by Structured Settlement Watchdog
MJ Settlements latest “Offering Sheet” is promoting investments in structured settlement receivables that they
call annuities but are not annuities, and link to non-existent companies.
These so-called “unique” opportunities from MJ Settlements are supposedly annuities and supposedly “carefully vetted” and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. But honestly, how “carefully vetted” can they be if MJ Settlements can’t even manage to get the issuers’ names correct? Let’s examine why our baloney detector is going bonkers.
Deal 2998
Issuer is listed as Hartford Life Insurance Company, however The Hartford sold that business in 2017, the company became Talcott Resolution Life Insurance Company and that company was acquired by Sixth Street in 2021.
- Does Hartford Life Insurance Still Exist June 11, 2025
- The Hartford Sells Life Insurance and Annuity Business to Investors – Structured Settlements 4Real® Blog: Structured Settlements | Settlement Planning News and John Darer Reviews December 5, 2017
- Talcott Resolution Announces Completion of Acquisition by Sixth Street – Sixth Street January 20, 2021
- Talcott Resolution – In the News
- Summary – TALCOTT RESOLUTION LIFE – Weiss Ratings
Wow! Deal 860 mentions Talcott Life Insurance Company. So close, yet no cigar!
And the “razz-berry” on top with respect to this for Todd Lesk can be found in the records of the Florida Department of Financial Services Licensee Detail which shows the proper names of the Talcott Resolution entities.
Deal 903
Issuer is listed as MetLife Insurance Company
Here are a list of MetLife Affilates. MetLife Affiliates | MetLife.Investors will not find the purported entity that Lesk and MJ Settlements are misrepresenting to potential investors.
MetLife issues structured settlement annuities through MetLife Tower Life Insurance Company and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.
If MJ Settlements and Todd Lesk, were advertising annuities to New York state residents (Lesk grew up in New York and held a New York license until late 2024) advertising would need to comply with New York Insurance law 2122(b) N.Y. Insurance Law Section 2122 – Advertising by insurance producers (2025)
“Every agent of any insurer and every insurance broker shall, in all advertisements, public announcements, signs, pamphlets, circulars and cards, which refer to an insurer, set forth therein the name in full of the insurer referred to and the name of the city, town or village in which it has its principal office in the United States”.
Deals 14441, 3049, 796-2, 4407, 14441-2
Issuer is listed by MJ Settlements as Prudential Life Insurance Company. No such entity exists.
The Prudential Insurance Company of America is the only issuer of strucured settlement annuities.
According to Prudential “Annuities and Life Insurance are issued by Prudential Financial companies; The Prudential Insurance Company of America (“PICA”) or Pruco Life Insurance Company (“PLAZ”) (in New York, by Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey (“PLNJ”)), all located in Newark, NJ (main office), or an unaffiliated third-party issuer: Fortitude Life Insurance & Annuity Company (“FLIAC”), located in Jersey City, NJ. Fortitude Re has retained PICA as an unaffiliated Third-Party Administrator. Variable Annuities and Variable Life Insurance are distributed by Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. (“PAD”), Shelton, CT (main office)”.
Deal 3047
MJ Settlements lists issuer as Allstate Life Insurance Company.
Investors are not buying an annuity.