FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Lerman Law Firm (Cathy Jackson Lerman, P.A.) is applauding Miami’s Channel 7 News (WSVN) for shining a light on a multi-million dollar fraud by Hawk Systems, Inc. and its affiliated companies that has duped hundreds of investors while law enforcement and prosecutors stand by.
Victims profiled in the piece include former football greats Bryant McFadden of the Steelers, Alex Barron of the Rams and Greg Jones of the Jacksonville Jaguars. All three are graduates of Florida State University where they played football for the Seminoles.
McFadden lost $200,000 to the fraudulent company, which claims to own patents to cutting-edge biometric technology.
McFadden told Channel 7 News: “It was a real good pitch. Instantly, I thought, ‘Wow, this is intriguing. It’s interesting.’” He added: “If I knew what I know now, I would have taken my little investment and went to Vegas and just put it on red or black.”
The Fox affiliate raised serious questions about the failure of Florida and Federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to stop this fraud and prevent more investors from being duped.
“This was an incredible investigative piece exposing a scam that is, unbelievably, still targeting new victims,” said Cathy Lerman, principal of the Lerman Law Firm. “I applaud Channel 7 News for taking action while investigators and prosecutors sit idly by. It remains unanswered why the FBI, IRS, SEC, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg and Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw have all failed to shut down the scheme and arrest the people carrying out the fraud,” Lerman added.
The scheme is designed to trick investors – from wealthy professional football players to elderly pensioners – into pouring their savings into a company that openly declared $22 million in losses to the SEC while only claiming $5,570 in sales. The company has never produced an actual product, despite giving investors tours of a fake South Florida production facility.
The Hawk Systems, Inc. fraud reportedly spans at least 13 states and involves a number of affiliated companies including Hawk Biometric Technologies, Inc., Hawk Biometrics of Canada, Inc., Auto Secure, Inc., Auto Secure USA, Inc., Secure Start USA, LLC and Fist Enterprises, LLC.
If you are an investor in one or more of the above-mentioned companies and wish to provide information to assist the Lerman Law Firm in its investigation of these companies, please contact Cathy Lerman at clerman@lermanfirm.com or (954) 332-1143.