Texas Megachurch Pastor and Financial Planner Are Accused of Senior Investor Fraud

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has filed senior investor fraud-related charges against Houston pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell of the Windsor Village United Methodist Church and financial planner Gregory Alan Smith. The regulator is accusing them of defrauding older investors of over $1M through the sale of pre-Revolutionary Chinese bond interests.

Smith runs the Smith Financial Group. The SEC permanently barred him from associating with brokerage-firms in 2010 after he was accused of misappropriating investor money. Caldwell is the senior pastor at reportedly one of the biggest Protestant churches in the US.

根据监管机构的说法，在2013年和2014年，两名男子征集了年长的投资者，试图向他们出售他们声称的债券，而实际上，这些债券是“可收集的纪念品”，而这些债券缺乏任何“有意义的投资”价值。”

据称，史密斯告诉投资者，他是一位投资顾问，拥有多年帮助其他投资者的经验。他是建议投资者是否应该参与债券利息投资的人。他与他针对的许多潜在投资者建立了长期联系。

The SEC noted that in one instance, Smith told a woman she would make 15 times the amount of her actual investment within 30 days, and, if she ever asked for her money back, she would receive the funds within five days. He also allegedly told her that he himself had invested $250K in the bonds.

史密斯（Smith）被指控告诉其他投资者，债券发行仅限于“少数精选客户”，其中一些资金将用于获得更多的中国债券。他将投资吹捧为安全且无风险的。

同时，考德威尔（Caldwell）做出了类似的错误陈述。牧师告诉他黄金或银色支持债券后，他征求的一位人投资了约80万美元。SEC说，一位知名牧师参与的事实使人们更容易信任史密斯。

但是，根据SEC法院的一份文件，几十年前发行的债券不值得史密斯和考德威尔声称的“数十亿美元，甚至数百万美元”。自1939年以来，债券不仅违约并一直保持这种状态，而且今天的中国政府并不“承认债务”。

Caldwell and Smith were able to raise at least $3.4M from 29 investors, most of them seniors and some of whom liquidated their annuities so that they could invest. The two of them then allegedly used about $1.8M for their own spending, including luxury vehicles for Smith and mortgage payments for Caldwell. Most of the rest of the money went to offshore individuals.

Now, the SEC is charging the two men with violating federal securities laws’ antifraud provisions. It wants disgorgement, penalties, and other relief.

同时，监管机构还针对律师Shae Yatta Harper提起了民事诉讼，据称涉嫌协助和教tone Caldwell和Smith被指控违反高级投资者欺诈行为。哈珀（Harper）解决了SEC的案子，但她并没有否认或承认这些指控。她将支付6万美元的民事罚款，并被暂停在监管机构面前执业或担任律师五年。

In a parallel criminal case, the US Justice Department announced that Smith and Caldwell are charged with multiple counts of money laundering and wire fraud, as well as single counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors accusing them of defrauding investors of over $1M.

我们的Texas securities fraud lawyers代表全州的投资者以及美国各地的投资者。立即联系Shepherd Smith Edwards和Kantas，Ltd Llp。我们的高级投资者欺诈律师与年长的投资者及其家人合作。

SEC指控杰出的牧师，计划的财务规划师，欺诈老年投资者，SEC，2018年3月30日

联邦大陪审团起诉什里夫波特金融计划师，休斯顿牧师，欺骗投资者超过100万美元，，，，Justice.gov, March 29, 2018

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