Category Archives: Exploitation of the Elderly
SEC Charges Texas Pair for Misleading Elderly & Retired Investors in Life Settlements
On May 11, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit in Texas against two insurance salesman accused of illegally selling “life settlements” to more than two dozen investors, many of them elderly and retired. Life settlements are fractional interests investors purchase in the death benefits payable under a life insurance policy…. Read More »
Identifying and Protecting Against Elder Financial Abuse
Financial abuse of the elderly is a serious problem in Florida and throughout the country. Many elderly persons exhibit signs of diminished capacity to manage their own finances. Unscrupulous relatives and would-be financial advisers often take advantage of such persons. Planning to Avoid Elder Abuse through Estate Planning In a recent Investor Bulletin, the… Read More »
SEC Charges Four With Penny Stock Fraud Aimed at the Elderly
On April 7, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Boca Raton-based eCareer Holdings, Inc., and its chief executive officer, Joseph J. Azzata, with securities fraud in connection with the sale of the company’s penny stock. According to a complaint filed in Miami federal court, Azzata engaged several individuals previously barred from acting as… Read More »
FINRA Launches Toll-Free FINRA Securities Helpline for Seniors
FINRA News Report – Monday, April 20, 2015 WASHINGTON—The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has launched the toll-free FINRA Securities Helpline for Seniors™ to provide older investors with a supportive place to get assistance from knowledgeable FINRA staff related to concerns they have with their brokerage accounts and investments. Senior investors can call FINRA’s new toll-free… Read More »
Brokerage Firms Reminded – Senior Investors Must Be Treated Fairly
SEC Staff and FINRA Issue Report on National Senior Investor Initiative 04/15/2015 01:00 PM EDT With the Social Security Administration estimating that each day for the next 15 years, an average of 10,000 Americans will turn 65, the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) today… Read More »
Missing Boater Returns: Former Boca Financial Adviser was Listed as Missing Two Weeks Ago
By Matt Morgan, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer mmorgan@pbpost.com A boater who went missing about two weeks ago has returned to his home and admitted that he orchestrated his disappearance to escape his legal problems, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office. Richard Ohrn, 44, went missing off the coast of Boca Raton… Read More »
SEC Fines Texas Brokerage After Agent Stole $300,000 From Elderly Clients
Even if you deal with a reputable securities broker, there may still be unscrupulous agents of that broker who will take advantage of clients. Federal law requires all registered brokers to establish procedures for supervising their representatives. A broker who fails to do so can be held liable for a rogue agent’s illegal actions…. Read More »
WSJ Warns Florida Seniors About Broker Free Lunch Seminars
The Wall Street Journal recently analyzed where most of nation’s estimated 630,000 stockbrokers work and found at least five “hot spots” in Florida alone. The Journal identified Palm Beach County as having “one of the highest rates of troubled brokers” in the country, largely due to the presence of a high number of persons… Read More »
Arrest Made in $1.2 Million Retirement Fraud Against Florida Seniors
CBS Miami is reporting this week that 4 arrests have been made in a $1.2 million money laundering scheme that left at least 17 elderly people from all over the country with significantly less in their retirement accounts. Working together, the Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office, the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and… Read More »
