USGFX bankruptcy final hearing to be held October 28-29
BRI has engaged a private investigator to assist in locating Soe Hein Minn, USGFX’s controlling shareholder.
USGFX is the Retail FX broker brand name operated by a number of companies in a number of jurisdictions. The company is controlled by Myanmar entrepreneur Hein Min Soe, via Samoan company Union Standard Group International Holdings Limited.
The flagship operation of USGFX for many years was based in Australia, via ASIC-licensed subsidiary Union Standard International Group Pty Ltd. USGFX was established in 2005, and grew to become one of the largest FX and CFD brokers in Australia under the direction of CEO Shay Zakhaim. Mr. Zakhaim joined in 2014 after serving as CEO of rival Australia broker YouTradeFX.
Under Mr. Zakhaim’s direction the group set up a UK subsidiary Union Standard International Group Limited in 2017 and went through the FCA license approval process, receiving an FCA license in November 2018.
Looking ahead to the UK launch, and in part to help brand the firm around the world, USGFX signed a three-year deal to be the front-of-shirt sponsor of UK Premier League team Sheffield United in June 2019. Details of that deal weren’t fully disclosed, but Sheffield United did state at the time that it was the largest-ever commercial transaction in the club’s history – meaning millions of dollars a year.
USGFX-UK had planned to begin taking on clients in late 2019 / early 2020. However that coincided with the time the Australia company fell into issues with regulator ASIC.
Due to its continued issued with ASIC, USGFX Australia filed for voluntary administration (i.e. bankruptcy) in July 2020. Mr. Zakhaim resigned his position as CEO, and Australian bankruptcy specialist BRI Ferrier was named administrator.
BRI has engaged a private investigator to assist in locating Soe Hein Minn, USGFX’s controlling shareholder.
Simon Quirke had been CEO of London based USGFX-UK since 2018, and also acted as the company’s compliance officer.
USGFX Australia went bankrupt in July 2020, with the company’s administrators BRI Ferrier still sorting things out.
The group’s offshore website has been changed from usgfx.global to usgforex.com, as the company looks to drop the “USGFX” brand.
Following the collapse of USGFX Australia, the USG Group stated that it would make London the new headquarters for USGFX.
USGFX’s shareholder accused BRI Ferrier of instructing the First Bank in Puerto Rico to freeze USGFX Global’s accounts there.
The court order was critical of the conduct of USG Holdings and Soe Hein Minn, who remains in contempt of previous court orders
ASIC said that it is seeking a range of relief including declarations of contraventions and pecuniary penalties.
USGFX now expects to have returned 100% of client fund withdrawal requests by the end of March 2021, at the latest.
MetaQuotes have indicated that they are not prepared to arrange for the transfer of USGFX’s MT4 and MT5 licenses.