Panel awards $3.8m to ‘mom and pop’ investors whose risky investments tanked

The Guardian US News
by Susan Antilla
March 12, 2026
2 views
2 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

A panel awarded $3.8 million to 13 senior investors who lost retirement money in risky investments.

How This Affects You

If you are a senior investor, your retirement savings could be at risk from high-risk "alternative investments."

AI Summary

Arbitrators awarded $3.8 million to 13 Florida seniors who claimed a financial adviser squandered their retirement money through risky investments. These investors had previously been featured in a Guardian investigation into the dangers faced by "mom and pop" investors. The award addresses their reported loss of most life savings after their money was placed into "alternative" assets. This outcome follows a period when the Trump administration supported Wall Street's efforts to sell higher-risk "alternative investments" to everyday investors.

What's Being Done

Arbitrators awarded $3.8 million to the affected investors.

Following this story?

Get notified when new coverage appears

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

US vaccine panel retreats from mRNA Covid review ahead of midterms
Politics

US vaccine panel retreats from mRNA Covid review ahead of midterms

<p>Advisers to RFK Jr drop the plan to end federal guidance amid Republican worries about the political impact</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/mar/11/politics-georgia-election-democrats-republicans-trump-ohio">US politics live – latest updates</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/feb/17/sign-up-for-the-breaking-news-us-email-to-get-newsletter-alerts-direct-to-your-inbox?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_STANDFIRST&amp;utm_campaign=BN22326&amp;utm_content=signup&amp;utm_term=standfirst&amp;utm_source=GUARDIAN_WEB">Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email</a></p></li></ul><p>A major federal panel that advises the government on vaccines has stepped back from efforts targeting <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/coronavirus-outbreak">Covid-19</a> mRNA vaccines, a change that comes as some Republicans reportedly caution that additional shifts in vaccine policy could hurt the party in the upcoming <a href="https://www...

The Guardian US NewsMar 11
Pope announces resignation of US bishop accused of embezzling $270K from California parish - AP News
Finance

Pope announces resignation of US bishop accused of embezzling $270K from California parish - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirwFBVV95cUxNOFRCaXBXaXpmelNsSjlCX2o2RHhsdW1XeXAxZ3dpd0VSSzM3UjRhQjdQRnVLUmkwY0pBdjdJb1MwbDJBdUR5VWVZZDlPVUUwRTFXdG9HZFJqYUdaZmVpdDVOckFTVy00NmRpOHRJZUN6YUJvd3VQS1FZakRsZEloR3NVX1NGYkduc1IzNTRZaXJNLUplcERZZEVzdVhneUd1NG5qbjkwNktXRmlQRmpV?oc=5" target="_blank">Pope announces resignation of US bishop accused of embezzling $270K from California parish</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 10
Pope accepts resignation of US bishop who was arrested for alleged financial crimes
Finance

Pope accepts resignation of US bishop who was arrested for alleged financial crimes

Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of the Chaldean Catholic bishop of San Diego, California

ABC NewsMar 10
Back to the 1970s? Investors brace for a return of stagflation - Reuters
Finance

Back to the 1970s? Investors brace for a return of stagflation - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijwFBVV95cUxQRG1wU0NXb1dBazc2V1hkUHNSTC1MZUs5UC1GWEpqQmp5djJ0QU1hb2NkNElYSGZFLTBldDlaVjhId1hDT3IzbGtSbWZCY0N6MDVGSk5HWktpb284RnM0aVJyaC1iTGExZktqLWtzcjZfcjN5bDdEZjhmaFJKUlJkVWU3enY4Y1VkcDZLY3NmSQ?oc=5" target="_blank">Back to the 1970s? Investors brace for a return of stagflation</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

ReutersMar 9
World shares decline, while oil pops above $100 a barrel over Iran war worries - AP News
Finance

World shares decline, while oil pops above $100 a barrel over Iran war worries - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxNSzE2U0FTcjBnbkhXaEhneXE2alFWd2JRWHVxbGxxT0hNcWZEYXRWaUdKNFFuYnRVemVyN0hzVmxod0ZqdFJEcGlkUHluX2c1SVV4YS05UktjcUhNRWhTVnZ3ZlFLWWhMdkxHRWNZTGFzWVYyNFlpQ2FNbG5MVHEtMzBqczJDNGNVcjI3VXdJbExwVzA?oc=5" target="_blank">World shares decline, while oil pops above $100 a barrel over Iran war worries</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 13
UN panel says racist hate speech by Trump and other US leaders has led to human rights violations - AP News
Civil Rights

UN panel says racist hate speech by Trump and other US leaders has led to human rights violations - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxPQ3VUdktjZzlobW50M2N4QzE4X2Mtd3ZkZVZyR2YzR0hQSTdqQWtmNEZWaFBTTWpFRExzekhqcHo0UHFoNk8wUzAtTWV6RzNwWGxfSzVDRG1NTHlIcFh2VUVHQ21oc3dyS29iVklSSGJPWFEyUnVaQzhXMjRmbUhEczYyc2ZJWGMycUkzR3JtVDEzeUZWc2gyNUktcmRySkhKNmc?oc=5" target="_blank">UN panel says racist hate speech by Trump and other US leaders has led to human rights violations</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 11
Read Next
Economy showed cracks pre-Iran attack, data shows
Finance

Economy showed cracks pre-Iran attack, data shows

<p>The economy was flashing stagflation signals — tepid growth and high inflation — even before the <a href="https://www.axios.com/world/iran" target="_blank">Iran</a> conflict added an oil shock to the mix.</p><p><strong>Why it matters:</strong> What happens when geopolitical turmoil clogs up the world's oil supply chain, against a backdrop of a U.S. economy losing momentum amid sticky inflation?</p><ul><li>We're about to find out.</li></ul><hr><p><strong>Driving the news:</strong> A revision to fourth-quarter GDP shows the economy grew at only a 0.7% annualized rate in the final months of 2025, half as much as the 1.4% growth rate originally estimated.</p><ul><li>Real final sales to private domestic purchasers, an underlying measure of growth that sums up consumer spending and private investment, rose at a 1.9% annual rate in the fourth quarter — a downward revision of 0.5 percentage point.</li></ul><p><strong>By the numbers: </strong>Also Friday morning, the Commerce Department r...

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources