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Articles Posted in Ponzi Schemes

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Russell Todd Burkhalter, founder and CEO of Drive Planning, LLC, his Atlanta-based company. In their complaint, the SEC requested and received a preliminary injunction, asset freeze, and other emergency relief against both Burkhalter and Drive Planning to stop a Ponzi scheme worth $300 million that affected over 2,000 investors. A receiver has been appointed for Drive Planning. The complaint details that from 2020 through at least June of 2024, Burkhalter engaged in selling unregistered securities through Drive Planning. Called “Real Estate Acceleration Loans,” or REAL, they promised investors “bridge loan opportunity promising 10% in 3 months.”  More than 2,000 investors had over $300 million invested in REALs as of June 2024.The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Russell Todd Burkhalter, founder and CEO of Drive Planning, LLC, his Atlanta-based company. In their complaint, the SEC requested and received a preliminary injunction, asset freeze, and other emergency relief against both Burkhalter and Drive Planning to stop a Ponzi scheme worth $300 million that affected over 2,000 investors. A receiver has been appointed for Drive Planning. Continue reading ›

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Silver Law Group founder Scott Silver has spoken with multiple Harbor City investors who were allegedly defrauded by the company. In a recent article in Mother Jones, Mr. Silver said that George Santos and other employees should have noticed the red flags. “Any person from the financial services industry, who went to work for a company like Harbor City, should immediately have recognized that Harbor City wasn’t properly registered as a financial services company,” Mr. Silver said. “Even if you didn’t know the company was operating as a fraud or a Ponzi scheme, a sophisticated person affiliated with the company should have known they weren’t licensed to do what they claimed to be doing.”George Santos, the recently elected Latino Republican Representative from New York, continues to make headlines, but not for the right reasons. After a damning report in the New York Times questioning Santos’ claims and credibility, he has begun to speak on it. These reports with apologies about his fabricated background, which includes multiple false and unsubstantiated claims. Continue reading ›

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James Seijas (James Alan Seijas CRD# 2392901) is a former broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (CRD#:19616) of Short Hills, NJ. His former employers include TD Ameritrade, Inc. (CRD#:7870) of Morristown, NJ, Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (CRD#:7784) of Wayne, NJ, and Barclays Capital Inc. (CRD#:19714) of New York, NY. He has been in the industry since 1997. Seijas worked for Wells Fargo Clearing Services from March of 2013 through March of 2019, when he voluntarily resigned. However, on March 24th, 2020, Wells Fargo filed an amendment to his Uniform Termination Notice For The Security Industry Registration Form, or Form U5. In the amended version, Wells Fargo revealed for the first time that Seijas had been named as a defendant in a lawsuit alleging that he was misrepresenting investments as part of a Ponzi scheme.James Seijas (James Alan Seijas CRD# 2392901) is a former broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (CRD#:19616) of Short Hills, NJ. His former employers include TD Ameritrade, Inc. (CRD#:7870) of Morristown, NJ, Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (CRD#:7784) of Wayne, NJ, and Barclays Capital Inc. (CRD#:19714) of New York, NY. He has been in the industry since 1997. Continue reading ›

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Shawn Good (Shawn Edward Good CRD# 2022168) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was Morgan Stanley (CRD#: 149777) of Wilmington, NC. His previous employers were Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (CRD#:19616), also of Wilmington, and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CRD#:5393) of San Francisco, CA. He has been in the industry since 1990. Good has five disclosures on his record, three of which are customer disputes. The first was filed on 4/13/2022, alleging that from August 2019 to February 2022, he misappropriated funds from the customers’ Liquidity Access Line accounts. The clients request damages of $2,275,000.00; this claim is pending. The latest claim was filed on 4/30/2022, with allegations that Good “misappropriated funds by soliciting an outside real estate investment opportunity” from 2015 through 2018. No damages are listed but this claim is also listed as pending.Shawn Good (Shawn Edward Good CRD# 2022168) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was Morgan Stanley (CRD#: 149777) of Wilmington, NC. His previous employers were Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (CRD#:19616), also of Wilmington, and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CRD#:5393) of San Francisco, CA. He has been in the industry since 1990. Continue reading ›

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The Massachusetts Securities Division recently levied $1 million in fines against U.S. Data Mining Group (DMG) for allegedly conducting unregistered securities offerings. The Division, in its complaint, alleged that the bitcoin mining company failed to register its stock while fundraising. DMG also failed to notify investors that two of the company’s promoters had previously violated US federal securities laws during their Series A fundraising, which raised nearly $25 million in March of 2021. DMG also failed to register this offering with the state’s Securities Division, even though they raised $3.5 million from Massachusetts residents. DMG knew since at least 12/4/2020 that registrations exemptions for conducting offerings was not an option, according to the regulator. In fact, the company clearly stated this in their promissory notes issued at that time, because of the past histories of some of the promoters, according to the consent order.The Massachusetts Securities Division recently levied $1 million in fines against U.S. Data Mining Group (DMG) for allegedly conducting unregistered securities offerings. The Division, in its complaint, alleged that the bitcoin mining company failed to register its stock while fundraising. DMG also failed to notify investors that two of the company’s promoters had previously violated US federal securities laws during their Series A fundraising, which raised nearly $25 million in March of 2021. Continue reading ›

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Las Vegas attorney Matthew Beasley was shot by FBI Special Agents who went to his house to interview him regarding his alleged involvement in a $300 million Ponzi scheme. Though shot in the chest and shoulder, Beasley refused to surrender and repeatedly confessed to his involvement in the scheme, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Lopez of the District of Nevada said in court. 49-year-old Matthew Wade Beasley was arrested and charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. Beasley made an initial appearance in federal court on March 8, 2022. Allegations in the criminal complaint state that FBI Special Agents went to a home in Las Vegas on March 3, 2022 to interview Beasley for an ongoing investigation. According to a press release from the Department of Justice “When agents knocked on the glass front doors, Beasley appeared with part of his body obscured. After an agent pulled back his suit jacket to show his FBI badge, Beasley then stepped into complete view with a gun pointed at his own head. When agents instructed Beasley to drop the gun, Beasley instead pointed it at the agents in a sweeping motion — causing one or more agents to discharge their firearm and striking Beasley.” An FBI SWAT team “had to forcefully enter the home and bring him out,” Lopez said. Beasley was released from the hospital. His lawyer sought house arrest, but a judge ordered Beasley detained without bond because Lopez said Beasley was a flight risk with significant assets including at least four homes, luxury cars, and an RV.Las Vegas attorney Matthew Beasley was shot by FBI Special Agents who went to his house to interview him regarding his alleged involvement in a $300 million Ponzi scheme.

Though shot in the chest and shoulder, Beasley refused to surrender and repeatedly confessed to his involvement in the scheme, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Lopez of the District of Nevada said in court. Continue reading ›

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