August 6, 2013

Federal Court in Illinois Orders Chicago-Based Trader Bradley Scott Schiller to Pay more than $7.5 Million in Restitution and a Civil Monetary Penalty for a Multi-Million Dollar Commodity Futures Fraud

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that Judge Thomas M. Durkin of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois entered a Consent Order for Permanent Injunction (Order) requiring defendant Bradley Scott Schiller, of Chicago, Illinois, to pay restitution of approximately $4.565 million and a civil monetary penalty of $3 million for commodity futures fraud. The Order also imposes permanent trading and registration bans, among other sanctions.

The Order stems from a CFTC Enforcement complaint filed on May 24, 2012 (see CFTC Press Release 6262-12). The Order finds that from at least January 2008 through approximately May 2012, Schiller fraudulently solicited approximately $7.8 million from at least six investors for trading futures, and that Schiller misappropriated investors’ funds and issued false account statements to customers in order to perpetuate his fraud. According to the Order, Schiller, a former floor broker, told prospective investors that he was a successful trader and showed prospective investors altered account statements to bolster his claims when he was soliciting funds. However, according to the Order, Schiller opened no accounts in the name of his investors, misappropriated approximately $3 million to pay for personal expenses and to re-pay earlier investors and lost approximately $1.6 million in trading in an account in his own name.

The CFTC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chicago Division.

The CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this case are Jennifer Diamond, Judith McCorkle, Joseph Konizeski, Scott Williamson, Rosemary Hollinger and Richard B. Wagner.

Last Updated: August 6, 2013