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John Woods: Facing SEC Allegations of Ponzi Scheme Losses

John Woods (CRD #: 1949233), a previously registered broker and investment adviser, has faced several investor disputes following his termination from Southport Capital. He is also the subject of an SEC action that alleges he perpetrated a Ponzi scheme along with his partner Michael Mooney. The alleged Ponzi scheme is called Horizon Private Equity III. This is according to his BrokerCheck record, accessed on October 7, 2021.

On August 20, 2021, the SEC alleged that John Woods’ Horizon Private Equity III owed 400 investors over $110,000,000. The SEC alleges that John Woods preyed on elderly investors, with promises of guaranteed investment returns of 6% to 7%. The SEC alleges that any returns paid to investors came from earlier investments, which is characteristic of a Ponzi scheme.

On September 20, 2021, an investor alleged that Oppenheimer, John Woods’ former firm, violated RICO statutes and aided and abetted in the Ponzi scheme perpetrated by John Woods through Southport Capital.

Oppenheimer permitted John Woods to resign in 2016, which a class action lawsuit alleges helped to conceal the Ponzi scheme from the public.

Investor Disputes

There are several investor disputes with similar allegations. The investors are collectively seeking over $3.7 million.

John Woods Background Information

John Woods has passed the following exams:

  • Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination
  • Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination
  • Securities Industry Essentials Examination
  • Serie 7 General Securities Representative Examination

John Woods has worked with the following firms:

  • Oppenheimer & Co. (CRD #: 249)
  • CIBC World Markets (CRD #: 630)
  • Lehman Brothers (CRD #: 7506)

Kurta Law Can Help 

If you lost money after working with John Woods, please contact us today at 877-600-0098 or info@kurtalawfirm.com for a free consultation. 

For nearly 20 years, Kurta Law has advocated for investors to recover their investment losses from brokers and brokerage firms. Kurta Law is a nationally recognized law firm and exclusively represents investors against brokers and brokerage firms on a contingency basis. This means that the firm only earns a fee if our securities attorneys recover money on your behalf.