Blog
Stat of the Day
Percentage (%) of mutual funds that either merged or liquidated (generally not a good thing) during the 5 year period ending 12/31/2009: Domestic Equity Funds: 29% International Equity Funds: 21% Fixed Income Funds: 10% Source: S&P SPIVA Scorecard – Y/E...
Suitability: Where Brokers Fail
Your stock broker or investment adviser could be a straight arrow, scouring the financial world for the very best products, but it's entirely likely they aren't. They could just as easily push you into "house" products that help them reap better commissions. The fact...
Pimco’s El-Erian Sees Volatility for Stocks
El-Erian says, "That investors should keep their seat belts on. The disappointing jobs report is further evidence that drivers of self sustaining private consumption growth are facing structural problems that result in slow income growth." Read more......
Powerful Female Persuasion
It’s said that New Castle Funds’ Danielle Chiesi leveraged her uniquely female attributes to woo insider tips from company executives. And not only did she regularly finesse her way to advantageous information – she boasted of her relationship-building to colleagues....
Scott Rothstein Could Inspire a New Season of “The Sopranos”
Practically ripped from the script of a Mafia classic, Scott Rothstein is finally slapped with numerous charges related to an alleged investment scheme, including RICO charges. According to FBI investigators, Rothstein has cooked up quite an elaborate system of phony...
TD Bank Sucked Into Rothstein Quagmire
The Scott Rothstein saga in Fort Lauderdale has now ensnared TD Bank. The Canadian financial company is now the target of a $100 million lawsuit claiming the bank was complicit in the Rothstein Ponzi scheme. Apparently enormous sums of money were passing through the...
Track Record Selling Bogus Bonds
With several years under his belt of peddling bogus bonds, Jeffrey Southard of New Jersey is a master of illusion. But one thing is for real: He’ll spend 97 months in federal prison for his crimes. Most recently, he was convicted and sentenced for his role in a...
Laissez Les Bons Temps Roulez
That’s French for let the good times roll all over innocent investors. Louisiana businessman William Chaucer Jr. is said to have concocted a wide-reaching Ponzi scheme to the tune of $11 million. Thanks to his good fortune and his clients unwitting cooperation, Mr....