EEO Report | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | About Us | FCC Applications |, Daily News Update The metals.com scheme affected 1600 seniors nation-wide and involved $185 million. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) . According to the SEC's complaint, from December 2017 through at least July 2021, Safeguard and Santulan acted as investment advisers and persuaded investors to sell their existing securities, transfer the proceeds into self-directed Individual Retirement Accounts, and invest the proceeds into gold and silver coins by making false and misleading statements about the safety and liquidity of the investors' securities investments, Safeguard's business, and its compensation. Nationally, at least 450 investors paid . As the complaint alleges, to perpetuate their fraud, when questioned by customers about the value of the precious metals they purchased, the defendants claimed the silver coins were rare and carried a premium far above the base melt value to conceal their fraud and hide that customers significantly overpaid for their investments. Safeguard Metals, LLC | The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Safeguard Metals, LLC License or Case Number : Date of Initial Action: 02/01/22 Defendants/Respondents: Safeguard Metals, LLC; Santulan, Jeffrey aka Hill, Jeffrey Documents: 02/01/22 - Complaint (PDF) About the Licensee status But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Doug has written a book to help investors understand how gold and silver fit into a diversified portfolio, how to buy gold and silver, and what metals to buy. 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 retirement accounts to purchase overpriced metals and coins, sold by the company, according to the document. 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. In reality, Santulan allegedly operated the company from a small leased space in a Woodland Hills, Calif. office building using sales agents. 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 SEC is seeking permanent injunctions, disgorgement of allegedly ill-gotten gains, plus prejudgment interest, and civil penalties. Safeguard Metals LLC and its principal and owner, Jeffrey Santulan, also known as Jeffrey Hill, are charged with having engaged in ongoing fraud to solicit approximately $68 million in funds from more than 450 individuals nationwide to purchase fraudulently overpriced metals and coins from its office in Southern California. Safeguard Metals continued charging customers a markup on Silver Coins that still exceeded the maximum possible markup disclosed to customers by nearly 10% on average. Attorney General Todd Rokita today filed a lawsuit with 26 other states and a federal agency against Safeguard Metals, a business that schemed to trick elderly victims into investing in wildly overvalued precious metals. Contact me online or call anytime at 844-689-5754. Below is information about these offers and simple ways to spot offers that could be scams. Civil cases usually involve secret disputes between individuals or organizations. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a separate civil enforcement action against the same defendants alleging violations of federal securities laws. text = text.replace("https://docqnet.dfpi.ca.gov/licensesearch/","https://portal.dfpi.ca.gov/csp?id=ssp_license_search"); By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Encino woman extradited from Montenegro to serve sentence for COVID loan fraud, Mullholland Drive to be closed at least 24 hours, home evacuated due to mud flow in Beverly Crest, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Thurston, Teply and a third Idaho Safeguard distributor, Craig Empey, of Idaho Falls, who was not involved in the lawsuit, had combined annual sales of $1.82 million. 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. The complaint alleges that Safeguard Metals violated the federal Commodity Exchange Act by targeting the elderly and advising them to dissolve their life savings and traditional retirement accounts in order to purchase highly inflated and overpriced metals and coins, sold by the company. I was sold an expensive, fabricated coin at an almost 100% commission. Robert Slattery from Metals.com Anthony Bowers and Joseph something from Metals . The complaint further alleges that Safeguard's 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. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission and state regulators that are members of the North American Securities Administrators Association. Your email address will not be published. VanessaBenedict.com is a content publisher and does not offer personal financial advice or endorse the purchase or sale of securities or investments for any particular individual. The company disclosed markups to consumers, which the company referred to as operating margins, of 23 percent and later up to 42 percent. ON SALE. Author: ED Magedson - Founder, Ripoff Report. Safeguard Metals, LLC shall pay a civil penalty in the amount of $10,000.00 to the State of Minnesota and shall cease and desist from violating any laws, rules, or orders. Jun 21 2021. Safeguard Metals is a California-based company that sells investors precious metals, often in the form of "rare" or numismatic coins, as purported retirement investments. 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. If you have further questions or need more assistance, please call the DFPI's Consumer Services Office at: 1-866-275-2677. var allPs = document.getElementsByTagName("p"); Division of Consumer Financial Protection, Division of Corporations and Financial Institutions, Licensee & Financial Service Provider Search, Actions, Order and Administrative Hearing Decisions, Central Locations for Service of Legal Process, Office of Financial Technology Innovation, Press Releases 2009 - 2013 (Dept of Corporations), Press Releases 2001 - 2013 (Dept of Financial Institutions). Division of Consumer Financial Protection, Division of Corporations and Financial Institutions, Licensee & Financial Service Provider Search, Actions, Order and Administrative Hearing Decisions, Central Locations for Service of Legal Process, Office of Financial Technology Innovation, Financial Services and Mortgage Lending Licensees Search, Licensees and Industries Regulated by the DFPI, Actions, Orders and Administrative Hearing Decisions. Safeguard Metals is located in Woodland Hills, California, and Jeffrey Santulan resides in Tarzana, California. The CFTC and NASAA thanks and acknowledges the assistance of the SEC. Business Consultants: Seed Capital. Contact Us Now For a Free Consultation $25 MILLION Recovery Against National Brokerage Firm $9.1 MILLION FINRA Arbitration Award Against Brokerage Firm 10. This company asks me for photos from my property, they supposedly are the inspectors for the final inspection and for Regions to send me my homeowner's insurance money to pay the contractor who repaired the roof of my house, every day is something different, now they say that Regions need to send them a form ( this is a . Show. If the answers seem too good to be true or dont make sense, protect your savings by just walking away.. A cross-agency approach enhances our ability to protect investors and the integrity of our markets.. He is the only member of . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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 CFTC also strongly urges the public to verify a companys registration with the CFTC before committing funds. 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. 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 . 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. Contact our office today to discuss your case. In reality, Santulan allegedly operated the company from a small leased space in a Woodland Hills, Calif. office building using sales agents. Are silver ETFs listed on any stock exchanges? "-Sonn Law Group Client. 6LinkedIn 8 Email Updates. The lawsuit which includes the state of California among plaintiffs 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. In this case, it was silver coins. allPs[i].innerHTML = text; Well guide you through the process. In the continuing litigation against the defendants, the CFTC and state securities regulators seek the return of ill-gotten gains, civil monetary penalties, restitution, permanent registration and trading bans, and a permanent injunction against further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), state regulatory laws, and CFTC regulations. Unfortunately, this case reflects just one of the many epidemic-level investment scams targeting senior and vulnerable populations, said NASAA President and Maryland Securities Commissioner Melanie Senter Lubin. . Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and state regulators that are members of the North American Securities Administrators Association. Investors are advised to be particularly cautious when purchasing precious metals and to check for outrageously high commissions and markups, which weve seen as high as 30 to 70 percent, Idaho Department of Finance director Patricia R. Perkins. The lawsuit alleges Metals.com and its parent company TMTE defrauded $185 million from at least 1,600 investors and most are elderly$140 million of the allegedly defrauded money came from. I was recently scammed by a scam agency but Metals Safeguard is 100% legit. INDIANAPOLIS - 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. Safeguard Metals charged its customers approximately $26 million in markups on the silver coin purchases. As alleged, Safeguard fraudulently marketed itself as a full-service investment firm with offices in London, New York City, and Beverly Hills that employed prominent individuals in the securities industry and had $11 billion in assets under management. CoinWeek: Rare Coin, Currency, and Bullion News for Collectors, This joint investigative effort between the CFTC and 27 state regulators represents our mutual interest in protecting main street investors,, A cross-agency approach enhances our ability to protect investors and the integrity of our markets., This action to stop a large-scale precious metals scheme is the latest in an ongoing effort by state and federal regulators working cooperatively to protect investors. Unfortunately, this case reflects just one of the many epidemic-level investment scams targeting senior and vulnerable populations,, When it comes to protecting the public, we will not hesitate to do everything in our power to vigorously investigate and protect their retirement savings from fraud in commodities markets,, 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,, Given the complexity of investment products, our jobs have never been more important, or more demanding., Submissions Accepted for ANA Young Numismatist Literary Awards, PMG Announces Seven Million Notes Certified, First 2023 Collector Coins From Italian Mint Honor Art of Vantivelli, Heritage Offering Special Collection of World Coins, Part II, Perth Mint Issues 2023 Australian Koala Silver Bullion Coins, US Mint Releases U.S. Army 2.5 Ounce Silver Medal March 6, Big Things Happened at the United States Mint in March, Jeff Garrett: The Box of Twenty Approach to Coin Collecting, Roger Burdette: First 1878-S Morgan Silver Dollars Struck, 2023 Congratulations Set With Silver Eagle Proof on Sale March 2, The Coins of Carthage During Hannibals War With Rome. Is nationwide coin and bullion reserve a scam? Safeguard Metals is an excellent agency that I can safely rely on. The Sonn Law Group is currently investigating allegations surrounding Safeguard Metals, LLC and Jeffrey Santulan. In reality, Santulan allegedly operated the company from a small leased space in a Woodland Hills, Calif. office building using sales agents. Daily Weather Forecast I'm Jeff Sonn, an attorney concentrating on securities fraud and consumer class actions. 5, Report #1509255. All products are presented without warranty. To check the status of this licensee, visit Financial Services and Mortgage Lending Licensees Search. You can reach us by phone at 844-689-5754 or via e-mail. A complaint was filed against the . The DFPI encourages consumers who have experienced unfair, unlawful, deceptive, and abusive practices from a financial service provider to file a complaint with the Department online: https://dfpi.ca.gov/file-a-complaint/. Your email address will not be published. Maria Nikolova this is against Safeguard Metals. Alts News; SEC Charges Adviser with Running Precious Metals Scheme Targeting Retail Investors. The alleged $68 million scheme, which includes $26 million in markups alone, took place from between October 2017 through at least July 2021. If you or your loved one experienced investment losses, we are here to help. Washington D.C., Feb. 1, 2022 . . 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 should also contact their state or provincial securities regulator with questions about any investment opportunity or the person offering it for sale before investing in the product. text = text.replace("https://docqnet.dfpi.ca.gov/LicenseSearch","https://portal.dfpi.ca.gov/csp?id=ssp_license_search"); February 24, 2023 36:53. The lawsuit alleges 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. *Our firm, in some cases, advance costs and expenses of the case, and in that event, are recovered from the gross recovery of any settlement or verdict. Questions? Com his name is Robert Slattery from Metals.com chase.com and he lives now in Seattle Washington and now he owns a real estate company first thing he said that they were huge supporters of Sean Hannity and . 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. 2023 2 oz Silver Tudor Beasts Yale of Beaufort Coin. Safeguard Metals is located in . The defendants also deceived customers into purchasing silver coins at grossly inflated prices that bore no relationship to the ranges represented to customers. The CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this action are Steve Turley, Clemon Ashley, Jeff Le Riche, Christopher Reed, and Charles Marvine; in partnership with enforcement authorities from NASAA member agencies, led by the Alabama Securities Commission and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. "We will take action when, as alleged, parties fraudulently induce investors to sell their securities through lies and deception.". Learn how your comment data is processed. This action to stop a large-scale precious metals scheme is the latest in an ongoing effort by state and federal regulators working cooperatively to protect investors. on February 2, 2022 announcing charges against Safeguard Metals, LLC and its owner, Jeffrey Santulan. Safeguard Metals LLC and its principal and owner, Jeffrey Santulan, also known as Jeffrey Hill, of Tarzana, are charged with having engaged in ongoing fraud to solicit $68 million from more than 450 individuals nationwide to purchase fraudulently overpriced metals and coins from its office in the San Fernando Valley, according to the state Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. This is a whole series of standard personal injury claims where the plaintiff sues the defendant. BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) The Idaho Department of Finance joined the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and 26 other states Wednesday to file a complaint in United States District Court for the Central District of California against Safeguard Metals LLC, and Jeffrey Santulan a/k/a Jeffrey Hill. Jeffrey S. Santulan, age 41 is a resident of Tarzana, California. Fraud Advisory: Precious Metals Fraud. As part of the fraudulent scheme, Defendants charged fees that were almost 50% higher than the maximum fees that were disclosed to investors who purchased silver coins from Safeguard Metals. for(i=0;i
Name Of Commissioner Of Education In Oyo State, Articles S