Whistleblower Group

January 21, 2015

A New York federal court has ordered Michael Kardonick, Gary Shapoff, and Atwood & James to pay a penalty of over $2 million and has imposed a permanent trading ban over allegations of Forex options fraud and misappropriation.  CFTC

January 21, 2015

Bharat Adatia and his companies, Lions Wealth Holdings, Lions Wealth Services, and 20/20 Precious Metals have been ordered to pay over $5.3 million in sanctions for an alleged fraudulent precious metals scheme.  CFTC

January 21, 2015

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman joined the SEC and the office of the Massachusetts Attorney General in announcing a settlement with Standard and Poor’s Financial Services LLC regarding false and misleading statements made by S&P in connection with its rating of certain Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities (CMBS). According to the government, from February 2011 to July 2011, S&P loosened the criteria it applied to rate eight CMBS, failed to disclose this fact to investors, and misled market participants into thinking the ratings for their investments were based on more conservative assumptions than was actually the case. Under the settlement, New York will receive $12M in penalties, Massachussetts will receive $7M in penalties, and the SEC will receive $35M in penalties as well as $7M in disgorgement and interest. The SEC also resolved two other matters related to S&P bringing the total government recovery to nearly $80M. NY

January 21, 2015

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced a settlement with Florida-based Vacation Tours USA, Inc., and its principals Henry J. Armand and Tony J. Armand, over a false advertising scam targeting consumers across New York State. According to the government, the company sent letters to consumers telling them they had won a vacation package, including airfare and lodging, and invited them to attend a seminar at a local hotel but once there were subjected to a sales presentation conducted by a third-party company instead of being given vouchers for free airline tickets and hotel stays. Under the settlement, the company must halt its deceptive, fraudulent, and illegal business practices in New York State, pay restitution to consumers, and pay $22,500 in civil penalties and costs. NY

January 20, 2015

Focus Education, a Texas company that makes a computer game, Jungle Rangers, settled FTC charges that require them to stop making unsubstantiated claims that the game permanently improves children’s focus, memory, attention, behavior, and school performance, including for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). “This case is the most recent example of the FTC’s efforts to ensure that advertisements for cognitive products, especially those marketed for children, are true and supported by evidence,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Many parents are interested in products that can improve their children’s focus, behavior, and grades, but companies must back up their brain training claims with reliable science.” FTC

January 20, 2015

The CFTC settled charges against Singapore-based Olam International, Ltd., which operates a futures trading desk in London, and its subsidiary, Olam Americas, Inc., based in Summit, New Jersey, requiring them to pay a $3 million civil monetary penalty.  CFTC

January 20, 2015

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced South Shore Physician Hospital Organization will pay $1.77M to settle allegations of operating a recruitment grant program through which it paid kickbacks to its physician members in exchange for patient referrals. MA

January 20, 2015

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit arrested six former Targeted Case Managers of DS Connections, Inc. for more than $170,000 in Medicaid fraud. FL