Friday, January 6, 2012

SEC Charges Life Settlements Firm and Three Executives with Disclosure and Accounting Fraud

A Texas-based financial services firm, Life Partners Holdings Inc., and three of its senior executives have been charged by the SEC for their involvement in a fraudulent disclosure and accounting scheme involving life settlements. The firm failed to disclose risks, therefore misleading investors. Unknown to investors, the company was systematically and materially underestimating the life expectancy estimates, used to price transactions. These estimates have a large impact on the company’s revenues and profit margins as well as the company’s ability to generate profits for its shareholders. It is also alleged that they also utilized improper accounting to increase the companies value.

SEC Charges Life Settlements Firm and Three Executives with Disclosure and Accounting Fraud