CHICAGO (WLS) — In an exclusive interview, the Illinois Secretary of State has addressed the allegations surrounding a Chicago-area entrepreneur accused of defrauding individuals of significant sums of money. This marks the first time the ABC7 I-Team has heard directly from the state’s top official on the matter.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has broken his silence on a case involving a businessman known as “Brandon Mr. Finance,” following the I-Team’s initial report last week. Giannoulias expressed his anger over the allegations and assured that his office is committed to advocating for the affected individuals.
The alleged scam has resonated widely, with many Illinois residents sharing distressing accounts of their experiences. These stories have captured the attention of Giannoulias, who has taken a personal interest in the situation.
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“People have lost a substantial amount of money and are now facing uncertain futures, which is deeply upsetting to me,” Giannoulias stated. “We are actively working to find solutions and support those impacted.”
The focus of the controversy is Brandon Ellington, operating under the moniker “Brandon Mr. Finance.” A lawsuit claims he persuaded residents of the Chicagoland area to secure loans and invest in his ventures, allegedly with the promise of significant financial returns.
The man at the center of the story is Brandon Ellington, who goes by “Brandon Mr. Finance.” He’s accused in a lawsuit of convincing people in Chicagoland to take out loans and invest in his business, allegedly promising big payouts.
The I-Team heard from more than 30 people who said “Brandon Mr. Finance” took their money and stopped paying.
“It’s to the point where I might have to do something with my house and move in with my daughter,” Laviner Walker said.
“Not only did you treat us bad, you used God’s word to rip people off,” Taketa Reed said.
Giannoulias filed an order of prohibition against Ellington and his company, Access Capital Today Inc., prohibiting him from “acting as an investment advisor or investment advisor representative in or from the state of Illinois… in the public interest and for the protection of the investing public.”
“Anyone who is giving investment of financial advice of any kind needs to be registered with the secretary of state’s office. This individual never even registered with us,” Giannoulias said. “We are working with law enforcement. Working with the attorney general’s office, to get to the bottom of this.
Giannoulias is asking the public to be vigilant. He says these so-called investment programs will likely become more prevalent, because of technology.
“With the advent of AI, and some of these scams are becoming a lot more sophisticated,” Giannoulias said. “They are specifically going after older, more vulnerable Illinoisians. They are going after folks in minority areas. They’re preying on them-it makes me even more upset.”
Giannoulias says to always check with his office before doing business with a so-called financial advisor-to make sure they’re registered with the state.
“If someone is asking you to leverage your home or take out loans or go into debt to make an investment, more than likely, something sketchy is going on,” Giannoulias said.
“I keep trying to reach him to get my money,”Walker said.
It’s unclear if the people who came to the I-Team will ever get their money back-but they say they won’t stop fighting for justice.
“If I don’t get it I don’t get it, but if i can help somebody else from losing, that’s all that matters,” Shederick Ricks said.
“Brandon Mr. Finance” previously told the I-Team the claims that multiple individuals made are not true and that he offered to fully refund every person who has not completed the program. He said he’s not interested in litigating this through ABC7. He still has not responded to the secretary of state’s order of prohibition filing-against him and his company.
Sam is in your side. If you have a problem you want Samantha Chatman and the I-Team to investigate, call 312-750-7TIP.
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