September 8, 2011

STIFEL, NICOLAUS AND FORMER EXECUTIVE CHARGED BY SEC WITH FRAUD IN SALE OF INVESTMENTS TO WISCONSIN SCHOOL DISTRICTS

In a report from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission's website, it was announced on August 10, 2011, the SEC charged Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc., a St. Louis-based broker-dealer, and former Stifel Senior Vice President David W. Noack with defrauding five Wisconsin school districts by selling them unsuitably risky and complex investments funded largely with borrowed money.

The report goes on to say that the complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the SEC’s complaint alleges that Stifel and Noack created a proprietary program to help the school districts fund retiree benefits by investing in notes linked to the performance of synthetic collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). The school districts established trusts that invested $200 million in three transactions from June to December 2006, paid for largely with borrowed funds. According to the SEC’s complaint, Stifel and Noack misrepresented the risk of the investments and failed to disclose material facts to the school districts. In the end, the investments were a complete failure, but generated significant fees for Stifel and Noack.

According to the SEC’s complaint, the five school districts are the Kenosha Unified School District, Kimberly Area School District, School District of Waukesha, West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, and Whitefish Bay School District. The SEC alleges that Stifel and Noack made sweeping assurances to the school districts, misrepresenting that it would take “15 Enrons” – a catastrophic, overnight collapse – for the investments to fail. They also misrepresented that 30 of the 105 companies in the portfolio would have to default and that 100 of the top 800 companies in the world would have to fail before the school districts would suffer a loss of their principal.

Among material facts that Stifel and Noack failed to disclose, the SEC alleges, were the portfolio in the first transaction performing poorly from the outset, credit rating agencies placing 10 percent of the portfolio on negative watch within 36 days of closing, and certain CDO providers expressing concerns about the risks of Stifel’s proprietary program and declining to participate in it.

The SEC also alleges that the heavy use of leverage and the structure of the synthetic CDOs exposed the school districts to a heightened risk of catastrophic loss. The investments steadily declined in value in 2007 and 2008 as the CDO portfolios suffered a series of downgrades. By 2010, the school districts learned that the second and third investments were a complete loss and that the lender had seized all of the trusts’ assets. The school districts suffered a complete loss of their investment and suffered credit rating downgrades for failing to provide additional funds to the trusts they established.

According to the SEC’s complaint, Stifel and Noack sold the school districts an unsuitable product that did not meet their investment needs. The school districts had no prior experience with investing in CDOs and related instruments. Stifel and Noack knew that the school districts lacked the requisite sophistication and experience to independently evaluate the risks of the investment, and knew that the school districts relied on Stifel and Noack’s recommendations. The school districts contributed $37.3 million toward the $200 million investment and borrowed the remaining $162.7 million.

Additionally, the SEC alleges that Stifel and Noack violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The SEC also alleges that Stifel violated and Noack aided and abetted violations of Section 15(c)(1)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest, and financial penalties.

The SEC’s investigation is continuing.  This information was obtained from the SEC's website.

Securities Attorney, Lars Soreide, of Soreide Law Group, PLLC, has represented clients nationwide. If you feel you have become a victim of stock/securities loss, call a Securities Arbitration Lawyer for a free consultation on how to potentially recover your losses.  To speak with an attorney, call 888-760-6552, or visit www.securitieslawyer.com

Soreide Law Group, PLLC., representing investors nationwide before FINRA  the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

S H A R E   T H I S   P O S T

Recent Posts

February 18, 2025
CONCORDE INVESTMENTS SERVICES and Bart Harrison

Soreide Law Group, based in South Florida, has filed a FINRA arbitration on behalf of their client (Claimant) against: CONCORDE INVESTMENTS SERVICES, LLC. (Respondent) The Claimant resides in Southwest Florida and maintained a relationship with CONCORDE INVESTMENTS SERVICES and its Financial Advisor, Bart Harrison. The lawsuit alleges that CONCORDE INVESTMENTS SERVICES and Bart Harrison understood […]

February 18, 2025
John Christoforidis Barred by FINRA Following Investigation

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) BrokerCheck reveals disclosures about securities broker John Christoforidis (CRD: 2841315, Garden City, New York). Christoforidis previously worked for multiple brokerage firms, including Spartan Capital Securities LLC from 2016 to 2024. Recent regulatory actions disclose that FINRA has barred Christoforidis from the securities industry following his refusal to provide on-the-record testimony […]

February 18, 2025
Joel Freedman Faces Allegations of Unauthorized Trading

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) BrokerCheck reveals disclosures about securities broker Joel Randy Freedman (CRD#: 1260557, Radnor, Pennsylvania). Freedman has been employed in the securities industry for 40 years and has worked with several firms, including Morgan Stanley (2009-2024). As of April 2024, he is registered with Sanctuary Securities Inc. and Sanctuary Advisors LLC in […]

Contact us Nationwide USA
2401 E. Atlantic Blvd., Suite 305, Pompano Beach, FL 33062
Helping clients recover money across the USA
search
Copyright © 2022 Soreide Law Group, PLLC  |  All Rights Reserved