Company is not a licensed brokerage, and is not registered with the CFTC. They are not even registered as a business in the State of NewYork. Employees are not licensed or registered brokers, and the only employee who I dealt with was later found to have a criminal record. I can only imagine the rest. That employee sent me a check, which immediately bounced. It was for money owed in a seperate business transaction, and that was the only initial obvious red flag that led me to be concerned about my investment.

I wasn't aware of any issues when I wanted to purchase Gold, and was advised to invest in Palladium by purchasing on Margin. I did basic due dilligence prior to investing, and found no complaints. When I requested information such as "Title of Ownership", I received illiterate emails saying basically "no". Then a response that the "clearing house", Worth Metals, which supposedly stored my investment wouldn't provide Title. Despite their website with assurances to the contrary. The explanations given were a complete con job. If it weren't for the bounced check, I would have left my money sitting for years and probably would have lost it all.
The practice of buying on Margin and "storage", along with hidden fees, is a practice that the CFTC recently warned about being common among fraudulent entities. Even though the market went up almost $100 and an oz., I lost almost $2, 000. I was told that I by a Federal agency that I was among a few lucky investors that was able to get any of my $10, 000 investment back, and only with the help of an attorney.

My husband was the unfortunate award-winner of a Mandatory Binding Arbitration dispute that was heard by the AAA Arbitration Company and which was filed against Superior Gold Group, LLC. A Mandatory Binding Arbitration clause was embedded into the 7.5 font size of the purchase-agreement/contract held by Superior Gold Group, LLC a contract which my husband and I signed in November, 2008. My husband had rolled over two retirement accounts into a Gold IRA through the assistance of Superior Gold Group . Superior Gold Group agreed and stated that they would lock us in at a $735.00 spot price if we agreed to open an account with them and permit them to assist us with rolling over my husbands 401K and IRA accounts with, Sterling Trust Company, the trust company they utilized to set up the gold IRA accounts SGG represents. Nearly 18 months later the precious metals had not yet been delivered to his retirement account; among a long laundry-list of additional issues we had with this company. Bruce Sands, the CEO of Superior Gold Group testified in the hearing and provided evidence that, the day prior to the start of arbitration, SSG had indeed fulfilled their contract by shipping all of the metals to the Delaware Depository Service Company. Fidelitrade, the administrator, for the DDSC confirmed to Sterling Trust Company, the trust holder overseeing my husbands retirement account, the metals had been deposited into my husbands FBO depository account by Superior Gold Group, LLC. In spite of that delivery the arbitrator declared us the prevailing party based on breach of contract due to the delinquent delivery date. However, he found that as outrageous as this delinquent delivery was; SGG had in fact fulfilled their contract based on the confirmation of deposit provided by Sterling Trust Company. This was all a lie! After the award was made my husband went to check his trust account only to learn that the metals deposited into the account the day before the arbitration hearing had been reversed from his account three weeks later and the day after the AAA arbitrators cut off date for submission of all final-brief arguments and any/all evidence to be entered into the hearings. I immediately had our attorney contact the arbitrator regarding this matter the day we received a copy of the award; which was a couple of weeks after the arbitrator’s submission of evidence cut-off-date. The AAA arbitrator said that this new evidence [including fraud] had been submitted too late. However, we could file for another arbitration hearing if we choose to do so. This arbitration had already cost us $68, 000.00 in legal fees and $13, 000.00 in arbitration fees. Our ability at this time to litigate further is a moot subject; my husband was laid off from his employment a few months after we began litigation with Superior Gold Group. Arbitration provided Superior Gold Group, LLC the ability to utilize the arbitration process to harbor criminal activities. This case listed 4 separate counts: breach of contract; fraud in the inducement, unfair business practices, misrepresentation. The money utilized to pay this litigation came from the nest-egg we had set aside for emergencies. We found it also necessary to drop our private health insurance policies and return one leased vehicle also dropping the insurance on that vehicle, in order to continue fueling the cost of this litigation. The arbitrator based his award on a $62, 400.00 miscalculation made by Mr. Sands when he over-charged us for the metals based on the spot price we had been quoted and the respondents percentage rates listed in the SGG contract. It was decided by the arbitrator that our account representative, Adam Blaser, had misspoken when he quoted us a spot price for the metals. The award did not include pre-trial interest or disgorgement; the arbitrator did not find proof of unfair business practices and felt that we had not proven any damages based on the breach of contract. In spite of the fact that the Arbitrator pointed out that my husband’s retirement had been left fully exposed for more than 17 months at the time of arbitration and to this date is still being left exposed. Our account executive testified to and was further verified by Bruce Sands at the hearing that, it was SGG company policy to; "Never give a price; the moment you give a price you lose" because the customer will shop for a better price.” Arbitration, is not inexpensive, it is not fair, it is non-appealing, the arbitrator is not even required to follow the rule of law; where is the consumer’s justice? An even better question than that one, would be; where is my husband’s retirement? Contrary to the meager award My husband was the unfortunate winner of a Mandatory Binding Arbitration Award that was the end-result of an arbitration hearing held in Los Angeles, California and heard by the AAA Arbitration Group. This hearing was initiated by my husband against Superior Gold Group, LLC. A Mandatory Binding Arbitration clause was embedded into the 7.5 font size of the purchase-agreement/contract held by Superior Gold Group, LLC; this was a contract which my husband and I signed in November, 2008. My husband had rolled over his two separate retirement accounts into a self-directed IRA held by the Sterling Trust Company. Superior Gold Group had stated that they would lock us in at a $735.00 spot price if we agreed to open an account with them and permit them to assist us with rolling over my husbands 401K and IRA accounts to, Sterling Trust Company. This was the trust company Superior Gold Group used to set up their customer Gold IRA accounts through at the time we agreed to open an account with SGG. Nearly 18 months later, the precious metals we thought we had purchased, had not yet been delivered into my husbands trust account. This was only one issue among a long laundry-list of additional problems that we had encountered with this company. Bruce Sands, the CEO of Superior Gold Group testified in the arbitration hearing and provided material evidence at this hearing, that the day prior to starting the arbitration, Superior Gold Group had indeed fulfilled their contract with my husband; by shipping all of the metals to the [DDSC] Delaware Depository Service Company. Fidelitrade, the administrator, for the DDSC confirmed to Sterling Trust Company, the trust holder overseeing my husband’s retirement account that, the metals had been deposited into my husbands FBO depository account by [SGG] Superior Gold Group, LLC.

In spite of the delivery notice provided to the arbitrator for his review, the arbitrator went ahead and declared my husband the prevailing party to this arbitration; based on a breach of contract due to egregious delinquent delivery date. However, he found that as outrageous as this delinquent delivery was; SGG had in fact fulfilled their contract based on the confirmation of deposit by Sterling Trust Company. This was all a lie and material misrepresentation of the facts and evidence perpetrated by Bruce Sands and his Attorney Alfred Chip Sloan! Immediately after my husband received a copy of his arbitration award, he went to check his trust account online only to see that the account had been tampered with again and that the metals deposited into his account the day before the arbitration hearing had been reversed from his account three weeks later. This was the day after the AAA arbitrators stipulated evidentiary cut off date for submission of all final-brief, arguments and any/all evidence that were to be entered into these hearings before he made his award. I immediately contacted our attorney and our attorney contacted the arbitrator regarding this matter the day we received a copy of the award. We actually received the award a few weeks after the arbitrator’s evidentiary cut-off-date. The AAA arbitrator stated that this new evidence [including fraud] had been submitted too late to have the hearings reopened. However, he we would permit us to file for a separate arbitration hearing if we choose to do so based on this new evidence; naturally, we would be required to pay to open an entire new arbitration process. This arbitration had already cost us $68, 000.00 in legal fees and $13, 000.00 in arbitration fees. Our ability to litigate further at this point became a moot subject; my husband was laid off from his employment a few months after we began this litigation process with Superior Gold Group and the separate nest-egg that we used to fuel the litigation process was dwindling.

Arbitration provided Superior Gold Group, LLC with the means and the ability to utilize the arbitration process as a vehicle to harbor their criminal activities. My husband’s case listed 4 separate counts to be submitted to arbitration: breach of contract; fraud in the inducement, unfair business practices, and, misrepresentation. The money utilized to pay this litigation came from the nest-egg we had set aside for emergencies; if my husband became ill or laid off. In order to continue fueling the cost of this arbitration process, we found it necessary at one point to drop our private health insurance plans and return one leased vehicle which also permitted us to drop the cost of our insurance on one vehicle. The arbitrator based his award on a $62, 400.00 miscalculation the arbitrator found when he revived the contract made by Mr. Sands when he over-charged us for the metals based on the spot price we had been quoted by Adam Blaser and percentage rates stipulated in the SGG contract. It was decided by the arbitrator that our account representative, Adam Blaser, had misspoken when he quoted us a spot price for the metals. The award did not include pre-trial interest or disgorgement; the arbitrator did not find proof of unfair business practices and felt that we had not proven any damages based on the breach of contract. In spite of the fact that the Arbitrator pointed out that my husband’s retirement had been left fully exposed for more than 17 months at the time of the hearing and to this date is still exposed. Our account executive, Adam Blaser, testified to and was verified by Bruce Sands at the hearing; that, it was an SGG company policy to, "Never give a price; the moment you give a price you will lose because, the customer will shop for a better price elsewhere.”

Arbitration is hardly an inexpensive process. The process is not fair in respect that the decision is binding and you are not permitted to appeal the decision lest it is for extreme circumstances only; apparently in our fraud and material misrepresentation of the facts is not considered one of those extreme circumstances. Neither is the arbitrator required to follow the rule of law. However, according to the rules of arbitration the arbitrator is required to remain neutral; this is a point that at this time I’m having a rather hard time digesting. Where the consumer’s justice is when just about every transaction made these days has an embedded arbitration clause in the contract? An even better question than that one, would be; where is my husband’s retirement? It has been nearly six months since Alfred “Chip” Sloan stated and who agreed on behalf of Superior Gold Group would be delivering theses funds to our attorney has failed to do so. Since that award was made we are indebted an additional $25, 000.00 in legal fees to those fees already listed above in pursuing the return of my husband’s retirement. Ultimately, Bruce Sands the CEO of Superior Gold Group and his attorney Alfred “Chip” Sloan have contrived a new way to game the system. Unlike the old pirate’s that would hold you up with a gun or threaten to slit your throat with a knife to acquire your money. Superior Gold Group will rob you at the point of a contract and use Mandatory Binding Arbitration to as a means to soften their criminal intent. It is my opinion that Mandatory Binding Arbitration is the consumer’s legal equivalent to “the miasma of a primordial swamp”! A contract should only be as binding as the good will and intent that the contract was based upon in the fist place; SGG has failed to prove good will. In my husbands contract with Superior Gold Group we never came to a point of agreement! We only agreed to open an account with Superior Gold Group we never came to an agreement as to what would be placed into that account; SGG did all of that for us after the fact and that has been documented and proven.

Superior Gold Group used my husbands signed permission to wire transfer the funds from his retirement roll-over’s to his new Sterling Trust Account as a means to run with the money. Furthermore, it is not even a matter of conjecture that the Arbitrator who heard this case, took the SGG contract and his calculator to calculate an agreement where previously an agreement did not exist! Additionally SGG neglected to provide my husband with a sales invoice for his purchase of precious metals at the time that we signed the contract with SGG. Bruce Sands uses adhesion contracts that the person signing the contract is guided through in stages and is not aware that certain documents that are being signed are even a part of the contract. My husbands’ retirement accounts were still in the process of being rolled over to Sterling Trust Company. At that point we only agreed to open an account with Superior Gold Group; period! And my husbands retirement accounts were still in the process of being rolled over to his new trust account; period! After the fact we would receive a copy of the wire transfer to Sterling Trust Company and we noticed that Bruce Sands had rubber-stamped himself to my husbands Trust Account as his account representative and then he provided us with backdated invoices that did not agree with the prices that our account representative Adam Blaser had quoted to us. When SGG finally sent us a Sales Invoice two months after we agreed to sign a contract agreeing to roll over his retirement account to Sterling Trust and set up an account with Superior Gold Group; we saw that Bruce Sands was over-charging us way more than 100% of the original price quoted to us by Adam Blaser for the precious metals that we had purchased. By the time the invoices were sent to us Superior Gold Group had already breached the contracted delivery date. When we observed what with Bruce Sands was attempting to pull off we demanded that the retirement funds be returned immediately to my husbands account. Bruce Sands, refused to do so; we then phoned Sterling Trust Company and I spoke with Kelly Click requested an order to have my husbands IRA account frozen from having any metals delivered to the account by Superior Gold Group. Until such a time as that we could resolve this issue with Superior Gold Group over the disagreement of what kind of precious metals they were intending to place into that account and how much they were going to charge us for those metals. Ultimately, we filed for arbitration as required in the contract and the rest has been written in “arbitration-hell-history!” Regrettably, there are still consumers out there unknowingly waiting to be preyed upon by this company. Superior Gold Group is still being permitted to practice their Grifters Trade and teaching other minions how to game the system equally as well as they. Our account executive, Adam Blaser, left his employment with Superior Gold Group, LLC; to start his own company with his father Michael Blaser called United Gold Direct, LLC. Adam Blasers’parents, Michael and Lori Blaser, were both involved in making a commercial for SGG along with John March the Chief Technical Officer and spokes person for Superior Gold Group. And contrary to the 10 years Bruce Sands has stated that his business had been operating, the business was first established 3 ½ years prior. Bruce Sands had previously been involved with another contractual fraud case while working for another gold company and just prior to his forming Superior Gold Group; Alfred “Chip” Sloan was his legal representative for that case also.

AAA Arbitration provided an award based on “Breach of Contract” due to gross delinquent delivery and pricing-miscalculations and entirely dismissing the more serious counts listed; that’s called splitting the baby with the bath water in arbitration-speak! This has also permitted Superior Gold Group, LLC to continue business as usual and to possibly or probably close their doors today and open up as an entirely new LLC tomorrow; across the street, across the town, or, across the nation. Today I went to the dentist and I was required to sign a contract prior to starting the work; also agreeing to have any disputes regarding the work being performed on my teeth settled by Binding Mandatory Arbitration; I was induced by pain in to signing that agreement! From a consumers point of view I’m having a hard time discerning who the perpetrator of the civil theft in this case is; the thief or the process that permits this kind of miscreant behavior to keep on manifesting itself over and over.