The Los Angeles Regional Office and San Francisco Regional Office have formed the Western Alliance to Protect Targeted Communities (WAPTC) to pursue investment frauds targeting identifiable communities at an early stage and tailor investor education outreach to those affected communities.

Community-based investment fraud, known as affinity fraud, targets members of groups with common ties such as ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, military service, and age.

These scams exploit the bonds of trust and friendship that exist in the groups of people who have something in common.

The goal of this initiative is to stop investment fraud before it causes irreparable harm to individuals and communities in these regions.

Examples of Enforcement Actions

• SEC Charges California Resident with Multimillion Dollar Ponzi Scheme Targeting Tongan American Community
• SEC Charges Real Estate Investment Fund with Offering Fraud Targeting Investors in Chinese-Speaking Communities
• SEC Alleges Son and Father-in-Law Touted Faith to Target Church Members in $20 Million Offering Fraud
• SEC Charges Hawaii Investment Adviser with Running Ponzi Scheme
• SEC Charges Los Angeles Individual with Perpetrating a $47 Million Affinity Fraud Targeting Members of the Orthodox Jewish Community

Contact

To learn more about this initiative, report suspected affinity fraud, or request an educational presentation to a group or organization, please contact the Los Angeles Regional Office or San Francisco Regional Office.