The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has secured Court orders against Damian Castilla, DCAST Capital Investments LLC and Five Traders LLC.
The orders, issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, resolve the CFTC’s May 17, 2022 lawsuit and find the defendants liable for defrauding over 50 pool participants by fraudulently soliciting investments and misappropriating pool participants’ funds. The orders also resolve CFTC charges that the defendants made false statements to the CFTC during its investigation.
The orders require the defendants to pay $2,687,440 in restitution to those defrauded as well as $3,350,000 in disgorgement. The orders also require Castilla to pay a $3 million civil monetary penalty and DCAST Capital and Five Traders, collectively, to pay a $10,050,000 civil monetary penalty. Additionally, the orders enjoin the defendants from further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations, as charged, and impose permanent trading and registration bans against defendants.
The orders find that, from January 2014 to May 2022, the defendants made various material misrepresentations to solicit pool participants, including that they earned significant profits trading futures for pool participants. The defendants’ limited futures trading was unprofitable, and instead of trading as promised, they misappropriated the vast majority of pool participant funds.
The defendants used pool participant funds for car payments, home remodeling, lawn services, clothing, dining, and other personal expenses. The defendants continued their fraud by issuing false account statements that showed profitable trading in nonexistent trading accounts and by using a portion of the funds obtained from pool participants to pay fake profits to earlier pool participants.
The orders also find the defendants failed to register with the CFTC, as required.
Finally, the orders find the defendants made false statements in responding to a subpoena the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement issued during the investigation into their conduct.
The CFTC cautions victims that restitution orders may not result in the recovery of money lost because the wrongdoers may not have sufficient funds or assets.
