Investor Lawyers Blog

Moody’s Investors Group Drops City of Chicago’s Credit Rating to Junk

Published on: May 12, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Credit rating agency Moody’s Investor Service has downgraded the credit rating for the city of Chicago, Illinois to junk, reducing the rating of its $8.1 billion of general obligation by two to Ba1, along with a negative outlook. That’s right under investment grade.

The reduction lets banks demand that the Illinois city pay back the debt it owes them early. It also makes Chicago vulnerable to fees to terminate swap contracts.

Aside from the Michigan city of Detroit, Chicago is the lowest-rated of any large city in the U.S. Moody’s downgrade comes after the Illinois Supreme Court decision over retirement benefits last week. The court unanimously decided that a state pension law to reduce government worker benefits, which would get rid of $105 billion in retirement system debt, was unconstitutional. Now, there is skepticism over whether Chicago can keep its $20 billion pension fund short fall under control.

Texas-Based Retirement Planning Firm Accused of Making False Claims to Investors About Life Settlements

Published on: May 11, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Securities and Exchange Commission is charging Novus Financial and principals Brady J. Speers and Christopher A. Novinger with making false claims about life settlements. The regulator filed its claim in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

According to the SEC’s complaint, from ’12 – ’14, the retirement planning firm and its principals sold about $4.3 million in life settlement interests to 26 investors. Speers and Novinger are accused of describing the investments as secure and safe. Both were purportedly willing to manipulate the financial data of investors to make the sale happen.

The Commission also claims that the firm, Novinger, and Speers used a net worth calculator that was bogus. This allowed a number of prospective investors to improperly qualify to buy the interests. In one instance, the non-homestead assets of one couple were falsely inflated to $1.5 million from $263K because of the calculator.

Nomura Holdings and Royal Bank Scotland Lose FHFA’s Mortgage-Backed Securities Case

Published on: May 11, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

A U.S. District Court judge said that Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc (RBS) and Nomura Holdings Inc. (NMR) misled Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae when it sold them faulty mortgage-backed securities in 2008. The two banks are the only financial firms who opted to go to trial rather than settle the claims against them. Over a dozen other firms, including Bank of America (BAC) and Goldman Sachs (GS), decided to resolve their cases filed by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. They collectively have paid close to $18 billion in penalties.

In her 361- page ruling, Judge Denise L. Cote of Federal District Court in Manhattan wrote that the extent of falsity committed by the two banks was “enormous.” She told the FHFA to propose how much Royal Bank of Scotland and Nomura should pay in the wake of her decision. The agency had initially sought approximately $1.1 billion.

The FHFA accused Nomura of cheating the two mortgage lenders when it sold them $2 billion of bonds that were backed by defective mortgages. It was RBS that underwrote more than half of the securitizations involved.

Florida Microcap Co. Accused of Bilking Over 400 Investors of More than $11M

Published on: May 7, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Securities and Exchange Commission is suing eCareer Holdings Inc. and its executives for fraud. According to the regulator, the online staffing company bilked over 400 investors of $11 million when it miserpresented the company and sold shares that were unregistered. Also accused of fraud are three boiler room brokers who tried to conceal that they were barred from the industry.

According to the SEC’s microcap fraud case, investors were bilked in cold calls that were made through a boiler room run by Frederick Birks, Dean A. Esposito, and Joseph DeVito. The three of them and their sales agents were hired by eCareer CEO Joseph J. Azzata.

Investors were told their funds would go toward working capital to develop the company’s online job staffing business. Instead, approximately 30% of their money went toward outrageous fees to the agents and brokers.

Barclays, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan Chase & Royal Bank of Scotland to Settle FX Rigging Allegations

Published on: May 7, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Wall Street Journal says that U.S. prosecutors are getting ready to announce settlements reached with Barclays PLC ( BCS), Citigroup Inc. (C), Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS), and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) over allegations involving foreign currency exchange rate rigging. All four banks are expected to plead guilty to charges of criminal antitrust related to their traders’ alleged collusion in foreign currency markets. The Department of Justice has been investigating whether traders manipulated exchange rates so that their positions would benefit even if this meant financially hurting customers.

Barclays is expected to settle with a number of agencies in the U.S. and Europe for over $1 billion. Also expected to settle is UBS AG (UBS), which was the first bank to cooperate with federal investigators in this probe. The Swiss bank, however, will reportedly be granted immunity from prosecution.

Guilty pleas by the other firms, however, aren’t going to resolve all of the investigations into forex rigging. Other banks are still under scrutiny and settlements from them may be pending.

LPL Financial to Pay $11.7M Fine for Supervisory Failures

Published on: May 6, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. said that LPL Financial (LPLA) must pay $11.7M in fines and restitution for widespread supervisory failures involving complex products sales. The self-regulatory organization said that from 2007 up to last month, the firm did not properly supervise certain exchange-traded funds, nontraded real estate investment trusts, and variable annuities. It also did not properly deliver over 14 million trade confirmations to customers and failed to properly supervise communications, including advertising, as well as the consolidated reports used by brokers.

According to the Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent, To grow LPL, its wholly-owned brokerage firm subsidiary, LPL Financial Holdings Inc. employed a strategy that included acquiring financial services firms, consolidating them with the broker-dealer, and bringing in more registered representatives. Unfortunately, said the SRO, the firm failed to dedicate enough resources to allow LPL to fulfill its supervisory duties.

As just one example, LPL did not have a system for either monitoring the duration of time customers held securities in accounts or enforcing concentration limits on complex products. Its system for reviewing trading activities in accounts had numerous deficiencies. Also, LPL did not submit trade confirmations in over 67,000 customer accounts.

City of Los Angeles, CA Sues Wells Fargo for Fraud

Published on: May 5, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The city of Los Angeles has filed a civil complaint against Wells Fargo Bank (WFC). The lawsuit accuses the bank of encouraging employees to take part in conduct that was illegal and fraudulent, including setting up unauthorized accounts for customers, charging them unwarranted fees, and ruining their credit.

The city is looking to get a court order stopping the alleged wrongdoing. It wants penalties for every violation, as well as restitution for customers that were hurt. The case is applicable to residents of Los Angeles County and perhaps even customers outside that area.

According to the complaint, employees purportedly misused the confidential data of customers and neglected to close unauthorized accounts when the latter complained. Certain employees even allegedly raided customer accounts for money to set up additional accounts. When unwarranted fees went unpaid, the bank purportedly put customers into collections because of unauthorized withdrawals and damaging data on their credit cards because of these unwarranted fees.

RBC Capital Markets Must Pay $1M Fine and $434K Restitution to Customers Over Unsuitable Reverse Convertible Sales

Published on: April 30, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is ordering RBC Capital Markets to pay restitution to customers for supervisory failures that allowed for the sale of reverse convertibles that were unsuitable for them. The firm must pay them about $434,000 plus a $1 million fine.

According to the self-regulatory organization, RBC Capital Markets lacked supervisory systems that were reasonably designed to identify transactions that warranted review when the reverse convertibles were sold to customers. This purported inadequacy is s a violation of FINRA’s rules and suitability guidelines.

Although RBC had guidelines for selling reverse convertibles, specific criteria were established regarding annual income, investment goals, liquid net worth, and investment experience. Because of this, the firm was unable to detect the sale of 364 reverse convertible transactions by 99 of its registered representatives. The transactions involved 218 accounts and they were not suitable for the account holders. The customers lost at least $1.1 million.

More than $600K Whistleblower Award to Be Issued in SEC’s First Retalitation Case

Published on: April 30, 2015 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Securities and Exchange Commission will award a whistleblower more than $600,000 for providing original information that resulted in a successful enforcement action. That’s 30% of the total monies collected related to the case,

In the Matter of Paradigm Capital Management, Inc. and Candace King Weir. It’s also the maximum percentage of funds that a whistleblower can get in in such an action.

The Commission charged Paradigm with taking retaliatory action against the whistleblower for reporting the possible misconduct. Retaliatory actions included removing the person from their position and changing their job duties, making the individual investigate the wrongdoing that was alleged, and other acts that caused the whistleblower to feel marginalized.

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.