SEC Securities Fraud Lawsuit Accuses Beverly Hills Money Manager Stanley Chais of Leading Investors Into Madoff Ponzi Scam

The Securities and Exchange Commission is suing Beverly Hills money manager Stanley Chais for securities fraud related to his alleged involvement in the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scam. The SEC alleges that Chais and four others worked collectively to raise billions of dollars from investors to fund the $65 billion scheme-the largest Ponzi scam in US history.

Chais investors’ accounts were worth almost $1 billion when the Ponzi scam finally collapsed. Chais, 82, is accused of collecting almost $270 million in investor fees. The Beverly Hills money manager, his family members, and associated entities are also accused of withdrawing almost $546 million in ill-gotten profits. The SEC is seeking financial penalties and the return of ill-gotten gains to investors.

The SEC complaint contends that Chais portrayed himself to his clients as an “investing wizard” and did not let them know that Madoff was actually in charge. The SEC says that Chais either knew that Madoff was running a Ponzi scam or was reckless for not knowing about the scheme. For example, Madoff never reported even one loss on thousands of “purported” stock trades on Chase’ accounts from 1999 to 2008. This alone should have been an indicator that Madoff’s reports were bogus.

Many of Chais’s investors have suffered as a result of the money manager’s alleged misconduct. For instance, the Los Angeles Times reports that Mark Peel, who is part owner and executive chef of Campanile, claims he lost $6 million from investments that Chais is accused of secretly making with Madoff. Peel had to sell his Hancock Park home because of the investment losses he sustained and almost all of his children lost their college funds.

Chais’s attorney denies that his client did anything wrong, did not know that Madoff was bilking investors, and was also a victim of the Madoff scam. Chais, 82, had over 40 accounts with Madoff for himself, family members, and other entities.

In another Madoff-related securities fraud case, the SEC has also filed a lawsuit against Cohmad Securities Corp, Chairman Maurice J. Cohn, executive Robert M. Jaffe, and COO Marcia B. Cohn over allegations that they ignored evidence that Madoff was engaged in a Ponzi scam and actively marketing opportunities with him.

Related Web Resources:
Beverly Hills money manager Stanley Chais accused of fraud, Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2009
Stanley Chais Accused Of Fraud – Raised Billions For The Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme, The Post Chronicle, June 22, 2009
Read the SEC Complaint (PDF)

Our stockbroker fraud law firm are helping investors that were the victims of Madoff’s ponzi scam recoup their losses. Contact Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP today.