GPB Capital Holdings

Dempsey Lord Smith, BD4IA, and Geneos Wealth Management Fined For Selling GPB Private Placements To Customers

Published on: April 8, 2022 | by Samuel B. Edwards

FINRA Accuses Broker-Dealers of Negligence and Unsuitability

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently fined three brokerage firms for negligently selling GPB Capital Holdings private placements to retail customers. The broker-dealers are Dempsey Lord Smith, BD4RIA, and Geneos Wealth Management.

They have agreed to pay a $70K fine plus more than $30K restitution (with interest), a $45K fine along with $40K restitution, and $400K, respectively. The self-regulatory organizations’ (SRO’s) case against Geneos is also over its sales of the LJM Preservation & Growth Fund to customers.

Advisor Group Broker-Dealers Facing $19.4M in GPB Capital Holdings Investor Claims

Published on: March 11, 2022 | by Samuel B. Edwards

In Focus Reports submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in February 2022, four brokerage firms from the Advisor Group network disclosed that they were respondents in 58 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration cases. These arbitration cases, from July 2019 through the end of 2021, were over GPB-related losses.

GPB Capital Holdings, LLC, which issued these private placements, is accused of operating an over $1.8B Ponzi scam that defrauded more than 17,000 thousand investors. GPB investors typically purchased these high-commission products in $50K to $100K tranches. They have since suffered substantial investment losses.

Distributions of GPB private placements were stopped in 2018. Ponzi fraud allegations, resulting investigations, and litigation followed. The GPB funds plunged in value. Meanwhile, dozens of brokerage firms marketed and sold these alternative investments to customers, earning many millions of dollars in commissions and fees.

DOJ Sends Letter to GPB Ponzi Scheme Victims

Published on: January 10, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

US Government Reaches Out to GPB Capital Investors Who Were Harmed

On December 23, 2021, the US Department of Justice sent a letter to those who have been identified as victims or potential victims of GPB Capital Holdings, LLC‘s more than $1.8B Ponzi scheme.

The notice comes in the wake of the federal government’s criminal case against GPB founder and owner David Gentile, ex-GPB managing partner Jeffrey Lash, and Ascendant Capital CEO Jeffry Schneider. These individuals were are all charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy related to the alleged Ponzi scheme.

Former GPB Capital Holdings CEO David Gentile Sues The Alternative Asset Firm

Published on: January 4, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Founder Faces Charges Over $1.8B Ponzi Scam and Wants GPB Capital to Pay His Legal Fees

Beleaguered private equity firm GPB Capital Holdings is back in the news. This time its founder and former CEO, David Gentile, is suing the company in Delaware Chancery Court.

Gentile, who is facing criminal, civil fraud, and conspiracy charges related to the over $1.8B Ponzi scam that GPB is accused of perpetuating, wants his legal defense fees paid for and not out of his own pocket.

Investor Pursues $500K GPB Capital Claim Against TD Ameritrade

Published on: November 26, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

GPB Private Placements Were Sold Through Brokerage Firm’s AdvisorDirect® Service

An investor recently filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against broker-dealer TD Ameritrade over losses sustained in GPB investments. The private placements from GPB Capital Holdings were recommended by an investment advisor via the TD Ameritrade AdvisorDirect® Referral Program.

GPB Capital Holdings LLC is accused of operating an over $1.7B Ponzi scam that defrauded over 17,000 investors. The claimant is seeking $500K in damages.

GPB Capital Holdings Concludes Sale of Prime Automotive Group

Published on: November 23, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Beleaguered Alternative Asset Firm Also Reaches $30M Settlement With Former Prime CEO

New York-based GPB Capital Holdings, LLC has finalized its sale of its Prime Automotive Group to Group 1 Automotive. The purchase includes all of Prime Auto’s assets, including over two dozen car dealerships and three collision centers.

The $880M sale of Prime Automotive Group was announced in September 2021. This comes months after a regulatory filing in May 2021 when GPB Capital stated that it doubted the former’s survival. In August 2021, the alternative asset firm spoke about selling dealerships to generate operational liquidity.

Utah Retirees File Six-Figure GBP Investor Claim Against Woodbury Financial Services

Published on: October 27, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Couple’s FINRA Arbitration Claim Seeks Up to $500K in Damages

A retired couple from Payson, Utah have filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against Woodbury Financial Services over losses they sustained while investing in GPB Capital Holdings LLC, CIM REIT, and other privately traded entities. Now, they are seeking up to $500K in damages.

Our investment fraud lawyers are representing these investors in their FINRA arbitration claim against Woodbury. This is one of many securities cases we have filed against the broker-dealers that enriched themselves in the alleged $1.7B Ponzi scheme. The hearing will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah.

GPB Capital Founder David Gentile Claims Firm Owes Him Millions of Dollars

Published on: October 14, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Alternative Asset Firm’s Former CEO Wants Money Despite Facing Criminal Fraud Charges

David Gentile, the founder of GPB Capital Holdings LLC, is requesting that a district court grant him supervised mediation as he attempts to secure millions of dollars that he claims the alternative asset firm owes him as owner and general partner.

Gentile, ex-managing partner Jeffrey Lash, and Ascendant Capital owner Jeffry Schneider are accused of operating an over $1.7B Ponzi scheme that defrauded more than 17,000 investors. The three men are also facing criminal charges.

GPB Capital Sells Prime Automotive Group Dealerships for $880M

Published on: September 16, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

GPB Sells Remaining Prime Automotive Group Dealerships to Group 1 Automotive

According to a regulatory filing submitted on September 13th, 2021, the private equity firm is selling all of its Prime Automotive car dealerships to Group 1 Automotive Inc. for $880M. The sale includes GPB Automotive Portfolio’s remaining 30 stores and three collision repair shops.

GPB Auto is one of the alternative asset firm’s largest funds, and it has been selling car dealerships since at least 2018 when it owned 52 of them. It is one of the largest GPB funds and has reported huge losses.

Did GPB Capital Holdings Executives Improperly Use Investors’ Money To Fund Personal Spending?

Published on: August 10, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Federal Prosecutors Interviewed Alternative Asset Firm’s Former Auditor

Six months after the Justice Department filed criminal charges against ex-GPB Capital Holdings executives for operating an over $1.8B Ponzi scam that defrauded more than 17,000 investors, prosecutors have submitted a court filing disclosing that federal officials have interviewed Alan Materazo of Margolin Winer & Evens, an ex-auditor and accountant for the private placement firm.

Former GPB CEO and founder David Gentile, ex-managing partner Jeffrey Schneider, and Ascendant Capital owner Jeffrey Lash, who were charged with securities fraud, and conspiracy have also come under scrutiny for allegedly using investors’ money to pay for their own expenses. The interview of Materazo may have shed more light on whether this was, in fact, the case.