SEC Bars David Lubin
On July 19, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) barred David Lubin, a New York-based attorney, from appearing or practicing before it and acting as an officer or director of a public company after finding that he made… Read More
Default Judgement on Yu-Cheng Lin Insider Trading Charges
On June 19, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has obtained a default judgment against foreign defendant, Yu-Cheng Lin, charged with insider trading that orders him to pay approximately $7.3 million. The court’s final judgment, entered on… Read More
Steven Labriola Receives Final Judgement
On July 14, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that it has obtained a final judgment in a fraud case against Steven Labriola, the international sales director of a pyramid scheme targeting Latino communities. The final judgment, entered on… Read More
Final Judgements Entered Against LocatePlus Holdings Officers
On June 27, 2017, the Honorable Douglas P. Woodlock of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts entered final judgments against the former CEO and CFO of LocatePlus Holdings Corp, a Massachusetts-based information technology company. The… Read More
SEC Announces Fraud Charges Against Diana Lovera
On July 14, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced fraud charges against Diana Lovera, the former Chief Operating Officer of a Florida-based penny stock company that falsely claimed to be “the largest publicly traded diversified portfolio… Read More
Judgement Entered Against James Trolice
On June 13, 2017, the Honorable William J. Martini of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey entered a judgment against defendant James Trolice that imposed permanent injunctions and an officer and director bar…. Read More
SEC Announces Fraud Charges Against Victory Ho
On July 12, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced fraud charges against Victory Ho for insider trading in the securities of The Shaw Group, Inc. (Shaw), a Louisiana-based energy construction company, ahead of a public announcement… Read More
Charles Banks Charged With Fraud
On July 13, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that it has obtained a judgment and industry bar against Charles Banks, an Atlanta-based investment adviser, charged with defrauding a former professional basketball player. According to the SEC’s complaint, Charles… Read More
Fei Yan Faces Insider Trader Charges
On July 12, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced insider trading charges against Fei Yan, a research scientist, who allegedly searched the internet for “how sec detect unusual trade” before making a trade that the agency flagged… Read More
SEC Obtains Final Judgement for Ryan Petersen
On July 5, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that it has obtained a final judgment against Ryan Petersen, the former chief executive officer of OCZ Technology Group Inc. whom the SEC charged with an accounting… Read More
SEC Charges K-T 50 Wells With Fraud
On July 7, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced charges against K-T 50 Wells, a purported oil well company, its founders, and three salespeople in connection with a $2.4 million offering fraud. The SEC’s complaint, filed… Read More
Judgement Entered Against Edwards
On June 9, 2017, the Honorable Esther Salas of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey entered judgments against Dwayne Edwards, several entities Edwards used to orchestrate his alleged fraud, and relief defendant Sharon Nunamaker…. Read More
SEC Announces Michael Randles Administrative Proceedings
On June 19, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deemed it appropriate and in the public interest that public administrative proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted pursuant to Section 15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934… Read More
Final Judgement on Former InterMune Director and Friend
On June 30, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that the Honorable Jacqueline Scott Corley, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of California, entered a final judgment as to Sasan Sabrdaran, the former director of drug… Read More
Cheryl Jones Charged By SEC
On July 3, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced charges against Cheryl Jones, a Washington, D.C.-based real estate agent and the sister of convicted Ponzi scheme operator Mark Jones, for selling unregistered securities. The SEC’s complaint,… Read More
Pilgrim Petroleum CORP Temporary Trading Suspension
The Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission) announced the temporary suspension, pursuant to Section 12(k) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act), of trading in the securities of Pilgrim Petroleum CORP, of Addison, Texas commencing at… Read More
Renwick Haddow Charged with Fraud
On June 30, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed fraud charges against Renwick Haddow, the clandestine founder of a purported Bitcoin platform and a chain of co-working spaces located in former bars and restaurants, alleging that he… Read More
SEC Charges Quadrant 4 System Corp
On June 30, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has charged Chicago-area information technology company Quadrant 4 System Corp. (QFOR) and two former top executives in an accounting fraud scheme that misled investors and allowed the former… Read More
SEC Charged Penn West with Accounting Fraud
On June 28, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged Penn West Petroleum Ltd., a Canadian-based oil and gas company, and three of its former top finance executives for their roles in an extensive, multi-year accounting fraud. The… Read More
Ibex Trading Temporarily Suspended
On June 26, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) announced the temporary suspension, pursuant to Section 12(k) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), of trading in the securities of Ibex Advanced Mortgage Technology,… Read More
Former Ariad Employees Charged with Insider Trading
One June 27, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced insider trading charges against two former senior employees and the spouse of a former employee of Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts engaged in the… Read More
SEC Announces Additional Charges Against Anthony Portelli
On June 22, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced additional charges in an enforcement investigation involving Anthony Portelli, a Wall Street firm’s securities lending desk, and the improper handling of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). The SEC’s order… Read More
Pazoo, Inc. Used in Artificial Inflation Scheme
On June 21, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged a New Jersey-based group of stock promoters with fraud involving the manipulation and artificial inflation of the share price of a microcap company, Pazoo, Inc. The scheme grossed… Read More
Seyed Taher Kameli Charged for Defrauding Investors
On June 22, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged Seyed Taher Kameli, a Chicago-based immigration attorney, with defrauding investors participating in the EB-5 immigrant investor program by improperly commingling and misusing a portion of the approximately $88.7… Read More
SEC Charges Arista’s CEO and Attorney
On June 20, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced charges involving a scheme to disguise the nature of Arista, a public company’s financing amid financial difficulties, and a corresponding manipulation of the price of the company’s… Read More
SEC Takes Action Against Ann Hiskey
On June 19, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deemed it appropriate and in the public interest that public administrative proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted pursuant to Section 15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of… Read More
SEC Charges CannaVEST Corp. with Fraud
On June 16, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed fraud charges against CannaVEST Corp., a Las Vegas-based hemp oil company, and its CEO for inflating the company’s assets on its balance sheet. The SEC complaint filed… Read More
Antonio Katz Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges
On June 1, 2017, Antonio Katz, a defendant in ongoing SEC litigation, pled guilty to criminal charges filed by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. Antonio Katz was charged with one count of conspiracy and one… Read More
SEC Adopts JOBS Act Amendments
On April 5, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that it has adopted JOBS Act amendments to increase the amount of money companies can raise through crowdfunding to adjust for inflation. It also approved amendments that… Read More
