoted that their funds would go toward buying or renovating residential real property and would be securitized by interest in these properties. He also is accused of promising a significant return rate.

Instead, states the indictment, rather than invest the funds the way he represented they would be invested, Sayers failed to secure interests in actual property or, in instances when he and Wellington & Franklin Financial actually owned a residential property, it was one that had already been bought with a pre-existing loan from an experienced investor and to whom the property was already acting as a security. Sayers is accused of bilking dozens of inexperienced investors who thought they were getting involved in secure investments that were giving them an opportunity to make higher returns than they would have with other investments.

FINRA Headlines: Dawn Bennett Loses $1M Gold ETF Claim, Regulator Bars NJ Broker-Dealer, and Investors Are Warned About Binary Options Follow-Up Fraud

Published on: March 23, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Ex-Investment Adviser Loses Arbitration Claim Over Gold Exchange-Traded Fund
Ex-financial adviser Dawn Bennett is on the losing end of a $1M securities arbitration claim brought by a former client who claims that she recommended he invest in a gold exchange-traded fund. Steven Santagati brought his ETF securities case to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. He alleged failure to supervise, breach of fiduciary duty, and negligence.

InvestmentNews reports that in an interview this week, Santagati accused Bennett of taking advantage of his lack of understanding about “financial details.” Santagati said that Bennett leveraged his account and invested in risky investments, including the SPDR Gold Shares exchange traded fund.

Finra awarded Santagati $746K. Western International Securities, which was Bennett’s ex-brokerage firm, and her Bennett Group Financial Services are additional respondents in this case. They were found “jointly and severally” liable for the violations. In addition to Santagati’s award, they must pay $27K in expert witness fees and $252K in legal fees.

US Attorney’s Office Charges Two Ex-China Medical Technologies Executives in $400M Securities Fraud

Published on: March 20, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

China Medical Technologies Inc. founder and ex-CEO Xiaodong Wu and Ex-CFO Tak Yung Samson Tsang are charged with securities fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and securities fraud conspiracy. The two men are accused of bilking the company’s noteholders and investors of over $400M. They are now fugitives and live in China.

Investors thought they were getting involved in a medical device company that was listed on NASDAQ. Funds were supposed to be invested in China Medical or used to buy back existing debt. However, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Tsang and Wu misrepresented how proceeds raised via two note offerings would be used and then stole investors’ money. They sent the funds to entities that they were either affiliated with or controlled.

The indictment said that between 1/2005 and 11/2012, Tsang, Wong, and a co-conspirator ran this securities scam and made material misrepresentations and omissions about the investments. To facilitate their fraud, the then-executives caused a China Medical outside auditor and independent director to step down, ceased issuing public disclosures about how material events were impacting security values, and stopped paying interest on the notes.

Rhode Island Investment Adviser Goes To Prison Over $21M Ponzi Scam

Published on: March 20, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

ClearPath Wealth Management owner and president Patrick Churchville has been sentenced to seven years in prison for bilking investors in a $21M Ponzi scam. He also must pay restitution and perform 2,000 hours of community service.

Churchville also was charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2015 over the scam, which the regulator said cost investors at least $11M in losses. According to the SEC, Churchville and his company used newer investors’ money to pay earlier investors, used investor funds as loan collateral for investments, for paying back the loans, and for investments that would benefit ClearPath. He also stole about $2.5M of investors’ money to buy a waterfront home. Churchville employed misleading accounting tactics and engaged in deceptive actions to hide the fraud.

In 2013, when a lot of ClearPath investors began asking for distributions on their investments, he delayed the scam by lying to them about the investments. Meantime, investors were persuaded that at least part of their investments were still fine even though the funds were gone.

Insider Trading Cases: Ex-Oppenheimer Adviser Sentenced to Six Months, Las Vegas Sports Gambler is on Trial, and SEC Files Civil Case Against Ex-Home Security Guard

Published on: March 18, 2017 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Ex-Oppenheimer Stockbroker Pleads Guilty in Insider Trading Case
David Hobson, an ex-Oppenheimer Holdings (OPY) investment adviser, was sentenced to six months behind bars for insider trading using information provided to him by a friend who was employed with Pfizer Inc. at the time.

Hobson pleaded guilty to the criminal charges against him. He was ordered to forfeit over $385K. His friend, Michael Maciocio, reached a plea deal with prosecutors for his part last year.

Hobson started insider trading in 2008 while employed at RBC Capital Markets and he continued with his illicit activities at Oppenheimer. He was Maciocio’s stockbroker.