>
The Falcon Is Still In Flight - Major US Bank Embroiled In Misappropriation of PFG Client Funds
The Falcon Is Still In Flight - Major US Bank Embroiled In Misappropriation of PFG Client Funds
Wednesday,05/06/2013|16:51GMTby
Andrew Saks McLeod
Almost a year has passed since the CFTC began investigating the activities of Peregrine Financial Group and its alleged misappropriation of client funds. Now US Bank under regulatory spotlight due to similar accusations.
Last year's demise of Peregrine Financial Group has had considerable repercussions, it seems. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has today filed a Complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa against U.S. Bank National Association (U.S. Bank) for unlawfully using and holding Peregrine Financial Group, Inc.’s (Peregrine) customer segregated funds.
Suicide Attempt
Peregrine Financial Group began being probed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in July last year, as well as being the subject of a simultaneous lawsuit against the company by the CFTC in the wake of a suicide attempt by the firm founder Russell Wasendorf Senior.
It was found that Peregrine Financial Group had an alleged $200 million shortfall in customer funds, according to a Commodity Futures Trading Commission complaint filed today in federal court in Chicago on July 11, 2012.
In August last year, just a month after the CFTC issued proceedings, the National Futures Association went live with its policy of supervising the segregated accounts of financial services providers in the United States. Should such a policy have come into being beforehand, would have avoided situations such as that of Peregrine Financial Group.
Deja Vu
In the aftermath of such a high profile event, it could be considered quite remarkable that a national bank would expose itself to regulatory scrutiny with relation to the client funds of the very same company, due to the very same alleged infringement. U.S. Bank is the fifth largest bank in the country and maintains branch offices in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where Peregrine and its owner, Russell R. Wasendorf Senior were located.
The Complaint alleges that U.S. Bank was a depository institution serving Peregrine, a registered FCM, and Wasendorf since 1992. From approximately September 2008 to July 2012, U.S. Bank unlawfully accepted Peregrine’s customers’ funds as security on loans it made to Wasendorf, his wife, and his construction company, Wasendorf Construction, L.L.C., to build an office complex for Peregrine in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Complaint further alleges that from approximately June 2008 to July 2012, U.S. Bank improperly held Peregrine’s customers’ funds in an account U.S. Bank treated as Peregrine’s commercial checking account and knowingly facilitated Wasendorf’s transfers of millions of dollars of customers’ funds out of this account to pay for Wasendorf’s private jet, his restaurant, and his divorce settlement, among other things. U.S. Bank knew that these transfers were not for the benefit of Peregrine’s customers, according to the Complaint.
According to the Complaint, Wasendorf defrauded more than 24,000 Peregrine clients and misappropriated more than $215 million over two decades using a customer segregated account at U.S. Bank. In connection with that fraud, Wasendorf misrepresented to the National Futures Association and to Peregrine’s auditor that Peregrine’s customer segregated account at U.S. Bank contained $200 million or more, when in fact the average balance since May 2005 was only $15.7 million. On July 10, 2012, the CFTC instituted a civil action against Wasendorf and Peregrine, CFTC v. Peregrine Financial Group, Inc. and Russell Wasendorf Sr., 1:12-cv-05383 (N.D. IL July 10 2012) (see CFTC Press Release 6300-12, July 10, 2012). Wasendorf was also criminally charged by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, pled guilty, and on January 23, 2013 was sentenced to 50 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $215 million in restitution. United States v. Russell Wasendorf, Sr., 12-cr-2021-LRR.
In this litigation, the CFTC seeks an injunction against U.S. Bank for further violations of the CEA and CFTC Regulations, restitution, disgorgement, and civil monetary penalties, among other appropriate relief.
The following CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members are responsible for this case: Robert Howell, Joy McCormack, Susan Gradman, Scott Williamson, Rosemary Hollinger, and Richard Wagner
Last year's demise of Peregrine Financial Group has had considerable repercussions, it seems. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has today filed a Complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa against U.S. Bank National Association (U.S. Bank) for unlawfully using and holding Peregrine Financial Group, Inc.’s (Peregrine) customer segregated funds.
Suicide Attempt
Peregrine Financial Group began being probed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in July last year, as well as being the subject of a simultaneous lawsuit against the company by the CFTC in the wake of a suicide attempt by the firm founder Russell Wasendorf Senior.
It was found that Peregrine Financial Group had an alleged $200 million shortfall in customer funds, according to a Commodity Futures Trading Commission complaint filed today in federal court in Chicago on July 11, 2012.
In August last year, just a month after the CFTC issued proceedings, the National Futures Association went live with its policy of supervising the segregated accounts of financial services providers in the United States. Should such a policy have come into being beforehand, would have avoided situations such as that of Peregrine Financial Group.
Deja Vu
In the aftermath of such a high profile event, it could be considered quite remarkable that a national bank would expose itself to regulatory scrutiny with relation to the client funds of the very same company, due to the very same alleged infringement. U.S. Bank is the fifth largest bank in the country and maintains branch offices in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where Peregrine and its owner, Russell R. Wasendorf Senior were located.
The Complaint alleges that U.S. Bank was a depository institution serving Peregrine, a registered FCM, and Wasendorf since 1992. From approximately September 2008 to July 2012, U.S. Bank unlawfully accepted Peregrine’s customers’ funds as security on loans it made to Wasendorf, his wife, and his construction company, Wasendorf Construction, L.L.C., to build an office complex for Peregrine in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Complaint further alleges that from approximately June 2008 to July 2012, U.S. Bank improperly held Peregrine’s customers’ funds in an account U.S. Bank treated as Peregrine’s commercial checking account and knowingly facilitated Wasendorf’s transfers of millions of dollars of customers’ funds out of this account to pay for Wasendorf’s private jet, his restaurant, and his divorce settlement, among other things. U.S. Bank knew that these transfers were not for the benefit of Peregrine’s customers, according to the Complaint.
According to the Complaint, Wasendorf defrauded more than 24,000 Peregrine clients and misappropriated more than $215 million over two decades using a customer segregated account at U.S. Bank. In connection with that fraud, Wasendorf misrepresented to the National Futures Association and to Peregrine’s auditor that Peregrine’s customer segregated account at U.S. Bank contained $200 million or more, when in fact the average balance since May 2005 was only $15.7 million. On July 10, 2012, the CFTC instituted a civil action against Wasendorf and Peregrine, CFTC v. Peregrine Financial Group, Inc. and Russell Wasendorf Sr., 1:12-cv-05383 (N.D. IL July 10 2012) (see CFTC Press Release 6300-12, July 10, 2012). Wasendorf was also criminally charged by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, pled guilty, and on January 23, 2013 was sentenced to 50 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $215 million in restitution. United States v. Russell Wasendorf, Sr., 12-cr-2021-LRR.
In this litigation, the CFTC seeks an injunction against U.S. Bank for further violations of the CEA and CFTC Regulations, restitution, disgorgement, and civil monetary penalties, among other appropriate relief.
The following CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members are responsible for this case: Robert Howell, Joy McCormack, Susan Gradman, Scott Williamson, Rosemary Hollinger, and Richard Wagner
SpaceX IPO Reaches Prop Trading as The Trading Pit Markets SPCX Debut Access
Featured Videos
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
This panel explores the key insights and emerging trends shaping modern trading behavior, examining how user expectations are evolving across global markets and what these shifts mean for industry participants.
This panel explores the key insights and emerging trends shaping modern trading behavior, examining how user expectations are evolving across global markets and what these shifts mean for industry participants.
This panel explores the key insights and emerging trends shaping modern trading behavior, examining how user expectations are evolving across global markets and what these shifts mean for industry participants.
This panel explores the key insights and emerging trends shaping modern trading behavior, examining how user expectations are evolving across global markets and what these shifts mean for industry participants.
This panel explores the key insights and emerging trends shaping modern trading behavior, examining how user expectations are evolving across global markets and what these shifts mean for industry participants.
This panel explores the key insights and emerging trends shaping modern trading behavior, examining how user expectations are evolving across global markets and what these shifts mean for industry participants.
Funding & Exit in Singapore from Pre-Seed to Liquidity
Funding & Exit in Singapore from Pre-Seed to Liquidity
Funding & Exit in Singapore from Pre-Seed to Liquidity
Funding & Exit in Singapore from Pre-Seed to Liquidity
Funding & Exit in Singapore from Pre-Seed to Liquidity
Funding & Exit in Singapore from Pre-Seed to Liquidity
Singapore's capital infrastructure is wider than its reputation for stability suggests.
Sovereign backing from Temasek and GIC, a growing family office network, sector-specialized venture funds, and a public market pathway through the Singapore Exchange, the city-state supports capital formation at every stage of the lifecycle.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session gathers practitioners across the capital stack to examine how Singapore functions as both an investment and an exit destination.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of what makes SGX a credible listing pathway for high-growth companies in 2026
Insight into alternative exit channels: private secondary markets, digital marketplace exits, and strategic acquisitions
Perspective on what founders and capital allocators should be doing at each stage to preserve exit optionality
Singapore's capital infrastructure is wider than its reputation for stability suggests.
Sovereign backing from Temasek and GIC, a growing family office network, sector-specialized venture funds, and a public market pathway through the Singapore Exchange, the city-state supports capital formation at every stage of the lifecycle.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session gathers practitioners across the capital stack to examine how Singapore functions as both an investment and an exit destination.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of what makes SGX a credible listing pathway for high-growth companies in 2026
Insight into alternative exit channels: private secondary markets, digital marketplace exits, and strategic acquisitions
Perspective on what founders and capital allocators should be doing at each stage to preserve exit optionality
Singapore's capital infrastructure is wider than its reputation for stability suggests.
Sovereign backing from Temasek and GIC, a growing family office network, sector-specialized venture funds, and a public market pathway through the Singapore Exchange, the city-state supports capital formation at every stage of the lifecycle.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session gathers practitioners across the capital stack to examine how Singapore functions as both an investment and an exit destination.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of what makes SGX a credible listing pathway for high-growth companies in 2026
Insight into alternative exit channels: private secondary markets, digital marketplace exits, and strategic acquisitions
Perspective on what founders and capital allocators should be doing at each stage to preserve exit optionality
Singapore's capital infrastructure is wider than its reputation for stability suggests.
Sovereign backing from Temasek and GIC, a growing family office network, sector-specialized venture funds, and a public market pathway through the Singapore Exchange, the city-state supports capital formation at every stage of the lifecycle.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session gathers practitioners across the capital stack to examine how Singapore functions as both an investment and an exit destination.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of what makes SGX a credible listing pathway for high-growth companies in 2026
Insight into alternative exit channels: private secondary markets, digital marketplace exits, and strategic acquisitions
Perspective on what founders and capital allocators should be doing at each stage to preserve exit optionality
Singapore's capital infrastructure is wider than its reputation for stability suggests.
Sovereign backing from Temasek and GIC, a growing family office network, sector-specialized venture funds, and a public market pathway through the Singapore Exchange, the city-state supports capital formation at every stage of the lifecycle.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session gathers practitioners across the capital stack to examine how Singapore functions as both an investment and an exit destination.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of what makes SGX a credible listing pathway for high-growth companies in 2026
Insight into alternative exit channels: private secondary markets, digital marketplace exits, and strategic acquisitions
Perspective on what founders and capital allocators should be doing at each stage to preserve exit optionality
Singapore's capital infrastructure is wider than its reputation for stability suggests.
Sovereign backing from Temasek and GIC, a growing family office network, sector-specialized venture funds, and a public market pathway through the Singapore Exchange, the city-state supports capital formation at every stage of the lifecycle.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session gathers practitioners across the capital stack to examine how Singapore functions as both an investment and an exit destination.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of what makes SGX a credible listing pathway for high-growth companies in 2026
Insight into alternative exit channels: private secondary markets, digital marketplace exits, and strategic acquisitions
Perspective on what founders and capital allocators should be doing at each stage to preserve exit optionality
FM Daily Brief – 10 June 2026
FM Daily Brief – 10 June 2026
FM Daily Brief – 10 June 2026
FM Daily Brief – 10 June 2026
FM Daily Brief – 10 June 2026
FM Daily Brief – 10 June 2026
Today’s Wednesday, the 10th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: Bybit’s zero-fee stock CFD push, prop trading access to SpaceX shares, and TradeStation’s European expansion into US markets.
Today’s Wednesday, the 10th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: Bybit’s zero-fee stock CFD push, prop trading access to SpaceX shares, and TradeStation’s European expansion into US markets.
Today’s Wednesday, the 10th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: Bybit’s zero-fee stock CFD push, prop trading access to SpaceX shares, and TradeStation’s European expansion into US markets.
Today’s Wednesday, the 10th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: Bybit’s zero-fee stock CFD push, prop trading access to SpaceX shares, and TradeStation’s European expansion into US markets.
Today’s Wednesday, the 10th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: Bybit’s zero-fee stock CFD push, prop trading access to SpaceX shares, and TradeStation’s European expansion into US markets.
Today’s Wednesday, the 10th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: Bybit’s zero-fee stock CFD push, prop trading access to SpaceX shares, and TradeStation’s European expansion into US markets.
AI Getting Real for Brokers
AI Getting Real for Brokers
AI Getting Real for Brokers
AI Getting Real for Brokers
AI Getting Real for Brokers
AI Getting Real for Brokers
Brokers and providers moved from the noise phase to treating AI tools as a core product question, with implications on anything from hiring priorities to acquisition strategy.
This session gathers retail brokers, platform builders, and AI tool providers to examine how LLMs change affect client trust, results, and risk.
Attendees will walk away with:
A first-hand account of where AI-driven trading tools generate real client value
Insight into how institutional adoption is raising client expectations and what brokers need to do to keep pace
Clarity on the liability question: when an AI-driven recommendation leads to a bad trade, where does responsibility
Brokers and providers moved from the noise phase to treating AI tools as a core product question, with implications on anything from hiring priorities to acquisition strategy.
This session gathers retail brokers, platform builders, and AI tool providers to examine how LLMs change affect client trust, results, and risk.
Attendees will walk away with:
A first-hand account of where AI-driven trading tools generate real client value
Insight into how institutional adoption is raising client expectations and what brokers need to do to keep pace
Clarity on the liability question: when an AI-driven recommendation leads to a bad trade, where does responsibility
Brokers and providers moved from the noise phase to treating AI tools as a core product question, with implications on anything from hiring priorities to acquisition strategy.
This session gathers retail brokers, platform builders, and AI tool providers to examine how LLMs change affect client trust, results, and risk.
Attendees will walk away with:
A first-hand account of where AI-driven trading tools generate real client value
Insight into how institutional adoption is raising client expectations and what brokers need to do to keep pace
Clarity on the liability question: when an AI-driven recommendation leads to a bad trade, where does responsibility
Brokers and providers moved from the noise phase to treating AI tools as a core product question, with implications on anything from hiring priorities to acquisition strategy.
This session gathers retail brokers, platform builders, and AI tool providers to examine how LLMs change affect client trust, results, and risk.
Attendees will walk away with:
A first-hand account of where AI-driven trading tools generate real client value
Insight into how institutional adoption is raising client expectations and what brokers need to do to keep pace
Clarity on the liability question: when an AI-driven recommendation leads to a bad trade, where does responsibility
Brokers and providers moved from the noise phase to treating AI tools as a core product question, with implications on anything from hiring priorities to acquisition strategy.
This session gathers retail brokers, platform builders, and AI tool providers to examine how LLMs change affect client trust, results, and risk.
Attendees will walk away with:
A first-hand account of where AI-driven trading tools generate real client value
Insight into how institutional adoption is raising client expectations and what brokers need to do to keep pace
Clarity on the liability question: when an AI-driven recommendation leads to a bad trade, where does responsibility
Brokers and providers moved from the noise phase to treating AI tools as a core product question, with implications on anything from hiring priorities to acquisition strategy.
This session gathers retail brokers, platform builders, and AI tool providers to examine how LLMs change affect client trust, results, and risk.
Attendees will walk away with:
A first-hand account of where AI-driven trading tools generate real client value
Insight into how institutional adoption is raising client expectations and what brokers need to do to keep pace
Clarity on the liability question: when an AI-driven recommendation leads to a bad trade, where does responsibility
