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Article: Special Counsel Spends $1.5 Million in Probe of Russia Inquiry

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Special Counsel Spends $1.5 Million in Probe of Russia Inquiry

Chris Strohm, 28 May 2021

The U.S. Justice Department released the first official expenditure report for the special investigation into the origins of the FBI’s Russia inquiry — providing a rare bit of insight into the secretive review more than two years after it was begun in response to demands by then-President Donald Trump.

The inquiry being led by Special Counsel John Durham spent about $1.5 million from Oct. 19 to March 31, according to the report from the Justice Department released Thursday. Of that, Durham directly spent about $934,000, mostly on personnel, while Justice Department units spent about $520,000 to support the investigation, according to the five-page report. Continue reading “Article: Special Counsel Spends $1.5 Million in Probe of Russia Inquiry”

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Article: SEC Announces Judgment Against Stephen Hicks, Southridge Capital Management, Southridge Advisors

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SEC Announces Judgment Against Stephen Hicks, Southridge Capital Management, Southridge Advisors

Fitapelli and Kurta, 15 March 2018

A Securities and Exchange Commission release published on February 15, 2018 states that the SEC has obtained “final judgments” against a Stephen Hicks, a hedge fund manager based in Ridgefield, Connecticut, as well as his investment advisory firms. According to the release, a Connecticut federal court ordered the defendants “to pay nearly $13 million in disgorgement and penalties” following the court’s prior determination that they had engaged in the unlawful diversion of investor funds “for use by other hedge funds that were illiquid and in need of cash.” Continue reading “Article: SEC Announces Judgment Against Stephen Hicks, Southridge Capital Management, Southridge Advisors”

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Article: Ridgefield hedge fund manager, firms to pay nearly $13 million in SEC case

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Ridgefield hedge fund manager, firms to pay nearly $13 million in SEC case

Kevin Zimmerman , 22 August 2017

U.S. District Judge for the District of Connecticut Robert N. Chatigny has ordered hedge fund manager Stephen Hicks of Ridgefield and his investment advisory businesses to pay nearly $13 million in a case where the Securities and Exchange Commission alleged he illegally diverted investor money for use by other hedge funds that were illiquid and in need of cash.

The SEC has been actively litigating the case since filing its complaint in 2010 against Hicks and his firms Southridge Capital Management LLC and Southridge Advisors LLC, maintaining that investors were defrauded because they were not told about the transfers of hedge fund assets while they were taking place. Continue reading “Article: Ridgefield hedge fund manager, firms to pay nearly $13 million in SEC case”

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Article: Connecticut, SEC Sue Southridge Capital for Fraud

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Connecticut, SEC Sue Southridge Capital for Fraud

Karen Freifeld and Joshua Gallu, 26 October 2010

Southridge Capital Management LLC was sued by Connecticut over $26 million in fees charged investors based on what state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal called false statements about the value of assets.

The investment firm, based in Ridgefield, Connecticut, also was sued today by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and accused of defrauding investors in hedge funds.

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Article: SEC Charges Conn. Hedge Manager With Fraud

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SEC Charges Conn. Hedge Manager With Fraud

Matt Ackermann, 25 October 2010

The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Connecticut banking commission have sued a Connecticut hedge fund manager with fraud.

The SEC and Connecticut Banking Commissioner Howard Pitkin charged Southridge Capital Management LLC and its chief executive officer, Stephen M. Hicks, with defrauding investors in million of undeserved fees.

According to a filing in federal court in Connecticut Monday, the SEC alleged that Hicks overvalued the largest position held by funds managed by Southridge and Southridge Advisors LLC. The SEC also said he made material misrepresentations to investors and misused their money to pay legal and administrative expenses of other funds managed by Hicks and Southridge. Continue reading “Article: SEC Charges Conn. Hedge Manager With Fraud”

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Article: UPDATE 1-SEC, Connecticut charge fund manager with fraud

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UPDATE 1-SEC, Connecticut charge fund manager with fraud

Jonathan Stempel, 25 October 2010

NEW YORK, Oct 25 (Reuters) – A Connecticut hedge fund firm was sued on Monday by U.S. and state regulators for allegedly inflating the value of its holdings, allowing it to fraudulently collect millions of dollars of undeserved fees.

Southridge Capital Management LLC and its Chief Executive Stephen Hicks, 52, were sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Connecticut Banking Commissioner Howard Pitkin over their management and financial reporting of several funds.

The SEC said Hicks falsely valued Southridge’s largest holding, speech recognition company Fonix Corp, at $30 million or more based almost entirely on a 2004 transaction in which Fonix bought two companies from an entity he controlled.

It also said Hicks raised $78.9 million over the 2004 to 2007 period after falsely promising investors that more than 75 percent of assets would be put in liquid investments or cash.

Connecticut alleged the overvaluing of fund assets allowed Ridgefield-based Southridge to fraudulently collect more than $26 million in fees from 2004 to 2007. Continue reading “Article: UPDATE 1-SEC, Connecticut charge fund manager with fraud”

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Article: Southridge Capital Management Founder Charged With Fraud Though He May Not Know It Yet

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Southridge Capital Management Founder Charged With Fraud Though He May Not Know It Yet

BESS LEVIN, 10 October 2010

This afternoon, Connecticut regulators accused investment adviser Southridge Capital and its chief executive Stephen Hicks of “preparing false financial statements” that “inflated the assets of five funds from 2004 through 2007 so that they could charge higher fees,” in an alleged scam that netted them an ill-gotten $26 million.

Additionally, many investors have apparently put in redemption requests as far back as 2001, though none of them have seen a dime. Attorney General said the firm told “lucrative lies” which hurt not only its clients “but also the entire economy.” How is Hicks taking the news? Is he ashamed and/or embarrassed? Is he defiantly calling the charges bogus, telling family and friends he’ll fight them? Is he proud of what he’s done and the alliterative prose he inspired in Blumenthal? Or does have no idea he’s been accused of anything, having only seen a bunch of missed calls on his phone?

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Article: Naked Justice?

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Naked Justice?

Liz Moyer, 29 August 2006

Louisiana State Attorney General Charles Foti is trying to force UBS, the Wall Street investment bank, to turn over vast quantities of information on its trading, stock lending and other activities related to shares of software firm Sedona.

The Louisiana Department of Justice filed documents in a state court Tuesday to compel UBS to hand over the information in ten days.

The state is probing naked short-selling, which is the practice of selling shares short without borrowing them. It is an issue that has already been raised in reference to Sedona Sedona. in an ongoing civil lawsuit against a number of brokers and hedge funds and in a Securities and Exchange Commission federal court case filed in April in New York against one brokerage and several individuals. Continue reading “Article: Naked Justice?”

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Article: STATE PRESSES FRAUD PROBE

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STATE PRESSES FRAUD PROBE

DIANE LEVICK, 20 October 2004

Connecticut stepped up its own probe of insurance misconduct Tuesday as Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, convinced that there is bid-rigging and other fraud here, issued at least 20 subpoenas to insurance companies and brokers.

Blumenthal’s latest move follows a lawsuit last week and arrests by the New York attorney general’s office, which is investigating manipulation of bids and questionable payment practices involving insurance brokers and companies. Continue reading “Article: STATE PRESSES FRAUD PROBE”