March 15, 2016
SEC Complaint
The Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged an Oregon-based investment group and three top executives with hiding the rapidly deteriorating financial condition of its enterprise while raising more than $350 million from investors. Aequitas Management LLC and four affiliates allegedly defrauded more than 1,500 investors nationwide into believing they were making health care, education, and transportation-related investments when their money was really being used in a last-ditch effort to save the firm. Some money from new investors was allegedly used to pay earlier investors
According to the SEC Complaint, CEO Robert J. Jesenik and executive vice president Brian A. Oliver were well aware of Aequitas’s calamitous financial condition yet continued to solicit millions of dollars from investors to pay the firm’s ever-increasing expenses and attempt to stave off the impending collapse. Former CFO and chief operating officer, N. Scott Gillis, allegedly concealed the firm’s insolvency from investors and was aware that Jesenik and Oliver continued soliciting investors so that Aequitas could pay operating expenses and repay earlier investors with money from new investors.
Jina L. Choi, Director of the SEC’s San Francisco Regional Office, stated “we allege that Aequitas had severe and persistent cash flow shortages and top executives knew they weren’t using money raised from investors like they said they would. But they refused to disclose the true financial condition, continued to draw lucrative salaries, and roped even more unknowing investors into a losing venture.”
According to the SEC’s Complaint:
The SEC’s Complaint charges violations of the federal securities laws by Aequitas Management, Aequitas Holdings LLC, Aequitas Commercial Finance LLC, Aequitas Capital Management Inc., and Aequitas Investment Management LLC as well as Jesenik, Oliver, and Gillis. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, and monetary penalties from all defendants as well as bars prohibiting Jesenik, Oliver, and Gillis from serving as officers or directors of any public company.
Aequitas and the affiliated entities have agreed to be preliminarily enjoined from raising any additional funds by offering and selling securities, and agreed to the appointment of a receiver to marshal and preserve remaining Aequitas assets for distribution to defrauded investors. The stipulated orders are subject to court approval.
Step 1.
Talk to an Experienced Attorney Today
Call and speak to one of our attorneys* for a no-cost consultation to discuss your situation, answer your questions, and help you determine the next steps. This call usually takes about 15 minutes, but we are happy to talk to you as long as you would like!
Step 2.
Quick Review of Your Paperwork
If we think you might have a case, we will need to review a few basic documents. If we determine you have a case, then you will have the option to hire us as your attorneys to pursue it.
Step 3.
Signed Attorney/Client Agreement
If you decide to hire us to pursue your case, we will have you sign an attorney-client agreement so we can begin the process of trying to recover your losses.*
*In the vast majority of cases, our agreement is contingent – meaning you won’t owe us any money unless we recover money for you.