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Fraud


Fraud: Assignment of Claims, Statute of Limitations, and Disclaimers
In BH 336 Partners LLC v. Sentinel Real Estate Corp., 2026 N.Y. Slip Op. 00305 (1st Dept. Jan. 22, 2026), the Appellate Division, First Department, modified an order denying in part a motion to dismiss a complaint containing fraud and fraudulent‑inducement claims arising from Plaintiffs’ purchases of five Manhattan buildings.

Jeffrey Haber
Jan 2512 min read


Enforcement News: SEC Charges Biostatistician and His Consulting Company with Insider Trading
By: Jeffrey M. Haber Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b‑5 promulgated thereunder prohibit trading securities on the basis of material nonpublic information through any deceptive device, scheme, or act. Insider trading liability arises under either the classical theory, where corporate insiders owe duties to shareholders, or the misappropriation theory, where those entrusted with confidential information owe duties to the inf

Jeffrey Haber
Jan 217 min read


Enforcement News: Former Chief Operating Officer and Former Managing Partner Charged with Participating in An Alleged $300 Million Ponzi Scheme
By: Jeffrey M. Haber This Blog has written about Ponzi schemes on numerous occasions. A Ponzi scheme is a type of investment fraud where returns to earlier investors are paid using investment capital from new or existing investors, rather than from legitimate profits earned through the enterprise’s business activities. Ponzi schemes persist by exploiting trust, promising high returns with little risk, and using money from new or existing investors to pay “profits” to earlier

Jeffrey Haber
Jan 74 min read


Court Rejects Plaintiff’s Attempt to Void Release Based on Fraud
“[A] release that, by its terms, extinguishes liability on any and all claims arising in connection with specified matters is deemed to encompass claims of fraud relating to those matters, even if the release does not specifically refer to fraud and was not granted in settlement of an actually asserted fraud claim.

Jeffrey Haber
Jan 59 min read


Fraud Notes: Opinions Based on Flimsy Information Can Be Fraudulent, Privity, and Duplication
In today’s Fraud Notes, we examine two cases involving different issues impacting a fraud claim. In RSD857, LLC v. Wright, 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 06833 (1st Dept. Dec. 09, 2025), we examine the actionability of appraisals. In Olshan Frome Wolosky, LLP v. Kestenbaum, 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 06816 (Dec. 09, 2025), we examine the duplication doctrine.

Jeffrey Haber
Dec 10, 202512 min read


Salt and Vinegar Flavored Potato Chips and GBL §§ 349 and 350
In Brearly v. Weis Mkts., Inc., 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 34485(U) (Sup. Ct., Broome County Oct. 31, 2025), the motion court was asked to consider the viability of claims for violations of General Business Law (“GBL”) §§ 349 and 350, which prohibit false advertising and deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any business, trade, or commerce.

Jeffrey Haber
Dec 8, 20257 min read


Proposed Amendment to Prayer for Relief Based on Unrealized Profits Incurred as a Result of Alleged Fraud Violates the Out-Of-Pocket Damages Rule
In Sire Spirits, LLC v. Beam Suntory, Inc., 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 06297 (1st Dept. Nov. 18, 2025), the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed the denial of a motion to amend a complaint seeking damages for “diminution of enterprise value” due to the alleged fraud.

Jeffrey Haber
Nov 19, 20258 min read


Voidable Transfer Under the New Debtor and Creditor Law
New York’s adoption of the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act in 2019 modernized its Debtor and Creditor Law. The revised law allows creditors to void both actual and constructive fraudulent transfers. Constructive fraud focuses on inadequate value and insolvency, while actual fraud hinges on intent, assessed via “badges of fraud.”

Jeffrey Haber
Nov 3, 20259 min read


Failure To Exercise Reasonable Diligence in Real Estate Transaction Undermines Allegation of Justifiable Reliance
As readers of this Blog know, a “cause of action to recover damages for fraudulent misrepresentation requires a misrepresentation or a material omission of fact which was false and known to be false by defendant, made for the purpose of inducing the other party to rely upon it, justifiable reliance of the other party on the misrepresentation or material omission, and injury.”

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 20, 20258 min read


Fraud Notes: Alleging a Misrepresentation and Duplicative Damages
In today’s Fraud Notes, we examine two cases involving principles familiar to readers of this Blog: the duplication doctrine and the requirement that plaintiffs plead sufficient facts to satisfy each element of a fraud claim.

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 10, 20257 min read


Enforcement News: Company That Purchases Distressed Retail Companies Charged With Conducting Fraudulent Securities Offerings, Misusing Investor Funds, and Making Ponzi-Like Payments to Investors
By: Jeffrey M. Haber On September 25, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced (here) that it charged the co-founders of Retail Ecommerce Ventures LLC (“REV”), and REV’s Chief Operating Officer (collectively, “Defendants”), with conducting a series of fraudulent securities offerings, misusing investor funds, and making Ponzi-like payments to investors. According to the SEC’s complaint, REV’s primary business was purchasing distressed retail companies wi

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 5, 20252 min read


Fraud in the Execution and The Two-Year Discovery Rule
In Dodobayeva v. Rubinoff, 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 05219 (2d Dept. Oct. 1, 2025), we explore the legal concept of fraud in the execution. Fraud in the execution, or fraud in the factum, occurs when a person is misled into signing a document without understanding its nature.

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 3, 20257 min read


Plaintiff Pleads Scheme to Defraud Sufficient to Put Defendants on Notice of the Conduct of Which They are Accused, But Nevertheless Fails to Plead The Elements of Fraud with Particularity
In CJS Indus. Inc. v. Dolce, 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 05037 (1st Dept. Sept. 23, 2025, plaintiff sued RS Custom Woodworking and its representatives for fraud after winning an arbitration award. Both the motion court and the Appellate Division, First Department, found that plaintiff failed to plead fraud with the required particularity in compliance with CPLR 3016(b).

Jeffrey Haber
Sep 28, 20255 min read


Enforcement News: Affinity Fraud and Ponzi Schemes in the News Again
Ponzi schemes and affinity fraud frequently overlap because both exploit trust and social interactions to operate effectively.

Jeffrey Haber
Sep 8, 20254 min read


Fraud Notes: The Discovery Rule for Fraud and The Failure to Articulate a False Statement
In today’s installment of Fraud Notes, we examine two cases involving claims of fraud: K.M. v. Ursuline School of New Rochelle and Three C, LLC v. City Settlement Serv., Inc.

Jeffrey Haber
Aug 13, 20259 min read


Enforcement News: SEC Charges Wisconsin Resident and The LLCs That He Owns and Controls with Perpetrating a Real Estate Affinity Fraud
On August 1, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced (here) that it charged a Wisconsin resident and three limited liability companies that he owns and controls – Investors Capital LLC, Global Investors Capital LLC, and High Income Performance Partners LLC (collectively, the “Entity Defendants”) – with perpetrating a real estate-related offering fraud.

Jeffrey Haber
Aug 11, 20255 min read


Enforcement News: The Custody Rule
The Custody Rule provides that “it is a fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act, practice or course of business within the meaning of section 206(4) of the [Advisers] Act … for [a registered investment adviser] to have custody of client funds or securities unless” the adviser implements an enumerated set of requirements to prevent loss, misuse, or misappropriation of those funds and securities.

Jeffrey Haber
Aug 6, 20255 min read


Release in Settlement Agreement Bars Class Action To Recover Damages For Certain Rent Overcharges
This Blog has written frequently about the substance and scope of general releases. In New York, “a valid release constitutes a complete bar to an action on a claim which is the subject of the release.” If “the language of a release is clear and unambiguous, the signing of a release is a ‘jural act’ binding on the parties.”

Jeffrey Haber
Aug 4, 20255 min read


Enforcement News: Former California Financial Advisor Charged With Allegedly Operating Decades-Long Million Ponzi Scheme
This Blog has written about Ponzi schemes on numerous occasions. A Ponzi scheme is a type of investment fraud where returns to earlier investors are paid using investment capital from new or existing investors, rather than from legitimate profits earned through the enterprise’s business activities.

Jeffrey Haber
Jul 30, 20253 min read


Enforcement News: SEC Files Charges Against Georgia-Based Lender For Operating $140 Million Ponzi Scheme
A Ponzi scheme is an investment scam that induces people to invest money in a business or investment vehicle with promises of high returns and minimal risk. Rather than earning profits through actual investments or legitimate business operations, the scheme functions by paying early investors with money contributed by new or repeat participants.

Jeffrey Haber
Jul 14, 20256 min read
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