Edwin Ruh Jr. and His Firm Charged for a Fraudulent Securities Offering

On August 10, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed fraud charges against an individual, Edwin Ruh Jr., and his firm, Pan Asia China Commerce Corp. Inc. (“PAC-3”), in connection with the fraudulent offering of an investment… Read More

Three Officers of Brokerage Firm Global Transition Solutions Charged with Fraud

On August 8, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged three individuals and the now-defunct firms Global Transition Solutions, Inc. and Global Transition Solutions, LLC (collectively “Global Transition”) with fraud for misleading their current and prospective customers… Read More

Investment Advisor Patrick Churchville Pleads Guilty to Running $21 Million Ponzi

On August 4, 2016, Patrick Churchville, a defendant in an ongoing SEC litigation, pled guilty to an information charging him with five counts of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion in connection with orchestrating a $21… Read More

Football Player Merrill Robertson Jr. Charged with Running a $10 Million Fraud

On August 10, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged Merrill Robertson Jr., a former player for the Philadelphia Eagles, with defrauding investors, including former coaches he knew from his time playing football for the Fork Union… Read More

Cardiologist Dr. Edward Kosinski Charged with Insider Trading

On August 4, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged a cardiologist with insider trading on confidential developments as he worked on a clinical drug trial. The SEC alleges that Dr. Edward Kosinski of Weston, Connecticut, traded… Read More

Posted by Brenda Hamilton – Sandy Winick Sentenced

Posted by Brenda Hamilton. On August 17, 2016, Penny Stock Fraudster, Sandy Winick, a  Canadian, was sentenced To 78 Months In prison for masterminding the international fraud scheme.  Winick was sentenced to 78 months in prison following his July… Read More

Leonid Momotok Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud

On August 2, 2016, Leonid Momotok of Suwanee, Georgia pled guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York to one count of conspiracy to… Read More

Court Enters Final Judgment Against Kenneth Rampino for Insider Trading

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that the federal district court in Rhode Island has entered a final judgment against Kenneth Rampino, a resident of Seekonk, Massachusetts and a practicing attorney, ordering him to pay approximately $39,000… Read More

Court Finds Jeffry and Paul Downey and John Leonard Guilty of Oil and Gas Fraud

On July 25, the Honorable Sam R. Cummings of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted summary judgment for the SEC on all claims against the father-and-son duo of Paul and Jeffry Downey,… Read More

Three Fraudsters on a Shopping Spree Met with an Asset Freeze

On July 28, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced an asset freeze it has obtained against three men who aren’t registered to sell investments and allegedly went on lavish shopping sprees with more than $5 million raised from… Read More

SEC Charges the Luca Entities with Eb-5 Investment Fraud

On July 26, 2016, the Honorable Charles R. Breyer of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California entered a final judgment against Luca International Group, LLC, Luca Resources Group, LLC, Luca Energy Fund, LLC… Read More

Rosalind Herman Sentenced to 7 Years, Ordered to Pay Nearly $2 Million in Restitution

On July 27, 2016, Rosalind Herman, a relief defendant in an ongoing SEC fraud action, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,819,391 in restitution in a parallel criminal case. Herman and her… Read More

Charles Scoville & Traffic Monsoon Charged In Ponzi Scheme

On July 26, 2016 the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that it obtained an asset freeze against the operator of an international Ponzi scheme that raised more than $207 million from investors worldwide, primarily in the U.S., India, and… Read More

JNL Oilfield Instruments and Founder Jeffery McCollum Charged with Operating a Ponzi Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that it has charged Odessa, Texas-based JNL Oilfield Instruments, LLC and its founder Jeffery McCollum with operating a multi-year Ponzi scheme. According to the SEC’s complaint filed in the U.S. District Court… Read More

Attorney Herbert Sudfeld Sentenced to 6 Months Imprisonment for Insider Trading

On July 22, 2016, Judge Cynthia M. Rufe of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania sentenced former attorney Herbert Sudfeld, Jr. to six months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release and 150… Read More

Court Enters Final Judgment Against Michael Cain

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that on July 20, 2016, the Honorable Charles Pannell of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia entered a final judgment against Michael Sean Cain. In its complaint,… Read More

SEC Nails Pot Stock Promoters

On July 9, the Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”) settled with Alexander Hawatmeh and Christopher Mrowca who allegedly received more than $2.5 million by manipulating penny stock  pot stocks.  According to the proposed judgments filed in the US District… Read More

FINRA Amends Regulation NMS

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority  has adopted amendments to its rules related to the operation of the Regulation NMS Plan to Address Extraordinary Volatility following a trading pause or regulatory halt.  FINRA Rule 6121.01 (Resumption of Trading in Securities… Read More

Court Issues Asset Freeze Over James Hugh Brennan and Douglas Albert Dyer in Fraud Case

On July 22, 2016, the Honorable Travis R. McDonough of the Eastern District of Tennessee entered a court-ordered asset freeze to halt an ongoing fraud by two former brokers with disciplinary histories who allegedly raised more than $5… Read More

SEC Charges Jeffrey Wilson, Former CEO of Imperial Petroleum with Securities Fraud

On July 20, 2016, the SEC charged Jeffrey Wilson, the former CEO of Imperial Petroleum, Inc., and a defendant in a SEC civil enforcement action, with 19 counts of securities fraud and other violations of federal law on July… Read More

Court Enters Final Judgment Against Tyson Williams and Stanley Parrish in Fraud Case

On July 18, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah entered final judgments against Tyson Williams and Stanley Parrish, both of whom were charged by the SEC in 2014 in connection with the sale of securities… Read More

SEC Charges Thomas Conrad and His Son with Fraud

On Friday, July 15, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged Thomas Conrad, Jr. and his son, Stuart Conrad, and their two unregistered advisory firms, Financial Management Corporation (“FMC”) and Financial Management Corporation, S.R.L. (“FMC Uruguay”), with defrauding… 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

Thomas and Stuart Conrad Charged With Securities Fraud

On Friday, July 15, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged two residents of Alpharetta, Georgia, Thomas Conrad, Jr. and his son, Stuart Conrad, and their two unregistered advisory firms, Financial Management Corporation (“FMC”) and Financial Management… Read More

Judgments Entered Against Tyson Williams and Stanley Parrish

On July 18, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah entered final judgments against Tyson D. Williams and Stanley D. Parrish, both of whom were charged by the SEC in 2014 with fraud in connection… Read More

Jeffrey Wilson, the former CEO of Imperial Petroleum Found Guilty

On July 22, 2016, Jeffrey Wilson, the former CEO of Indiana-based Imperial Petroleum, Inc., and a defendant in a SEC civil enforcement action, was found guilty of 19 counts of securities fraud and other violations of federal law… Read More

SEC Regulation A+ Meeting Addressing Emerging Companies

On July 14, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced the agenda for its July 19 meeting of its Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies.  The SEC Committee will focus on the first year of Regulation A+,… Read More

Permanent SEC Bar Against Joseph Apuzzo of Terex Corporation Entered

On May 5, 2016, Judge Alvin W. Thompson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut granted the SEC’s motion for an officer and director bar against Joseph F. Apuzzo, former Chief Financial Officer of Terex… Read More

The SEC Announces Securities Fraud In ForceField Energy

On May 3, 2016, the SEC announced  securities fraud charges against 10 individuals involved in cash bribes and other kickbacks to registered representatives and unregistered brokers who solicited investors to buy stock in ForceField Energy Inc. The SEC… Read More

IHUB Pushes Back to COR Clearing Subpoena in Calissio Case

We last wrote about the complex litigation involving Calissio Resources Group (CRGP) in February.  It arose out of a controversy surrounding the company’s payment of a special dividend of $0.011 a share in August 2015.  At the time… Read More