September 10, 2012

CFTC Charges Lincolnshire Trading Partners, LLC. and Scott Geisinger with Registration Violations

Washington, DC - The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that it filed a civil enforcement complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, charging defendants Lincolnshire Trading Partners, LLC. (Lincolnshire), a New York entity operating in Pomona, Calif., and Scott Geisinger of San Dimas, Calif., with violating the CFTC’s registration requirements, specifically section 2(c)(2)(C)(iii)(I)(bb) of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations 5.3(a)(3)(i) and 5.3(a)(3)(ii).

The CFTC complaint alleges that Lincolnshire acted as an unregistered Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) and that Geisinger acted as an unregistered Associated Person (AP) of a CTA. Neither defendant has ever been registered with the CFTC.

According to the complaint, from at least October 18, 2010, through the present, Lincolnshire, without being registered or having a valid exemption from the CFTC’s registration requirement, and Geisinger exercised discretionary trading authority over foreign currency (forex) trading accounts for persons that were not eligible contract participants in retail, leveraged forex transactions. The complaint charges Geisinger with soliciting clients or prospective clients to open discretionary accounts in retail, leveraged forex transactions, while associated with Lincolnshire as a partner, officer, employee, consultant, or similar agent, without being registered as an AP of Lincolnshire.

The CFTC thanks the U.S. Attorney’s office, Central District of California, and the U.K. Financial Services Authority for their assistance.

CFTC Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this case are Jason Mahoney, Timothy J. Mulreany, George Malas, Paul Hayeck, and Joan Manley.

Media Contacts
Dennis Holden
202-418-5088

Last Updated: September 10, 2012