WG Trading

The U.S. Commodity Future Trading Commission says that hedge fund Paul Greenwood has been sentenced to ten years behind bars. Greenwood, who was the general partner of WG Trading Co., pleaded guilty to numerous criminal charges, including securities fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, commodities fraud, and conspiracy in 2010.

Greenwood and fellow WG Trading manager Steven Walsh were indicted on charges that accused them of conspiring to bilk investor of $554 million in an investment scam that U.S. prosecutors say ran from 1996 through 2009. Greenwood admitted to “sort of” operating a Ponzi scam and spending a minimum of $75 million of investors’ funds to pay for his passion for museum-grade teddy bears and other lavish spending. The scheme purportedly cost investors somewhere between $800 million to $900 million.

U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum, who sentenced Greenwood, told him to forfeit another $83.5 million. He has until February 9, 2015 to report to prison. Prosecutors told the judge that Greenwood helped the government with its case. He also assisted a court-appointed receivership in finding around $900 million, which is nearly 90% of investor claims. As part of his plea deal, Greenwood said he would forfeit at least $331 million to the government.

Stephen Walsh, a WG Trading Co. money manager and principal has pleaded guilty to bilking institutional investors of more than $554 million over a period of 13 years. Walsh and EG’s ex-general partner Paul Greenwood were charged in 2009 with allegations accusing them of using the investment advisory firm and commodities trading to perpetuate their scam, which took place between 1996 and 2009. Charities, retirement plans, pension flans, and university foundations were among those bilked.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the two men raised $7.6 million, misappropriating hundreds of millions for their personal use. They were supposed to put the money in an equity index arbitrage program, which the represented as a conservative trading plan that had done very well for years.

Investors then either got promissory notes from WG Trading Company or became limited partners. Greenwood and Walsh made it seem as if interest would be paid at a rate that was the equivalent of investment returns made by a limited partner.

Articles Tagged with WG Trading

Money Manager Paul Greenwood Gets 10 Years in Prison for $1.3B Investment Fraud

WG Trading Co. Manager Pleads Guilty To $554M Securities Scam That Targeted Institutional Investors