SEC Charges Driver Who Posed as a Financial Professional and Lost Over $1 Million

Posted on December 12th, 2025 at 2:00 PM
SEC Charges Driver Who Posed as a Financial Professional and Lost Over $1 Million

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

Federal regulators charged a New York area driver with masquerading as a seasoned investment professional and causing significant losses for three investors. According to ThinkAdvisor, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil complaint, alleging that Shahin Ahmed falsely claimed hedge fund experience to solicit and manage client funds.

According to the SEC, Ahmed worked as the personal driver for a registered investment advisor that oversaw a hedge fund. From March 2020 through February 2022, he told prospective investors that he had professional money management expertise and formal qualifications he did not possess—he had no education beyond high school.

ThinkAdvisor reports that the SEC further alleged that Ahmed convinced individuals to give him access to their brokerage accounts so he could trade securities. He guaranteed risk-free investments. The complaint also notes that Ahmed created a business called Honest Partners LLC, a name “deceptively” similar to the firm where he worked as a driver.

Ahmed agreed to a bifurcated settlement, subject to court approval. The settlement includes permanent injunctive relief, a bar from acting as or associating with an investment advisor, and a bar from participating in the offer or sale of any security other than in his own personal accounts. According to ThinkAdvisor, the court will later determine any disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties.

Separately, the Nassau County district attorney’s office arraigned Ahmed in June on a grand larceny charge related to the same conduct.

 

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

You guys are good!

Mike L.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

February 12, 2026
CFTC Signals New Rulemaking for Prediction Markets and Crypto Oversight

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) plans to develop new regulations governing the growing prediction markets industry, Chairman Michael Selig announced, signaling a shift in regulatory strategy.

February 11, 2026
Ameriprise Advisor Phishing Incident Potentially Exposes Client Data

A phishing incident involving an Ameriprise Financial advisor potentially exposed the personal information of hundreds of clients, according to a disclosure posted by the Maine Attorney General’s office.

February 10, 2026
Merrill Lynch Expands Client Disclosures on Crypto and AI Risks

Merrill Lynch updated its required client disclosure brochure to address, for the first time, the evolving risks tied to cryptocurrency-linked investments and the firm’s expanding use of Artificial Intelligence tools.