The owner of a company accused of defrauding over 50 Treasure Coast residents in a nationwide Ponzi scheme was sentenced to 25 years in prison Tuesday. 'I will pursue any valid claims I have and will comply with all proper rulings of the bankruptcy court. Hosted by Woodbridge Realty of Colorado for the second consecutive year, 250 revelers and party-hounds danced into the wee small hours of 2016 to the music of Grammy CEO Sentenced to 25 Years for Leading $1.3 Billion Real Estate Ponzi hWm8+AVkRwuOB|`.@4KsV. Main Office: Shapiro is said to have enjoyed a luxury lifestyle of chartered planes, country-club fees, Porsche cars and pricey jewelry. How an investing trick can protect your family's nest egg but you must be careful how you do it, Will the crackdown on holiday lettings wreck your returns? As its sole owner and chief operator, Shapiro compartmentalized Woodbridge operations to restrict access to information concerning Woodbridges finances. SEC Charges Woodbridge Group of Companies in 'Massive' $1.2 Billion Hearing scheduled for 2/8/2022 at 10:30 AM at US Bankruptcy Court, 824 Market St., 3rd Fl., Courtroom #7, Wilmington, Delaware. 99 N.E. Woodbridge employed approximately 130 people and had offices located throughout the United States, including in Boca Raton, Florida; Sherman Oaks, California; Colorado; Tennessee; and Connecticut. Jeri Shapiro (Shapiro's wife), Woodbridge Realty of Colorado, LLC d/b/a Woodbridge Realty Unlimited; Woodbridge . Woodbridge executives settle with SEC for $3.75 million Cocktails, fine wine and Dom Perignon flowed,ushering in 2016 with a grand flourish and the buffetwas afeast for the eyes, withamouthwateringdisplayof prime rib, spring lamb,oysters, crab, shrimp and every type of charcuterieandhors doeurvesimaginable. (related document(s)[, Status Report Liquidation Trust's Status Report for May 19, 2021 Status Conference Filed by Michael Goldberg. District of Delaware Despite Woodbridges claims that these investments would be backed by properties owned by third parties, in fact, to the extent that the properties existed, they were secretly owned by Shapiro. Jeri Shapiro, Shapiro's wife, was named as a relief defendant in the suit for her role serving as a vice president at Woodbridge since about 2012, and also for being in possession of real property . Revelers at Aspen Glen, New Years Eve 2015. Wilmington DE 19801 Prior to SEC involvement, states had already begun to uncover the true fraudulent nature of Robert H Shapiro's Woodbridge Group of Companies. Public Affairs Officer Co-defendant Robert Shapiro, the former owner, president, and CEO of Woodbridge Group of Companies LLC (Woodbridge) was previously sentenced to the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for his leadership role in the fraud scheme and his separate income tax fraud. Unbeknownst to investors, Shapiro created and controlled a network of more than 270 limited liability companies, which he used to acquire and sell the properties pitched to investors. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 19-cr-20178. In its motion seeking discovery under Rule 2004 of the Bankruptcy Code, the trust said it needed to obtain documents and records from Jeri Shapiro, the wife of Robert Shapiro, to determine if she . 19-01100 (mew) decision concerning debtor's place of residence . A federal judge has now ordered them cough up $1 billion in payments and fines after the SEC in 2017 filed an emergency court action. Partygoers were all in agreement that this was undoubtedly theevent of the year and many were already anticipating how much fun New Years Eve 2016 was going to be! Woodbridge Liquidation Trust Attn: Michael Goldberg, Liquidation Trustee c/o Akerman, LLP 350 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 1600 . Of this $1B, Woodbridge and its 281 related companies must pay $892M in disgorgement. 1:02. The SEC formally charged Woodbridge Group of Companies and owner Robert H Shapiro of Sherman Oaks, California and Aspen, Colorado with securities fraud, ordering their assets frozen and alleging the group defrauded more than 8,400 investors, many of whom were seniors who financed their investments by using retirement savings, in a "massive" $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme that utilized unregistered Woodbridge Funds. Woodbridge Mortgage Investment Fund 2, LLC. The real estate developer was accused of running a $1.2B massive fraud operation. Affidavit/Declaration of Service re Notice of Agenda and Amended Agenda of Matters Scheduled for Telephonic Hearing on May 27, 2020 at 10:30 A.M. (Prevailing Eastern Time) (related document(s)[, Notice of Agenda of Matters Scheduled for Telephonic Hearing. Former Woodbridge CEO Robert Shapiro agrees to pay $120M in - News 919 North Market Street17th Floor The SEC also charged 18 sales agents. jeri shapiro woodbridge ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. hbbd```b`` "H9 *LV$^>0LnAQ 2 Hml %30V?0 Q] In the legal profession, information is the key to success. HEARING CANCELLED. Ted's Bio; Fact Sheet; Hoja Informativa Del Ted Fund; Ted Fund Board 2021-22; 2021 Ted Fund Donors; Ted Fund Donors Over the Years. United States Bankruptcy Court Published By Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP, NorthStar Financial Services (Bermuda) - Learn More Here, US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas, LLP (SSEK Law Firm), Woodbridge Structured Funding WMF Management, Woodbridge Mortgage Investment Funds 1, 2, 3, 3A, and 4, Woodbridge Commercial Bridge Loan Funds 1 and 2. Hearing scheduled for 2/8/2022 at 10:30 AM at US Bankruptcy Court, 824 Market St., 3rd Fl., Courtroom #7, Wilmington, Delaware. He also is banned from taking part in any penny stock offerings. Filed by Epiq Class Action & Claims Solutions, Inc.. (related document(s)[12], [, Affidavit/Declaration of Service re Entry of Default (related document(s)[15]) Filed by Epiq Class Action & Claims Solutions, Inc.. (Gallerie, Bridget), BNC Certificate of Mailing. Robert Shapiro was accused of fleecing 9,000 investors with a promise of profits on real estate loans, and . Password (at least 8 characters required). Jeri Shapiro, 3X A Charm, LLC, Carbondale Basalt Owners, LLC, Davanna Sherman Oaks Owners, LLC, In Trend Staging, LLC, Midland Loop Enterprises, LLC, Schwartz Media Buying Company, LLC, Stover Real Estate . According to the indictment, superseding information, and court documents, Shapiro spearheaded and concealed an enormous Ponzi scheme through his business, Woodbridge. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. PDF Sealed cxsENo': ;< - CLERK U S. DISJ CT . Filed by Epiq Class Action & Claims Solutions, Inc.. (related document(s)[, Amended Notice of Agenda of Matters Scheduled for Hearing Filed by Liquidation Trust. Acevedo started working for Woodbridge as a sales agent in or around 2009, and in 2013 to December 2014 he served as the sales manager of Woodbridge. The SEC announced an investigation of Woodbridge in early December, alleging that Woodbridge sold unregistered securities. Robert Shapiro sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 300 months, supervised release for 3 years, $200 special assessment, restitution and forfeiture. In a statement he said: 'He is happy to have put this behind him to allow all remaining resources to be focused on obtaining maximum recovery for the benefit of the Woodbridge estate.'. Reports and Letters by the Liquidation Trustee The regulator accused Woodbridge of using investors funds to pay other investors, as well as $64.5M in sales commissions to agents that had touted the Woodbridge investments as conservative and low risk. Shapiro is accused of using at least $21M of investor funds to support his lavish lifestyle. Woodbridge Trust Seeks Documents From Shapiro's Wife 128 0 obj <> endobj Court Orders $1 Billion Judgment Against Operators of Woodbridge Ponzi White Collar Criminal Defense - MNR Law Firm Florida judge orders company to pay $1 BILLION for 'defrauding 8,400 It is similar to a pyramid scheme in that both are based on using new investors' funds to pay the earlier backers. %PDF-1.7 % It is alleged up to 8,400 retail investors were defrauded by Boca Raton-based Woodbridge, which filed for bankruptcy in 2017. The court ordered Shapiro, accused of using a web of shell companies to conceal the scheme, to pay a $100 million civil penalty and to disgorge $18.5 million in ill-gotten gains plus $2.1 million in prejudgment interest. Woodbridge, at Shapiro's direction, additionally hired a public relations firm to manipulate search engine results so as to hide the state regulatory orders from customers who searched the Internet for Woodbridge. Filed by Liquidation Trust. Over the years, SSEK Law Firm helped thousands of clients in getting back their financial losses caused by broker fraud, investment adviser fraud, and other kinds of securities fraud. DOCS_LA:323463.1 94811/003 2 require Jeri Shapiro to forfeit all of her assets and bank accounts that the government has In fact, you dont even need to live here as we have it all covered. SEC's Lawsuit Against Woodbridges Robert Shapiro Over a 1.2 Billion (Attachments: # (1) Exhibit A # (2) Declaration # (3) Exhibit 1 to Declaration # (4) Certificate of Service) (Robinson, Colin), Affidavit/Declaration of Service re: Notice of Agenda of Matters Scheduled for Hearing on May 19, 2021 at 9:00 AM (Prevailing Eastern Time) before the Honorable J. Kate Stickles. SHAPIRO, JERI SHERMAN OAKS, CA 91423: Woodbridge Group Of Companies/Vice President: $1,000: 10/07/2016: G: SCOTT TAYLOR FOR CONGRESS - Republican: SHAPIRO, JERI . Woodbridge Ponzi Scheme: SEC Charges Ponzi Scheme Operators At least 2,600 of these investor victims invested their retirement savings, totaling approximately $400 million. Former Woodbridge CEO Robert Shapiro agrees to pay $120M in penalties While SEC investigators were busy unraveling the Woodbridge Ponzi and cover-up scheme, which primarily concerned 12-to-18-month promissory notes and seven private placement fund offerings with five-year terms, Woodbridge's public statements blamed regulators for being too strict, claiming that industry rules were to blame for the company's money troubles. The docket is currently displayed in reverse chronological order. According to the SEC's complaint, Shapiro fraudulently used money from newer investors to pay returns owed to existing investors all while the Shapiro family lived in luxury, spending investor money on luxury automobiles, jewelry, country club membership, and chartering private planes. A federal court has ordered the Woodbridge Group of Companies and its former CEO and owner Robert H. Shapiro to pay $1B in disgorgement and penalties for allegedly running a $1.2B Ponzi scam that victimized 8,400 retail investors, including many senior investors who ended up losing their retirement money.Of this $1B, Woodbridge and its 281 related companies must pay $892M in disgorgement. A Liquidation Trust that is being set up in the Woodbridge Chapter 11 bankruptcy case will be responsible for satisfying the disgorgement order. FB The indictment further alleges that Shapiro caused most of the Woodbridge companies to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which caused investors to suffer substantial losses, as they were owed close to $1 billion in principal. ), Motion for Default Judgment against Defendant, Schwartz Media Buying Company, LLC Filed by Woodbridge Liquidation Trust. 2 0 obj (Attachments: #1 Exhibit A, Doc. 19-51076-BLS. woodbridge mortgage commercial bridge loan fund 2, llc, 144 woodbridge-affiliated property limited liability companies, 131 woodbridge-affiliated holding limited liability companies, defendants, and jeri shapiro, woodbridge realty of colorado, llc, d/b/a woodbridge realty unlimited, woodbridge luxury homes of california, inc., Filed by Epiq Class Action & Claims Solutions, Inc.. (related document(s)[39]) (Gallerie, Bridget), Affidavit/Declaration of Service re: Amended Notice of Agenda of Matters Scheduled for Hearing on February 8, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. (Prevailing Eastern Time) Before the Honorable J. Kate Stickles. They were ordered to pay $5.2M in ill-gotten gains with interest. (Admin. 'Mr. Hosted by Woodbridge Realty of Colorado for the second consecutive year,250 revelers and party-hounds danced into the wee small hours of 2016 to the music ofGrammy winning composer, Paul Williams and the smoky, rockingvocals of singer-songwriter Gianna Salvato. Former Woodbridge CEO Shapiro pleads guilty, faces up to 25 years in The scheme also involved misrepresentations to financial planners who helped Woodbridge to sell investments to potential investors. Wife Jeri, left, pictured here with TV judgeJeanine Pirro in 2016, Shapiro is said to have enjoyed a luxury lifestyle of chartered planes, country-club fees, Porsche cars and jewelry and even played gold with actor Scott Baio. milton davis, robert shapiro, jeri shapiro, dane r. roseman, a/k/a "dayne roseman," ivan acavedo, woodbridge mortgage investment fund 1 llc, the alleged lender, howard l. sherman, and richard salvato defendants. 371. Unfortunately, senior investors are a favorite target of Ponzi scammers because many of them have retirement funds and savings. The Commission also cited Shapiro for intentionally arranging for the manipulation of search engine results to hide certain state regulatory orders filed against Woodbridge, and for continuing to sell millions of dollars worth of Woodbridge products to residents of states that had already issued cease-and-desist orders. Robert Shapiro | Woodbridge Group of Companies | SEC The following documents are in PDF format. Jeri Shapiro waiver sent on 12/22/2017, answer due 2/20/2018. Court Docket Filed by Epiq Class Action & Claims Solutions, Inc.. (related document(s)[, Affidavit/Declaration of Service re: Notice of Agenda of Matters Scheduled for Hearing on February 8, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. (Prevailing Eastern Time) Before the Honorable J. Kate Stickles. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Shapiro, 1:17-cv-24624 A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Submitting a contact form, sending a text message, making a phone call, or leaving a voicemail does not create an attorney-client relationship. Shapiro and Woodbridge used at least $328 million to repay principal and interest . Government FINALLY agrees to fix child benefit fiasco denying parents valuable state pension credits, Are YOU cutting back on pension contributions: Money worries tempt some to opt out - but a five-year gap in your 20s can cost you 114,000, 'We're not your enemies!' . [email protected], Southern District of Florida The complaint alleges she owns assets, including real estate . The judgment was against Woodbridge and its 281 related companies, ordering them to pay $892 million in disgorgement They purportedly made no income and did not pay interest on any of these supposed loans. We represented Jeri Shapiro, the wife of Woodbridge Financial Group's principal and CEO, Robert Shapiro, in related DOJ and SEC proceedings, and secured a binding non-prosecution agreement for her in 2019. Roseman received approximately $2.5 million in Woodbridge money and Acevedo received approximately $1.1 million. The Woodbridge Group of Companies and its former owner Robert Shapiro were ordered to pay the money to investors as well as civil fines and interest, The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said. Woodbridge Securities (a/k/a Woodbridge Group of Companies) was a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme run by CEO Robert H. Shapiro. Home; About. (U.S. Treasury), Adversary case 19-51076. -----x adv. Robert Shapiro, 61, the owner of the Woodbridge Group of Cos., and two other former company executives were accused of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and other violations of federal law . But his expensive way of life was allegedly at the expense of those who paid money into the scheme, including ABC news anchor George Stephanopoulos. Click here for a video tour ofsome of ourcontemporary spec homes, currently under construction in Snowmass. But interest rate threat still looms, warns boss Jamie Dimon, Bell tolls for U.S. banking: With each failure and rescue, the prospects of maintaining confidence look ever more remote, saysALEX BRUMMER, Over 65s hold 2.6TRILLION worth of housing wealth - largely without mortgages - as youngsters battle to get on the ladder, Why 2023 is the worst year to start retirement: Inflation and stock market wobbles hit the pension power of hundreds of thousands of older workers, Should you sell in May? pro. Miami, Florida On July 12, 2021, Los Angeles County, California natives, Dane Roseman, 38, and Ivan Acevedo, 44, pled guilty to participating in a massive investment fraud scheme, in which more than 7,000 victims suffered financial losses, in violation of 18 U.S.C. [Bloomberg] Natalie Hoberman. : 139], United States v. Robert Shapiro - PAPERLESS Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga: Change of Plea Hearing as to Robert Shapiro held on 8/7/2019. Shapiro's wife, Jeri, who was VP at Woodbridge for several years, has also been named as a relief defendant in the lawsuit. Prevailing Eastern TimeGeneral Bar Date, Affidavit/Declaration of Service re: Stipulation of Dismissal of Adversary Proceeding without Prejudice Solely as to Defendant Jeri Shapiro. Prior to SEC involvement, states had already begun to uncover the true fraudulent nature of Robert H Shapiro's Woodbridge Group of Companies. (Robinson, Colin), Order Requiring Omnibus Status Report Addressing Each Pending Adversary Proceeding Signed on 4/13/2021 (MD), Order of Reassignment of Judge. By Vince Sullivan (October 8, 2019, 4:40 PM EDT) -- The liquidating trust created by the Chapter 11 plan of defunct real estate investment enterprise The Woodbridge Group of Cos. asked a Delaware judge late Monday for permission to take discovery from the wife of the mastermind behind a $1.3 billion Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of investors. U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Access to case data within articles (numbers, filings, courts, nature of suit, and more. In reality, the SEC says Woodbridge, based in California after it was founded in Boca Raton, made no interest payments and used money from new investors to pay older ones in classic Ponzi scheme fashion.
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