If you believe that a broker or brokerage firm has treated you unfairly, you may have a claim for money damages. Depending on your exact situation, you may wish to seek damages in arbitration through the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). FINRA is a...
Securities Fraud
SEC: private fund founder overvalued fund assets by over $1 billion
The SEC recently charged the founder and chief investment officer at Infinity Q Capital Management with a massive over-valuation scam. The man allegedly pocketed millions in fees by overvaluing its private fund and mutual fund and masking their real performance. The...
Shari’ah investment robo-adviser charged with misleading clients
A New York robo-adviser that claimed to offer investments that complied with Shari-ah (Islamic) law ran afoul of securities law recently. The SEC charged the company, Wahed Invest, LLC, with breach of fiduciary duty, misleading investors and compliance failures. Wahed...
When is a ‘common stock offering’ a worthless piece of paper?
We would all like to get in on the ground floor with a promising stock, but that’s easier said than done. How do you know what’s likely to take off in value? What makes a stock promising? Perhaps the first thing you should check is whether you’re actually getting...
SDIRA investment in family companies would shrink under BBB Act, part 2
In part 1 of this post, we described self-directed individual retirement accounts (SDIRAs) and how they differ from traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs), including ROTH IRAs. Broadly, traditional IRAs invest in conventional products like stocks, mutual...
Bill would restrict SDIRA investment in closely held companies, part 1
On Nov. 19, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act using the budget reconciliation process. Reconciliation rules would allow the Senate to follow suit with a simple majority, which would require every Democrat to say yes to create a...
What should investors know about REITs?
A real estate investment trust (REIT) is an investment option that closely resembles a mutual fund. However, rather than compiling shares of securities, these funds invest in real estate properties. How does a REIT work? While in a mutual fund, the success of the...
COVID-19 inspires new twists on securities fraud schemes
Unfortunately, financial greed drives some people to commit illegal fraud in the offering, registration or sale of securities. At our law firm, we advocate for investors with financial losses who have purchased securities tainted by untruthful information that falsely...
Investigating Kentucky Broker Christopher Lee Hibbard
We are investigating claims by investors against former Louisville, Kentucky-based broker Christopher Lee Hibbard, who was fired by Merrill Lynch in February 2018 in the midst of an ongoing investigation over allegations of fraud, theft, and unauthorized trading...
Have you been victimized by fired Merrill Lynch-Louisville broker Christopher Lee Hibbard?
We are investigating claims by investors against former Louisville, KY-based broker Christopher Lee Hibbard, who was fired by Merrill Lynch in February 2018 in the midst of an ongoing investigation over allegations of fraud, theft, and unauthorized trading relating to...