Investment Fraud Victims of John Gardner Black May Be Due Tax Refunds

John Gardner Black, who spent three years in prison after pleading guilty to 21 counts of securities fraud, two counts of false documents, and three counts of mail fraud in 2001, says he doesn’t think that he should have to pay $61.3 million in restitution.

Prosecutors had accused Black of investing approximately $233 million for about 48 school districts while using a risky investment that Pennsylvania law doesn’t allow for school districts. Black hid from his clients both the transfers to the high risk investments and the $71 million loss when the investments’ value declined.

Black is now contending that he was prosecuted based on a Securities and Exchange Commission determination that he “materially” overstated the assets’ value by providing the school districts’ investments’ security. Last year, however, the SEC and the Financial Accounting Standard Board ended up adopting the same valuation method that he’d applied during the 90’s. Black is arguing that because he was sanctioned for “unethical” business practices that are now sanctioned, the court order that he pay $61.3 million for ill-gotten gains should be set aside.

Black applied a similar argument when he went to the SEC asking that it lift the lifetime ban preventing him from taking part in the investment industry. Although Black is still not allowed to associate with investment companies or investment advisers, he can once again associate with dealers, brokers, and municipal-securities dealers. He has, however, lost his appeals to have the criminal conviction against him overturned.

As a victim of investment fraud, you may be entitled to tax refunds.

Related Web Resources:
Fraud says he shouldn’t have to pay restitution to his victims, Pittsburgh Live, August 18, 2010
Related Court Document (PDF)

Contact our securities fraud law firm to explore your legal options.