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1st-Global-Capital-1As we have discussed in several recent blog posts, on July 27, 2018, 1 Global Capital (a/k/a 1st Global Capital) (hereinafter, “1GC”) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.  Formed about 5 years ago, 1GC was purportedly in the business of making short term merchant cash advances to a range of small businesses.  In exchange for investor money, 1GC issued so-called “memorandums of indebtedness,” sometimes referred to as First Global Capital Notes (“Notes”), to numerous retail investors through a nationwide network of advisors and sales agents.  Investors were promised a high-return, low-risk investment in supposedly safe, short-term deals.

Prior to 1GC’s bankruptcy filing, the SEC had “opened an investigation into the company’s activities related to alleged possible securities laws violations, including the alleged offer and sale of unregistered securities, the alleged sale of securities by unregistered brokers, and by the alleged commission of fraud in connection with the offer, purchase and sale of securities.”  In the weeks following 1GC’s $283 million Chapter 11 filing, it has become apparent that numerous investors nationwide have been negatively impacted.  As alleged by the SEC, 1GC “used a network of barred brokers, registered and unregistered advisers, and other sales agents – to whom they paid millions in commissions – to offer and sell unregistered securities to investors in no fewer than 25 states.”

Publicly available information indicates that numerous investors in the greater Kansas City, KS area have sustained losses in connection with investing in 1GC Notes.  In particular, publicly available information suggests that Overland Park-based investment group Pinnacle Plus Wealth Management (a/k/a Pinnacle Financial) (“Pinnacle”), through its principal and Pinnacle employees / agents, may have recommended investments in 1GC Notes to retail investors.  In fact, court records indicate that approximately 160 1GC accounts involved Kansas City area addresses, and moreover, it appears many investors committed their retirement funds to 1GC investments through their retirement accounts.

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As we discussed in a recent blog post, a $283 million Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on July 27, 2018, by the Hallandale Beach, FL firm 1 Global Capital (a/k/a 1st Global Capital, or 1GC) has negatively impacted investors nationwide.  Unfortunately, many retail investors committed their hard-earned money, in many instances their retirement funds, into so-called 1GC “memorandums of indebtedness” which were also sometimes referred to as First Global Capital Notes (“Notes”).  Publicly available records indicate there are more than 4,000 1GC accounts across the country, sold by many advisors in various states.

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Formed approximately 5 years ago, 1GC was purportedly in the business of financing small business by providing capital to a range of businesses including restaurants, construction companies, manufacturing operations, and healthcare companies.  1GC issued its Notes to retail investors, often referred to in the contract as “lenders” or in other instances as “creditors.”  In exchange, these lenders or creditors invested in supposedly safe, short-term deals that would pay out around 7% in interest at the end of the term (e.g., 9-month term).

Upon information and belief, a number of 1GC investors were steered into these Notes by advisors.   Advisors who have recommended Notes reportedly may include Matthew Walker or others working for his Overland Park, Kansas-based group of Pinnacle Plus companies.

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Money in WastebasketOn July 27, 2018, two affiliated small business lenders — 1 Global Capital (a/k/a 1st Global Capital, and 1 West Capital (collectively, “1GC”) — filed for Chapter 11 protection in Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Florida.  Based in Hallandale Beach, FL, the two affiliated lenders are under the same common ownership and are in the business of purportedly providing small business loans known as “direct merchant cash advances,” to various clientele.  In connection with the bankruptcy filing, 1GC’s two primary executives, Messrs. Carl Ruderman and Steven A. Schwartz, relinquished their control over the company and tendered their resignations.

As reported, 1GC had around 1,000 individual unsecured creditors prior to filing for bankruptcy.  These creditors had loaned 1GC money with the understanding that these funds would then be invested in direct merchant cash advances.  Creditors received monthly statements which demonstrated how their investments had supposedly been allocated, in addition to being provided with an online portal to track their investments.

In total, 1GC has reported more than $283 million in unsecured lender claims.  Of the 20 largest creditors, all of them are individuals or retirement accounts.  Prior to the bankruptcy filing, the SEC had opened an investigation into whether 1GC was engaging in “[p]ossible securities laws violations, including the alleged offer and sale of unregistered securities by unregistered brokers, and by the alleged commission of fraud in connection with the offer, purchase and sale of securities.”  At this stage, both the SEC and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, which recently commenced a parallel criminal investigation, are investigating allegations of possible wrongdoing or malfeasance at 1GC.

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