The Federal Bureau of Investigation said that it was seeking to identify potential ??victims? who invested in companies associated with Sir Allen Stanford as part of an ongoing investigation.The agency is seeking information from anyone who invested in either Stanford Financial Group or its affiliated companies ?? Stanford Capital Management, the Stanford Group Company, the Stanford International Bank, the Stanford Trust Company, and the Bank of Antigua.
The Houston office of the FBI, which is conducting a criminal investigation, is working with the IRS and the Postal Inspection Service to identify ??victims? of what the Securities and Exchange Commission call a ??massive Ponzi scheme? in a parallel civil complaint.
The FBI is asking investors for their contact information, financial statements and the amount of any investments or losses made with the group or its affiliates. It declined to comment on the scope of its investigation. ??This is certainly a very unusual case, and a very complex case,? agent Michael Anderson said.
The SEC alleged in February that Sir Allen had, through the Antigua-based Stanford International Bank, perpetrated an extensive and complex fraud and lied to investors about the safety of their investments.
The case has been complicated by the extensive geographical scope of Sir Allen??s operations.
