Cases Mount Against Advisor Accused of Stealing Millions From His Aunt

Civil cases appear to piling up against a Pennsylvania financial advisor already accused of draining millions from clients, including his widowed aunt and a retired executive.

Scott J. Mason now faces a longer list of civil cases from alleged victims, in addition to ongoing investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Mason and his suburban Philadelphia investment firm face civil accusations they plundered client accounts, including allegations from retired AXA Equitable executive Stanley Tulin, who contends the advisor siphoned over $20 million and used the funds for vacations, a miniature golf course and other personal expenses.

His aunt, Star Sitron, alleges Mason and his advisory firm wired more than $3.2 million from her accounts without her consent.

Beyond two civil complaints filed by Sitron and Tulin, Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records show six writs of summons indicating other plaintiffs have initiated cases against the same defendants: Mason; his wife, Lynne Nowadly Mason; registered investment advisor Rubicon Wealth Management; and a business, Orchard Park Real Estate Holdings, that shares the couple’s address in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania.

Another Montgomery County court filing shows a summons for a case against the Masons and Orchard Park but not Blue Bell, Pennsylvania-based Rubicon Wealth Management.

In addition, Mason’s partners in a Jersey Shore miniature golf course have filed lawsuits in New Jersey Superior Court in Ocean County seeking a return of money they allege he stole and to have him removed from their two partnerships.

Benjamin Picker, Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, principal and lawyer for Mason’s 78-year-old aunt, also represents several plaintiffs who filed summonses in Montgomery County court. 

While they haven’t filed complaints at this point, Picker told ThinkAdvisor recently that his clients in these newer filings allege, as Sitron and Tulin do, that Mason wired their money to Orchard Park without their permission.

Mason’s attorneys didn’t immediately respond to an email requesting comment Tuesday. In a filing in the Tulin case, Mason’s lawyers say he is making efforts to marshal assets to be put in escrow for alleged victims, including listing an Ocean County house for sale.

Mason has filed various objections to the Tulin and Sitron cases, and seeks to have claims against his wife dismissed and to move the matters to arbitration. Sitron agreed to arbitration, with conditions.

Mason was registered as an investment advisor through Rubicon from 2008 until August 14, when he voluntarily resigned over allegations he misappropriated funds, according to his Investment Adviser Public Disclosure report on the SEC website. Those allegations claim several millions in misappropriated funds.

Image: Shutterstock