Former Stanford Group Co. financial advisor Tiffany Angelle has filed a civil suit against The Independent Weekly in state district court seeking unspecified damages. Angelle’s suit accuses the newspaper of defaming her character.
As The Independent and other news organizations across the state reported over the spring, Angelle is one of numerous former financial advisors of the now-defunct investment firm being sued by groups of Stanford investors from Baton Rouge, Lafayette and other parts of the state seeking to recover millions of dollars lost on dubious CDs purchased through the Antigua-based “bank.” Angelle, specifically, is being sued in federal court by the court-appointed receiver who is trying to recover almost $700,000 in commissions from her. According to the complaint, “Between January 2007 and January 2009 Angelle received approximately $675,664 in fraudulent commissions traceable to Defendants’ [R. Allen Stanford et al] fraudulent scheme, as well as other tainted ‘compensation’ traceable to the fraud.”
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accuses founder and billionaire Stanford and other executives at his massive financial services company of operating an $8 billion Ponzi scheme, characterizing it as “a fraud of shocking magnitude that has spread its tentacles throughout the world.”
The Independent Weekly attempted on numerous occasions to contact Angelle for our reporting on the Stanford case and her role in it. The editorial board stands by our coverage of this story and will address in court what we perceive to be an attempt through legal means at press intimidation. And we will continue to report on the fallout — economic and legal — from the closure of the Stanford office in Lafayette where Angelle was once employed as vice president.
Good job, Ind. Don't back down and keep shining the light into the dark places.
... written by DannyGlover , May 28, 2009 - 06:56 pm
Good for her. This will certainly make all her problems go away.
... written by Northsidian , May 29, 2009 - 12:59 am
Who does she think she is anyway. She worked at Farmers & Merchants and now is a v.p. of finance. She should be sued by the investors for not telling them she was making commissions on selling bogus c.d's
... written by Pressed Rat , May 29, 2009 - 02:42 am
No matter who wins, Tiffany is still hot.
... written by Titus Pomponius Atticus , May 29, 2009 - 03:43 pm
Madame Angelle will now learn that under our lucid federal laws governing investment under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, you are not permitted to take money from non-sophisticated investors. Sophisticated investors must file a certificate with the commission that indeed they are "sophisticated." Her libel suit is frivolous. Keep up your excellent coverage of this financial "fraud."
... written by to titus , May 29, 2009 - 03:50 pm
Titus, get your facts straight and you should not speak on topics which you have no knowledge. The correct term is "accredited investors," and her clients were all accredited. Her suit is right on. Who does the Independent think they are to print outright lies???
... written by Gaius Cilnius Maecenas , May 29, 2009 - 03:58 pm
The former financial advisor, Ms. Tiffany Angelle, was used and abused by Monsieur Stanford. Her physical beauty and youth were attractants to allure local bait for this scheme. Her actions are inexcusable due to the simple fact that we have many brilliant local bankers, accountants and 'real' financial advisors who could have easily penetrated this ignorant international "ponzi scheme" and would have easily protected her. If it is true that she worked at Farmers & Merchants Bank, her actions are even more inexcusable. I personally have been protected (more than five times) from fradulent investment schemes by its sharp bankers and Board of Directors!
... written by Ruminator , May 29, 2009 - 10:27 pm
Hmmmmm. I am far from being a legal expert, but I find it very bold of the IND to print allegations concerning a situation where no one has even been indicted, much less convicted, of wrong-doing. I use to think that this publication raised some valid questions about current events, but the last year it's turned into a pitiful, sensation-seeking rag. How disappointing. What next? Accuse Ms. Angelle of using her proceeds to build a fueling station on the moon for inter-galactic travelers? Sounds ridiculous? Not any more so than what Ms. Turk is alleging. How about naming this investor who got the Rolex watch. Shouldn't be a problem if it's the TRUTH, then the IND doesn't have a thing to worry about.
... written by losteverything in the name of greed , May 30, 2009 - 01:03 am
Ruminator, you either have no idea or just don't care how many lives have been ruined by these greedy financial advisors and their "one product fits all" CD's. You also have very little understanding of the entire Stanford case or you have only one side of it (the financial advisors side). If the Stanford financial advisors were in other professions I am pretty sure their licenses would be taken away for good. These people should not be in any type job where they handle other people's life savings/retirement funds and ultimately their lives. I believe the Independent should keep exposing what has been done in the name of greed, so it never happens again in this area!
... written by Northsidian , May 30, 2009 - 09:51 pm
Follow the trail of her rise to stardom with the Stanford Group and you will see the whole picture. Ind., do not stop digging. This is a very interesting quote I read in a news article somewhere, and it goes like this: "Criminals, entrepreneurs, politicians, gangsters, old money, new money all hang out in the same places, united by cash, not class." Does this remind anyone of Lafayette?
... written by lady , June 03, 2009 - 05:08 am
Wake up one morning and realize that your life savings is gone. Your world instantly changes. Your future is uncertain and there is no one to go to for help. There are many people who have lost everything. Everything!!!! And some of those people live here. I did not lose everything but alot, I have talked to countless people who did lose everything. And this is not news???? This should not be reported???? I was not an accreditted investor!!!! I was allowed to invest... Tiffany was my broker and she did lie to me.. I applaud the Independant for there past work.... Tiffany should not be allowed to work as a broker again.... Ever!!!!
... written by roy Foster , June 06, 2009 - 08:42 pm
As an Englishman totally removed from all your activities, I find all the foregoing extremely interesting, giving me a true insight into your different views. It is not often that one can get a glimpse into these things from outside. Thank you, Roiy Foster.
... written by Apophis , July 03, 2009 - 01:53 pm
ALL who invest money in ANY enterprise should ruminate on the following:
1) "The primary function of government is to pretend to fail."
2) Investors accusing others of greed, this one's for you: In order for any investor to "win", someone has to "lose."
So, all who invest money for the purpose of making money should question the morality and ethics of the entire current global financial machine...and all investors should accept personal responsibility for the roles they play in the exploitation of humanity for financial gain.
Investors, follow Alice down the rabbit hole if you want to learn just how your "nest egg" grows...who, investor, have you destroyed to earn a lil' bit of interest?
You must be logged in to post a comment. Log in using your Facebook account or register if you do not have an account yet.
There will soon be a whole lot of shakin’ going on at Benny’s Sportshack Supplement Depot, a new concept by Opelousas native Benny Nele. Located at 2002 Johnston St., the supplement shop, smoothie bar and café, featuring hot off the press paninis and wraps, plans to open in late May.
Philip deMahy Sr., a once respected New Iberia ad exec, was sentenced May 2 to spend the next two years (he faced up to 100 years) in a state penitentiary after state and federal investigators found dozens of images depicting children engaged in lewd sexual acts on his personal computer.
This year’s Cool Town issue is all about people who are not native to South Louisiana but made a conscious decision to be here, to be among us, to participate in our culture and contribute to it.
A shelved ordinance transferring $200,000 from a northside drainage project to a south Lafayette development may not break any laws, but it stinks to high heaven.
An effort to restore a shuttered dancehall and document other vacant or razed honky-tonks could serve as a model for saving an endangered species of entertainment.
Lafayette’s gene pool has been host to a long line of eccentric characters who have blurred the lines between crazy, genius, disturbed and curiously entertaining.
Subscribe to this comment's feed