Switch to ADA Accessible Theme
Miami Investment Fraud Attorney
305.372.9700
2655 South Le Jeune Road
Suite 1108
Coral Gables, FL 33134

Federal Court in Florida: Woodbridge Ponzi Scheme Operators Liable for $1 Billion in Damages

As reported by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a federal judge from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida has entered judgements against the Woodbridge Group, 281 related companies and entities, and several individuals, including Robert H. Shapiro, the former owner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Woodbridge group of companies.

Collectively, these judgements are worth in excess of $1 billion. Woodbridge was a Florida-based real estate Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of investors all across the United States, before finally being exposed by securities regulators in late 2017. Here, our Miami Ponzi scheme lawyers provide an overview of this ruling.

Massive Financial Penalties: Disgorgement and Fines  

A Boca Raton, Florida-based company, Woodbridge was exposed as a Ponzi scheme in 2017. Despite offering “safe, passive income” in real estate securities, the company failed to make many of the investments that were promised. Notably, Woodbridge used a number of smaller companies to carry out the fraud scheme. In all, Woodbridge and 281 related companies were ordered to pay back $892 million in disgorgement to the affected investors. In addition to the company itself, the founder and former CEO of Woodbridge, Robert H. Shapiro was hit with a $100 million civil fine. He was also ordered to pay back more than $18.5 million in ill-gotten gains and to pay investors at least $2 million in overdue interest. 

8,400 Investors Were Defrauded; Mostly Senior Citizens 

The Woodbridge Ponzi scheme is one of the biggest frauds perpetrated against U.S. investors in recent years. According to the SEC, approximately 8,400 investment fraud victims have been identified so far. While investors were defrauded all around the country, a disproportionate number of the Woodbridge victims are from the state of Florida, where the company was headquartered. Many vulnerable senior investors were involved in this Ponzi scheme. In fact, Woodbridge intentionally targeted senior citizen investors — promising them ten percent annual returns on safe real estate investments.

Many of Woodbridge’s financial products were mortgage-backed promissory notes. Unfortunately,

Mr. Shapiro and other operators of the Ponzi scheme were not making all of the real estate investments that were touted to investors. In the style of a typical Ponzi scheme, investor funds were being recycled and shuffled through a vast network of companies, while new investor money was being used to pay off the original investors. Legal professionals, regulators, and other authorities are now working to recover as much money as possible for the victims of this Ponzi scheme. 

Get Help From Our Miami, FL Ponzi Scheme Attorneys Today

At Carlson & Associates, P.A., our Florida securities fraud lawyers have the skills and experience to handle the full range of Ponzi scheme claims. If you or your loved one lost money in Woodbridge Wealth financial products or in any other type of Ponzi scheme, we can help. For a strictly confidential consultation, please do not hesitate to contact our Miami law office today.

Resource:

sec.gov/news/press-release/2019-3

https://www.carlson-law.net/sec-charges-five-florida-based-unregistered-brokers-with-selling-fraudulent-woodbridge-group-financial-products/

  • Super Lawyers
  • AV Preeminent
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum
  • Judicial Edition 2021
  • Curtis Carlson 25th Anniversary
  • Curtis Carlson Judicial Edition 2022
  • Curtis Carlson Judicial Edition 2023
  • 2023 Judicial Edition Curtis Carlson
  • 2023 Martindale Hubbell Award Curtis Carlson
  • 2023 Lawyers.com Curtis Carlson
  • 2024 Martindale Hubbell Award Curtis Carlson
  • 2024 Martindale Hubbell Award Curtis Carlson
  • 2024 Martindale Hubbell Award Curtis Carlson
Location

Office
Location

2655 South Le Jeune Road
Suite 1108

Coral Gables, Florida 33134

Telephone: 305-372-9700
Fax: 305-372-8265

Connect
With Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

No content on this site may be reused in any fashion without written permission from www.Carlson-Law.net

MileMark Media - Practice Growth Solutions

© 2015 - 2024 Carlson & Associates, P.A. All rights reserved. This law firm website is managed by MileMark Media.