September 2, 2008
Thank you for your willingness to assist in any way that you can in our time of despair and great need. On Thursday May 29, 2008, Douglas Kass, founder and President of Sea Breeze Partners and columnist for The Street.com, said he was now bullish on financials including Bank of America after many years of being bearish on the entire financial sector. His sentiment correlated to my many months of research into Bank of America. On Friday May 30, 2008 I purchased 12,000 shares of Bank of America at $34.68 believing completely that it was a solid company with an established dividend payment history and a bright future. This purchase was made with nearly all of our savings that had accumulated over 12 years. The money was ultimately going to be used for land, a house, and a feline rescue organization. We had consistently rented and never owned a property in hopes of one day realizing our dream. That day and every day after that, the stock's price was continually pounded down to what would ultimately be a new decade's low by what I believe were naked short sellers acting illegally. I maintained confidence in the company and held on to the stock throughout the fall, believing that it would rebound someday and there would ultimately be a break even point. On Tuesday July 15, 2008, I became completely aware of the illegal naked short sellers' ultimate goal - drive the price as close to zero to make the most money. I also became completely aware that the SEC was allowing this to happen and was not in any way enforcing their own regulations which were very clear. The aforementioned immediately put me in a state of panic. Depression, despair, and fear were paramount as this was allowed to happen in what was supposed to be a regulated and enforced environment. The entirety of our life savings and dreams were being illegally, purposely, and systematically destroyed - and this was allowed to happen in what was supposed to be a regulated and enforced environment. On Thursday July 17, 2008 I panic sold all 12,000 shares at $24.40 in an effort to preserve the capital we had remaining. Had I held on for 2-3 more days, we would have nearly broken even. I could not hold on past July 17, 2008 because of the sheer terror and the knowledge of what was allowed to occur in what was supposed to be a regulated and enforced environment. Regulations are there to protect investors and their enforcement ensures/insures that protection. We lost $123,360 because of what was allowed to happen due to a lack of enforcement. I am now financially, mentally, and physically destroyed because of what happened. I do not see a positive future ahead. I have never felt victimized like this before and do not suspect ever again. My burden and despair is too great, please help any way that you can.
Thank you kindly for your consideration and time,
Daryl Michael LaMonet
Heather Elizabeth Kolanich