CFTC REVOKES REGISTRATIONS OF MAN AND COMPANY RELATING TO COMMODITY POOL FRAUD

FROM:  U.S. COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION  

March 25, 2015

CFTC Revokes Registrations of John G. Wilkins and His Company, Altamont Global Partners LLC, Based on Federal Court’s Permanent Injunction Order and on Wilkins’s Related Criminal Conviction

Washington, DC—The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced the revocation of the registrations of Altamont Global Partners LLC (AGP) of Longwood, Florida and its owner, John G. Wilkins, formerly of Chuluota, Florida. AGP was registered with the CFTC as a Commodity Pool Operator, and Wilkins was registered as an Associated Person of AGP.

The CFTC initiated revocation proceedings against AGP and Wilkins on November 25, 2014 (see CFTC Press Release 7069-14, November 25, 2014). After AGP and Wilkins failed to participate in the proceedings, CFTC Judgment Officer Philip V. McGuire issued an Initial Decision on Default (see CFTC Docket No. SD 15-01) on February 23, 2015. The Judgment Officer found that AGP and Wilkins are subject to statutory disqualification from CFTC registration based on an Order for entry of default judgment and an amended Order of permanent injunction entered by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida that, among other things, (1) found AGP and Wilkins committed fraud by misappropriating commodity pool funds and by delivering false quarterly account statements to pool participants and (2) enjoined AGP and Wilkins from further violations of the anti-fraud provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act, as charged, and from trading or applying for registration with the CFTC (see CFTC Press Release 6869-14, February 28, 2014).

The Judgment Officer also found that Wilkins is subject to statutory disqualification based on his felony conviction for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with these same activities (see United States v. Wilkins, No. 13-cr-181 (M.D. Fla. July 19, 2013)).

The Judgment Officer’s Initial Decision on Default became a final Order of the CFTC on March 25, 2015.

The CFTC thanks the National Futures Association for its assistance in this matter.

CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this case are Rachel Hayes, Peter Riggs, and Charles Marvine.