Articles Tagged with commodities fraud

Haena Park, the Harvard-educated financier who pleaded guilty to the commodities fraud that bilked over 40 investors of more than $23M, is sentenced to three years in prison. Park defrauded friends and family over six years, beginning in 2008, by soliciting investments in different commodities and securities, including equities, futures, and forex transactions.

Even after she lost investors’ money, Park continued to solicit new investors, claiming up to 50% yearly returns and generating false monthly statements that concealed the large losses. Among her victims were immigrants who worked multiple jobs, older investors who saw their life savings disappear, and a paraplegic who suffered $4M in investment losses.

After Park pleaded guilty early this year, then-US Attorney Preet Bharara said that Park was not just admitting to the fraud, but also acknowledging that she lied about her trading expertise, as well as return rates, to draw in investors.