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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Stanford challenges SEC case

Billionaire financier Sir Alan Stanford has reportedly called on the US appeals court to intervene in the civil fraud case brought against him by market regulator the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

According to court papers cited by Reuters, the Texas-born businessman is challenging a freeze on his assets and the appointment of Ralph Janvey as receiver for his businesses, including the Stanford International Bank (SIB). 

Sir Alan was charged in February with orchestrating an $8 billion Ponzi fraud. 

The SEC contested that he was involved in a "massive" deception involving the sale of so-called certificates of deposit that promised "improbable and unsubstantiated high interest rates" through SIB. 

SIB chief financial officer James Davis and the Stanford Financial Group chief investment officer Laura Pendergest-Holt were also named in the SEC action. 

Sir Alan denies running a Ponzi scheme. 

Over the weekend, an attorney for the financier asked a federal court to release $10 million to help pay for his defense. 

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