07/11/2017
Harlequin Properties, a section of which has since entered into insolvency proceedings, is now often regarded as an infamous case of what can go wrong, and the risks presented by unregulated overseas property investments, and today, Nov 7th, saw chairman David Ames in court facing on fraud charges. Ames was released on conditional bail following the three … Continued
26/04/2017
Chairman David Ames, previously described as a ‘Walter-Mitty type character’, gets trial date set, but not until September 2018! Harlequin Properties – an unregulated and high-risk investment that promised to build hotels in sunny-spots like the Caribbean and make investors a fortune, has often been described by critics and commentators as “troubled”, but with Chairman … Continued
19/01/2017
Pacific IFA Ltd (previously called Pacific Life), is an Essex based financial advice firm currently showing 2 active and regulated advisers, and is now known to have been involved in the sale of Harlequin Property investments through SIPP wrappers, as part of a chain of firms that involve unregulated introducers acting as agents for Harlequin. … Continued
18/01/2017
Kingswood Financial Advisors, a Mid Glamorgan based financial advice firm has had restrictions imposed by the Financial Conduct Authority that mean it can no longer transfer people’s pensions into SIPPs with Non-Standard Investments. The FCA notes say that the firm must not “carry out any regulated activities in relation pension switches and/or pension transfers to … Continued
17/12/2015
CIB Life and Pensions went into liquidation back in May 2015, shortly after the Financial Ombudsman found them at fault regarding advice given on unregulated investments. CIB seem to have regularly given advice on unregulated investments, particularly overseas property schemes in exotic locations, some of which are no longer paying their promised returns, such as … Continued
