Current Investigations

Bond Loss Attorneys

Published on: March 16, 2023 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

As Creditors GWG Holdings of Running A $1.6B Ponzi Scam, Investors Continue To File Broker Fraud Lawsuits

Our Trusted Bond Loss Attorneys Are Helping Retirees, Older Investors, and Others Pursue Financial Recovery

Nearly one year after GWG Holdings, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the allegations that the company was running an alleged $1.6B Ponzi scam continue. The latest accusations come from creditors in the bankruptcy case. In a court document, they accuse GWG chairman and The Beneficient Company Group founder Brad Heppner of orchestrating a multi-year fraud to enrich his corporate entities and himself while purportedly causing financial harm to about 27,000 investors.

Annuity Investment Loss Lawyers

Published on: March 16, 2023 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Colorado Bankers Life Insurance Annuity Investors May Be Able To File Broker Fraud Lawsuits

Owner Greg Lindberg Faces More Criminal Charges

Our annuity investment loss lawyers are continuing to help investors pursue damages from the brokerage firms that allegedly unsuitably recommended and sold them annuities issued by Colorado Bankers Life Insurance Company. The insurer, which entered into liquidation in late 2022, is owned by billionaire Greg Lindberg.

REIT Broker-Dealer Negligence Lawyers

Published on: March 12, 2023 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

When Brokers Allegedly Unsuitably Recommend Non-Traded REITs To Investors

Our Broker-Dealer Negligence Lawyers Are Investigating Potential Pacific Oak Strategy Opportunity REIT Losses

Placing your trust in a broker to properly handle your funds is a big decision. You are relying on a financial professional to take care of your money and invest your assets wisely. Unfortunately, there are stockbrokers that will unsuitably recommend investments that are too risky for a client and when this happens serious investment losses can result.

REIT Loss Lawyer

Published on: February 28, 2023 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Why KBS Growth & Income REIT Investors May Want To Speak With A Savvy Non-Traded Real Estate Investment Trust Loss Lawyer

KBS REIT Discloses Liquidation Plans

If you sustained losses in KBS Growth & Income REIT, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (investorlawyers.com) can help you determine whether you have grounds for a broker negligence lawsuit. On February 13, 2023, this non-traded real estate investment trust (non-traded REIT), which is believed to have raised about $94M in common stock proceeds during its offering period from 2015 to 2019, reportedly submitted a preliminary proxy statement that included a liquidation plan.

Investment Fraud Attorneys

Published on: February 28, 2023 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Are You a Latin America Retiree Who Suffered Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) Investor Losses?

Our Northstar (Bermuda) Lawyers Represent International Investors Against US-Based Brokerage Firms

Whether you are a Latin American investor who is a US resident or one who lives abroad if your brokerage firm unsuitably recommended and sold you Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) products, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (investorlawyers.com) may be able to help. For over two years, we have been going after the broker-dealers and their registered representatives that marketed and sold Northstar (Bermuda) annuities and annuity-like investments to foreign nationals.

Elder Financial Abuse

Published on: February 28, 2023 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Why Older Investors Suffering From Dementia Are Vulnerable To Broker Fraud

Barred Fifth Third Securities Financial Advisor Is Accused of Elder Financial Abuse

Our skilled Elder Financial Abuse lawyers represent older investors in pursuing damages from the brokers and investment advisors whose actions caused them to sustain serious investment losses. Our clients also include older investors who are suffering from Dementia or other serious health issues.

Atlas Growth Partners Investors May Be Able To Recoup Losses

Published on: September 28, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Broker-Dealers May Have Unsuitably Sold This Risky Investment To Retail Customers and Retirees

If your broker recommended that you purchase shares in Atlas Growth Partners, LP, you may be able to file a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against the broker-dealer. Unfortunately, according to the limited partnership’s filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Atlas Growth investors may have lost nearly 99% of their principal. Not only that, but after raising more than $230M from thousands of investors, as of March 31, 2021, the company was only able to report net assets of under $4M. This means that Atlas Growth investors could be looking at more than $200M in losses.

Our Texas oil and gas securities lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (investorlawyers.com) are working with Atlas Growth Partners investors, including many retail investors and retirees, that were unsuitably sold shares in this company. Please contact us today at (800) 259-9010 so that one of our securities attorneys can help you explore your legal options.

What is Breach of Fiduciary Duty by a Stockbroker?

Published on: September 19, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

When Your Financial Advisor Fails To Act In Your Best Interests

Your registered broker-dealer owes you a fiduciary obligation to act in your best interests. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. Instead, your financial advisor might have unsuitably recommended an investment or trading strategy that was too risky for your risk tolerance level or engaged in unauthorized trading in your brokerage account without your permission. You also may have been the victim of outright broker fraud in which misappropriation or theft was involved. This is where our securities attorneys step in and help you.

Bottom line, financial advisors and their brokerage firms who breach their fiduciary duty to customers are placing them at risk of suffering significant investment losses. This is why breach of fiduciary is often what our securities lawyers hear as one of the most common claims made by investors seeking to pursue damages against a broker-dealer.

Oppenheimer Ordered To Pay $36.7M to Eight Investors of Alleged Horizon Private Equity III Ponzi Scam

Published on: September 16, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Customers Were Sold Private Equity Shares By Ex-Georgia Broker and Southport Capital Investment Adviser John Woods

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel in Atlanta has ordered Oppenheimer & Co. to pay several investors $36.7M in the wake of losses sustained in the alleged $110M Horizon Private Equity III Ponzi Scheme. The investment fraud was allegedly run by its former Georgia stockbroker John Justin Woods for several years, including while he was under the firm’s supervision. This award is six times what the claimants had sought.

The investors had originally asked for punitive damages and $6M in compensatory damages after accusing the firm of broker-dealer negligence, and other claims, as well as of violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Did Your Broker Recommend You Invest In The Deeproot Funds?

Published on: September 15, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

You May Be The Victim of a $58M Ponzi Scam

More than one year after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil lawsuit against deeproot Funds and its owner Robert J. Mueller accusing them of running an alleged $58M Ponzi Scam that defrauded nearly 300 investors, these same alleged victims are still struggling to recover their losses without a securities attorney. Unfortunately, waiting for the SEC’s case to conclude very likely won’t help deeproot investors get most, or maybe even any, of their money back. The Commission’s main priorities in these types of complaints are to hold parties that violate securities laws responsible and issue sanctions and penalties against them.

This is why if you are a deeproot investor, it is important that you explore your legal options with the help of a skilled Texas securities lawyer. You will want to go after your broker-dealer or financial advisor that recommended this speculative, unregistered, risky private investment vehicle while very likely failing to conduct the proper due diligence to ensure that the deeproot Funds were legitimate investment ventures.