October 20, 2015

Federal Court in Ohio Orders over $31 Million in Restitution and Civil Monetary Penalties against John R. Bullar and His Company, Executive Management Advisors L.L.C., for Commodity Pool Operator and Commodity Trading Advisor Fraud and Ponzi Scheme

In a Related Criminal Action, John R. Bullar was sentenced to 8 Years 4 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay over $6 Million in Criminal Restitution

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that Judge Michael R. Barrett of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio entered an Order for Final Judgment by Default against Defendant John R. Bullar, a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a Consent Order against his company, Defendant Executive Management Advisors L.L.C. (EMA), imposing restitution on Bullar and EMA of over $6.2 million. In addition, the Orders require Bullar and EMA to pay civil monetary penalties totaling more than $24.8 million for their fraud, misappropriation, embezzlement, and operation of a Ponzi scheme, while illegally acting as Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs) and Commodity Pool Operators (CPOs) without registering as such with the CFTC.  The Orders also impose permanent trading and registration bans on the Defendants and prohibit them from further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act, as charged.

The Orders arise out of a CFTC Complaint filed on September 23, 2014, which charged Bullar and EMA with embezzlement, fraudulent solicitation, misappropriation of customer funds, fraud by a CPO and CTA, commodity futures and options fraud, and failure to register as a CPO and CTA (see Complaint and Press Release 7006-14, September 23, 2014). 

Embezzlement and Misappropriation

The Orders find that Bullar, from at least January 2008, and EMA, from at least March 2009 through September 2013, fraudulently solicited and accepted at least $8.3 million from at least 40 investors (EMA Pool Participants), who were told their funds would be pooled and traded in commodity futures and option contracts.  In fact, according to the Orders, most of the funds received from the EMA Pool Participants were not traded at all, and over $6.2 million of the EMA Pool Participants’ funds were embezzled or misappropriated by the Defendants and used by Bullar to pay his personal expenses, to pay money to him or to accounts he controlled, and to purchase property, vehicles, landscaping and other home improvements.  Additionally, some EMA Pool Participants’ funds were used by Defendants to pay for other EMA Pool Participants’ withdrawals of principal or fictitious profits, in the manner typical of a Ponzi scheme, the Orders find. 

The Orders further find that to conceal their embezzlement and fraud the Defendants issued false account statements that showed fictitious profits and account balances and other false information.  Throughout the periods of their misconduct, Bullar and EMA failed to register with the CFTC as a CPO or CTA, as required, the Orders find.

Related Criminal Action

In a related criminal action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, Bullar pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering and was sentenced on June 22, 2015 to 100 months (8 years and 4 months) in prison and ordered to pay criminal restitution totaling over $6 million.  

The CFTC cautions victims that restitution orders may not result in the recovery of money lost because the wrongdoers may not have sufficient funds or assets.  The CFTC will continue to fight vigorously for the protection of customers and to ensure the wrongdoers are held accountable.

The CFTC thanks and acknowledges the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (Cincinnati Field Office), the Ohio Department of Commerce (Division of Securities-Enforcement), and the Office of the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office. 

CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this case are Xavier Romeu-Matta, Christopher Giglio, Douglas K. Yatter, Steven Ringer, Lenel Hickson, Jr., and Manal M. Sultan.

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CFTC’s Commodity Pool Fraud Advisory

The CFTC has issued several customer protection Fraud Advisories that provide the warning signs of fraud, including the Commodity Pool Fraud Advisory, which warns customers about a type of fraud that involves individuals and firms, often unregistered, offering investments in commodity pools.

Customers can report suspicious activities or information, such as possible violations of commodity trading laws, to the CFTC Division of Enforcement via a Toll-Free Hotline 866-FON-CFTC (866-366-2382) or file a tip or complaint online. 

Media Contact
Dennis Holden
202-418-5088
 

Last Updated: October 20, 2015