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December 28, 2016

Posted  January 13, 2017

Florida-based businessman Jason Adam Ogden has agreed to pay more than $1.2 million to settle charges that he misused investor funds intended to create U.S. jobs through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.  The SEC alleged that Ogden, the CEO of a pair of smoothie and frozen yogurt franchises called Juiceblendz and Yoblendz, formed AJN Investments LLC to conduct an investment offering in conjunction with the EB-5 program which provides foreign investors a path to permanent residency when their investments create at least 10 jobs for American workers.  Investors were allegedly told that their money would help build and operate Juiceblendz and Yoblendz stores in strip malls and create a sufficient amount of jobs for them to qualify for an EB-5 visa and ultimately a green card.  But, according to the SEC’s complaint, Ogden changed his business model midstream without updating the offering materials, and focused on developing kiosks in sports arenas and university campuses rather than following through the construction of full-size stores.  Not only did this result in smaller-than-promised returns for investors, it also jeopardized their EB-5 program status because kiosks don’t stimulate the same job creation as full-size stores and construction projects.  The SEC further alleged that Ogden improperly siphoned off more than $1 million in investor funds for his personal use, making undisclosed cash transfers to his bank account.  SEC

Tagged in: Financial and Investment Fraud, Visa Fraud,