Milwaukee Thrivent/Mutual of Omaha Advisor Sentenced to Jail Over Fraud Scheme
From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law LLC:
According to the Department of Justice, a Milwaukee-based advisor was sentenced to at least five years in prison after defrauding investors of nearly $2.6 million. The Department of Justice announced that Edward Matthes has pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud after defrauding 27 victims, including several elderly investors and his own parents. According to his BrokerCheck profile, Matthes worked in financial services for more than two decades at several firms including Thrivent Investment Managements and Mutual of Omaha Investor Services.
Matthes began persuading clients to invest in several fictitious accounts at Mutual of Omaha Investor Services in April 2013. After persuading investors to transfer funds into the fictitious accounts, Matthes transferred the funds to his own person bank accounts of several occasions. According to the plea agreement, Matthes used the funds to pay for a new home, living expenses, vacations and vehicles. Additionally, Matthes continued to inform clients that their investments were performing well and went as far as to send out fake quarterly earnings statements. Some clients became suspicious with Matthes after they did not receive 1099 fax forms confirming the fund transfers. Matthes was fired from Mutual of Omaha Investor Services and barred from the industry by FINRA in March 2019.
Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, regulatory and disciplinary matters.
Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, milwaukee thrivent, mutual of omaha, suspended advisor, fraud
