Justia Lawyer Rating for Mauriello Law Firm, APC
Avvo Reviews
PIABA
San Diego County Bar Association
Orange County Bar Associaton
The State Bar of California
Consumer Attorneys California
Avvo Rating 10.0 Top Attorney

California Investor Rights Attorney Thomas Mauriello Files Schwab YieldPlus Fund (SWYSX) Claims for Additional Retiree Investors

California investor rights attorney Thomas Mauriello, of the Shine-Vernon legal team, files claims on behalf of Schwab YieldPlus Fund (SWYSX) investors with more than $200,000 in losses

San Francisco, California — Three California retirees with principal losses totaling over $200,000 filed claims today against Charles Schwab & Co. and its former high-profile fund manager, Kimon Daifotis, asserting that Schwab deceptively marketed its Schwab YieldPlus Fund as a “cash alternative” with safety comparable to that of 1 and 2-year certificates of deposits.

The Schwab YieldPlus Fund, (SWYSX), which was marketed to investors as a safe, ultra short-term bond fund, actually contained high concentrations of mortgage- and asset-backed securities that exposed fund investors to the risk of substantial losses of principal, the claim asserts.

“The Schwab YieldPlus Fund was significantly riskier than Charles Schwab represented,” said Thomas D. Mauriello, a California investor rights attorney who filed today’s claim along with former SEC enforcement attorney Thomas Shine and investor rights attorney Christopher Vernon.

Mauriello noted that shares of other ultra short-term bond funds lost less than 2 percent of their value, on average, from June 30, 2007 to June 30, 2008. During that same time, Schwab YieldPlus Fund shares dropped 31.62 percent — a loss that was more than double the decline of the S&P 500 Index for the relevant period.

“The Schwab YieldPlus Fund is virtually alone among its peers in exposing conservative investors to these kinds of steep losses of principal,” Mauriello said.

Moreover, Schwab profited handsomely from its deceptive marketing of the Schwab YieldPlus Fund to conservative investors as the fund experienced tremendous growth, according to the claim.

From 2003 to 2007, Charles Schwab Investment Management, a wholly-owned subsidiary of parent Charles Schwab Corp., saw its annual management fees of the Schwab YieldPlus Fund grow by 600 percent, the claim states. Schwab earned management fees of $76 million during that time, as the fund grew to peak net assets of $13.5 billion on July 31, 2007.

By May 31, 2008, the fund’s net assets had plunged by more than 96 percent to $507 million.

This risky investment composition of the Schwab YieldPlus Fund by fund managers compromised the fund’s liquidity and forced it to sell off asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities at distressed prices as more and more investors sought redemptions beginning in August 2007, the claim asserts.

One of the retirees who filed a claim today, a 69-year-old widow from Rio Vista, California, thought her investment in the Schwab YieldPlus Fund was virtually the same as a money market fund investment based on the representations of her Schwab investment advisor, the claim states.

Also filing a claim today was a retired couple from Solvang, California who lost approximately $166,000 of their principal investment in the Schwab YieldPlus Fund.

Securities fraud litigators in the Shine-Vernon legal team have now filed claims on behalf of both corporate and individual Schwab YieldPlus Fund investor clients in California, New York, Texas, Florida, Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois and Hawaii, and they are currently investigating claims on behalf of investors in multiple other states. The team includes former SEC enforcement attorneys, former federal and state prosecutors, and investor rights attorneys from California, New York, Florida, Texas and Illinois.

URL:

Contact:

— Thomas D. Mauriello, an investor rights attorney who represents investors throughout the United States (California, (619) 940-1606, www.maurlaw.com);

— Thomas F. Shine, a former Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Division of Enforcement attorney (Florida, 800-838-8320, www.thomasfshinelaw.com);

— Christopher T. Vernon, an investor rights attorney who represents investors throughout the United States (Florida, 239-649-5390, www.vernonhealy.com)

Keywords: Schwab YieldPlus Fund, Yield Plus, SWYSX, SWYPX, Charles Schwab, investor losses, safety, securities attorney, arbitration, settlement.

Client Reviews

Tom, thank you for your all help. Among the three other attorneys I talked with, I chose you because you really listened, asked thoughtful questions and sought all information to understand my situation. That gave me confidence in you above all others. I am a believer in receiving feedback, so I...

Scott Yi, Securities Registered Representative

Thomas was very thorough, kind and truly cared about me and my case. He went above and beyond the call of duty. Every time I contacted him he me made me feel like a very important client. His skills, intelligence and demeanor lead to a victory in the courtroom!

Susan De Diminicantanio

As a business development consultant, there have been times to which I am in need of counsel for the review and strategic advice a range of diversified employment and compensation packages. In this sense, Thomas Mauriello has been my trusted counsel, paying particular attention to the settle nuances...

Emma Makinen, DOAP Kitchens, LLC

Our Family needed an attorney who was knowledgeable with FINRA and Tom proved to be very familiar with FINRA. We found him, trustworthy, thorough, honest and sympathetic during an emotionally stressful time with our Family.

Annette Hellmich

I would recommend Mr. Mauriello highly - - to anyone - - - wish I had more friends in the area who need an attorney! He was extremely knowledgeable, timely, courteous, - AND - he won my case! Would call him again in an instant should the need arise.

Nancy Brown

Contact Us Now

Supreme Court

(619) 940-1606 - (949) 542-3555