Articles Posted in Affinity Fraud

Artificial Intelligence (AI), as it develops capabilities far beyond ‘program trading’ has the potential to greatly impact the world of investing in the stock market. In the past decade, technology has advanced greatly, leading to its use in a wide range of industries, including finance. While there is still some uncertainty about how AI will impact the stock market, it is generally believed that it will bring about significant changes in the near future.

One of the biggest benefits of AI in investing is the speed and accuracy of decision-making. With the ability to process large amounts of data quickly, AI algorithms can analyze market trends and identify profitable investments much faster than human traders. In addition, AI algorithms can be programmed to avoid psychological biases that can negatively impact human traders’ decision-making. This could result in more rational and profitable investment decisions.

Another potential benefit of AI in investing is the ability to identify patterns in data that humans might miss. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data, including financial data, news articles, and social media, to gain a comprehensive understanding of a company and its potential for growth. This can provide investors with a more accurate picture of a company’s financial health and future prospects, allowing them to make better investment decisions.

On September 27th, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced affinity fraud charges against a Miami payday lender, Sky Group USA LLC (“Sky Group”), and its CEO, Efrain Betancourt. [1] The SEC’s complaint lists eight violations of federal securities law centering on allegations of material misrepresentations and omissions regarding Sky Group’s use of investor funds, its profitability, and the safety and security of the promissory notes it sold. [2]

According to the SEC’s complaint, Sky Group ran its fraudulent scheme from at least January 2016 through March 2020. During this time, Sky Group raised approximately $66 million through the sale of promissory notes while representing itself as a payday lender soliciting investors to fund its business. [2]

In particular, Sky Group targeted Venezuelan-American investors in South Florida, who in turn often spread information about the investment opportunity by word-of-mouth. Betancourt specifically pitched Sky Group investments as “a great opportunity for members of the Venezuelan immigrant community to generate investment income,” touting its supposed $70 million loan portfolio as evidence of the investment’s safety.

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