As investor advocacy group, the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA), announced this week, FINRA and the securities industry does not enforce payment of arbitration awards nearly. Far too many awards go unpaid, while disciplined brokers simply drop out of the industry.
As Madoff Drifts into the Mists of Memory, Big Fraud Is Coming Back
Once you're inside a Ponzi Scheme, it can look and feel a lot like a normal investment opportunity, especially if the scheme operator is adept at creating false investment documentation. The key is not to get draw into a Ponzi Scheme in the first place. The most common signs of these frauds are evident from the beginning - that's when you have the greatest chance of identifying them.
Ex-Wells Fargo Broker Stole $1M from Elderly Clients
According to recent information released by the securities industry watchdog, FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority), over his long 35 year career with major brokerage houses including Stifel and most recently Wells Fargo, former Certified Financial Planner John Gregory Schmidt formed close personal relationships with elderly and infirm clients in order to win their trust and steal their money.
Hedge Fund Ponzi Busted
According to the Massachusetts Depart of Justice, Raymond Montoya ran his Ponzi scheme for almost a decade under the auspices of a fund called RMA Strategic Opportunity Fund, LLC. Over the years, investors transferred millions of dollars to Montoya on the promise that he would invest the money in stocks and bonds.
Ponzi Schemer Paid for Prayers - SEC Probe
An investment advisor charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission with running a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme spent close to a million dollars on prayers from Hindu priests in order to keep the feds at bay. In spite of her prayers, however, Dawn Bennett was convicted by the federal government of defrauding more than 200 investors of nearly $18 million over the past several years.
Ponzi-scheme Operator Sentenced to 30 years in Prison
According to the US Attorney’s office in Arizona, a group operating a Ponzi Scheme solicited millions of dollars in investments for various companies and projects, including real estate, recycling, and land development in Mexico. The solicitations were made through numerous seminars, magazines articles, radio broadcasts, and private offerings.
Small Investors More Vulnerable Than Ever to Wall Street Predators
In the aftermath of Enron, the Financial Crisis, and the Wolf of Wall Street, you might think that regulators who are charged with protecting small retail investors as much as the markets themselves would sharpen up the rules and regulations governing the financial industry. Unfortunately, a series of announcement recently opined about in the New York Times suggests that small investors are more, not less, vulnerable to Wall Street’s predations than they’ve ever been.
SEC Busts $350 Million Ponzi-like Scheme
The SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) announced today that it has obtained a court order to shut down a major investment operation worth approximately $345 million. According to the SEC complaint, the scheme involved more than 230 investors from the United States and was lead by Kevin B. Merrill and Cameron Jezierski.
Former Eagles Player and Goldman Sachs Banker Accused of Insider Trading
Phony Billionaire Connected to Ponzi Scheme
Financier Steve Stovanovich liked to play the big man. Over the past few years, he has pledged multimillionaire donations to the University of Chicago and institute named on his behalf. But as a recent investigation by the Chicago Maroon has revealed, Stovanovich may not possess the vast wealth he says he has.
PA Brokerage Ordered to Pay $1M in Damages
Five Salespeople Go Down in Woodbridge Ponzi Scheme
All About Non-Traditional Index Funds
Traditional index funds track a market index - hence the name. That may be the S&P 500 or NASDAQ or a smaller segment of the market. Non-traditional index funds, on the other hands, track customized index in order to achieve greater performance than their traditional counterparts. Non-traditional funds may also use leverage, such that they return a multiple of one of these customized indexes, thus ratcheting up potential returns (and potential losses) to an even greater extent.
FINRA Disciplinary Action Report April 2018
FINRA Disciplinary Actions February 2018
Each month, the agency that regulates the financial industry, FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority), produces a detailed report that runs down all disciplinary actions recently taken against brokerage firms and brokers. We strongly encourage any investor who suspects their broker and/or broker-dealer of having lost them money on dubious terms to at least skim this report to see if you recognize any names, schemes, products, or securities.