When Short Sellers Hit Cannabis Stocks
When Shorts Hit Cannabis Stocks When a public stock’s price declines, it has become common practice for penny stock issuers and their disciples to scream foul play, typically claiming on message boards like Investor’s Hub that their company… Read More
SEC Charges Andrew Caspersen with Defrauding Two Institutions
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged a New York-based securities professional with defrauding two institutions he solicited to invest in a shell company he controlled whose name was deceptively similar to that of a legitimate private equity… Read More
TV New Commentator Agrees to Settle SEC’s Charges
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that a former market analyst and TV news commentator has agreed to settle charges that he and his company fraudulently promoted a penny stock to investors. The SEC alleges that Tobin Smith and… Read More
AVEO Pharmaceuticals Misleads Investors About FDA Approval of New Drug
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced fraud charges against a Massachusetts-based biotech company and three former executives for misleading investors about the company’s efforts to obtain Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its flagship developmental drug to… Read More
Stanley Kowalewski Sentenced to 18 Years’ Imprisonment for Wire Fraud and Obstruction of Justice
On March 25, 2016, the Honorable Richard W. Story of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia sentenced Stanley Kowalewski to 18 years’ imprisonment for defrauding the investors in his hedge funds and obstructing… Read More
SEC Charges John Bivona and Saddle River Advisors with Fraud
On March 25, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced fraud charges and asset freezes obtained in a case filed against a New Jersey-based fund manager and two firms he controls that marketed shares in promising pre-IPO tech… Read More
Court Holds James Louks and FiberPop Solutions in Civil Contempt
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that the Honorable Patrick J. Schiltz of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota has entered an order holding defendants James Louks and FiberPoP Solutions, Inc. in civil… Read More
CEO of TierOne Bank Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that on March 23, 2016, Gilbert Lundstrom, the former chairman of the board and CEO of TierOne Bank, based in Nebraska, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison and ordered… Read More
SEC Enters Settlement with Perpetrators of an Alleged Hacked News Release Scheme
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on March 24, 2016 that it had entered into settlement agreements, subject to court approval, with defendants David Amaryan, Copperstone Alpha Fund, Copperstone Capital, Intertrade Pacific SA, Ocean Prime Inc., Guibor… Read More
Court Enters Judgments Custodianship Shell Amogear Stock Scheme
On March 23, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that the federal court in Boston, Massachusetts entered judgments by consent against Andrew Affa, Michael Affa, Mitchell Brown, Christopher Putnam, and Christopher Nix in a fraud action… Read More
Court Enters Nearly $2 Million Judgment Against Gregory Jones for Defrauding Investors
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on March 23, 2016 that a federal court has ordered a nearly $2 million judgment from an attorney who admitted to defrauding investors in two fraudulent schemes. The Honorable John McBryde,… Read More
Court Enters Final Judgment Against Fraudster Bruce Strebinger
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on March 21, 2016 that on March 15, 2016, the Honorable Leigh Martin May of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia entered a final judgment against defendant Bruce… Read More
Former Microsoft Manager Charged with Insider Trading Ahead of Acquisition of Nokia
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on March 18, 2016 that former Microsoft Corporation senior manager, John Hardy III has agreed to pay nearly $380,000 to settle charges that he traded on material nonpublic information about Microsoft’s… Read More
Court Enters Final Judgment Against Insider Trading Defendant Yue Han
On March 16, 2016, the Court for the Southern District of New York entered a final judgment against defendant Yue Han, based on insider trading charges filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Han on November… Read More
SEC Charges Mark Jones for a Ponzi Scheme Purporting to Offer “Bridge Loans” to Jamaican Businesses
On March 15, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged former Boston resident Mark Jones with operating a $10 million Ponzi scheme that claimed to generate profits from “bridge loans” to businesses in Jamaica. The SEC… Read More
CEO of RVPlus Charged with Soliciting Fake Contracts with Foreign Governments
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged a microcap company CEO for falsely claiming to have a lucrative relationship with the United Nations and billions of dollars in clean energy contracts with foreign governments. The SEC alleges that… Read More
SEC Charges Daniel Thibeault with Misappropriating Millions in Investor Funds
On March 14, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that on March 3, 2016, Daniel Thibeault, the President/CEO of a group of Massachusetts-based investment advisory companies, pled guilty to criminal charges in connection with the misappropriation… Read More
California Businessman Daniel Nase Stole Investor Funds and Tried to Conceal It
On March 11, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced fraud charges against California businessman Daniel Nase, accusing him of stealing investor assets and then trying to cover it up once the SEC caught onto his… Read More
Nedko Nedev Charged for Fraudulent Scheme Related to the Stock of Avon Products
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on March 11, 2016 that a federal grand jury in Manhattan has indicted Bulgarian resident Nedko Nedev for fraud relating to the stocks of Avon Products, Inc., Tower Group… Read More
3 Executives of Aequitas Management LLC Charged with Fraud
On March 11, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged an Oregon-based investment group and three top executives with hiding the rapidly deteriorating financial condition of its enterprise while raising more than $350 million from investors. Aequitas… Read More
Do State Blue Sky Laws Apply To Regulation D Offerings?
Issuers are sometimes unaware of the state laws that apply to offerings that are exempt under the federal securities laws. The purchase or sale of a security be subject to a registration statement under the Securities… Read More
Uni-Pixel Inc. Charged with Misleading Investors About New Touchscreen Sensor Product
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that Uni-Pixel Inc., developer of technologies for touchscreen devices, has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle charges that it misled investors about the production status and sales agreements for a key product…. Read More
SEC Charges Jay Fung with Insider Trading in the Stock of Pharmasset Inc.
On March 9, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that a Florida man trading on inside information ahead of a pharmaceutical company merger and a friend who tipped him have agreed to settle enforcement actions against… Read More
Court Denies Motion to Reconsider Summary Judgment Against June Fujinaga
On March 4, 2016, the Honorable James C. Mahan, United States District Judge for the District of Nevada, entered an order denying a motion for reconsideration of the final judgment filed by relief defendants June Fujinaga and her… Read More
Wells Fargo and Rhode Island Agency Charged with Fraud
On March 7, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged a Rhode Island agency and its bond underwriter Wells Fargo Securities with defrauding investors in a municipal bond offering to finance startup video game company 38 Studios…. Read More
Court Reaches Verdict Against Daryl Payton and Benjamin Durant for Insider Trading
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has obtained a jury verdict in its favor in a federal district court trial in Manhattan against Daryl Payton and Benjamin Durant, III, who the agency charged with trading on inside information… Read More
Court Enters Final Judgments Against Zachary Zwerko and David Post
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that on March 1, 2016, the Honorable Richard J. Sullivan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York entered final judgments on consent against defendants Zachary… Read More
