Corporate & Securities Law

Eccleston Law has launched an investigation into Kurt B. Barton, Triton Financial, LLC and Triton Acquisition, LP d/b/a Triton Insurance, LP, for allegedly raising over $8.4 million from 90 investors in a fraudulent offering

Triton Financial is a company headquartered in Austin, Texas, that was registered with the State of Texas as an investment adviser since June 2006.  Triton Financial is believed to have been the 100% owner of three entities that served as the general partners for the various Triton-sponsored limited partnerships and limited liability companies.

It is believed that some of the following entities were controlled by Triton and involved in this fraud:

• Triton Services, LLC d/b/a Triton Realty
• Triton Capital Services, LLC d/b/a Triton Land Development
• Tvest Group, LLC
• Capvest, LLC
• Triton Sports Management, Inc.
• Triton Opportunity Fund LLC
• Triton Opportunity Fund I, LLC
• Triton Opportunity Fund III, LLC
• 8121 Bee Cave, LP d/b/a Triton Center, LP
• Boyce Lane, LP
• Bratton Lane Commercial Park, LP
• Cobblestone Apartment, LP
• Dealerships, LP
• Geogian Warehouse, LP
• Grant Villa Apartments, LP
• The Guadalupe Venue, LP
• Kammy Warehouse, LP
• McNeil Auto, LP
• Meister Place, LP
• Middle Fiskville Warehouse, LP
• Palmer Auto, LP
• Triton Athletic Center, LP
• Triton Golf, LP
• Triton Plaza, LP
• Triton Sports Center, LP
• Berthoud, LP
• Hidden Springs, LP
• Swanee Lofts, LP d/b/a Howard Lane, LP
• HS Lot Investment, LP
• Rundberg Business Park, LP
• Rundberg, LP
• Triton Auto, LP d/b/a Pro Player Auto
• Triton Auto Finance, LP
• Triton Acquisition, LP d/b/a Triton Insurance, LP
• Periscope Group, LP d/b/a Trivest Group Partners, LP
• Triton Aggregated, LP d/b/a Triton Holdings, a Texas Limited Partnership
• Triton Bridge Fund, LP
• Oakbrook Place Apartments, LP
• 8227 Broadway, LP a/k/a Triton Sports Center II
• JDs Café, LP d/b/a Triton Café
• Triton Mortgage, LLC
• Triton Youth Foundation

Kurt B. Barton of Austin, Texas was Triton?s Chairman and CEO, and is believed to have been the managing member of the general partners for the Triton-sponsored partnerships and limited liability companies.  Barton was registered as an investment adviser representative in 1999.

The attorneys at Eccleston Law believe that since at least 2004, Triton has sponsored more than 40 limited partnerships and limited liability companies, raising as much as $50 million for these ventures. Triton is believed to have made most of its offerings through personal contacts, which included stockbrokers, salespersons, and even former NFL players to promote the investment offerings to potential investors. 

From late July 2008 through October 2009, Triton?s primary fund-raising vehicle is believed to have been the Triton Insurance offering, which raised over $8.4 million from as many as 90 investors.  The offering documents indicated that Triton insurance was formed to acquire 7% cumulative convertible stock in Triton Holdings, which would be used to acquire and turn around underperforming insurance companies, including National States Insurance Company which was to be the first acquisition target of Triton Holdings. 

Triton did not use the investor funds it raised to purchase National States Insurance Company, instead putting the acquisition on indefinite hold around October 2008.  Defendants did not return the funds it raised to investors or hold them for future acquisitions.  Instead, Barton and Triton Insurance used the funds to pay the expenses and obligations of Triton and its affiliates.

In March 2009, Sports Illustrated magazine featured an article describing a former NFL player touting Triton?s activities and returns on investments to other NFL alumni.  Following this article, the Texas State Securities Board began examining Triton?s business affairs.  During the course of this investigation, Triton and its affiliates allegedly provided the Texas Securities Board with altered and fabricated documents. Following this investigation, the SEC filed suit against Kurt B. Barton, Triton Financial and Triton Insurance for violating Federal securities laws.  The SEC also froze the assets and appointed a receiver to distribute the proceeds of the fraud to its victims.

Eccleston Law represents individual and institutional investors to recover their investment losses caused by securities and investment fraud. Our attorneys also help victims of Ponzi schemes pursue recovery by submitting claims with receiverships established by the SEC or by performing the necessary legal work associated with the filing of a Theft Loss Tax Deduction with the IRS.

If you have lost money investing with Kurt Barton, Triton Financial, Triton Insurance or one of its affiliated companies, or if you have information about this scheme, please contact Jim Eccleston at the Eccleston Law Offices at 312-332-0000.