MIAMI, May 05, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sonn and Erez, PLC is investigating potential claims against Aequitas Management, LLC ("Aequitas") promissory notes or Aequitas-affiliated invested funds through other Aequitas related companies between January 2014 and January 2016. If you are an investor in any promissory notes or securities issued by Aequitas or its related companies, you may contact Jeff Sonn or Jeff Erez at 1-305-428-8530 or 954-763-4700.
This investigation focuses on whether certain financial advisors or promoters misrepresented the safety of investments in Aequitas promissory notes and funds, whether there was adequate due diligence into Aequitas promissory notes prior to sale, and whether there were violations of securities laws or regulations, including Financial Regulatory Authority rules of conduct, by Aequitas, their counsel, accounting firm, financial advisors, or others.
According to the SEC and a pending class action, Aequitas, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, offered alternative financing to companies in certain industries. Aequitas, and its affiliates, Aequitas Holdings, LLC ("AH"), Aequitas Commercial Finance, LLC ("ACF"), Aequitas Capital Management, Inc., Aequitas Investment Management, LLC raised money from investors in a “Private Note Program” and through various investment funds they created.
This investigation also focuses on allegations that investors were lead to believe that they were investing in a portfolio of good trade receivables in the healthcare, education, transportation, or consumer credit sectors. However, Aequitas allegedly did not reveal that: (1) ACF and AH were effectively bankrupt; (2) not all investor funds were not used to purchase trade receivables but instead to paid redemptions and interest to prior investors and to pay operating expenses; and (3) only some of the notes issued by ACF and the Aequitas Funds were supported by trade receivables. By the end of 2015, Aequitas owed about 1500 investors $312 million and had virtually no operating income to repay them.
If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation, or if you invested in any Aequitas related promissory notes or Aequitas-affiliated investment funds, you can assist this investigation by contacting Sonn and Erez at 305-428-8530.
Sonn and Erez PLC focuses its practices on representing investors nationwide who are the victims of Ponzi schemes, fraud, negligence or other misconduct of financial advisors, brokers, brokerage firms or companies that promote investments. Sonn and Erez has obtained verdicts and recoveries totaling hundreds of millions of dollars for investors in securities arbitration and litigation.