Investor Lawyers Blog

Recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) initiated an action against 40-year old Leon Vaccarelli by filing a sixteen-page complaint (“SEC Complaint”) in federal court in New Haven, CT. The SEC is alleging that Mr. Vaccarelli, based in Waterbury, CT, engaged in operating a Ponzi Scheme for more than four years, during which time he…

Investors who have suffered losses due to the recommendation of a stockbroker or financial advisor to invest in the hedge fund Astenbeck Master Commodities Fund II (“Astenbeck II”) may be able to recover losses through FINRA arbitration if the investment recommendation was unsuitable, or the nature of the investment was misrepresented by the advisor. According…

Investors in Sierra Income Corporation (“Sierra”), or a similar non-traded investment product may be able to recover losses on their investments through FINRA arbitration. The attorneys at Law Office of Christopher J. Gray, P.C. have considerable experience in representing aggrieved investors who have lost money due to unsuitable recommendations to purchase securities, including illiquid non-traded…

Lawyers at Law Office of Christopher J. Gray, P.C. have handled many cases against stockbrokers and other investment professionals involving non-traded invesments such as REITs, hedge funds and private placements. FS Energy and Power Fund (“FSEP” or the “Fund”) is a non-traded business development company that invests primarily in the debt of a portfolio of…

Strategic Realty Trust (“SRT,” formerly known as TNP Strategic Retail) is a San Mateo, CA based non-traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that invests in and manages a portfolio of income-producing real properties including various shopping centers located primarily in the Western United States. Over the past several years, many retail investors were steered into…

Investors in American Finance Trust and Lightstone Value Plus REIT V may have viable arbitration claims before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) if a stockbroker or investment advisor made an unsuitable recommendation to the investor to purchase them, or made a misleading sales presentation in recommending them. Publicly registered non-exchange traded REITs like American…

Non-traded real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), such as KBS REIT I (“KBS I”), unlike exchange traded REITs, are complex and risky investment vehicles that do not trade on a national securities exchange such as the NYSE or NASDAQ. Unfortunately, retail investors are often uninformed by their broker or money manager of the illiquid nature of…

On May 3, 2017, Puerto Rico filed for a form of bankruptcy protection pursuant to a federal law passed in 2016 known as Promesa. This law allows for Puerto Rico to facilitate a debt restructuring process in court that is akin to U.S. bankruptcy protection. This marks the first time in our nation’s history that…

On May 3, 2017, Puerto Rico filed for a form of bankruptcy protection pursuant to a federal law passed in 2016 known as Promesa, thereby allowing Puerto Rico to facilitate a debt restructuring process in court akin to U.S. bankruptcy protection. As recently reported in Barron’s, Puerto Rico’s bonds backed by sales tax revenue, known…

With increasing frequency retail investors are encountering scenarios in which they are offered an opportunity to invest in a private placement. A private placement – often referred to as a non-public offering – is an offering of a company’s securities that are not registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Under the federal securities…