Investment

Disciplinary hearing for ex-London investment adviser facing pyramid scheme allegations – The London Free Press

Published

5 years ago

December 24, 2019

Harry Miller

A former London investment adviser could face professional discipline over his alleged involvement in a pyramid scheme.

(Getty Images)

A former London investment adviser could face professional discipline over his alleged involvement in a pyramid scheme.

Sean Nother, who had worked for CIBC World Markets Inc. since 2001, was dismissed in January for his alleged involvement in the so-called gifting club between May and August 2018, according to documents filed with the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

An unnamed organizer introduced Nother to the gifting club in May 2018. The club had multiple groups, known as clouds, each consisting of various levels. The top level, the birthday position, was occupied by one person, while the levels beneath had two, three and four members, says a notice of hearing posted on the regulator’s website.

The four bottom members were required to give $5,000 each to the birthday position holder, and had to bring in two new members to move up the ladder, the documents allege.

London investmet advisor Sean Nother, a former employee with CIBC Wood Gundy, faces professional discipline for his alleged involvement in a pyramid scheme.

The organizer offered to sponsor Nother to join the club, the documents allege, noting the Ontario Securities Commission previously had banned the organizer from selling investments for past misconduct involving clients.

Nother brought his lawyer to a meeting with the organizer in May 2018, and the lawyer said the club was legal from a tax perspective, the documents allege.

According to documents filed by the regulator, Nother was barred by his employer from outside business activity and asked his wife to join the club. She was elevated to the next level in summer 2018, despite not bringing in any new members, the documents allege.

Nother discussed the gifting club with seven clients, five of whom joined, and other non-clients, four of whom signed up, the documents allege.

According to documents filed by the regulator, Nother didn’t disclose his involvement in the gifting club to his employer and said new members were required to meet with the organizer and pay $5,000. But one of Nother’s clients and another non-client reported paying him the fee directly, with the understanding that he’d then pay the organizer, the documents allege.

According to the regulator, Nother says his wife quit the club in summer 2018 after the couple became uncomfortable with it. He also reported trying unsuccessfully to contact the organizer and get the money back for his clients and two non-clients, the documents allege.

According to documents filed by the regulator, Nother says he tried to reach the organizer again in November 2018, after reading a news report of London police charging two people for their alleged involvement in a gifting club. Nother had met one of the accused, Bernard Baratta, at a social event with the organizer in May 2018, the documents allege.

Baratta, 73, and Shakila Bayat, 52, were charged jointly with conducting or managing a pyramid scheme. They were sentenced Nov. 5 to 12 months’ probation under a conditional discharge, an outcome in which an admission of guilt is made but no conviction is registered.

Nother, who was not charged, maintained his club was separate from the one involving Baratta, the documents allege.

The organizer put an end to the club in December 2018, leaving the members brought in by Nother out $45,000, the documents allege, noting Nother reimbursed one person.

Nother is to appear before a hearing panel Jan 14 in Toronto. If the panel concludes the regulator’s allegations are true, it may impose penalties ranging from being reprimanded or fined to losing his licence or being barred from working in the finance industry.

dcarruthers@postmedia.com

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Economy

S&P/TSX composite down more than 200 points, U.S. stock markets also fall

Published

4 days ago

September 6, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the technology, base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets also fell.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 239.24 points at 22,749.04.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 312.36 points at 40,443.39. The S&P 500 index was down 80.94 points at 5,422.47, while the Nasdaq composite was down 380.17 points at 16,747.49.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 74.00 cents US on Thursday.

The October crude oil contract was down US$1.07 at US$68.08 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.26 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was down US$2.10 at US$2,541.00 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$4.10 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)

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Economy

S&P/TSX composite up more than 150 points, U.S. stock markets also higher

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in technology, financial and energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 171.41 points at 23,298.39.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 278.37 points at 41,369.79. The S&P 500 index was up 38.17 points at 5,630.35, while the Nasdaq composite was up 177.15 points at 17,733.18.

The Canadian dollar traded for 74.19 cents US compared with 74.23 cents US on Wednesday.

The October crude oil contract was up US$1.75 at US$76.27 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.10 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was up US$18.70 at US$2,556.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.22 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)

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Investment

Crypto Market Bloodbath Amid Broader Economic Concerns

Published

1 month ago

August 5, 2024

Harry Miller

The crypto market has recently experienced a significant downturn, mirroring broader risk asset sell-offs. Over the past week, Bitcoin’s price dropped by 24%, reaching $53,000, while Ethereum plummeted nearly a third to $2,340. Major altcoins also suffered, with Cardano down 27.7%, Solana 36.2%, Dogecoin 34.6%, XRP 23.1%, Shiba Inu 30.1%, and BNB 25.7%.

The severe downturn in the crypto market appears to be part of a broader flight to safety, triggered by disappointing economic data. A worse-than-expected unemployment report on Friday marked the beginning of a technical recession, as defined by the Sahm Rule. This rule identifies a recession when the three-month average unemployment rate rises by at least half a percentage point from its lowest point in the past year.

Friday’s figures met this threshold, signaling an abrupt economic downshift. Consequently, investors sought safer assets, leading to declines in major stock indices: the S&P 500 dropped 2%, the Nasdaq 2.5%, and the Dow 1.5%. This trend continued into Monday with further sell-offs overseas.

The crypto market’s rapid decline raises questions about its role as either a speculative asset or a hedge against inflation and recession. Despite hopes that crypto could act as a risk hedge, the recent crash suggests it remains a speculative investment.

Since the downturn, the crypto market has seen its largest three-day sell-off in nearly a year, losing over $500 billion in market value. According to CoinGlass data, this bloodbath wiped out more than $1 billion in leveraged positions within the last 24 hours, including $365 million in Bitcoin and $348 million in Ether.

Khushboo Khullar of Lightning Ventures, speaking to Bloomberg, argued that the crypto sell-off is part of a broader liquidity panic as traders rush to cover margin calls. Khullar views this as a temporary sell-off, presenting a potential buying opportunity.

Josh Gilbert, an eToro market analyst, supports Khullar’s perspective, suggesting that the expected Federal Reserve rate cuts could benefit crypto assets. “Crypto assets have sold off, but many investors will see an opportunity. We see Federal Reserve rate cuts, which are now likely to come sharper than expected, as hugely positive for crypto assets,” Gilbert told Coindesk.

Despite the recent volatility, crypto continues to make strides toward mainstream acceptance. Notably, Morgan Stanley will allow its advisors to offer Bitcoin ETFs starting Wednesday. This follows more than half a year after the introduction of the first Bitcoin ETF. The investment bank will enable over 15,000 of its financial advisors to sell BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC. This move is seen as a significant step toward the “mainstreamization” of crypto, given the lengthy regulatory and company processes in major investment banks.

The recent crypto market downturn highlights its volatility and the broader economic concerns affecting all risk assets. While some analysts see the current situation as a temporary sell-off and a buying opportunity, others caution against the speculative nature of crypto. As the market evolves, its role as a mainstream alternative asset continues to grow, marked by increasing institutional acceptance and new investment opportunities.