Starr Austen & Miller, LLP

10/14/2022

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Lebanon insurance broker was charged with six counts of Wire Fraud for a $4 million investment fraud. He was arrested Wednesday and made his initial court appearance in Indianapolis Wednesday afternoon.

Prosecutors say Simms used the funds to pay business expenses related to Brendanwood such as payroll for its employees, or for his own personal expenses including credit card payments, Amazon, grocery stores, gasoline, restaurants, and utilities.

10/07/2021

A judge recently sentenced Kentucky resident, William S. Evans, to 10 years in prison for bilking a group of his friends, clients, and acquaintances out of more than $17 million dollars with fraudulent promises of high investment returns.

William Evans sentenced for bilking friends, clients, and acquaintances out of more than $17 million dollars with promises of high investment returns.

08/06/2021

A Westfield man was sentenced to 5 years in prison for wire fraud and money laundering. He will also serve 3 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay over $1,500,000 in restitution.

Blankenbaker persuaded more than 100 individuals to invest more than $10M dollars in the Stargrower Entities. 34 investors lost over $1.4M in this scheme.

06/07/2021

Indiana Woman Convicted Of Conspiracy To Commit Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, And Money Laundering In Advance-Fee Fraud Scheme Targeting Deaf And Elderly

Summerlin was charged with accepting over $1.2 million from victims of cross-border advance-fee schemes. Many of the identified victims were either elderly, deaf, or both.

03/23/2021

As recently reported in the Indianapolis Business Journal, Starr Austen and Miller, LLP has been retained by clients of Carmel Indiana financial advisory firm Indie Asset Partners LLC in connection with direct and indirect investments in two (2) funds managed by Prophecy Asset Management, LP recommended by Indie Asset Partners. Learn more...

Lawyers and attorneys legal action New York Hedge Fund Indie Asset Partners and Prophecy Asset Management for investments and securities over concentration.

12/22/2020

Daniel R. Fruits, 46, of Greenwood, Indiana, was charged by a federal grand jury for his alleged role in three separate fraud schemes, including a nearly $14 million fraud on an investor, an attempted mortgage fraud, and a vehicle title-washing scheme.

10/01/2020

New Palestine man charged in $1.2M investment fraud scheme

From around 2013 to 2018, Ford convinced clients to take their money out of traditional investment accounts, such as 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts, and transfer it to self-directed IRAs.

From around 2013 to 2018, Ford convinced clients to take their money out of traditional investment accounts, such as 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts, and transfer it to self-directed IRAs.

09/09/2020

U.S. authorities have charged three Maryland men, who presented themselves as pastors to defraud more than 1,000 church members and other investors in a $28 million Ponzi scheme.

09/05/2020

The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced that it updated its list of unregistered entities that use misleading information to solicit primarily non-U.S. investors, adding 23 soliciting entities, eight impersonators of genuine firms, and seven bogus regulators.

SEC has announced that it updated its list of unregistered entities that use misleading information to solicit primarily non-U.S. investors, adding 23 soliciting entities, eight impersonators of genuine firms, and seven bogus regulators.

06/09/2020

The new Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rule that requires broker-dealers who make recommendations to their customers to act in their clients’ “best interest” takes effect on June 30, 2020.

The new SEC rule that requires broker-dealers who make recommendations to their customers to act in their clients’ “best interest” takes effect on June 30, 2020.

06/08/2020

Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson today issued an investor advisory on exempt securities offerings, also known as “private placements,” in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson today issued an investor advisory on exempt securities offerings, also known as “private placements,” in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

05/07/2020

The Indiana Secretary of State’s Office announced that it has joined an international enforcement task force organized by the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) to investigate fraudsters looking to capitalize during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indiana Secretary of State’s Office has joined an international enforcement task force looking to capitalize during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.