Head of Investment Firm Charged With Grand Theft

Morris D. English Jr., president of a bankrupt Torrance investment firm that is the object of federal and state fraud investigations, has been charged with grand theft and writing bad checks.

English, 50, is president of the Wellington Group, which is being investigated by the state Department of Corporations, the U.S. attorney’s office and the FBI for alleged securities fraud. Investigators say the company may owe up to $50 million in investments to as many as 1,500 people from San Jose to San Diego.

South Bay Municipal Court records show that English turned himself in to Torrance police on April 1 after a city prosecutor filed one count of grand theft and seven counts of intentionally writing bad checks. Arraignment is scheduled April 30.