>>REVIEW A POTENTIAL OPPENHEIMER INVESTOR LAWSUIT<<

While investors were told that they were purchasing a relatively conservative bond fund which would preserve their capital while generating income, fund managers changed their investment style without properly informing shareholders and exposed the fund to greater risk than investors otherwise agreed to accept.

The Oppenheimer Champion Income Fund has suffered devastating losses since July 2008, largely associated with risky gambles made on mortgage-backed securities and corporate bonds. The fund managers failed to adhere to the stated investment objectives of not taking any undue risk and failed to disclose the extent of investors’ exposure to derivatives and other illiquid securities.

Investors may be entitled to recover their losses through an Oppenheimer Champion Income Fund arbitration claim filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which oversees about 5,000 different brokerage firms throughout the United States.

OPPENHEIMER CHAMPION INCOME FUND LAWYERS

For losses in excess of $50,000 or more, our Oppenheimer Champion Income Fund lawyers recommend that investors review the individual arbitration options, rather than relying on the pending Oppenheimer Champion Income Fund class action lawsuit, which will likely not place them in the best position to recover their losses in the shortest amount of time.

If you, a friend or family member have experienced significant losses in the value of an investment in the Oppenheimer Champion Income Fund (NASDAQ: OPCHX, OCHBX, OCHCX, OCHNX, OCHYX), contact our financial fraud attorneys today by requesting a free consultation and claim evaluation.

The first Morgan Keegan arbitration hearings have already been heard, and hundreds of other claims filed against the regional brokerage firm are scheduled for hearings later this year and early next year. However, investors who have not taken steps to protect their right to recover the investment losses caused by Morgan Keegan’s failure to disclose the risks associated with several bond mutual funds, can still present their cases.

According to an article published yesterday by Investment News, which is a publication for financial advisors, the ultimate number of Morgan Keegan arbitration claims that will be filed is likely to be between 1,000 and 1,500, with potential damages exceeding $200 million.

Our lawyers are pursuing Morgan Keegan arbitration claims for investors who suffered losses in excess of $10,000 as a result of any of the following bond funds:

• Regions Morgan Keegan High Income Fund (RMH)
• Regions Morgan Keegan Multi-Sector High Income Fund (RHY)
• Regions Morgan Keegan Advantage Income Fund (RMA)
• Regions Morgan Keegan Strategic Income Fund (RSF)
• Regions Morgan Keegan Select High Income-C, A or I (RHICX, MKHIX, RHIIX)
• Regions Morgan Keegan Select Intermediate Bond Fund-C, A or I (RIBCX, MKIBX, RIBIX)

It is not too late to take steps to protect your right to recover financial losses. To speak with one of our Morgan Keegan arbitration lawyers, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

>>REVIEW A LEHMAN BROTHERS CLAIM WITH AN ATTORNEY

Investors who purchased Lehman Brothers principal protected notes, also known as Lehman structure notes, or Lehman Brothers stock based on the recommendations of their broker may be entitled to recover their investment losses.

LEHMAN STRUCTURED NOTES

Lehman Brothers structured notes were sold by many brokers to investors as a safe and conservative investment which “guaranteed” that investors would at least get back their initial investment. However, the Lehman protected notes are now essentially worthless following the investment bank’s bankruptcy filing.

During the months leading up to the bankruptcy filing on September 15, 2008, many brokers continued to recommend these financial instruments, even though they knew or should have known that Lehman Brothers’ financial position was weak and compromised by the sub-prime mortgage market collapse, which Lehman helped create.

The Lehman structured notes were being sold to generate revenue to make up for the underperformance of securities related to the subprime mortgage crisis. Many of the same brokerage firms who had stock brokers recommending these investments as safe and conservative, were selling Lehman structured notes for the same reasons.

LEHMAN BROTHERS STOCK LOSSES

For individual investors who purchased shares of Lehman Brothers stock since January 2008 as part of a solicited trade, or with the advise and recommendations of their stock broker, potential recoveries may be available through an arbitration claim. Cases are not being investigated for self-directed trades, or those made based only on the decisions and research of the investor. For those who purchased shares prior to 2008, potential cases are being evaluated if the broker advised to hold the security within 90 days of the bankruptcy filing.

In many cases, the recommendations and actions of stock brokers have violated their fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the Lehman Brothers investments were in line with the objectives and risk tolerance of their clients. Financial recovery may be available through a FINRA arbitration claim for investors who lost money as a result of unsuitable Lehman Brothers stock purchases, or overconcentration in the investment bank securities.

LEHMAN BROTHERS CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS

A number of Lehman Brothers lawsuits and Lehman Brothers class action suits have been filed on behalf of large investors and those who purchased Lehman Preferred Series shares as part of offerings during the months leading up to the bankruptcy. The Lehman Brothers lawsuits allege that false and misleading statements were made about the lack of capitalization at the bank and the impact of the sub-prime mortgage crisis.

LEHMAN BROTHERS LAWYERS

The Lehman Brothers fraud lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are providing claim evaluations for investors who lost in excess of $50,000.00 to evaluate whether the circumstances surrounding the loss may allow the investor to obtain a financial recovery. To review a potential claim, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

Schwab YieldPlus is a bond fund designed and sold to be a relatively low-risk investment alternative to cash or money market funds. It is an ultra-short bond fund, which promised high current income with minimum change in share price. However, as a result of fund managers’ decisions to place a large portion of the fund’s assets in risky mortgage backed securities, investors have seen dramatic losses that they were never properly told could be at risk.

Given the conservative investment objectives of the fund, it is not likely to reverse course and see substantial increases in shareprice. In addition, since most shareholders have withdrawn their money, the fund has essentially been liquidated already, which Morningstar indicates will likely make it impossible for the fund to recover.

Schwab YieldPlus (SWYPX) once had almost $14 billion in assets. As of the end of July 2008, the fund had lost over 95% of that value and was left with just over $500 million in assets.

RECOVER SCHWAB YIELDPLUS LOSSES

For investors who have lost over $10,000 due to the Schwab YieldPlus collapse, they can seek recovery of their damages through a Schwab arbitration claim. Investors were not properly informed about the disproportionate investment in risky sub-prime mortgage securities, or the lack of diversity, which put their investment at risk.

Several Schwab YieldPlus class action lawsuits have already been filed, but individual investors may be in a better position to recover their losses through a FINRA arbitration claim. To speak with a Schwab YieldPlus lawyer and review your financial losses, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

The losses have been blamed on decisions to place a significant amount of their bond fund assets in relatively new collateralized securities, which had not been tested through market cycles. This exposed the Morgan Keegan bond mutual fund investors to a higher amount of risk than they were ever told about. Many of the Morgan Keegan lawsuits allege that investors were misled by representations that the bond mutual funds were a relatively stable and safe investment.

An article published Friday in the Memphis Business Journal highlights the problems Morgan Keegan is facing. As quoted in the article, Morningstar senior fund analyst Lawrence Jones said:

“From an investment manager case study, this will become one of the cases taught in business school about how illiquid, thinly traded securities can sink a fund in short order.”

MORGAN KEEGAN LAWYERS

The financial fraud lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential claims on behalf of investors who lost over $10,000 as a result of an investment in any of the following Morgan Keegan bond funds:

• Regions Morgan Keegan Select High Income
• Regions Morgan Keegan High Income Fund
• Regions Morgan Keegan Strategic Income Fund
• Regions Morgan Keegan Select Intermediate Bond Fund
• Regions Morgan Keegan Multi-Sector High Income
• Regions Morgan Keegan Advantage Income

If you, a friend or family member have suffered financial losses, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

The Evergreen Ultra Short Opportunities Fund (EUBAX, EUBBX, EUBCX and EUBIX) is a bond mutual fund which was sold as an alternative to money market funds. Investors were told that the fund was designed to provide current income while preserving the capital. However, as a result of heavy investments in risky mortgage-backed securities, investors have seen their principal decline substantially over the past thirty days.

One Evergreen Ultra Short Fund class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts seeking to represent all investors who acquired shares in the Fund within the past three years. The class action suit alleges that Evergreen Investments violated the Securities Act by making materially false and misleading statements.

In most investment fraud cases, investors are placed in a better position to recover a larger portion of their investment losses through an individual arbitration claim, and are often able to obtain a recovery in a much shorter amount of time. Investors who do not participate in the Evergreen class action suit will be able to make an unsuitability claim, based on the circumstances of their particular case. They will also have control over their case, instead of having their case focus on a class representative, whose interests may differ from individual investors.

The Evergreen Ultra Short Fund lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential cases throughout the United States for investors who lost over $10,000.00. To have a claim reviewed and to discuss the benefits of arbitration over participation in an Evergreen Ultra Short Class Action lawsuit, request a free consultation.

Evergreen Investments is the money-management arm of Wachovia, the fourth largest bank in the United States. Last week, the fund manager indicated that the bank plans to liquidate the Evergreen Ultra-Short Opportunities Fund (EUBAX). Investors will receive $7.48 per share, which will be a substantial loss for most investors, who were told that this bond fund was a relatively conservative investment.

Through verbal statements and written materials, false and misleading statements were made about the true risk level of Evergreen Ultra Short Opportunities Fund. Investors were told that the fund was designed to provide income while preserving the capital investment. Despite indications that there would be low principal fluctuations, the fund lost 20% over a period of 16 days as a result of a decision to invest approximately 70% of the fund’s assets in subprime mortgage securities.

Wachovia’s Evergreen Ultra Short Opportunities Fund is rated as one of the two worst ultra short bond funds in 2008. The other is Schwab YieldPlus Fund, which has lost over 35% as a result of heavy investments in subprime mortgages. The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are also investigating potential Schwab YieldPlus lawsuits for investors who lost money. Both Schwab YieldPlus and Evergreen Ultra Short Opportunities carried substantially more risk than was disclosed to investors. Other bond funds in the same category, which were exposed to the same market conditions, have only suffered losses of approximately 2%.

WACHOVIA EVERGREEN LAWSUITS

While there will certainly be Evergreen Ultra Short Opportunities Class Action Lawsuits filed, the financial fraud lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. recommend that any investors who lost over $10,000 will be better suited by pursuing an individual arbitration claim. Wachovia Evergreen lawsuits are being reviewed throughout the United States, and there are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained.

If you, a friend or family member have suffered losses off of the invested principal which exceeds $10,000, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

Schwab YieldPlus Select is an ultra-short bond fund which was hit heavily by the collapse of the subprime mortgage market. In an effort to obtain returns that exceeded other conservative bonds in the same class, fund managers invested a substantial portion of the assets in the risky mortgage backed securities and failed to diversify. They also failed to disclose to investors the extent of the risk they were exposed to.

For the first six months of 2007, the price for Schwab YieldPlus Select shares was steady, between 9.69 and 9.67 per share, which is what investors expected. However, with the subprime mortgage crisis which surfaced towards the end of last summer, share prices began to decline. From the end of 2007 through early 2008, the fund saw devastating double digit losses which came as a shock to most investors who thought their money was in a conservative investment.

SCHWAB YIELDPLUS SELECT DROP JANUARY 2007 THROUGH MAY 2008

SCHWAB YIELDPLUS LAWSUITS

Investors who have lost money as a result of the fall of Schwab YieldPlus shares, they may be entitled to a financial recovery to recoup losses. Schwab YieldPlus class action lawsuits as well as individual arbitration claims are being pursued throughout the United States.

The Schwab YieldPlus lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential lawsuits for individuals who have lost over $10,000 off of their initial investment into the YieldPlus bond fund. To have a potential claim reviewed and evaluated by an attorney, request a free consultation.

>>PRIOR POST (4/10/2008): Recover Schwab YieldPlus Losses

A class action suit was filed on behalf of investors who purchased Schwab YieldPlus Fund Select Shares (Nasdaq: SWYSX) and Schwab YieldPlus Investor Shares (Nasdaq: SWYPX) between March 17, 2005 and March 17, 2008. However, the Schwab class action lawsuit will focus on a class representative, whose interests may differ from individual investors. In addition, class action suits generally take substantially longer than individual arbitration claims and usually result in less of a recovery for individual investors.

The individual circumstances surrounding an investors decision to purchase YieldPlus shares will not be considered as part of a class action, which could result in less of a recovery for many investors. Charles Schwab promoted the Yield Plus funds as a safe alternative to money market funds or cash. Many investors who do not participate in the class action will be able to make a claim based on the unsuitability of the investment depending on the circumstances of their particular case. Through a class action, such an unsuitability claim could not be pursued.

Another major drawback to the class action lawsuit is the amount of time it will take to reach a conclusion. Given the scope of the Schwab Yield Plus class action, including the number of shareholders involved and the discovery which must be completed before the case can move forward, it may take several years for investors to see any reimbursement for their losses. By contrast, individual FINRA arbitration claims, which are being pursued by the lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A., could be resolved in less than a year.

DISCUSS THE BENEFITS OF ARBITRATION OVER A SCHWAB YIELD PLUS CLASS ACTION

For investors who have suffered losses in excess of $10,000.00, the lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are offering free consultations and claim evaluations to help review whether they may be in a better position to recover their losses through an individual claim, as opposed to the Schwab YieldPlus class action. In most cases, it is expected that investors will be in a better position to recover all of their losses through an individual arbitration claim, and will likely receive financial compensation in a much shorter amount of time.

If you, a friend or family member have experienced losses as a result of an investment in the Schwab YieldPlus fund, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

The Schwab YieldPlus settlement offers have ranged from only one cent to 12 cents for each dollar lost as a result of the securities fraud. The company is attempting to settle the largest cases first, but the offers are not a reasonable attempt to resolve the legitimate claims investors have experienced losses without being adequately informed about the risks.

>>PRIOR POST (4/10/2008): Schwab YieldPlus Select Losses may be recoverable

Schwab YieldPlus is an ultra-short bond fund which was advertised as an alternative to money market funds for conservative investors looking for a slightly higher yield while preserving their capital. Although investors were told that the fund’s goal was to have minimal changes in the share price, the fund has dropped more than 25% over the first four months of 2008.

The dramatic losses suffered by Schwab Yield Plus investors were directly tied to unreasonably heavy holdings involving mortgage-related securities, particularly those involving subprime loans. For a conservative investment fund, the brokerage failed to adequately disclose the true nature of the risk they were exposing people to by betting on these newer securities, which had not been tested through market cycles.

CHARLES SCHWAB YIELD PLUS SETTLEMENT LAWYERS

The investment fraud lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent individuals who have lost money as a result of an investment in the Schwab YieldPlus Fund or Morgan Keegan Bond Funds, which have also seen substantial losses tied to the subprime mortgage crash. For investors who have lost more than $10,000, they will be in a better position to recover their financial losses with representation from a lawyer, instead of settling for pennies on the dollar. There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained.

To obtain a claim evaluation by our Charles Schwab YieldPlus lawyers, request a free consultation.

Charles Schwab YieldPlus is an ultra-short bond fund, which invests in fixed income securities with extremely short maturities. YieldPlus was once the most popular bond fund offered by Charles Schwab, and through most of 2007 it was one of the best sellers in the entire bond fund industry. This is why the recent losses suffered by investors have gained a lot of media attention.

Bond mutual funds traditionally invest mostly in bonds issued by governments and large, established companies. Mortgage-backed securities held usually consist of those issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other federal agencies. While bond funds certainly carry more risks than cash or money market accounts, most investors who choose bond funds have conservative investment objectives.

In an attempt to increase returns, the fund managers at Schwab Yield Plus decided to add investments in more complex mortgage securities issued by private financial institutions, many of which were based on subprime loans. The full extent of the investment in these risky securities was not properly disclosed to investors, and many have been shocked by the substantial losses suffered by a bond fund they were told was a relatively safe investment.

>>PRIOR POST (4/10/2008): Schwab Yield Plus Select losses may be recoverable

Unfortunately, the Schwab Yield Plus problems may also extend to other ultra-short bond funds which have experienced losses in recent months tied to large investments in subprime mortgage securities. The following funds have also suffered losses which greatly exceed the ultra-short bond fund industry average:

• Fidelity Ultra Short Bond Fund
• SSgA Yield Plus (from State Street Global Advisors)

Other intermediate-term and short-term bond funds from Morgan Keegan, including the Regions Morgan Keegan Select funds, have also suffered dramatic losses as a result of the fall of the subprime mortgage market.

>>INFORMATION: Morgan Keegan Fund Problems

BOND FUND LAWSUITS

The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent investors who are pursuing Schwab YieldPlus lawsuits and Morgan Keegan lawsuits to recover losses suffered as a result of the fund managers’ failure to disclose the full extent of the risk associated with investments in subprime mortgages, and failure to properly diversify the funds’ portfolios. If you, a friend or family member have suffered losses in excess of $10,000 as a result of an investment in a bond fund, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

>>INFORMATION: Bear Stearns Investor Lawsuits

The Los Angeles Times recently reported on a Bear Stearns lawsuit filed by billionaire H. Roger Wang, who claims he lost millions as a result of stock purchases between March 6 and March 14, 2008. On March 11, Wang indicates that he was told that Bear Stearns was financially sound and that the stock value should be around $85 per share. Brokers indicated that the depressed stock value was not justified and that it presented a great time for him to invest in Bear Stearns. Unfortunately, these false statements concealed the extremely poor and disastrous financial condition the investment back was in.

Similar decisions to purchase Bear Stearns stock were made by individual investors between March 12 and March 14 as a result of televised statements made by the bank’s CEO, Alan Schwartz. During a March 12th interview on CNBC, Schwartz dismissed speculation about Bear Stearns’ cash shortage and stated that reserves of $17 billion were sitting at the parent company level to provide a “cushion”. Days later the release of first quarter financial results were delayed and a Bear Stearns bailout was necessary to prevent the investment back from filing bankruptcy.

Other Bear Stearns lawsuits and class action claims have been filed by employees who claim that the investment bank executives violated the terms of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The lawsuits claim that Bear Stearns permitted the aggressive investment of the participants’ money in the company’s stock, even though they knew of the serious mismanagement and improper business practices, including a concentration on high-risk, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities and collateralized-debt obligations.

BEAR STEARNS INVESTMENT FRAUD LAWYERS

The fraud lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are investigating potential Bear Stearns Lawsuits for individuals who lost at least $10,000.00 as a result of stock purchases made between March 12, 2008 and March 14, 2008. As a result of clearly incorrect and misleading statements about the financial health of the investment bank, millions of dollars were lost by individuals who reasonably relied upon the representations. To determine if you, a friend or family member may be entitled to recover financial losses suffered following the Bear Stearns collapse, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

In May 2007, the Schwab Yield Plus Select Fund had assets of $13 billion, and as of March 20, 2008, the assets had declined to only $2.5 billion. Through the end of March, 2008, the net asset value per share has dropped more than 18% year to date, and Morning star now ranks the fund last among ultra-short-term bond funds. As a result of unreasonable investment approaches by fund managers, who placed more than half of the assets in mortgage-backed securities, the Schwab YieldPlus Select fund lost considerably more than other competitive funds, which have lost on average only about 1.3%.

Investors have been pulling their money out of the Yield Plus Select fund, as they are now realizing that Schwab made misleading and untrue statements about the nature of the bond fund investment.

Many investors were led to believe that they were purchasing a relatively low risk alternative to a money market account, which are considered the safest possible investments besides bank accounts and government debt. Schwab literature was provided to investors which indicated:

“The [YieldPlus] funds provide higher yields on your cash with only marginally higher risk [and therefore] could be a smart alternative.”

SCHWAB YIELDPLUS SELECT LAWSUITS

The Schwab Yield Plus lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential Schwab Yield Plus Select lawsuits as a result of omissions and misleading statements made by the brokerage, which prevented investors from fully understanding the nature of what they were investing in. For individuals who lost over $10,000.00 off of their initial investment, they may be entitled to recover a portion of their losses through a securities fraud arbitration lawsuit. To determine if you, a friend or family member may be entitled to compensation, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

The financial fraud lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential Charles Schwab lawsuits for individuals who purchased shares of:

• Schwab YieldPlus Funds Investor Shares (Nasdaq: SWYSX)
• Schwab YieldPlus Funds Select Shares (Nasdaq: SWYPX)

The Schwab Yield Plus investment funds were initially offered in November 2004 as a safe alternative to money market accounts. They were designed to preserve capital while generating income, with relatively low risk. Contrary to the representations made to investors, Charles Schwab has invested more than 50% of the funds assets in the mortgage industry. As a result of their concentration in this single risky industry, substantial losses have been suffered.

The funds investments in sub-prime mortgage backed securities are considered risky because they are rarely traded and do not have active price quotes that are maintained. These new types of mortgage securities have not been tested through market cycles and fund managers failed to minimize the risk of losses by diversifying. In addition, investors were not informed about the extent of the risk they were exposing themselves to.

Following the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market in July 2007, investors in Charles Schwab Yield Plus funds have suffered disproportionate losses, and they may have legal options to recover some of their investment. Similar lawsuits are being pursued by our stock fraud lawyers on behalf of investors in Morgan Keegan bond funds, which were also heavily invested in these collateralized debt obligations.

Charles Schwab class action suits have been filed for investors who purchased shares in Schwab YieldPlus funds between March 17, 2005 and March 18, 2008. However, individual lawsuits are also being reviewed as a result of the false and misleading statements made by underwriters, investment advisors and fund managers regarding the diversification of the funds.

If over $10,000 has been lost as a result of an investment in one of these funds, you or family member may be better protected by an individual Charles Schwab Fund lawsuits. Request a free consultation and claim evaluation.