Tag Archives: Boca Raton Securities Fraud Attorney
Miami Prosecutors Secure Guilty Plea from Precious Metals Scam Operator
Federal prosecutors recently uncovered yet another precious metals scam. On January 9th, 2015, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Miami announced a plea agreement with Christopher Anzalone, a California resident who confessed to defrauding investors out of millions of dollars with false promises of profits trading in gold, platinum and other precious metals. Anzalone faces… Read More »
SEC Charges Fort Lauderdale Broker With Running Ponzi Scheme
On January 15th, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit against a Fort Lauderdale man and various entities under his control. The SEC accuses Frederic Elm of running a Ponzi scheme, defrauding dozens of investors out of more than $17 million. A federal judge has already agreed to freeze Elm’s assets… Read More »
How Do I Get My Money Back?
Investment fraud is sadly commonplace. Every year people fall victim to Ponzi schemes, insider trading, corporate misconduct, “boiler rooms,” and other types of securities fraud. If you are the customer at the losing end of such scams, your first question will be, “Can I get my money back?” The answer is often not so… Read More »
FBI Arrests Alt Fund Manager on Securities Fraud Charges
A traditional mutual fund buys and holds securities, such as stocks or bonds. But in recent years, many investors have flocked to so-called alternative mutual funds (alt funds), which rely on one or more non-traditional investments or trading strategies. Although similar to hedge funds, alt funds are still considered mutual funds, which means they… Read More »
SEC Charges Broker with Making False Sales of Facebook, Twitter Shares
Many investors hope to strike it big by investing in a hot initial public offering (IPO). But high demand for an IPO can also open the door for unscrupulous brokers to take advantage of investors. Recently the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit against a California stockbroker accused of falsely promising… Read More »
Fort Myers Pair Plead Guilty to Criminal Ponzi Scheme
On Dec. 8, the United States Attorney’s office in Miami announced two Fort Myers residents had pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection with a real estate-based Ponzi scheme. According to prosecutors, Barry J. Graham and Ricky Lynn Stokes took approximately $300 million from 1,400 investors over a four-year period. Graham, Stokes and three… Read More »
Understanding “Master Limited Partnerships”
“Master limited partnerships” are a complicated-sounding investment. And with good reason. MLPs are often advertised as can’t-miss, low-risk securities, but the truth is many investors simply do not understand how they work. A master limited partnership—officially called a “publicly traded partnership” by the Internal Revenue Service—basically combines the legal structure of a limited partnership… Read More »
Top Firms Settle with SEC over Puerto Rican Junk Bonds
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced this week that 13 top financial firms have settled charges against them alleging that they inappropriately sold Puerto Rican junk bonds to retail investors. The firms, including Charles Schwab, JP Morgan, and UBS, have all agreed to pay penalties ranging between $54,000 and $130,000, without admitting any… Read More »
FINRA Urges Focus on “Concentration Risk”
No two investors are the same. They have different income goals, different risk tolerances, and different time horizons—among other differentiating factors. Indeed, one of the most common ways in which investors and brokers get into disputes with each other is through complaints of “unsuitability.” This is an argument by the investor that his or… Read More »
Eleventh Circuit Reaffirms “Flexible” Approach to Securities Class Actions
One of the most powerful tools in investors’ arsenals against securities fraud is the securities class action. In these types of cases, many plaintiffs join together on behalf of themselves and others allegedly harmed. A class action allows plaintiffs to pool litigation resources, and be represented by one or more attorneys, instead of each… Read More »
