Investor Lawyers Blog

Ex-Sonics Special Assistant Accused of $4M Wire Fraud, Ponzi Scam

Published on: April 29, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Steve Gordon, who used to be the special assistant to the Seattle SuperSonics basketball team, has been charged with federal wire fraud. Gordon is accused of using false pretenses to initiate at least $4 million in business deals. The criminal charges come after a 10-month probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Gordon, who also worked with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Portland Trail Blazers, is accused of creating a Ponzi scam that involved at least 30 investors. Newer investors’ money was allegedly used to pay earlier investors their promised returns.

The wire fraud count accuses him of using misrepresentations, fraudulent promises and false pretenses, and concealing material facts to solicit money from investors. He also purportedly used his friendship with ex-Microsoft SCEO Steve Ballmer by falsely claiming that the billionaire was his partner and financial backer. However, according to the fraud charges, Ballmer never promised to give Gordon any money.

Puerto Rico’s General Obligation Rating is Downgraded to CCC+

Published on: April 28, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) has just downgraded the general obligation rating of Puerto Rico from a rating of B to a rating of CCC +. The ratings agency said the downgrade was because the market access prospects for the U.S. territory have weakened even further and Puerto Rico’s ability to fulfill its financial commitments is becoming more and more linked to the economic and business conditions in the Commonwealth, which are not strong.

The credit rater is also putting the general obligation rating on CreditWatch negative, which means the rating could go even lower into junk bond status and closer to a default. S&P lowered its ratings on the first-lien and second-lien sales tax bonds of the Puerto Rico Sales Tax Financing Corp. from B to CCC + as well. The bonds of the Puerto Rico Employees Retirement System and the Puerto Rico Municipal Finance Agency also received downgrades with a negative outlook.

S&P says that unless the conditions in Puerto Rico get better, the territory won’t be able to sustain its financial commitments. The ratings agency said there was not currently a consensus on key aspects of the 2016 budget and that this could make fiscal pressure and liquidity worse. In a letter from Puerto Rico’s Government Development Bank to its governor, there were concerns about liquidity problems unless the government starts tax reform and enacts a budget. S&P stated that if the budget is delayed or flawed there might be an even further ratings downgrades.

SEC Investigates Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Published on: April 28, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Bank of America Corp. (BAC) and its Merrill Lynch unit to find out if the lender broke rules established to protect customers accounts. According to sources in the know, over a three-year period, Merrill Lynch used different kinds of big, complex trades and loans to save on funding expenses and free up billions of dollars in money and securities for trading that it otherwise would have needed to keep off-limits.

Bank of America put a halt to the trades in 2012 in the wake of internal dialogue over possible risks involved. The trades involved strategies that existed when the bank purchased Merrill Lynch in 2009.

Now, the SEC wants to know if the strategies violated the protection rules and if regulators were misled about the bank’s actions. It also is trying to determine if retail brokerage funds were placed at risk for the purpose of making more money.

FINRA and SEC Unveil Report on Senior Investors, Cite Concerns About Unsuitable Recommendations

Published on: April 27, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Securities and Exchange Commission have put out a report, the Senior Investment Initiative, to help brokerage firms come up with better procedures and policies for older investors. With the current low yields on traditional savings accounts and investments that are more low risk, FINRA and the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations are worried that broker-dealers could be recommending investments that may be to risky or unsuitable for seniors who want higher returns. They are also worried that the firms are not properly disclosing the terms and risks of these securities.

Considering that by 2040 there are expected to be some 79 million Americans in the 65 and over age group, information in this report is important for helping tackle investment issues as they relate to seniors. OCIE’s Director Andrew J. Bowden pointed out that seniors are now more than ever more dependent on their investments to help with retirement. Bowden noted that it is important that older investors are treated fairly and get suitable recommendations and appropriate disclosures about the risks, costs, and benefits of their investments.

The two agencies examined some 44 brokerage firms. They looked at brokerage firm reps training, communications, arresting, account documentation, use of certain designations, disclosures, supervision, and customer complaints.

Morgan Stanley Sued by Home Shopping Founder’s Widow for $170M

Published on: April 27, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Lynnda L. Speer, the widow of Home Shopping Network co-founder Roy M. Speer, is suing Morgan Stanley Wealth Management (MS), a branch manager, and an adviser for over $170 million. Mrs. Speer contends that the firm and adviser Ami Forte took part in excessive trading, abused their fiduciary duty, and were involved in unauthorized use of discretion.

Now, she is seeking $78 million for Florida Statute violations, up to $66 million in portfolio damages, and up to $44 million for disgorgement and excess commission damages. Also named in the complaint submitted to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is Morgan Stanley branch manager Terry McCoy.

Reuters reports that Speer’s case accuses Morgan Stanley of not properly supervising its brokers and failing to act in the best interests of Mr. Speer. When Speer died in 2012 at the age of 80 his estimated worth was approximately $775 million.

Puerto Rico, Hedge Funds Look to Ex-IMF Officials to Help With Debt Crisis

Published on: April 25, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

According to The Wall Street Journal, the government of Puerto Rico and the hedge funds that own its bonds are looking to ex-International Monetary Fund officials to help solve the U.S. territory’s growing debt problem. Meantime, Puerto Rico is talking to the funds and other investors about borrowing some $3 billion in new bonds to help fill its coffers that are almost empty. Already, the commonwealth is in debt of over $70 billion.

Now, say sources, Puerto Rico has retained ex-IMF first deputy managing director Anne Krueger as a consultant, and a committee for the hedge funds is talking to the IMF’s ex-Western Hemisphere department director Claudio Loser. The IMF is considered the lender of last resort for countries that are considered emerging market nations.

The dealings with ex-IMF heads are an indicator of Puerto Rico’s unusual status. It is not a sovereign nation or a U.S. state. Therefore, its municipal entities are not entitled to the U.S.’s bankruptcy protections. Yet because the island is an American commonwealth, it doesn’t qualify for aid from the IMF.

BlackRock Advisors Settles SEC Charges Over Conflict of Interest Disclosures for $12M

Published on: April 25, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

BlackRock Advisors (BLK) has consented to be pay $12M resolve Securities and Exchange Commission charges claiming that a conflict of interest that occurred because a former portfolio manager’s outside business activity was not disclosed. Additionally, the firm agreed to a censure and will retain an independent compliance consultant to perform a review.

According to the regulator, when Daniel J. Rice III founded Rice Energy, an oil and natural gas company, he was also managing energy-focused funds and separately managed accounts at the firm. Also, he’d invested $50M in Rice Energy and was general partner.

The oil and natural gas company eventually went into a joint venture that became the biggest holding in the BlackRock Energy & Resources Portfolio. This also happened to be the biggest fund managed by Rice.

FINRA Bars Wells Fargo Broker to NFL, NBA Players Over Failure to Disclose Nightclub Involvement

Published on: April 24, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. has barred broker Aaron Parthemer, a Wells Fargo (WFC) adviser, for taking part in a number of outside businesses and failing to disclose his involvement. FINRA has tight regulations that don’t allow brokers to take part in private securities transactions without notifying their firm and getting authorization. Parthemer, who used to be at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management (MS) until four years ago, has advised numerous NBA and NFL athletes.

According to the SRO, he falsely represented, in compliance questionnaires he filled out while with both firms, that he was not taking part in external business activities that warranted disclosure. He also gave FINRA false data when the regulator started to ask for more information about external business activities in 2012.

Parthemer allegedly did not disclose the part he played in running Club Play, which used to be a South Beach, Florida nightclub, as well as his involvement in a tequila marketing operation and an Internet branding startup. FINRA also contends that the broker made unapproved loans to clients in connection with the club and referred clients to invest in the start up.

Killeen Man Accused of Texas Securities Fraud Targeting Military

Published on: April 23, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is accusing Leroy Brown Jr. of Texas securities fraud. Brown, a U.S. army veteran, allegedly solicited ex- and current members of the military and others to invest with him and his firm LB Stocks and Trades Advice.

Among his purported wrongdoings are presenting his firm as SEC- and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority-registered, when it is neither, touting himself as holding all securities licenses, which he does not, and creating a bogus sense of success and legitimacy via numerous misrepresentations to get people to invest. Brown also allegedly persuaded investors to buy $1,000 membership certificates in the firm’s stocks to get involved in purported investments in undeveloped real estate that were purportedly “guaranteed” to double or even triple their money. Instead, said the SEC, he took investors’ funds and placed the cash in his own accounts. The Commission believes the Texas securities scam has gone on for about sixteen months.

Affinity Scams

Deutsche Bank to Pay $2.5B for Rate Rigging

Published on: April 23, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Financial firm Deutsche Bank (DB) will pay a $2.5 billion fine to regulators in the United States and Britain for its involvement in rate rigging. The German lender also will fire seven of its employees.

This is the largest penalty to date against a financial institution over allegations of benchmark manipulation. As part of the deal, Deutsche Bank’s subsidiary in London has pleaded guilty to criminal wire fraud charges. Meantime, the parent group has arrived at a deferred prosecution deal to resolve U.S. wire fraud and antitrust charges.

The large fine is reflective of the banks’ big market share for financial instruments tied to interest rates on mortgages, credit cards, student loans, and credit cards that the benchmarks help set.