SEC Uses Satellite Imagery to Charge Desarrolladora Homex
Anyone who thinks that the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) is behind the times should check out the SEC’s latest action against Mexico-based home building company Desarrolladora Homex S.A.B. de C.V. The SEC used satellite imagery to help… Read More
SEC Brings Cases Related to Disclosures During Battles for Corporate Control
On February 14, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced two SEC enforcement actions involving disclosure violations that deprived investors of material information during battles for corporate control of publicly traded companies. In one case, the… Read More
SEC Obtains Emergency Order to Prevent Anthony Buzaneli from Leaving U.S.
On August 26, 2016, Judge Susan Richard Nelson of the District of Minnesota issued an order requiring Anthony Buzaneli to surrender his passports and prohibiting him from leaving the United States until further order of the Court. The… Read More
SEC Files Subpoena Against Edward Panos and His Wife for Penny Stock Fraud
On August 25, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that it filed a subpoena enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against Edward Panos and his wife, Allison Panos, and various entities… Read More
Vineet Kalucha Sentenced to Federal Prison for Obstructing Investigation
Vineet Kalucha was sentenced to fifteen months in prison in a parallel criminal case after pleading guilty to charges that he obstructed justice in an investigation conducted by the SEC. Vineet Kalucha, whose sentence was handed down on July… 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
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
6 Charged for Violating Antifraud Provisions of the Federal Securities Laws
On February 16, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged PV Enterprises, Inc. (“PVEC”) and Panagiotis Villiotis (“Villiotis”) with violations of the registration and antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws. The SEC also charged Virtual Sourcing, Inc…. Read More
SEC Charges StratoComm Coporation with Illicit Sale of Securities
On October 4, 2011, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a complaint in United States District Court for the Northern District of New York charging StratoComm Corporation, its CEO Roger Shearer, and its former Director of Investor… Read More
SEC Obtains Asset Freeze of Oxford City Football Club
On December 10, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a complaint that charged Oxford City Football Club, Inc. and its CEO, Thomas Anthony Guerriero, with securities fraud and other violations of the federal securities laws. The… Read More
SEC Files Subpoena Against President of FX & Beyond Corporation
On December 9, 2015 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) obtained a court order in its subpoena enforcement action against respondent Steve Karroum that requires Mr. Karroum to sign a written consent for the release of his e-mails from… Read More
SEC Files Suit Against Promoter of ZeekRewards
On December 4, 2015 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed suit against Trudy Gilmond for her participation in the unregistered offer and sale of securities through Rex Venture Group LLC d/b/a ZeekRewards.com, an internet-based combined Ponzi… Read More
SEC Files Subpoena Against NetCirq LLC
On November 25, 2015, the SEC filed a subpoena enforcement action against NetCirq, LLC (“NetCirq”). According to the SEC’s application and supporting papers, the SEC is investigating whether NetCirq and others have violated or are violating provisions of the federal… Read More
SEC Complaint Charges For Phony Muddy Waters Tweets
On November 6, 2015, the SEC announced that it charged James Alan Craig (Craig) with a market manipulation scheme. The SEC filed criminal securities fraud charges against Craig, a Scottish trader whose phony tweets caused sharp drops in the… Read More
SEC Identifies Three More to Charge in Penny Stock Case
On November 4, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it has identified three more individuals to charge in a penny stock manipulation case that the agency filed last year against alleged corrupt brokers and others. The SEC… Read More
Darren Ofsink Indicted – Securities Lawyers Gone Wild
On November 4, 2015, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York announced that Darren Ofsink, a Manhattan attorney and founder of Ofsink LLC; Michael Morris, a registered broker and managing director of Halcyon Cabot Partners, Ltd…. Read More
SEC Charges Roger Bliss With Obstruction of Justice
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on September 2, 2015 that an alleged investment club fraudster whose assets were frozen in an SEC enforcement action earlier this year has now been criminally charged by a grand jury for… Read More
SEC Charges Trinity Capital Corporation with Fraud
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on September 28, 2015 that Trinity Capital Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Los Alamos National Bank, have agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle accounting fraud charges. An SEC investigation found… Read More
SEC Charges Hitachi, LTD. With Violation of FCPA
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on September 28, 2015 charged Tokyo-based conglomerate Hitachi, Ltd. with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) when it falsified documents regarding payments to South Africa’s ruling political party connected with contracts to… Read More
$32 Million Amber Mining Pyramid Scheme Halted by the SEC
On October 1, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced it had frozen the assets and filed fraud charges against the operator of a worldwide pyramid scheme who falsely promised investors that they would profit from a… Read More
SEC Charges Florida Based CPA For Bogus Audit Opinions
On September 17, 2015 the SEC imposed sanctions against a Florida based CPA for producing deficient and fraudulent audits and quarterly reviews for eight publicly traded companies, issuing false and misleading audit opinions on the companies’ annual… Read More
SEC Halts Harrison Schumacher In California-Based Oil and Gas Investment Fraud
On August 27th, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced fraud charges and an emergency asset freeze to halt a California-based scheme involving purported investments in oil and gas projects. According to the SEC’s complaint filed under… Read More
SEC Charges Vincente Garcia Under FCPA
On August 12, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that a former executive at a worldwide software manufacturer has agreed to settle charges that he violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by bribing Panamanian government officials… Read More
SEC Halts Advance Fee Scam Targeting Home Building Industry
On May 15, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced charges and an emergency asset freeze in an alleged advance fee scam involving bogus prime bank instruments. The SEC complaint was filed on May 11, 2015, in… Read More
SEC Subpoenas 101 – Securities Attorneys
Receiving a Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) subpoena is a new and uncomfortable experience for most market participants. A SEC subpoena is an indication that the Division of Enforcement is investigating potential violations of the federal securities laws. SEC subpoenas… Read More
SEC Charges 22 Unregistered Broker-Dealers-Going Public Attorneys
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Enforcement is pursuing unregistered broker-dealer activity which runs rampant in the penny stock markets. With a reduction of the number of small broker-dealers, there have been limited sources of capital… Read More
FINRA Fines LaSalle Securities For Private Placements
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and the Securities and Exchange Commission require that broker-dealers perform adequate due diligence before letting a registered representative recommend private placements made pursuant to Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933,… Read More
Penny Stock Lawyers, Auditors & Nominees Charged by SEC
On January 15, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced charges against penny stock lawyers, auditors, and others allegedly involved in a microcap scheme involving bogus Form S-1 registration statements filed with the SEC. According to the SEC,… Read More
