Fund manager indicted over $68 million fraud scheme

Fund manager indicted over $68 million fraud scheme
Brenda Smith of Philadelphia diverted tens of millions of dollars from Broad Reach Capital, according to the charges
JUN 03, 2020

An Philadelphia investment fund manager has been indicted on six counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud in connection with an alleged $68 million fraud scheme.

Brenda Smith, initially charged in August 2019, managed and controlled Broad Reach Capital, a pooled investment fund established in February 2016 and open to accredited investors. From February 2016 through August 2019, Smith allegedly orchestrated a scheme in which she made misrepresentations to investors and promised that she would invest their funds in trading strategies she described as dividend capture, VIX convergence and opportunistic trading.

Instead, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a release, Smith diverted tens of millions of dollars of investor funds out of Broad Reach Capital to pay other investors and for her personal use. Running what was essentially a Ponzi scheme, Smith allegedly misrepresented the performance of Broad Reach Capital to investors and prospective investors, saying that its return in February 2018, for example, was 1.76% when it actually lost 50% of its value.

The wire fraud counts carry a maximum penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. The securities fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine.

Latest News

Osaic's ex-CFO Kristy Britt joins PE-backed accounting firm Wipfli
Osaic's ex-CFO Kristy Britt joins PE-backed accounting firm Wipfli

Britt is named CFO of Wipfli, a $600 million accounting firm that audits two NFL franchises

Y Charts acquires Informa's Zephyr to bolster SMA analytics for advisors
Y Charts acquires Informa's Zephyr to bolster SMA analytics for advisors

The acquisition pairs Zephyr's 21,000-product separately managed account database with Y Charts' newly launched AI agent assistant for investment research.

Advisor moves: Raymond James, Ameriprise, and Janney announce additions in Florida
Advisor moves: Raymond James, Ameriprise, and Janney announce additions in Florida

The war for talent continues in the Sunshine State with as Truist and RayJay teams managing a collective $1 billion in client assets defect to other firms.

Retirement’s new magic number? Workers say they’ll need $1.2 million
Retirement’s new magic number? Workers say they’ll need $1.2 million

Americans now estimate they need $1.2 million to retire comfortably, but rising costs and debt are making that goal increasingly difficult to reach.

Can mega RIAs go public? Integration may decide it, veteran leaders say
Can mega RIAs go public? Integration may decide it, veteran leaders say

Crewe Advisors' Ryan Halliday and Accelerated Wealth Partners' Eric Amar suggest mega RIA's readiness to integrate — not just scale — will determine whether an IPO exit actually works.

SPONSORED Direct indexing webinar targets tax-loss harvesting amid market swings

Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains

SPONSORED Who builds the income when the pension disappears?

Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income