The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently announced that it has obtained an emergency court order to freeze the assets of a South Florida man who has been charged with fraudulently offering investments in oil drilling projects in an article posted on the SEC's website. The SEC’s complaint, unsealed in federal court in West Palm […]

Securitites Lawyer, Lars Soreide, has announced an investigation into Praetorian Global Fund (Praetorian). There was an SEC complaint filed against the principals of the Praetorian Global Fund. The SEC complaint alleges that the principals and others used the hedge fund to obtain funds from it's investors. According to the SEC complaint, investors were told that […]

The following are statistics compiled by FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, posted recently to their website. The statistics show that investor complaints are down while disciplinary action is at a 5 year high. Investor Complaints Received by FINRA In 2007 there were 4,552 complaints received by FINRA. However, in 2011 there were 2,979 down […]

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, alleges Roman Sledziejowski, the Polish president and owner of TWS Financial, LLC, in Brooklyn, N.Y., used customer funds for his own use and gave false statements to clients from June, 2009, through August, 2012. FINRA alleges Sledziejowski defrauded three Polish customers of more than $4 million by taking money […]

Jane E. O'Brien, 59, of Needham, MA, is facing securities fraud for allegedly bilking her client out of $240,000. O'Brien was working for Merrill Lynch in Boston as a financial advisor at the time. O'Brien allegedly told an elderly woman she was investing her money in thousands of shares of a New Hampshire-based company called […]

Michael John Hester (CRD #3044429, Registered Representative, Tampa, Florida) was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the findings, Hester consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that he engaged in a private securities transaction by accepting checks totaling $20,000 from individuals to purchase […]

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Stephen B. Blankenship, of New Fairfield, Connecticut, and Deer Hill Financial Group, LLC, a Connecticut limited liability company under Blankenship’s control, with a scheme to defraud investors. The SEC’s Complaint alleges that, from at least 2002 through November 2011, Blankenship misappropriated at least $600,000 from at least 12 […]

It's not just the rich or famous anymore. Many scam artists prey on people from all ages and walks of life, often targeting those they already know - perhaps they attend the same church or knitting club - in so-called "affinity fraud," writes Carolyn Said of the Houston Chronicle in a recent article. Victim advocacy […]

Recently, certain United States based brokerage firms have been contacting investors located in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, soliciting customers to open accounts at USA based brokerage firms. The Securities Lawyers at Soreide Law Group have recently been receiving a large number of inquires from overseas investors. The UK investors are now looking to initiate […]