A former employee of Silver Saddle Ranch and Club made alarming allegations three weeks ago, alleging that the company used illegal cellphone jammers during sales presentations to hinder potential buyers from making outside calls. This accusation raises serious ethical and legal concerns against the company’s sales practices. The use of cellphone jammers is a federal crime, and the company’s actions could lead to significant consequences. It is essential for the authorities to investigate these allegations thoroughly and take appropriate action to ensure that Silver Saddle Ranch and Club is held accountable for any wrongdoing. Furthermore, potential buyers should be cautious when dealing with the company, and any suspicious behavior should be reported immediately. It is essential to maintain transparency and accountability in business practices to ensure that consumer rights are upheld.

We received additional information about our investigation into Silver Saddle, which was released in a bonus episode of our investigative podcast, California City, four months after the original series ended. It has come to our attention that the government agency responsible for shutting down Silver Saddle has now amended its complaint to include ‘recently discovered facts.’

One former employee informed us that they had discovered cell phone jammers beneath the sales pavilion where the company’s sales agents persuaded people to invest. This raises serious concerns regarding Silver Saddle’s business practices and the tactics they were employing to mislead potential investors. It appears that the company was taking active measures to prevent their customers from contacting the outside world, which is a disturbing issue that warrants further investigation and scrutiny.

These new revelations only strengthen the need for thorough and transparent investigations into companies such as Silver Saddle, as well as better regulation and oversight to protect consumers from such predatory practices.”

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (formerly known as the California Department of Business Oversight) had accused Silver Saddle Ranch and Club with securities fraud in September 2019.

The CDFPI alleged that Silver Saddle had made tens of millions of dollars in a desert real estate scheme that targeted Filipino, Chinese and Spanish-speaking consumers with little investment experience.

The state also alleged that Silver Saddle’s sales agents used high-pressure sales tactics, made false promises, and deliberately misrepresented the value of the investment.