The Ponzi Scheme Blog: March 2020

Kathy Bazoian Phelps
Senior Counsel in Ponzi Scheme Litigation
and Bankruptcy Matters

Kathy is a senior business trial attorney with more than 30 years experience prosecuting and defending claims for high net worth clients involved in Ponzi scheme matters and in bankruptcy proceedings. Kathy’s practice includes recovering assets for clients in complex fraud cases under standard fee and alternative fee arrangements. She also handles SEC and CFTC whistleblower claims. Kathy also serves as a mediator in bankruptcy matters, in complex business disputes, and in matters requiring detailed knowledge about fraud or Ponzi schemes.

Kathy’s Clients in Ponzi Scheme Cases and Bankruptcy Matters
Equity Receivers
Bankruptcy Trustees
High Net Worth Investors
Whistleblowers
Debtors in Bankruptcy
Secured and Unsecured Creditors

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

March 2020 Ponzi Scheme Roundup

Posted by Kathy Bazoian Phelps

Below is a summary of the activity reported for March 2020. The reported stories reflect at least 7 new Ponzi schemes worldwide; at least 4 guilty pleas and convictions; and an average age of approximately 53 for the alleged Ponzi schemers. Please feel free to post comments about these or other Ponzi schemes that I may have missed.

Stacey L. Beane, 35, Justin N. Deckert, 30, and Travis Laska, 26, were accused by the SEC of helping to hide a Ponzi scheme run through VisonQuest Wealth Management LLC. The three were employees of VisionQuest and are accused of assisting in a fraudulent offering of $10.1 million in promissory notes. Stephen C. Peters was the owner and principle of VisionQuest, and he also owned VisionQuest Capital LLC and VQ Wealth LLC.

Should Bernie Madoff go free?

Bernie Madoff, currently serving his 150-year prison term, is seeking a compassionate release due to what is described as terminal kidney failure and less than 18 months to live. We are interested in your views on whether Madoff should be released after having served 11 of the 150 year sentence. Click the link below to express your views on the following poll:

Kathy has significant experience with the issues arising in Ponzi scheme cases, and in tracing and recovering assets in complex fraud cases. She has represented all types of parties in Ponzi scheme cases, including investors, defendants in litigation, trustees, and receivers. She has extensive litigation experience in a wide variety of bankruptcy litigation matters, representing operating and liquidating trustees, debtors, and secured and unsecured creditors. Kathy also serves as a mediator in bankruptcy matters, in other complex disputes, and in other matters requiring an expert on fraud or Ponzi schemes.

All blog entries posted on this site are published for general informational purposes and do not constitute legal advice, nor create an attorney-client relationship between the author and the reader. The blogs may not be updated to incorporate changes in the law or facts after the date of publication on the site, and therefore, any information contained therein should be checked to assure accuracy.

Comments made to blog entries posted on this site will be published if they relate to Ponzi schemes issues, advance the discussion of the issues in a productive fashion, and maintain a civil tone. Other comments and those not made with an acceptable standard of professionalism will not be published.

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

March 2020 Ponzi Scheme Roundup

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Should Bernie Madoff go free?

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