Jordan Belfort

Jordan Belfort is an American former stockbroker, author, and motivational speaker known for securities fraud at Stratton Oakmont and his memoir, The Wolf of Wall Street.

Connect

Stratton Oakmont: A brokerage firm co-founded by Jordan Belfort that became notorious for manipulating stocks and defrauding investors. The firm was the setting for Belfort’s brokerage business and securities fraud.
Long Island: A densely populated island in southeastern New York, east of New York City. Belfort grew up in Queens and later built his brokerage business on Long Island.
Steve Madden: An American fashion designer and businessman who founded the Steve Madden footwear company. Madden was a client of Stratton Oakmont and was convicted in connection with stock manipulation.
Securities fraud: Deception or manipulation involving securities that violates laws governing financial markets. Belfort pleaded guilty to securities fraud for conduct at Stratton Oakmont.
Pump and dump: A securities fraud scheme that inflates a stock’s price through misleading promotion before insiders sell. Stratton Oakmont used this scheme to profit from stocks it promoted.
L.F. Rothschild: A former American investment bank and brokerage firm that operated from 1899 to 1989. Belfort has described a brief early job at the firm as his introduction to stockbroking.
Tommy Chong: A Canadian-American comedian, actor, and musician known for the comedy duo Cheech & Chong. Chong shared a federal prison camp with Belfort and encouraged him to write his memoir.
Money laundering: The concealment of the origins of illegally obtained money, often by moving it through financial transactions. Belfort also pleaded guilty to money laundering.
Boiler room: A sales operation that uses high-pressure telephone calls, often to sell investments or other products. Stratton Oakmont’s brokers used aggressive phone sales to push securities.
Penny stock: A low-priced, often thinly traded stock that can be difficult to value and sell. Belfort began selling penny stocks before founding Stratton Oakmont.