Danny Porush Biography

Daniel Mark “Danny” Porush is an American businessperson and erstwhile stockbroker who, along with his friend and boss Jordan Belfort, conducted a "pump and dump" stock fraud scheme in the 1990s. After scamming their investors out of millions of dollars, Porush was apprehended and sent to prison for four years on securities fraud and money laundering charges. A native of Nassau County, New York, Porush grew up in an affluent family. He first attended Lawrence Woodmere Academy and later enrolled in Dickinson College and Boston University but did not complete his education. After leaving college, he was reportedly employed by various small businesses. He even set up a few himself. It was Porush’s wife who introduced him to Belfort sometime in 1986. Inspired by Belfort’s success, Porush decided to become a stockbroker as well. In 1989, they established their brokerage house, Stratton Oakmont. The firm drew the attention of the regulatory authorities soon after its inception. After their arrest, both Porush and Belfort pleaded guilty and turned in their colleagues in exchange for a sentence reduction. Porush was released in 2004 and subsequently joined a medical supply and medical equipment company in Boca Raton, Florida, which was investigated by federal authorities.