We represent investors in claims against negligent brokers and brokerage firms. That was substantially more than the amounts the defendants represented in Safeguard Metals customer agreements. The lawsuit alleges that Safeguard Metals used false statements on its website, inflating its assets by billions and using fear tactics to motivate senior citizens to purchase the precious metals. Is Nationwide Gold and Bullion Reserve legitimate? Hello, I need a recommendation on attys in CA that specializes in precious metals. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Since precious metal prices keep fluctuating, we recommend that you contact Augusta Precious Metals now to find out the exact amounts you are required to pay. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. EEO Report | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | About Us | FCC Applications |, Daily News Update Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "-Sonn Law Group Client. Augusta Precious Metals Fees. For contact information, visit the NASAA website here. Jeffrey S. Santulan, age 41 is a resident of Tarzana, California. The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Safeguard Metals LLC, and its owner, Jeffrey Santulan, for engaging in an alleged multi-million dollar fraud involving hundreds of investors who were at or near retirement age. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Severe Weather Alert The complaint alleges the defendants targeted seniors with little experience in investing in precious metals and used scare tactics, half-truths, and other misrepresentations to entice them to purchase grossly over-priced silver coins with their retirement savings. Idaho will continue to partner with fellow regulators to vigorously fight to protect consumers from this and other schemes to defraud," Perkins said. This business is in an industry that may require professional licensing, bonding or registration. I was recently scammed by a scam agency but Metals Safeguard is 100% legit. It is the mission of PNG- Accredited Precious Metals Dealer (APMD) program to instill confidence among retail buyers in the precious metals marketplace by adhering to strict guidelines for. The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles federal court alleges that Safeguard Metals violated the federal Commodity Exchange Act by advising elderly "investors" to cash out their savings and . Elizabeth SmithElizabeth.Smith@dfpi.ca.gov. A cross-agency approach enhances our ability to protect investors and the integrity of our markets.. Safeguard and Santulan also allegedly misled investors about Safeguard's commissions and markups on the coins, charging average markups of approximately 64% on its sales of silver coins, instead of the 4% to 33% markups that they disclosed to investors. To send us an e-mail, simply complete and submit the online form below. The litigation will be led by Jonathan S. Polish. On February 1, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced charges against Safeguard Metals LLC, and its owner, Jeffrey Santulan, for engaging in a multimillion dollar fraudulent scheme involving hundreds of investors who were at or near retirement age. In the end, nearly every customer suffered an immediate loss of their investment on the purchase of precious metals from Safeguard Metals. Proudly powered by WordPress I will likely not live long enough to see this money ever recovered unless I can join a class action suit against Safeguard Metals. Case 2:22-cv-00691 Document 1 Filed 02/01/22 Page 4 of 38 Page ID #:4 - 5 - COMPLAINT FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, CIVIL MONETARY PENALTIES, AND OTHER EQUITABLE RELIEF . Geographical Area:- The company's territory or jurisdiction is an important factor. According to the complaint, Safeguard obtained approximately $67 million from the sale of coins to more than 450 mostly elderly, retail investors, and kept approximately $25.5 million in mark ups. Your email address will not be published. Below is information about these offers and simple ways to spot offers that could be scams. We provide detailed analysis for Gold IRAs and Silver IRAs. This joint civil enforcement action against the precious metals dealer is understood to be the second of its kind, after the CFTC and state regulators filed an action in 2020 against Metals.com and its principals, Lucas Asher and Simon Batashvili. After January 2021, the defendants represented . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I'm Jeff Sonn, an attorney concentrating on securities fraud and consumer class actions. Safeguard obtained approximately $67 million from the sale of coins to more than 450 mostly elderly, retail investors, and kept approximately $25.5 million in mark ups. The SEC also alleged that Safeguard and Santulan represented 4% to 33% markups, but actually charged average markups of approximately 64% on its sale of silver coins. According to the complaint, Safeguard obtained approximately $67 million from the sale of coins to more than 450 mostly elderly, retail investors, and kept approximately $25.5 million in mark ups. Safeguard's website pitches the investments as a way to "hedge against uncontrolled government spending and dizzying money printing by the Federal Reserve." Required fields are marked *. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Jedediah B. Forkner and Jean M. Javorski of the SEC's Chicago Regional Office, and was supervised by Anne C. McKinley. 04:23 PM. Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases. The Idaho Department of Finance encourages investors to come forward if they suspect they have been targeted by similar precious metals investment schemes. Contact the City News Service newsroom at 310-481-0404 or news@socalnews.com. We hope the message is coming across loud and clear to the precious metals industry: we will not tolerate deception and fraud in the commodities industry and are committed to holding bad actors accountable for their actions.. If you were implanted with an Exactech knee or ankle replacement insert or hip replacement liner, you may be eligible for compensation. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. Brazen attempts to target senior citizens or other vulnerable populations will not be tolerated in California, said DFPI Commissioner Clothilde V. Hewlett. SACRAMENTO - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a motion to intervene in the Los Angeles City Attorney's lawsuit against S&W Atlas Iron & Metal Company (Atlas Metal) for endangering the health and safety of environmental justice communities in South Los Angeles.Over several years, Atlas Metal's operations are alleged to have been launching metal shards and projectiles into . According to the complaint, the defendants deceived customers into purchasing precious metals through false and misleading statements, including about the risk and safety of their investments in traditional retirement accounts. The complaint further alleges that Safeguards sales agents used prepared scripts, some written by Santulan, that were filled with false and misleading statements about how the market was going to crash and how their retirement accounts would be frozen under a new unpublicized law. Required fields are marked *. }. 2023 2 oz Silver Tudor Beasts Yale of Beaufort Coin. The suit alleges that the company and its owner misrepresented their credentials and advised customers that the precious metals were a safe and conservative investment, compared to traditional retirement accounts that sales associates acting at the direction of the company claimed individuals could be frozen out of if the stock market were to crash. Contests and Promotions, 2023, NPG of Idaho, Inc. Idaho Falls, ID USA, Yellowstone Teton Territory Travel and Tourism, View all our Vallow-Daybell coverage here, Idaho budget committee cuts funding to child care assistance, Idaho joins Texas lawsuit over new federal clean-water rules, Police continue to search for 16-year-old runaway, Southeastern Idaho Public Health provides free health screenings, Mortgage applications drop to 28-year low as rates climb, Report shows troubling rise in colorectal cancer among US adults younger than 55, Covid vaccine maker Novavax says it may not survive. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. SGM's services and products are for investment purposes only. As the market continues to fluctuate, we anticipate more fraudsters using fear and uncertainty to manipulate good people out of their hard-earned money.. The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against Safeguard Metals LLC, and its owner, Jeffrey Santulan, for engaging in a multi-million dollar fraudulent scheme involving hundreds of investors who were at or near retirement age. LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - U.S. bank Citigroup Inc failed on Friday in a bid to win an order from a London court that would force trade house Mercuria to pay about $270 million in potential losses . To learn more about Safeguard Metals and the asset preservation services we provide, contact us today! 0 Comments Author: ED Magedson - Founder, Ripoff Report. 2023 DISCLAIMER: All content within CoinWeek.com is presented for informational purposes only, with no guarantee of accuracy. February 23, 2023 31:39. Summerlin, Nevada. A baby food company is facing a class-action lawsuit in New York after a congressional report uncovered internal documents from several companies revealing potentially dangerous levels of heavy. Given the complexity of investment products, our jobs have never been more important, or more demanding.. We fight to level the playing field between large corporations and the public investor. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. New York, New York Attorney General Letitia James TODAY filed suit against a precious metals company Safeguard Metals LLC and its owner and manager, Jeffrey Santulan, also known as Jeffrey Hill, for defrauding investors including several seniors in New York and across the country., The lawsuit, filed by the US . This is one of many large-scale precious metals investment schemes weve endeavored to stop since the pandemic began. This is a whole series of standard personal injury claims where the plaintiff sues the defendant. Today roughly half of all U.S. households rely on the securities markets to plan and prepare for their . BBB is here to help. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. *In Canada, trademark(s) of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus, used under License. Well guide you through the process. companies or divisions. The lawsuit, filed by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and a bipartisan coalition of 27 states, alleges that Safeguard Metals deceived nearly 450 investors nationwide by fraudulently soliciting nearly $68 million for precious metals and misrepresenting its exorbitant fees charged to investors. A favorable court ruling on behalf of a client who suffered losses in a leveraged precious metals investment scheme will proceed against the solicitor. The complaint charged Safeguard and Santulan with violations of the antifraud provisions of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. var text; Shop Now. Safeguard works at the direction . The defendants advised investors to liquidate their holdings at registered investment firms to fund investments in precious metals through self-directed individual retirement accounts. A class action lawsuit occurs when a group of people can sue the same company over the same source of damage, almost always a defective product. In many cases, the actual market value of the precious metals purchased was substantially lower than the value of the investors retirement savings liquidated to fund their purchase. In October 2020, the Department partnered with other regulators to pursue action against another precious metals dealer, TMTE Inc., also known as Metals.com, Chase Metals, and Barrick Capital. A California man accused of conning elderly clients out of millions while acting as an investment . Safeguard Metals is located in Woodland Hills, California, and Jeffrey Santulan resides in Tarzana, California. A companys registration status can be found at NFA BASIC. The SECs complaint alleged that between January 2017 and July 2021, Safeguard and Santulan acted as investment advisers and convinced investors to sell their existing securities, transfer the proceeds of hte sale into a self-directed Individual Retirement Account, and invest the proceeds into gold and silver coins. Business Consultants: Seed Capital. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and state regulators that are members of the North American Securities Administrators Association. Safeguard Metals is located in . If unregistered, a customer should be wary of providing funds to that entity. February 24, 2023 36:53. Your email address will not be published. In fact, the silver coins were significantly less valuable than the defendants claimed, based on the resale prices the firm marketed and promoted. DEFENDANTS 11. We are committed to holding those accountable who undermine the investing publics trust in our commodities markets through illegal conduct., Todays action demonstrates the commitment of state and federal regulators to work together to prevent investment fraud, said Joseph P. Borg, Co-chair of NASAAs Enforcement Section and Director of the Alabama Securities Commission. A Ruling That Could End the Internet as We Know . 01/23/2023. Safeguard and Santulan also allegedly misled investors about Safeguards commissions and markups on the coins, charging average markups of approximately 64% on its sales of silver coins, instead of the 4% to 33% markups that they disclosed to investors. ON SALE. The Sonn Law Group is currently investigating allegations surrounding Safeguard Metals, LLC and Jeffrey Santulan. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 12. Indiana is one of 27 states filing a lawsuit against a California company accused of bilking elderly investors throughout the country out of nearly $70 million. INVESTORS: The SEC charged Safeguard Metals, LLC and its owner Jeffrey Santulan for engaging in a multi-million dollar fraudulent scheme that reportedly targeted retirees. To check the status of this licensee, visit Financial Services and Mortgage Lending Licensees Search. Whistleblowers are eligible to receive between 10% and 30% of the monetary sanctions collected paid from the Customer Protection Fund financed through monetary sanctions paid to the CFTC by violators of the CEA. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a separate civil enforcement action against the same defendants alleging violations of federal securities laws. Safeguard Properties Safeguard Equities, Inc BRE#02112381 Real Estate Agents Safeguard Properties aka Safeguard Equities to be avoided at all costs. The complaint alleges that from approximately October 2017 and continuing through at least July 2021, the defendants fraudulently solicited and received approximately $68 million in customer fundsthe majority of which was retirement savingsfrom at least 450 persons throughout the U.S. for the purpose of purchasing precious metals, primarily consisting of gold and silver coins. Customers and other individuals can report suspicious activities or information, such as possible violations of commodity trading laws, to the Division of Enforcement via a toll-free hotline 866-FON-CFTC (866-366-2382), file a tip or complaint online, or contact the Whistleblower Office. The minimum investment is $5000. The alleged $68 million scheme, which includes $26 million in markups alone, took place from between October 2017 through at least July 2021. The complaint seeks a permanent injunction to stop the deceptive and fraudulent practices, disgorgement, full restitution, rescission, and civil monetary penalties. Civil cases usually involve secret disputes between individuals or organizations. Safeguard Metals LLC is a Wyoming Limited Liability Company with an office located in Woodland Hills, California. For a free consultation, please call us now at. for(i=0;i