Ricardo Bonilla Rojas and Firm Shadai Yire Charged in Ponzi Scheme
Florida and New York investors are among the 200 victims of a $7 million Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Ricardo Bonilla Rojas and his firm Shadai Yire, according to SEC allegations.
Rojas actively solicited investors through personal discussions with individuals both over the phone and in person, and he also marketed the investment opportunity in presentations to evangelical Christian groups and factory workers who were often inexperienced investors.
Rojas falsely assured investors that their principal contributions were “100% guaranteed” and promised returns up to 50 percent, telling them he’d be investing their money in commodities. But Rojas never actually invested any money in commodities and instead used new contributions to repay earlier investors in classic Ponzi scheme fashion. He stole $700,000 for himself.
In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico today announced criminal charges against Rojas.
“Rojas targeted novice investors who were often evangelical Christians, and he touted a long history of successful trading in commodities,” said Eric I. Bustillo, Director of the SEC’s Miami Regional Office. “In reality, he was fleecing the flock.”
According to the SEC’s complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, Rojas and Shadai Yire conducted the scheme from at least August 2005 to February 2009. Rojas, who resides in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and his company Shadai Yire have never been registered with the SEC to offer securities.
The SEC alleges that Rojas hired some sales agents to help him solicit investors, and paid commissions based on a percentage of the investor funds they raised. Rojas and his sales agents pitched the investment opportunity to individuals as a risk-free way to earn high returns in a short period of time. Rojas also created phony account statements that were sent to investors to hide his misuse of investor money and lead them to believe their investments were growing.
Fort Lauderdale Securities Litigation Attorney and FINRA Arbitrator
Contact Fort Lauderdale securities litigation attorney Howard N. Kahn, Esq. if you or someone you know has a securities or broker dispute. In addition to being an experienced securities litigation attorney, Mr. Kahn also serves as a FINRA arbitrator for individual investors, brokers, and brokerage firms. You can reach him at 954-321-0176 or online.