Former Florida Financial Advisor Charged with $2.7 Million Fraud Scheme

Posted on July 23rd, 2024 at 12:10 PM
Former Florida Financial Advisor Charged with $2.7 Million Fraud Scheme

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

According to ThinkAdvisor, federal prosecutors have charged former Florida financial advisor Jared Dean Eakes with wire fraud, alleging he scammed clients out of over $2.7 million across multiple states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, and elsewhere.

From January 2019 through February 2020, Eakes misrepresented himself as a registered investment advisor managing millions in client funds. He used an online marketplace to acquire other advisors' businesses, according to an indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The criminal charges follow civil charges filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) two years ago related to the same alleged fraud scheme.

Prosecutors allege that Eakes transferred these funds into accounts he controlled. He misled clients into believing their funds were being invested as per their wishes, while in reality, he used the money for personal gain. This included embezzling funds, transferring money to his personal brokerage account, engaging in unauthorized options trading, and funding personal expenses, such as paying previous investment advisors and transferring funds to a Las Vegas casino.

As part of his scheme, Eakes created several corporate entities purportedly involved in investment management or consulting, including variations on the name GraySail. The government seeks over $2.7 million in forfeited property, representing the proceeds Eakes obtained from the alleged fraud.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, sec

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

If the regulators are after you, and are trying to make a case against you, and you are going to contest their allegations against you, make sure you have the best securities industry defense lawyers, Eccleston Law Firm. My case was spun into a combination of penalties including fines, cash settlements, CE courses and suspension. They were the best I have seen in action. When all was said and done, they had done their magic, my situation was negotiated and settled with a simple "letter of caution" and a case closed without action. It is the most important legal business decision you will ever make, make it Eccleston Law.

Rick R.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

December 22, 2025
FINRA Overhauls Arbitration Rules to Rebalance Arbitrator Selection and Codify Forum Practices

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has approved significant amendments to its Codes of Arbitration Procedure designed to rebalance public arbitrator selection, increase transparency, and formalize several long-standing practices in the arbitration forum.

December 19, 2025
Industry Groups Press Senate at Advance Financial Exploitation Prevention Act

Several industry associations are urging the U.S. Senate to pass the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act, legislation that would allow mutual fund companies and their transfer agents to delay redemptions when they reasonably suspect elder financial abuse.

December 18, 2025
UBS Warns of Rising Default Risk in Private Credit

A UBS report signals that credit stress likely will intensify next year as borrowers confront inflation, elevated interest costs, and softening consumer conditions.