Texas Securities Fraud

Houston Pension Fund Files Securities Fraud Case Against BofI Holding

Published on: April 14, 2016 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The Houston Municipal Employees Pension System is suing Internet banking company BofI Holding Inc. (BOFI). The pension fund claims that the bank engaged in unlawful lending practices and other misconduct to enhance profits.

For example, according to the complaint, BofI Holdings refinanced a loan to a borrower involved in a gang-run gambling ring, did not disclose that it was using off-balance-sheet entities to buy lottery receivables, gave loans to foreigners with suspect or criminal backgrounds, did not have a healthy compliance system, and failed to tell investors that it was the subject of regulatory and government subpoenas and pending federal probes. The Houston pension fund is seeking class action status.

The case was spurred by a whistleblower court case filed by an ex-junior auditor at BofI Holdings. The whistleblower claimed that the Internet banking company issued loans to certain foreign nationals without properly vetting them even though some of them had criminal pasts. BofI denied his contentions and countered with its own lawsuit.

NASAA Wants Life Partners Held Accountable for Texas Securities Act Violations

Published on: December 28, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The North American Securities Administrators Association wants the Texas Supreme Court to rule that Life Partners Holdings Inc. has to face a class action securities lawsuit for selling unregistered securities. The state’s high court is set to determine whether to reverse a lower appeal court’s ruling to reinstate a case that accuses the company of selling the securities.

According to the group of securities regulators, violations of the Texas Securities Act were committed when Life Partners sold fractional interests in life insurance polices to investors and that this grounds for a case. The company wants the previous ruling, which found that life settlement contracts are not insurance contracts but are, in fact, investment contracts that are regulated under securities laws, overturned. Life Partners maintains that state securities law does not govern its product.

The putative class action securities case contends that three years ago, Life Partners was involved in a scam that involved offering and selling securities that were unregistered. A trial judge rejected the plaintiffs’ claims, accusing them of submitting a frivolous pleading.

Atlas Energy’s Oil and Gas Private Placement May Not Be Such a Good Investment for Outside Investors

Published on: December 13, 2014 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Atlas Energy LP Is inviting investors to put in at least $25,000 in an oil and gas drilling partnership in Texas and other states in exchange for shared revenue from the output from the wells. Its subsidiary, Atlas Resources LLC, is seeking to raise up to $300 million by the end of the year, with the company saying it will put in up to $145 million of its own money. However, according to Reuters, a closer look at the company’s confidential offering memorandum reveals that outside investors may not end up reaping as much as they think.

The private placement venture is called Atlas Resources Series 34-2014 LP. Private placements are unregistered securities sold to a limited number of investors via brokerage firms. Brokers can only market them to accredited investors (investors that have $1 million in assets-primary residence not included-or $250,000/year income) or institutions. Because of inflation, the number of those that qualify to be able to invest in private placements has gone up and not every investor is a high-income one. There are even retirees who now qualify.

According to the Atlas memorandum, $45 million of the money raised will go to Anthem Securities, an affiliate, to pay commissions to brokerage firms. Up to $39 million will go toward purchasing drilling leases from a different affiliate. Some of the $53 million for transport and drilling equipment may also go to affiliated suppliers. $8 million is a markup for estimated equipment costs. Atlas will get $53 million for markups and fees once drilling starts. All this lowers Atlas’s exposure by at least 40%. Once revenue starts coming in, the company is entitled to 33% of this.