iCap Equity Ponzi Scheme: Options for Investors
A federal judge in Yakima, Washington ruled that iCap Equity operated as a Ponzi scheme, according to a recent report by The Real Deal. In an October ruling, the judge stated that “[t]here is substantial, if not overwhelming, evidence” for the conclusion. This followed years of controversy surrounding the purported real estate firm, which filed for bankruptcy in 2023. If you incurred losses investing in iCap Equity, contact MDF Law for a free and confidential consultation with an attorney.
Was iCap Equity a Ponzi Scheme?
US Bankruptcy Court judge Whitman Holt was not the first to describe iCap Equity as a Ponzi scheme. In February 2024, the third-party firm handling iCap’s restructuring made the same claim in legal filings. According to a report in the Seattle Times, the company, Paladin, stated that this conclusion was “based on overwhelming evidence.” An accountant who reviewed internal records asserted that prior to its bankruptcy, “most of iCap’s funds came from investors, rather than from real estate projects.”
The accountant reportedly concluded that iCap did not invest in real estate, instead using its funds to pay investors. As of its bankruptcy filings, it owed $250 million to a total of 1,800 investors. These include “Chinese citizens and Chinese Americans, who lawsuits allege the company targeted for investment.” The Seattle Times report describes one investor, an emigrant from China who invested $1 million in iCap. She reportedly hoped to use the funds to pay her children’s college tuition, but “has not received that money back.”
FBI and SEC Launch Probes
In March 2024, the Seattle Times reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating iCap Equity. The Real Deal reported further that the Securities and Exchange Commission was also investigating the company. Despite these investigations, per The Real Deal, no criminal charges had yet been filed against iCap’s officers.
In a February statement to the Times, former iCap CEO Chris Christensen denied that it operated as a Ponzi scheme. “Mr. Christensen strongly disputes the allegation that iCap operated as a Ponzi scheme,” his lawyers wrote in a statement to the newspaper. “Mr. Christensen will submit his evidence and argument to the Court at the appropriate time.”
Recovery Options for iCap Investors
If you lost money investing in iCap Equity, you may have grounds to file a FINRA arbitration claim against the broker-dealer firm that marketed the investment to you. In the event that you win a recovery from the firm, you will remain eligible for payments made through iCap Equity’s bankruptcy process, if any. To learn more about your options, contact MDF Law at 800-767-8040 for a free, confidential consultation with an attorney.