Beverley Schottenstein

Billionaire Grandmother Awarded $19M Due To Grandsons’ Fraud, Finra Says

financial advisor

February 12, 2021 • Karen Demasters

Read the article on fa-mag.com

The matriarch of the billionaire Schottenstein family has been awarded $19 million by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for illegal trading in her accounts by J.P. Morgan Securities and two of her grandsons, Finra announced Feb. 5.

The compensation is to be paid to Beverley B. Schottenstein, of Bal Harbour, Fla., by J.P. Morgan Securities, and her grandsons, Evan A. Schottenstein and Avi Elliot Schottenstein, who are brothers and were acting as her brokers. The three defendants have denied the allegations that were described in the arbitration award, according to Finra. J.P. Morgan Securities should have flagged the large sales, Finra said. The grandsons worked at J.P.Morgan Securities in New York City.

The Schottenstein family, which is based in Columbus, Ohio, was once on the Forbes list of 100 wealthiest families in the U.S., but has since dropped off the list. In 2015, Forbes set the family’s wealth at $2.7 billion. The Schottensteins headed a fashion, grocery store, retail mall and home building empire that includes retailers, such as DSW and American Eagle. It is now overseeing the merger of Albertson’s and Safeway as the parent company of the two grocery store chains. Read more

Beverley Schottenstein

Read some of The Dispatch’s historic coverage of the Schottenstein family

the columbus dispatch

The Columbus Dispatch Archives – Feb 18, 2021

Read the full article on dispatch.com

As drama unfolds around the handling of Beverly Schottenstein’s fortune in Florida, The Dispatch is sharing some of its historical coverage of the Schottenstein family.

The family that once held stakes in retail, real estate, construction businesses and more held power in Columbus for decades.

Here are some of the articles The Dispatch has written on them over the years. (The text of stories published prior to 1985 have not been digitized.)

Beverley Schottenstein

Grandmother wins $19m arb award from JPM and grandchildren

citywire

February 9, 2021 – By Ian Wenik

Read the article on citywireusa.com

A panel of arbitrators found that Beverley Schottenstein’s grandsons made unauthorized purchases and sales in her account.

finraA panel of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (Finra) arbitrators has ordered JP Morgan and two of its brokers to pay a roughly $19m financial penalty after the brokers were found liable for making unauthorized purchases and sales of securities in their grandmother’s account.

The arbitrators ordered JP Morgan to pay $4.7m in compensatory damages, Evan Schottenstein $9m in compensatory damages and Avi Schottenstein $602k in compensatory damages to Beverley Schottenstein and her trust. JP Morgan has also been ordered to revoke Beverley Schottenstein’s investment in a private equity fund run by Coatue Management and pay her $4.29m plus interest. Evan Schottenstein and JP Morgan have also been ordered to each pay half of Beverley Schottenstein’s attorneys’ fees. Read more

Beverley Schottenstein

Finra bars ex-JP Morgan broker after grandmother’s $19m arb award

citywire

By Ian Wenik – April 14, 2021

Read the article on citywiresusa.com

J.P. MorganThe Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (Finra) has permanently banned a former JP Morgan broker after he was accused of making unauthorized purchases and sales of securities in his own grandmother’s account.

Evan Schottenstein agreed to the ban after he refused to testify in Finra’s investigation into the matter without admitting or denying any misconduct.

In February, a panel of Finra arbitrators ordered Evan Schottenstein to pay $9m in compensatory damages to his grandmother, Beverley Schottenstein, along with her trust. The order came as part of a $19m arbitration award in favor of Beverley Schottenstein after she lodged a complaint against JP Morgan, Evan Schottenstein and his brother, Avi Schottenstein. Read more

Beverley Schottenstein

Ex-J.P. Morgan Brokers Seek to Vacate $19-Mln Award, Cite Napping Arbitrators on Zoom

advisor hub
by Jake Martin and Mason Braswell – March 9, 2021

Read the article on advisor hub.com

Arbitrators on ZoomIn a claim zeroing in on the fairness of virtual hearings, a pair of former J.P. Morgan Securities brokers have asked a court to nullify a high profile $19 million award issued last month by a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority arbitration panel.

Brothers Evan A. Schottenstein and Avi E. Schottenstein filed a motion to vacate in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida on Monday alleging that the arbitration process “broke down” over the 43 hearing sessions as the arbitrators dozed off, failed to address a potential conflict and declined to admit an allegedly key piece of video evidence.

The award was tied to a claim for unauthorized trading and elder abuse brought by their grandmother, Beverley Schottenstein, in July 2019. It qualified for vacature under the narrow grounds provided by the Federal Arbitration Act because the arbitrators ‘exceeded their authority’ by refusing the brothers’ request to postpone the hearing until it could be held in-person, they argued in the filing.
Read more

Beverley Schottenstein

Grandma wins $19M case against J.P. Morgan and 2 advisors (her grandsons)

financial planning
February 10, 2021, By Lynnley Browning

Read the article on financial-planning.com

j.p.morganA wealthy grandmother won a $19 million arbitration award against J.P. Morgan Securities and two former brokers — her grandsons — over alleged unauthorized trading in her accounts.

The ruling came 18 months and 43 hearing sessions after retail matriarch Beverley Schottenstein filed claims against the firm and her grandsons for alleged abuse of fiduciary duty, fraudulent misrepresentations and omissions and other misconduct. A panel of three FINRA arbitrators ruled in her favor Feb. 5, according to the arbitration award.

Schottenstein’s late husband and his brothers developed a retail empire that became Schottenstein Stores Corp. and later grew to include stakes in shoe retailer DSW, clothing chain American Eagle Outfitters, American Signature Furniture, more than four dozen shopping centers, several shoe and furniture factories and grocery chain Albertson’s Companies, among other holdings, according to business data company Dun & Bradstreet. Read more

Beverley Schottenstein

Family Affair: Panel Orders J.P. Morgan, Ex-Brokers to Pay $19 Million to Grandmother

February 9, 2021, by Jake Martin

Read the article on advisor hub.com

lawsuit settlementA panel of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority arbitrators on Thursday rendered the agency’s largest award since 2018 in a case brought by a grandmother against J.P. Morgan Securities and two former brokers—her grandsons—for unauthorized trading.

Beverley Schottenstein, 94, in Bal Harbour, Florida, was awarded nearly $19 million in damages plus attorneys’ fees and costs. She had accused J.P. Morgan and Evan A. Schottenstein in New York City, and Avi E. Schottenstein in Los Angeles, of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty over unauthorized purchases of securities between 2014 and 2019 and enrolling her in e-delivery of statements without permission.

Specifically, the respondents purchased multiple auto-callable structured notes and other securities for which J.P. Morgan was a “market maker,” including Apple stock, as well as initial public offerings and follow-on offerings, according to Finra’s case summary. Read more

Beverley Schottenstein

Finra arbitrators order J.P. Morgan, former brokers to pay $19 million

investment news

February 8, 2021 By Mark Schoeff Jr.

See the article at investment news.com

J.P.MorganFinra arbitrators ordered J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and two former brokers to pay a retailing matriarch $19 million for unauthorized trading of complex products in her account — transactions that were executed by her grandsons.

A three-person Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. arbitration panel in Boca Raton, Florida found the firm and former brokers Evan A. Schottenstein and Avi Elliot Schottenstein liable for constructive fraud and abuse of fiduciary duty, as well as, fraudulent misrepresentations and omissions in trading done on behalf of Beverley Schottenstein, who is Evan and Avi’s grandmother, according to the Feb. 5 award.

In addition, the arbitrators found J.P. Morgan and the grandsons liable for elder abuse under Florida law. The evidentiary hearing in the case was conducted remotely via Zoom. Read more

Beverley Schottenstein

Schottenstein Family Affair Yields About $20 Million FINRA Arbitration Award

February 9, 2021

Read the article at brokeandbroker.com

A recent FINRA arbitration just doesn’t seem to add up. It started in 2019 with an arbitration Complaint. The case then moved into federal court in 2020 as the litigants battled over whether the dispute belonged in court or arbitration. In 2020, the dispute is returned to FINRA, where the case is argued via ZOOM teleconferences. In 2021, the Panel issues a sledgehammer of an award, which will likely surpass $20 million in damages, interest, fees, and costs. Notably, there was a finding that JP Morgan Securities and one of the individual respondents had engaged in elder abuse. And then you look to see if the arbitrators exercised their prerogative to refer the case to FINRA-the-regulator. And you look. And look. But no such referral. $20-plus million. Elder abuse. And, yet, no referral to FINRA regulatory investigation? What more does it take. Just what am I missing here?

July 2019 FINRA Complaint

As the curtain rises on Act II of our drama, the battle rages on after Beverly Schottenstein filed in July 2019 a FINRA Arbitration Complaint against Avi Schottenstein, Evan Schottenstein, and JP Morgan Securities. In a FINRA Arbitration Statement of Claim filed in 2019, Claimant asserted constructive fraud/abuse of fiduciary duty; fraudulent misrepresentations and omissions; and violation of Chapter 415, Fla. Statutes. Beverley B. Schottenstein, individually and as Co-Trustee Under the Beverly B. Schottenstein Revocable Trust U/A/D April 5, 2011, as Amended, Claimant v. JP Morgan Securities, LLC; Evan A. Schottenstein; and Avi E.Schottenstein, Jointly and Severally, Respondents (FINRA Arbitration Award, Case No. 19-02053). Read more

Beverley Schottenstein

In the US, a 94-year-old millionaire punished her grandchildren for embezzling her capital

Read article on freenewslive.com

Beverley Schottenstein TrialAccording to Bloomberg, Florida resident Beverley Schottenstein, who is 94, has secured a multi-million dollar settlement from her grandchildren, who managed her fortune.

The Financial Arbitration Court ruled that Evan and Avi Schottenstein and the bank J. P. Morgan, where they worked as consultants, are required to pay the grandmother a total of $ 19 million. At the same time, the plaintiff’s lawyers demanded compensation of 69 million.

Beverley Schottenstein assigned two grandchildren to take care of her condition about 15 years ago. Evan and Avi, now 39 and 33, managed approximately $ 80 million of her capital.

According to the lawyers of the millionaire, the grandchildren made risky transactions on her behalf. They made long-term investments in complex financial instruments that are not suitable for a 90-year-old investor. Without my grandmother’s permission, they carried out all sorts of operations to get the maximum commission. The grandsons were also accused of defrauding Beverley Schottenstein of a million dollars on her credit card and forging at least one financial document signed by her. The arbitration did not consider possible crimes of the brothers, but, according to the agency, they have already interested prosecutors in New York. Beverley Schottenstein herself, before claiming compensation from her grandchildren, kept a diary for about a year, in which she noted all possible financial abuses. Read more