Were you the victim of Aegis Capital Corp. broker Surage Perera (CRD# 4716321)? He has been registered with Aegis Capital Corp. in Melville, New York, from 2018 to 2022. Previously, he was registered with Maxim Group LLC in New York, New York, from 2017 to 2018, with Stockkings Capital LLC in New York, New York, from 2016 to 2017, and with Caldwell International Securities in New York, New York, from 2011 to 2016.
In March 2023, he was charged with fraud by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). According to the press release, he was arrested and will be arraigned on “a 16-count indictment charging him with securities fraud, investment advisor fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, in connection with a scheme to induce an investor (Jane Doe) to purchase stock in companies that traded on the NASDAQ and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).”
According to the indictment, he contacted the client “via telephone calls, emails and text messages to solicit her to purchase stock in companies that traded on the NASDAQ and NYSE, in exchange for a fee. Perera falsely told Jane Doe that he had relationships with large institutions, and could purchase shares of those publicly-traded companies at discounted prices,” between February 2022 and March 2023. The release alleged that the broker told the client that “her investment was a low risk venture and he would use her investment capital to purchase shares in those public-traded companies. As a result, Jane Doe gave Perera more than $4.2 million. However, instead of investing Jane Doe’s money in those securities, Perera misappropriated those funds by, among other things: (1) paying redemptions to Jane Doe, (2) paying personal expenses, and (3) funding his day trading. To conceal his fraudulent scheme, Perera sent fraudulent confirmation notices and account statements to Jane Doe.” Surage Perera faces 20 years in prison.
In March 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleged that he “defrauded at least one investor out of millions of dollars by lying about investment opportunities and strategies; misappropriating the investor’s money by, in part, not purchasing the securities she subscribed to through Janues and using a substantial portion of her money to engage in high volume, highly leveraged trading in other securities; lying to her about non-existent investment profits; and concealing large trading losses.” The SEC alleged that he “falsely told the investor that Janues had access to specific restricted securities at discounted prices though connections with large institutions. He also claimed to exercise a trading strategy-which he called “options straddles”-that would not only prevent any trading losses but also, for some of the supposed investments, guarantee returns on the investment of at least nine percent and up to as much as 50 percent. Perera’s false promises convinced the investor to give him approximately $4.3 million.” The SEC alleged that the broker did not use the funds to purchase the intended securities, but instead he transferred the funds to his wife’s accounts, where he then engaged in highly speculative, leveraged trading. This trading allegedly resulted in $3 million in trading losses. The SEC found that the broker “concealed his misappropriation of the investor’s funds and his trading losses by providing the investor with phony trade confirmations and account statements that falsely showed the expected returns, and by using funds received from other sources to partially repay the investor victim.”
In July 2023, FINRA barred him after he “consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he refused to appear for on-the-record testimony requested by FINRA in connection with its investigation into allegations that he had defrauded a customer while he was associated with a member firm.”
Surage Perera Customer Complaints
He has been the subject of four customer complaints between 2009 and 2023, according to his CRD report. The most recent complaints are regarding:
June 2023. “Time frame: October 2019 – Present. Client alleges misrepresentation relating to an investment recommendation.” The customer is seeking $100,000 in damages, and the case is currently pending. The complaint was regarding structured investment losses, and it took place while he was registered with Aegis Capital Corp.
May 2023. “Time frame: 2019 – Present. Claimant alleges suitability, misrepresentation, fraud, breach of contract.” The customer is seeking $854,000 in damages, and the case is currently pending. The complaint was regarding common and preferred stocks, options, and private placement investment losses, and it took place while he was registered with Aegis Capital Corp.
May 2023. “Time frame: February 2022 – August 2022. Claimant alleges fraud, negligence, misrepresentation and omission of material facts.” The customer is seeking $3,300,000 in damages, and the case is currently pending. The complaint was regarding private placement investment losses, and it took place while he was registered with Aegis Capital Corp.
Pursuant to FINRA Rules, member firms are responsible for supervising a broker’s activities during the time the broker is registered with the firm. Therefore, Aegis Capital Corp. may be liable for investment or other losses suffered by Surage Perera’s customers.
Erez Law represents investors in the United States for claims against brokers and brokerage firms for wrongdoing. If you have experienced investment losses, please call us at 888-840-1571 or complete our contact form for a free consultation. Erez Law is a nationally recognized law firm representing individuals, trusts, corporations and institutions in claims against brokerage firms, banks and insurance companies on a contingency fee basis.
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