SEC Warns Investors About False Broker Claims
The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy cautions investors to research the credentials of financial professionals before trusting that person with investment money. This precautionary investigation will serve as a safeguard against people who may lie about their backgrounds in an effort to gain more professional trust from investors with their finances. This public […]
Canadian Trader Charged for Short Selling U.S. Stocks
The SEC filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco alleging that Andrew Evans, a Canadian trader at his firm, Maritime Asset Management, illegally shorted U.S. stocks from December 2010 until May 2012. Evans will pay more than $1 million in settlement charges. Evans allegedly sold a U.S. company’s stocks at a […]
SEC Charges Oil Company, CEO, and Promotor with Fraudulent Penny Stock Sales
On June 18, 2015, the SEC charged an oil company and its CEO for lying to investors about oil reserve estimates and future drilling plans. Glen Landry, the CEO of Norstra Energy, published to Norstra’s website, in press releases, and in SEC filings many false and misleading statements about the projected profits and start date […]
Gold Mining Ponzi Scheme Targets Latinos in Florida
On July 2, 2015, the SEC froze a fraudulent venture headed by DFRF Enterprises, its leader, and six promoters. The SEC alleges that DFRF Enterprises operated a Ponzi scheme by promoting and selling membership interests in over 50 Brazilian and African gold mines. The company recruited investors by promising large profits on fully insured funds used […]
SEC Charges Atlanta Firm With Fraud Over Public Pension Funds
The SEC filed fraud charges against an Atlanta-based investment firm and two of its executives for their handling of the city’s pension funds for police, firefighters, transit workers, and other employees. According to the SEC, Gray Financial Group Inc. placed public pension funds into an investment that did not adhere to state law and collected […]
Nationwide Insurance To Pay $8M Penalty
Nationwide Insurance Fined $8M for Violations Nationwide Life Insurance Company will pay $8 million to settle charges filed by the SEC alleging that the insurance giant consistently violated pricing rules when processing orders of many of its insurance products. A statement by the SEC claims that Nationwide knowingly waited to deliver mail in order to […]
UBS Loses Arbitration, Forced To Pay $200k
UBS Loses Arbitration and Ordered to Pay $200K UBS lost an arbitration case this week pertaining to the offer and sale of a number of Puerto Rico Fixed Income and Bond funds. The Claimant in the arbitration asserted causes of action for violation of the Puerto Rico Uniform Securities Act, securities fraud, constructive fraud, breach […]
LPL Financial Fined $11.7M For ‘Widespread Supervisory Failures’
FINRA ordered LPL Financial to pay $11.7 million in fines and restitution for what it called “widespread supervisory failures” pertaining to sales of complex products. According to the regulator authority, from 2007 to April 2015, LPL failed to adequately supervise sales of particular investments, such as exchange-traded funds, variable annuities, and nontraded real estate investment […]
FINRA Investigating National Securities Broker
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investigating National Securities Broker FINRA has filed a complaint against broker Vito Balsamo alleging that Balsamo was “selling away” ownership interests in a limited liability company named V.W. Industries, LLC without getting prior written approval from his member firm. Selling away occurs when an investment professional sells or offers securities not […]
Alabama Securities Fraudster’s Assets Intercepted
The Alabama Securities Commission intercepted $16,000 worth of redeemed stock owned by Harry H. “Woody” Duncan from Huntsville, Alabama and successfully rerouted the cash to assist in the payment of restitution to victims of an illegal securities scheme operated by Duncan in 2011. In August 2012, Madison County, Alabama Circuit Court Judge James P. Smith […]