ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Commodity Futures Trading Commission Polices Bitcoin Trading Enforcement Action Charges Broker With False Representations  Customers Lose $7.4 Million In Bitcoin Investments On October 2, 2020, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) ordered a broker to pay $7.4 million[1] in restitution to two investors for making fraudulent representations […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Financial Advisor Embezzles $8 Million From Structured Settlement Funds Thirteen Individuals Swindled Out Of Annuity Funds Severely Disabled Child Among Victims Structured settlements operate essentially like annuities paying out an income stream from a fund of money set aside for that purpose.  Structured settlements are often  used for […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER New SEC Rules Favor Whistleblowers Over $500 Million Has Been Rewarded To Whistleblowers Whistleblowers Help SEC Recover Over $2.5 Billion Recently, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced several rule changes expanding the rewards rules for persons who blow the whistle to the SEC on securities fraud.  […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Learn About Some Red Flags OF Abuse Recurring Patterns In Elder Abuse Act On Any Suspicion Elder financial abuse affects thousands of seniors here in California every day.  Their financial predators may vary from in-home caregivers to insurance agents and stockbrokers and on to trustees, financial advisors, and […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Sexual Assaults And Lewd Acts By Caregivers 94-Year-Old Victim Powerless Against Assaults Bed-Ridden Dementia Patients Most Vulnerable The elderly and those with dementia are vulnerable to abuse even in the very facilities where their loved ones trust they will be safe.  Potential abuse includes sexual assault, rape or […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Coronavirus Compounds Problems For Elderly  Ageist Sentiments Growing Alarming Surge In Elder Abuse Older adults have been hit hard by COVID.  The mortality rate for persons in their 70s and 80s is  over five times that of younger persons who catch the virus. Even safety protocols work against […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Regional Hospital Accused Of Illegal Kickbacks To Physicians Physicians Referring Patients Received Back Investment Units In The Hospital Physician Whistleblower Will Receive Reward Hospitals and clinics violate the False Claims Act (“FCA”), 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733, and the Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b, when they pay illegal […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Protecting Minorities From Discriminatory Practices Fair Housing Act Prohibits Discrimination On Basis Of Race, Color, Religion, Sex Or National Origin Fighting Against Discrimination Part of the long history of racism in this country includes discrimination in housing, including the availability of mortgage financing.  The federal Fair Housing Act […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Expanding Protections Against Employer Retaliation Extending Time To Bring Suit Attorneys’ Fees Now Recoverable California labor law has long protected individuals from retaliation by the employers for blowing the whistle on wrongful conduct by the employer.  See, e.g., Cal. Lab. Code §§ 98.6 and 1102.5; Cal. Gov’t Code […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Do You Have A Mortgage With Citibank? Are You Paying More Interest Than You Should Be? Mortgage interest rates are set in the terms of your home mortgage but those interest rate terms are subject to federal and State law.  Those laws in turn require certain disclosures and […]