Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro filed the first class-action lawsuit against Charles Schwab Corporation (NASDAQ:SCHW) on March 18, 2008, alleging that Schwab deceived investors about the underlying risk in its Schwab YieldPlus Funds Investor Shares (SWYPX) and Schwab YieldPlus Funds Select Shares (SWYSX).
Case Status
Settled
Settlement Amount
$235 Million
Case Caption
In re: Valley Anesthesiology Consultants, Inc. Data Breach Litigation
Position
Lead Counsel
Court
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Case Number
08-CV-01510
Defendant(S)
The Charles Schwab Corporation
Exchange
NASDAQ
Stock Symbol
SCHW, SWYPX, SWYSX
File Date
Related Documents

The lawsuit claimed Charles Schwab and the funds' underwriter deceived investors about the underlying risk in the funds, which were sold as cash alternatives, but were in fact highly speculative and risky mortgage-related structured debt, according to the complaint.

The complaint also stated that the funds' registration statements failed to include required facts about the investments - specifically that the funds have a high vulnerability of suddenly becoming illiquid and that the net asset values were highly speculative and inflated.

Since HBSS filed the first suit, many other firms filed similar class actions, and these were consolidated by the Federal Court in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

On July 3, 2008, the Honorable William H. Alsup appointed five members of the YieldPlus Investor Group to the position of lead plaintiff and instructed them to interview and choose lead counsel. On August 14, 2008, the YieldPlus Investor Group submitted their decision to the court to retain Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP. On August 18, 2008, the Court approved that decision

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