State Crime Reports

Suburban Investment Advisor Arrested For Defrauding Clients Of Approximately $1 Million


Chicago –(ENEWSPF)–June 8, 2015.  A Wilmette man was arrested this morning by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and detectives from the Norridge and Arlington Heights Police Departments and is facing federal wire fraud charges for defrauding his clients of at least $1 million of investment funds. Alan Gold, age 60, was arrested at his residence and charged by criminal complaint that was unsealed following his arrest. FBI agents also conducted a search pursuant to a search warrant of Gold’s residence this morning. Gold appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert earlier today and was released on a $10,000 recognizance bond and is due back in court for a status on June 15 at 9:00 a.m.

According to the complaint, Gold engaged in a scheme to defraud his clients for at least five years through false statements. Gold, who managed several million dollars of client funds through his company, Alan Gold & Associates, based in his residence, allegedly sent account statements to clients falsely representing that their assets were invested in certain stocks, real estate funds, futures contracts, and other investment products, when Gold had actually spent those client funds on his own personal expenses.

According to the complaint, Gold, as early as 2008, told his clients that he would make “alternative investments” on their behalf using funds that he would wire from their brokerage account to his bank account. Among the investments Gold listed on client account statements were real estate ventures and holdings in real estate ventures, gold and natural gas futures contracts, and the stocks of publicly traded companies. Gold did not purchase securities and futures contracts for his clients, but allegedly spent the funds on gambling expenses at area casinos and personal living expenses. Gold allegedly continued to wire transfer funds from client accounts for at least five years using the same false statements and representations to clients. The scheme was exposed when Gold stopped returning client phone calls and a client reported the matter to law enforcement.

If convicted of wire fraud, Gold could be sentenced to a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a $250,000 maximum fine. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The arrest and charges were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Chicago Office. The Chicago office of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, the Arlington Heights Police Department, and the Norridge Police Department assisted with the investigation.

The government is being represented by Assistant United States Attorney Sunil R. Harjani.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Related Material:

Complaint

Source: justice.gov

 


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