Investing in Structured Products
Structured products are securities derived from or based on a single security, a basket of securities, an index, a commodity, a debt issuance and/or a foreign currency.
Continue ReadingFINRA Arbitration: What To Expect And Why You Should Choose Our Law Firm
If you are reading this article, you are probably an investor who has lost a substantial amount of money, Googled “FINRA Arbitration Lawyer,” clicked on a number of attorney websites, and maybe even spoken with a so-called “Securities Arbitration Lawyer” who told you after a five minute telephone call that “you have a great case;” “you need to sign a retainer agreement on a ‘contingency fee’ basis;” and “you need to act now because the statute of limitations is going to run.”
Continue ReadingUBS ETRAC Exchange Traded Note Investors: How Do You Recover Your UBS ETRAC Investment Losses?
If you are reading this article, we are guessing you invested in some of those high-dividend paying UBS ETRAC Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs) your stockbroker recommended to increase your retirement income. We would not be surprised if you were also told the UBS ETRAC investments had a proven track record of great returns. You probably also heard: No need to worry about these investments because they were backed by one of the largest brokerage firms in the world – UBS Financial Services, Inc. (UBS). We’re not shocked because that is just what many other investors have told us about the pitch made to them to invest in UBS ETRACs.
Continue ReadingEquiAlt Private Placement Investments
We are investigating and representing investors against FINRA-registered brokerage firms and financial advisors who offered and sold securities issued by affiliates of EquiAlt, LLC (EquiAlt), a private real estate company which organized at least four private placements: EquiAlt Fund, LLC; EquiAlt Fund II,LLC; EquiAlt Fund III, LLC; and EA Sip, LLC (collectively referred to as the EquiAlt Funds). According to a recent SEC Complaint, Brian Davison (Davison) and Barry Rybicki (Rybicki) offered and sold $170 million of unregistered debentures issued by the EquiAlt Funds to over 1,100 investors nationwide. The SEC alleged that Davison, Rybicki, and others committed securities fraud by misrepresenting the debentures as “secure,” “safe,” “low risk,” and “conservative.” Further, while investors were promised “that substantially all of their money would be used to purchase real estate in distressed markets in the United States and their investments would yield generous returns … EquiAlt, Davison, and Rybicki misappropriated millions in investor funds for their own personal use and benefit.” According to the SEC, the revenues that were generated by the EquiAlt Funds became insufficient to pay the interest owed to investors. As a result, the SEC alleged “the Defendants resorted to [a Ponzi Scheme] fraud, using new investor money to pay the returns promised to existing investors.” While many of the sales were solicited by unregistered EquiAlt salespersons, it is reported there were many sales by small offices of registered salespersons associated with large independent FINRA-registered stockbrokerage and insurance firms primarily located in Florida, Arizona, California, and Nevada, and many other states nationwide. It is alleged that EquiAlt salespersons received “commissions of anywhere between 10%-14%,” which is extraordinarily high for the sale of any investment product. Thus, there was such a strong incentive to sell these debentures by any means. It is likely that many of the FINRA registered brokerage firms did not authorize sales of the EquiAlt Fund debentures and that no due diligence or any other investigation of the company or its investment offerings were ever conducted. Consequently, it is very likely that the EquiAlt Funds were sold via misrepresentations and misleading statements. We have learned that investors who purchased the EquiAlt Funds debentures through FINRA-registered brokerage firm representatives also received the same sales pitch; that is, the debentures are “secure,” “safe,” “low risk,” and “conservative” investments, which was untrue which constitutes securities fraud. If you invested in any of the EquiAlt Funds private placements, you may be able to recoup your losses through a FINRA arbitration proceeding. Mr. Pearce has over 40 years of experience with private placement investment disputes and recovering money for investors lost in Ponzi Schemes. The cases we accept will be filed against FINRA registered broker-dealers for misrepresentation, omissions due to failed due diligence, unsuitable investment recommendations, and unauthorized private securities transactions otherwise known as “selling away.” If Attorney Pearce accepts your case there will be no attorney’s fee or arbitration expenses unless we recover funds for you in a settlement with the brokerage or through an arbitration award. Call 1-800-SEC-ATTY (1-800-732-2889) or email us now and get your questions answered and top notch representation in connection with your EquiAlt Funds private placement investments. If you purchased your investment directly from EquiAlt or BR Support Services, your recovery will probably be limited to what assets the Court Appointed Receiver is able to locate, liquidate, and distribute to investors. However, please call us to find out what recourse is available for this investment fraud.
Continue ReadingSEC Halts Alleged EquiAlt Ponzi Scheme: How do Investors Recover Their Losses?
On February 11, 2020, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed a Complaint for injunctive relief to halt an alleged ongoing fraud conducted by EquiAlt LLC (“EquiAlt”), a private real estate investment company that controlled the business operations of EquiAlt and its four real estate investment funds: EquiAlt Fund, LLC (“Fund I”); EquiAlt Fund II, LLC (“Fund II”); EquiAlt Fund III (“Fund III”); and EA SIP, LLC (“EA SIP Fund”) (collectively referred to as the “EquiAlt Funds”). Simultaneously, the SEC and filed an Emergency Motion to freeze all of the Defendant assets and appoint a Receiver to marshall all of the assets and take control of EquiAlt and the EquiAlt Funds. The Court entered an Order that granted the SEC’s request for Temporary Restraining Order and Asset Freeze and another Order Appointing a Receiver.
Continue ReadingInvesting in Hedge Funds
THE BASICS Hedge funds are similar to mutual funds in that they pool and invest investors’ money in an effort to earn a positive return. However, hedge funds have more flexible investment strategies than mutual funds. Many hedge funds seek to profit in all kinds of markets by using leverage, short-selling, and other speculative investment practices that are not typically used by mutual funds.
Continue ReadingGPB Capital Fund Investors: How Do You Recover Your GPB Capital Investment Losses?
Recently, we have received telephone calls from investors inquiring about whether they have suffered losses in one or more of the GPB Capital Holdings, LLC sponsored private placement investments known as:
Continue ReadingInvesting in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are mutual fund-like registered investment companies whose shares trade on a securities exchange. ETF shares typically trade throughout the day at prices established by the market, just like common stock issuances.
Continue ReadingInvesting in Note-Linked Structured Products
In general, structured products are notes linked to a single security, a basket of securities, an index, a commodity, a debt obligation, and/or a foreign currency. There is a large variety of structured products, some of which offer full principal protection, while others offer limited or no protection of principal. The majority of structured products have a fixed maturity date and pay an interest rate substantially above the prevalent market rate, but they also frequently limit the upside participation in the reference asset if principal protection is offered. Investment banks or their affiliates are the primary issuers of structured products, but the products are not all listed on a national securities exchange.
Continue ReadingInvesting in Private Placements
Private placement or “Regulation D” offerings have become an important source of capital for American enterprises. Since 2008, companies have issued over half a billion dollars a year in securities through the private placement market.
Continue Reading