Affinity Fraud

We The People, Inc., Richard Olive, Susan Olive and William Reeves – Florida Affinity Securities and Investment Fraud FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: February 20, 2013 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Securities and Exchange Commission v. We The People, Inc., of The United States; Richard K. Olive and Susan L. Olive; William G. Reeves, Esq., Civil Action No. 2:13-cv-14050; 2:13-civ-14047; 2:13-cv-14048

SEC Charges We The People, Inc., of The United States and Three Individuals In Offering Fraud Scheme

Recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed complaints in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in connection with an offering fraud conducted by We The People, Inc. of the United States (“We The People”), a purported charitable organization based in Tallahassee, Florida.

Sean David Morton, Vajra Productions, LLC., 27 Investments, LLC, and Magic Eight Ball Distributing, Inc. – Florida Securities and Private Placement and Offering Fraud FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: February 20, 2013 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Securities and Exchange Commission v. Sean David Morton, Vajra Productions, LLC, 27 Investments, LLC, and Magic Eight Ball Distributing, Inc., defendants, and Melissa Morton and Prophecy Research Institute, relief defendants, Civil Action No. 10-CV-1720 (SDNY) (KBF)

District Court Grants Securities and Exchange Commission’s Motions for Default Judgment against a Nationally Known Psychic and his Corporate Entities in Multi-Million Dollar Offering Fraud

The Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission) announced recently that on February 11, 2013 the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered default judgments against Sean David Morton (Morton), a nationally-recognized psychic who bills himself as “America’s Prophet,” his wife, relief defendant Melissa Morton, and corporate shell entities co-owned by the Mortons. In addition to ordering permanent injunctions from violating antifraud and registration statutes and rule, each defendant was ordered to disgorge, jointly and severally, $5,181,135.82, along with prejudgment interest of $1,171,110.54, and pay a penalty of $5,181,135.82 for a total of $11,533,382.18. Relief defendants Melissa Morton and the Prophecy Research Institute, the Mortons’ nonprofit religious organization, were ordered to disgorge $468,281 plus prejudgment interest of $105,847.23, for a total of $574,128.23.

Florida Foreign Investment Fraud Litigation and Arbitration Attorney – A Chicago Convention Center, LLC., Anshoo Sethi and Intercontinental Regional Center Trust of Chicago, LLC.

Published on: February 11, 2013 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Securities and Exchange Commission v. A Chicago Convention Center, LLC, Anshoo Sethi, and Intercontinental Regional Center Trust of Chicago, LLC, Civil Action No. 13-cv-982

SEC HALTS $150 MILLION INVESTMENT SCHEME TO DUPE FOREIGN INVESTORS AND EXPLOIT IMMIGRATION PROGRAM

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently announced charges and an asset freeze against an individual living in Illinois and two companies behind an investment scheme defrauding foreign investors seeking profitable returns and a legal path to U.S. residency through a federal visa program.

Charitable Gift Annuity Florida Fraud and Misrepresentation FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: February 4, 2013 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

SEC Charges Husband and Wife in Florida with Defrauding Seniors Investing in Purported Charity

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged a husband and wife who raised millions of dollars selling investments for a purported charitable organization in Tallahassee, Fla., while defrauding senior citizens and significantly exaggerating the amount of contributions actually made to charity.

The SEC alleges that after Richard K. Olive and Susan L. Olive were hired at We The People Inc., the organization obtained $75 million from more than 400 investors in Florida, Colorado, and Texas among more than 30 states across the country by selling an investment product they described as a charitable gift annuity (CGA). However, the CGAs issued by We The People differed in several ways from CGAs issued legitimately, namely that they were issued primarily to benefit the Olives and other third-party promoters and consultants. Only a small amount of the money raised was actually directed to charitable services. Meanwhile the Olives received more than $1.1 million in salary and commissions, and they also siphoned away investor funds for their personal use.

Trading Program Fraud and Misrepresentation South Florida FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: January 31, 2013 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

SEC Charges Trader in Houston-Area Investment Scheme Targeting Lebanese and Druze Communities

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged a day trader in Sugar Land, Texas, with defrauding investors in his supposed high-frequency trading program and providing them falsified brokerage records that drastically overstated assets and hid his massive trading losses.

The SEC alleges that Firas Hamdan particularly targeted fellow members of the Houston-area Lebanese and Druze communities, raising more than $6 million during a five-year period from at least 33 investors. Hamdan told prospective investors that he would pool their investments with his own money and conduct high-frequency trading using a supposed proprietary trading algorithm. Hamdan promised annual returns of 30 percent and assured investors that his program was safe and proven when in reality it was a dismal failure, generating $1.5 million in losses. As he failed to deliver the promised profits, Hamdan told investors that his funds were tied up in the Greek debt crisis and the MF Global bankruptcy among other phony excuses.

Arnett L. Waters – South Florida Broker/Dealer and Investment Advisor Fraud and Misappropriation FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: December 5, 2012 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Defendant in SEC Action Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges and is Barred from the Securities Industry

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently announced that Arnett L. Waters of Milton, Massachusetts, a principal of a broker-dealer and investment adviser who is a defendant in a securities fraud action filed by the Commission in May 2012, has pleaded guilty to criminal charges brought by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts and has been barred from the securities industry by the Commission. Waters’ guilty plea to securities fraud and other charges occurred on November 29, 2012, and follows an earlier guilty plea by Waters in October 2012 to criminal contempt charges for violating a preliminary injunction order obtained by the Commission in its case. The Commission’s Order barring Waters from the securities industry was issued on December 3, 2012.

The Commission filed an emergency enforcement action against Waters on May 1, 2012, alleging that he and two companies under his control, broker-dealer A.L. Waters Capital, LLC and investment adviser Moneta Management, LLC, defrauded investors from at least 2009-2012 by, among other things, misappropriating investor funds and spending it on personal expenses. On May 3, 2012, the Court entered a preliminary injunction order that, among other things, froze Waters’ assets and required him to provide an accounting of all his assets to the Commission. On August 7, 2012, the Commission filed a civil contempt motion against Waters, alleging that he had violated the court’s preliminary injunction order by establishing an undisclosed bank account, transferring funds to that account, dissipating assets, and failing to disclose the bank account to the Commission, as required by the Court’s order. On August 9, 2012, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts filed a separate criminal contempt action against Waters based on the same allegations. On October 2, 2012, Waters pleaded guilty to the criminal contempt charges, and the Court ordered him detained pending sentencing.

James F. Ellis – Wilton Manors, Florida Ponzi Scheme and Investment Fraud FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: November 9, 2012 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Securities and Exchange Commission v. Ellis, Civil Action No. 0:12-cv-62211

SEC Charges South Florida Man with Recruiting Victims of Ponzi Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged a South Florida man with defrauding at least 14 investors by soliciting them to invest in a Ponzi scheme. A significant number of the victims were members of the gay community in Wilton Manors, Florida and included inexperienced, unaccredited investors.

Arnett L. Waters – Florida Securities and Precious Metals Fraud AAA and JAMS Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: October 19, 2012 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Securities and Exchange Commission v. A.L. Waters Capital, LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 12-cv-10783-DJC (District of Massachusetts)

United States of America v. Arnett L. Waters, Criminal No. 12-cr-10336-DJC (District of Massachusetts)

Defendant in SEC Action Charged by United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts

Deer Hill Financial Group and Stephen B. Blankenship – Florida Investment Theft and Conversion Attorney

Published on: September 14, 2012 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

SEC Charges Connecticut-Based Broker With Stealing Investor Funds to Pay Mortgage and Shopping Bills

September, 2012:

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged a broker and his company based in Danbury, Conn., with stealing at least $600,000 from customers who he persuaded to withdraw money from their brokerage accounts he managed at other firms and instead invest with him directly.

Ricardo Bonilla Rojas and Shadal Yire – Ponzi Scheme Florida Fraud and Misrepresentation Attorney

Published on: August 22, 2012 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

SEC Brings Charges in Puerto Rico-Based Ponzi Scheme Targeting Evangelical Christians and Factory Workers

August, 2012:

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged a Puerto Rico resident and his company with conducting a Ponzi scheme that targeted evangelical Christians and factory workers in Puerto Rico.