December 2nd, 2009 
Before You Invest A week after the first sale of commercial-mortgage-backed securities in more than a year, another deal is about to hit the market in the latest sign that capital markets are easing for corporate borrowers like real-estate investment trusts.
Inland Western Retail Real Estate Trust Inc., which owns some 300 retail properties nationwide, closed on Tuesday on $625 million in new financing from J.
Posted in Finance Fraud 
Tags: Capital Markets, Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities, Corporate Borrowers, Debt Markets, Insurance Companies, J P Morgan, J P Morgan Chase, J P Morgan Chase Co, Mortgage Backed Securities, Pension Funds, Private Placements, Private Real Estate, Real Estate Investment, Real Estate Trust, Reit, Retail Properties, Retail Real Estate, Securities And Exchange Commission, Selling Shares, Trust Inc 
No Comments » November 18th, 2009 Before You Invest Investors in DBSI Inc. are only now getting a clear idea of what was going on at the Idaho-based commercial real estate investment company. There was little indication to investors that financial issues existed at DBSI until a notice they received six weeks prior to the company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
Posted in Finance Fraud Tags: Actuality, Amount Of Time, Bankruptcy Proceedings, Cash Shortages, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Commercial Real Estate, Commercial Real Estate Investment, Devolution, Dividend, Investment Property, Investor Funds, Markup, New Investor, Ponzi Scheme, Real Estate Investment, Real Estate Investment Company, Securities Law, Six Weeks, Tenant Improvements, Viable Enterprise No Comments » November 4th, 2009 Before You Invest A former St. Charles County stockbroker has admitted to a Ponzi scheme that cost investors hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The stockbroker, 56-year-old Kenneth Neely of St. Peters, pleaded guilty Wednesday to mail fraud in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. He will be sentenced in January.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan announced that her office has issued a cease and desist order shutting down the Ponzi scheme.
Carnahan says Neely directed his clients from two different brokerage firms to invest in a nonexistent real estate investment trust.
Regulators have accused Neely of defrauding at least 25 investors of more than $600,000.
Posted in Finance Fraud Tags: Brokerage Firms, Cease And Desist Order, Estate Investment Trust, Fraud, Hundreds Of Thousands, Investors, Mail, Neely, Ponzi Scheme, Real Estate Investment, Real Estate Investment Trust, Regulators, Secretary Of State, St Charles County, St Peters, State Robin Carnahan, Stockbroker, Thousands Of Dollars No Comments » July 31st, 2009 Before You Invest The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has moved to halt a Ponzi scheme that is allegedly being conducted by two firms in Detroit.
It has obtained a court order against Michigan residents John Bravata and Richard Trabulsy after they were accused of misusing investors’ money.
The pair obtained over $50 million from more than 440 investors who believed they were buying into a real estate fund that offered annual returns of up to 12 per cent.
However, at least half the money was used to make payments to early investors, with a proportion of it being spent on personal items, the SEC states.
“Investors thought they were investing in a safe and profitable real estate investment fund,” Merri Jo Gillette, director of the SEC’s office in Chicago, stated.
Posted in Finance Fraud, Fraud, Ponzi Scheme Tags: 50 Million, Bravata, Gillette, Investing, Investors, Michigan Residents, Money, Ponzi Scheme, Proportion, Real Estate Fund, Real Estate Investment, Real Estate Investment Fund, Sec States, Securities And Exchange, Securities And Exchange Commission No Comments » July 29th, 2009 Before You Invest The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said it halted a $50 million Ponzi scheme near Detroit that raised money for a real-estate investment fund and targeted the elderly.
A federal judge in Michigan agreed to freeze assets after the SEC sued John Bravata, 41, and Richard Trabulsy, 26, claiming they lured more than 400 investors by promising 8 percent to 12 percent annual returns, the agency said today in a statement.
Posted in Finance Fraud Tags: 1 Million, 50 Million, Assets, Bravata, Exotic Vacations, Federal Judge, Ferrari, Gambling Debts, Gillette, Jewelry, Luxury Homes, Maserati, Merri, Mortgage, Prospective Investors, Real Estate Investment, Real Estate Investment Fund, Regional Office, Securities And Exchange, Securities And Exchange Commission No Comments »
