John Fortini Pays $1.3M Disgorgement, Permanent Trading Ban for Commodity Pool Fraud
Summary
The CFTC obtained a consent order from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against John Fortini, a Florida resident and former executive at Algo Capital LLC. Fortini was ordered to pay $1,347,867.56 in disgorgement for commodity pool fraud involving misappropriation of customer funds and material misrepresentations about proprietary trading algorithms. The court imposed a permanent trading ban and permanent injunction against Fortini from further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act.
What changed
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a consent order against John Fortini for retail fraud, fraud as an associated person of a commodity pool operator, and related violations of the Commodity Exchange Act. The order finds that Fortini, while an executive at Algo Capital LLC, misappropriated customer funds and made material misrepresentations about the firm's proprietary trading algorithm. Fortini falsely assured customers they could withdraw funds while knowing withdrawal requests were not being honored, and failed to disclose that customer funds were being traded by Traders Domain FX Ltd. starting October 2021. The court ordered disgorgement of $1,347,867.56 and imposed permanent trading and registration bans.\n\nCommodity pool operators, associated persons, and trading firms should note that the CFTC aggressively pursues fraud enforcement involving customer fund misappropriation and material omissions. Firms must ensure transparent disclosure of fund management practices and promptly inform customers of material risks, including registration deficiencies. The CFTC cautions that disgorgement orders may not result in victim recovery due to potential insufficient defendant assets.
What to do next
- Comply with permanent trading ban and injunction
- Pay disgorgement of $1,347,867.56
Penalties
$1,347,867.56 disgorgement; permanent trading and registration ban
Archived snapshot
Apr 16, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Release Number 9213-26
CFTC Secures Court Order Requiring Florida Resident to Pay Over $1.3 Million in Disgorgement and Imposes Trading Ban for Commodity Pool Fraud
April 15, 2026
WASHINGTON — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today announced the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a consent order against John Fortini for retail fraud, fraud as an associated person of a commodity pool operator, and related regulatory violations.
The order finds that Fortini, while serving as an executive with defendant Algo Capital LLC, misappropriated customer funds and made numerous misrepresentations and omissions to customers and prospective customers.
As outlined in the order, Fortini falsely assured customers they could withdraw their funds, even though he knew that some, if not all, customer withdrawal requests were not being honored during the fall of 2022, and he misled them about the firm’s claimed use of a proprietary trading algorithm. In reality, Algo Capital had arranged for Traders Domain FX Ltd. to trade customer funds beginning no later than October 2021.
In addition, Fortini ignored several red flags that Traders Domain was engaged in fraudulent activity and not trading customer funds as they claimed. The order further finds, despite understanding the significance, Fortini failed to inform customers of Traders Domain’s inclusion on the CFTC’s Registration Deficient List. [See CFTC Press Release No. 8555-22 ]
The court ordered Fortini to pay $1,347,867.56 in disgorgement.
The court also permanently enjoins Fortini from further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and Commission regulations, as charged, and imposes permanent trading and registration bans.
The consent order resolves all claims against Fortini in the CFTC’s Sept. 30, 2024, enforcement action. The enforcement action against the remaining defendants continues. [See CFTC Press Release No. 8997-24 ]
The CFTC cautions that disgorgement orders may not result in victims recovering any money lost because defendants may not have sufficient funds or assets.
-CFTC-
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