The state’s financial protection regulator is looking into complaints that Pacific Private Money in Marin County has withheld money from over 100 investors.
Pacific Private Money’s headquarters at 1555 Grant Ave. in Novato had a “This office is now closed” sign on the front door Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. Some investors say they haven’t been able to access their funds placed with the asset-based lender since December 2025.
“This action prevents new lending activity but does not affect existing legal loans in progress,” a spokesperson told the Journal, declining further comment.said the Novato-based real estate finance company halted monthly distributions to investors and suspended all investor withdrawals in October or November. Company representatives told the agency on March 9 it “experienced a severe liquidity crunch in December, leaving it without sufficient funds to continue investor distributions,” the document said. ‘Branded a criminal’: Fired Bay Area high school coach sues district, alleges he was denied due processFoster City services impacted by cyber security breachto suspend the license, giving the company until March 16 to request a hearing. The department said none was received, so it issued the order. This state investigation comes as the Marin County District Office continues to investigate complaints from a “significant number” of investors, but Deputy District Attorney Sean Kensinger on Thursday declined to say anything more. In December, the company named business turnaround specialist Bill Brinkman of Lafayette-based Jigsaw Advisors as chief restructuring officer. Brinkman told the Journal he will not comment. Pacific Private Money’s Novato office closed last month.This isn’t the first time the company has faced a state license suspension. In August 2014, what’s now the Department of Real Estatethat emerged from an audit two years prior. That suspension was stayed after 45 days, on the condition the firm had no further disciplinary action. Among its claims, the regulator alleged the company comingled $350,000 in investor trust funds in a nontrust account and didn’t notify the agency that some loans involved self-dealing, or were issued to companies with connections to Pacific Private Money. A department spokesperson told the Journal that any actions against a licensee would be posted on the agency’s website. The company wasJeff Quackenbush joined North Bay Business Journal in May 1999. He covers primarily wine, construction and real estate. Reach him at jeff@nbbj.news or 707-521-4256.Asking Eric: I have become an unperson in my officeMiss Manners: I'm appalled that these young women just walk into people's housesMiss Manners: We want to explain our baby's name so this doesn't happen againTikTok influencer whose 'mommy makeover' went awry dies at age 47 What’s the state of the California governor’s race? New poll shows voters are ‘disengaged and largely unenthusiastic’ What's the state of the California governor's race? New poll shows voters are 'disengaged and largely unenthusiastic'
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