SEC Charges Niket Shah and Spark Trading for Targeting Retail Investors
On March 23rd the Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges and a preliminary injunction and asset freeze against Niket Shah, a New Jersey resident who it alleges stole more than $250,000 in a Ponzi scheme in which his friends and coworkers invested.
Based on investor complaints, the SEC moved quickly to investigate and charge Shah. According to the SEC’s complaint, unsealed on March 22, 2018, in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, Shah used Spark Trading Group, LLC to defraud more than 15 investors into contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to two funds that Shah marketed. Shah obtained investments for the funds by lying about his success as a trader, Spark Trading’s returns, and how he intended to use investors’ money, including altering financial statements to make the funds appear profitable when they were actually losing money. For instance the complaint alleges that Shah promised investors he would pay them monthly returns and guaranteed against losses. According to the complaint, Shah misused investor money for his own benefit and suffered substantial losses on the amounts actually invested. When investors sought their money back, he lied and said the money had been frozen by government agencies, including the Commission.
“Fraudsters who swindle their friends and colleagues using doctored financial statements and outright lies should expect the Commission and its staff to act swiftly and decisively, as we have here today,” said Melissa Hodgman, Associate Director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division.
The SEC’s Complaint charges Spark Trading and Shah with violations of the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws. The SEC is seeking return of allegedly ill-gotten gains with interest and civil money penalties.
A court hearing was held on March 23, 2018, on the SEC’s complaint and requested relief at which the Honorable Brian M. Cogan granted the SEC’s request for a preliminary injunction, asset freeze, order against the destruction of documents, and an accounting. The court had previously issued a March 12, 2018, temporary asset freeze against Spark Trading and Shah, and ordered them to provide an accounting of all money received from investors.
For further information about this securities law blog post, please contact Brenda Hamilton, Securities Attorney at 101 Plaza Real S, Suite 202 N, Boca Raton, Florida, (561) 416-8956, by email at [email protected] or visit www.securitieslawyer101.com. This securities law blog post is provided as a general informational service to clients and friends of Hamilton & Associates Law Group and should not be construed as, and does not constitute, legal advice on any specific matter, nor does this message create an attorney-client relationship. Please note that the prior results discussed herein do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Hamilton & Associates | Securities Lawyers
Brenda Hamilton, Securities Attorney
101 Plaza Real South, Suite 202 North
Boca Raton, Florida 33432
Telephone: (561) 416-8956
Facsimile: (561) 416-2855
www.SecuritiesLawyer101.com
