Latest news with #WAMCO
Associated Press
16-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
ROSEN, SKILLED INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages Western Asset Management Company, LLC Mutual Fund Investors to Secure Counsel Before Important Deadline in Securities Class Action
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 16, 2025) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the 'Western Asset US Core Bond Fund' mutual fund classes - Class I (ticker: 'WATFX'), Class A (ticker: 'WABAX'), Class C (ticker: 'WABCX'), Class FI (ticker: 'WAPIX'), Class IS (ticker: 'WACSX'), and Class R (ticker: 'WABRX') - and the 'Western Asset Core Plus Bond Fund' mutual fund classes - Class A (ticker: 'WAPAX'), Class C (ticker: 'WAPCX'), Class C1 (ticker: 'LWCPX'), Class FI (ticker: 'WACIX'), Class R (ticker: 'WAPRX'), Class I (ticker: 'WACPX'), Class IS (ticker: 'WAPSX') between January 1, 2021 and October 31, 2023, inclusive (the 'Class Period'), of the important September 5, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased WAMCO mutual funds during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the WAMCO class action, go to or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for more information. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 5, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants failed to warn investors that: (1) defendants favored certain WAMCO strategies, like Macro Opps, over other WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (2) defendants disfavored certain WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (3) any 'compliance policies and procedures' that WAMCO maintained 'to result in fair allocations of investment opportunities to clients' were either insufficient to ensure that Leech and his WAMCO Team fairly allocated trades among the strategies they managed or were expressly disregarded by defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies; (3) any 'oversight mechanisms' that WAMCO maintained were either insufficient to monitor Leech and his WAMCO Team or were expressly disregarded by defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies. As a result, defendants' actions operated as a fraud or deceit on the Class, artificially reducing the price of the 'Western Asset US Core strategy' mutual fund classes during the Class Period, damaging Class members. To join the WAMCO class action, go to or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for more information. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: on Twitter: or on Facebook: Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit
Associated Press
14-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Kaplan Fox Continues to Alert Investors of Western Asset Management (WAMCO) to a Class Action Deadline on September 2, 2025
NEW YORK - July 14, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Western Asset Management Company, LLC ('WAMCO' or the 'Company'), Franklin Resources, Inc. ('Franklin'), and Stephen Kenneth Leech II ('Leech'), WAMCO's co-Chief Investment Officer until August 21, 2024 when he took a leave of absence. The action is on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased and/or otherwise acquired the following mutual fund classes between January 1, 2021 and October 31, 2023 (the 'Class Period'): Western Asset Core Bond Fund ('Core') mutual fund classes – Class I (Ticker: WATFX), Class A (Ticker: WABAX), Class C (Ticker WABCX), Class FI (Ticker: WAPIX), Class IS (Ticker WACSX), and Class R (Ticker: WABRX) – and Western Asset Core Plus Bond Fund ('Core Plus') mutual fund classes Class A (Ticker: WAPAX), Class C (Ticker: WAPCX), Class C1 (Ticker: LWCPX), Class FI (Ticker: WACIX), Class R (Ticker: WAPRX), Class I (Ticker: WACPX), and Class IS (Ticker: WAPSX). CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CASE If you invested in WAMCO's mutual funds, including in the Core and Core Plus mutual funds referenced above, and have suffered losses, you may CLICK HERE to contact us. You may also contact Kaplan Fox by emailing [email protected] or by calling (646) 315-9003. DEADLINE REMINDER: If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the court no later than September 2, 2025 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the purported class. If you have losses we encourage you to contact us to learn more about the lead plaintiff process. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in order to share in any possible recovery. On August 21, 2024, Franklin disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') that Leech, the co-Chief Investment Officer of WAMCO, a subsidiary of Franklin, 'recently received a Wells Notice from the Staff of the [SEC], and is on a leave of absence to focus on this matter.' Western Asset 'is also cooperating with parallel government investigations.' Then on November 25, 2024, the SEC announced fraud charges against Leech for 'engaging in a multi-year scheme to allocate favorable trades to certain portfolios, while allocating unfavorable trades to other portfolios, a practice known as cherry picking.' The Complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that Leech engaged in this practice from January 2021 to October 2023. The Acting Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement, Sanjay Wadhwa, said 'the scale and duration of Leech's allegedly fraudulent conduct amounts to a shocking betrayal of his fiduciary obligations to his clients, who paid dearly for his transgressions.' Also on November 25, 2025, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James E. Dennehy, announced the unsealing of an indictment against Leech. The indictment alleges that Leech assigned over $600 million of gains to favored clients and over $600 million of losses to disfavored clients. Leech is charged with securities fraud, investment advisor fraud, commodity trading advisor fraud, commodities fraud and false statements. Leech's alleged victims include both institutional and retail investors. The complaint alleges, among other things, that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclosed that, (i) Defendants favored certain WAMCO strategies, like Macro Opportunities strategy, over other WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (ii) Defendants disfavored certain WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (iii) any 'compliance policies and procedures' that WAMCO maintained 'to result in fair allocations of investment opportunities to clients' were either insufficient to ensure that Leech and his WAMCO Team fairly allocated trades among the strategies they managed or were expressly disregarded by Defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies; and (iv) any 'oversight mechanisms' that WAMCO maintained were either insufficient to monitor Leech and his WAMCO Team or were expressly disregarded by Defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies. WHY CONTACT KAPLAN FOX - Kaplan Fox is a leading national law firm focusing on complex litigation with offices in New York, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Jersey. With over 50 years of experience in securities litigation, Kaplan Fox offers the professional experience and track record that clients demand. Through prosecuting cases on the federal and state levels, Kaplan Fox has successfully shaped the law through winning many important decisions on behalf of our clients. For more information about Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP, you may visit our website at This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. If you have any questions about this Notice, your rights, or your interests, please contact: CONTACT: Pamela A. Mayer KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP 800 Third Avenue, 38th Floor New York, New York 10022 (646) 315-9003 [email protected] Laurence D. King KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP 1999 Harrison Street, Suite 1560 Oakland, California 94612 (415) 772-4704 [email protected] Contacting or submitting information to Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor an obligation on the part of Kaplan Fox to retain you as a client.
Associated Press
12-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Kaplan Fox Encourages Investors of Western Asset Management (WAMCO) to Contact the Firm Before Lead Plaintiff Deadline on September 2, 2025
NEW YORK - July 12, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Western Asset Management Company, LLC ('WAMCO' or the 'Company'), Franklin Resources, Inc. ('Franklin'), and Stephen Kenneth Leech II ('Leech'), WAMCO's co-Chief Investment Officer until August 21, 2024 when he took a leave of absence. The action is on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased and/or otherwise acquired the following mutual fund classes between January 1, 2021 and October 31, 2023 (the 'Class Period'): Western Asset Core Bond Fund ('Core') mutual fund classes – Class I (Ticker: WATFX), Class A (Ticker: WABAX), Class C (Ticker WABCX), Class FI (Ticker: WAPIX), Class IS (Ticker WACSX), and Class R (Ticker: WABRX) – and Western Asset Core Plus Bond Fund ('Core Plus') mutual fund classes Class A (Ticker: WAPAX), Class C (Ticker: WAPCX), Class C1 (Ticker: LWCPX), Class FI (Ticker: WACIX), Class R (Ticker: WAPRX), Class I (Ticker: WACPX), and Class IS (Ticker: WAPSX). CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CASE If you invested in WAMCO's mutual funds, including in the Core and Core Plus mutual funds referenced above, and have suffered losses, you may CLICK HERE to contact us. You may also contact Kaplan Fox by emailing [email protected] or by calling (646) 315-9003. DEADLINE REMINDER: If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the court no later than September 2, 2025 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the purported class. If you have losses we encourage you to contact us to learn more about the lead plaintiff process. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in order to share in any possible recovery. On August 21, 2024, Franklin disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') that Leech, the co-Chief Investment Officer of WAMCO, a subsidiary of Franklin, 'recently received a Wells Notice from the Staff of the [SEC], and is on a leave of absence to focus on this matter.' Western Asset 'is also cooperating with parallel government investigations.' Then on November 25, 2024, the SEC announced fraud charges against Leech for 'engaging in a multi-year scheme to allocate favorable trades to certain portfolios, while allocating unfavorable trades to other portfolios, a practice known as cherry picking.' The Complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that Leech engaged in this practice from January 2021 to October 2023. The Acting Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement, Sanjay Wadhwa, said 'the scale and duration of Leech's allegedly fraudulent conduct amounts to a shocking betrayal of his fiduciary obligations to his clients, who paid dearly for his transgressions.' Also on November 25, 2025, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James E. Dennehy, announced the unsealing of an indictment against Leech. The indictment alleges that Leech assigned over $600 million of gains to favored clients and over $600 million of losses to disfavored clients. Leech is charged with securities fraud, investment advisor fraud, commodity trading advisor fraud, commodities fraud and false statements. Leech's alleged victims include both institutional and retail investors. The complaint alleges, among other things, that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclosed that, (i) Defendants favored certain WAMCO strategies, like Macro Opportunities strategy, over other WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (ii) Defendants disfavored certain WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (iii) any 'compliance policies and procedures' that WAMCO maintained 'to result in fair allocations of investment opportunities to clients' were either insufficient to ensure that Leech and his WAMCO Team fairly allocated trades among the strategies they managed or were expressly disregarded by Defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies; and (iv) any 'oversight mechanisms' that WAMCO maintained were either insufficient to monitor Leech and his WAMCO Team or were expressly disregarded by Defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies. WHY CONTACT KAPLAN FOX - Kaplan Fox is a leading national law firm focusing on complex litigation with offices in New York, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Jersey. With over 50 years of experience in securities litigation, Kaplan Fox offers the professional experience and track record that clients demand. Through prosecuting cases on the federal and state levels, Kaplan Fox has successfully shaped the law through winning many important decisions on behalf of our clients. For more information about Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP, you may visit our website at This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. If you have any questions about this Notice, your rights, or your interests, please contact: CONTACT: Pamela A. Mayer KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP 800 Third Avenue, 38th Floor New York, New York 10022 (646) 315-9003 [email protected] Laurence D. King KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP 1999 Harrison Street, Suite 1560 Oakland, California 94612 (415) 772-4704 [email protected] Contacting or submitting information to Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor an obligation on the part of Kaplan Fox to retain you as a client. View the original release on
Associated Press
12-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Kaplan Fox Alerts Investors of Western Asset Management (WAMCO) Core or Core Plus Mutual Funds to a Securities Class Action Deadline on September 2, 2025
NEW YORK - July 11, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Western Asset Management Company, LLC ('WAMCO' or the 'Company'), Franklin Resources, Inc. ('Franklin'), and Stephen Kenneth Leech II ('Leech'), WAMCO's co-Chief Investment Officer until August 21, 2024 when he took a leave of absence. The action is on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased and/or otherwise acquired the following mutual fund classes between January 1, 2021 and October 31, 2023 (the 'Class Period'): Western Asset Core Bond Fund ('Core') mutual fund classes – Class I (Ticker: WATFX), Class A (Ticker: WABAX), Class C (Ticker WABCX), Class FI (Ticker: WAPIX), Class IS (Ticker WACSX), and Class R (Ticker: WABRX) – and Western Asset Core Plus Bond Fund ('Core Plus') mutual fund classes Class A (Ticker: WAPAX), Class C (Ticker: WAPCX), Class C1 (Ticker: LWCPX), Class FI (Ticker: WACIX), Class R (Ticker: WAPRX), Class I (Ticker: WACPX), and Class IS (Ticker: WAPSX). CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CASE If you invested in WAMCO's mutual funds, including in the Core and Core Plus mutual funds referenced above, and have suffered losses, you may CLICK HERE to contact us. You may also contact Kaplan Fox by emailing [email protected] or by calling (646) 315-9003. DEADLINE REMINDER: If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the court no later than September 2, 2025 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the purported class. If you have losses we encourage you to contact us to learn more about the lead plaintiff process. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in order to share in any possible recovery. On August 21, 2024, Franklin disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') that Leech, the co-Chief Investment Officer of WAMCO, a subsidiary of Franklin, 'recently received a Wells Notice from the Staff of the [SEC], and is on a leave of absence to focus on this matter.' Western Asset 'is also cooperating with parallel government investigations.' Then on November 25, 2024, the SEC announced fraud charges against Leech for 'engaging in a multi-year scheme to allocate favorable trades to certain portfolios, while allocating unfavorable trades to other portfolios, a practice known as cherry picking.' The Complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that Leech engaged in this practice from January 2021 to October 2023. The Acting Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement, Sanjay Wadhwa, said 'the scale and duration of Leech's allegedly fraudulent conduct amounts to a shocking betrayal of his fiduciary obligations to his clients, who paid dearly for his transgressions.' Also on November 25, 2025, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James E. Dennehy, announced the unsealing of an indictment against Leech. The indictment alleges that Leech assigned over $600 million of gains to favored clients and over $600 million of losses to disfavored clients. Leech is charged with securities fraud, investment advisor fraud, commodity trading advisor fraud, commodities fraud and false statements. Leech's alleged victims include both institutional and retail investors. The complaint alleges, among other things, that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclosed that, (i) Defendants favored certain WAMCO strategies, like Macro Opportunities strategy, over other WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (ii) Defendants disfavored certain WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (iii) any 'compliance policies and procedures' that WAMCO maintained 'to result in fair allocations of investment opportunities to clients' were either insufficient to ensure that Leech and his WAMCO Team fairly allocated trades among the strategies they managed or were expressly disregarded by Defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies; and (iv) any 'oversight mechanisms' that WAMCO maintained were either insufficient to monitor Leech and his WAMCO Team or were expressly disregarded by Defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies. WHY CONTACT KAPLAN FOX - Kaplan Fox is a leading national law firm focusing on complex litigation with offices in New York, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Jersey. With over 50 years of experience in securities litigation, Kaplan Fox offers the professional experience and track record that clients demand. Through prosecuting cases on the federal and state levels, Kaplan Fox has successfully shaped the law through winning many important decisions on behalf of our clients. For more information about Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP, you may visit our website at This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. If you have any questions about this Notice, your rights, or your interests, please contact: CONTACT: Pamela A. Mayer KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP 800 Third Avenue, 38th Floor New York, New York 10022 (646) 315-9003 [email protected] Laurence D. King KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP 1999 Harrison Street, Suite 1560 Oakland, California 94612 (415) 772-4704 [email protected] Contacting or submitting information to Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor an obligation on the part of Kaplan Fox to retain you as a client.
Business Wire
08-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Rosen Law Firm Urges Western Asset Management Company, LLC Mutual Fund Investors with Large Losses to Contact the Firm for Information About Their Rights
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces that an investor filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the 'Western Asset US Core Bond Fund' mutual fund classes – Class I (ticker: 'WATFX'), Class A (ticker: 'WABAX'), Class C (ticker: 'WABCX'), Class FI (ticker: 'WAPIX'), Class IS (ticker: 'WACSX'), and Class R (ticker: 'WABRX') – and the 'Western Asset Core Plus Bond Fund' mutual fund classes – Class A (ticker: 'WAPAX'), Class C (ticker: 'WAPCX'), Class C1 (ticker: 'LWCPX'), Class FI (ticker: 'WACIX'), Class R (ticker: 'WAPRX'), Class I (ticker: 'WACPX'), Class IS (ticker: 'WAPSX') between January 1, 2021 and October 31, 2023, inclusive (the 'Class Period'). Western Asset Management Company, LLC (or, 'WAMCO') offers investment products and investment management and advisory services. For more information, submit a form, email attorney Phillip Kim, or give us a call at 866-767-3653. The Allegations: Rosen Law Firm is Investigating the Allegations that Western Asset Management Company, LLC Misled Investors Regarding its Business Operations. According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants failed to warn investors that: (1) Defendants favored certain WAMCO strategies, like Macro Opps, over other WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (2) Defendants disfavored certain WAMCO strategies, like Core and Core Plus; (3) any 'compliance policies and procedures' that WAMCO maintained 'to result in fair allocations of investment opportunities to clients' were either insufficient to ensure that Leech and his WAMCO Team fairly allocated trades among the strategies they managed or were expressly disregarded by defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies; (3) any 'oversight mechanisms' that WAMCO maintained were either insufficient to monitor Leech and his WAMCO Team or were expressly disregarded by Defendants in order to allow the favoring of certain WAMCO strategies at the expense of other WAMCO strategies. As a result, defendants' actions operated as a fraud or deceit on the Class, artificially reducing the price of the 'Western Asset US Core strategy' mutual fund classes during the Class Period, damaging Class members. What Now: You may be eligible to participate in the class action against Western Asset Management Company. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must file their motions with the court by September 5, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here. All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses. About Rosen Law Firm: Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions. Rosen Law Firm does. Rosen Law Firm is a recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improving corporate governance structures, and holding company executives accountable for their wrongdoing. Since its inception, Rosen Law Firm has obtained over $1 billion for shareholders. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
