Will Small Cap Investors Embrace Donald Trump’s DWAC? The latest Reddit Meme Stock

Since the fall of 2019, we’ve written a number of times about the Securities and Exchange Commission’s amendments to Rule 15c2-11, which, most importantly, require over-the-counter stocks to provide “current information” to the public. Since the end of… Read More

Federal Jury Convicts Defendants In NuTech Energy Resources Securities Fraud

On Wednesday, October 13, 2021, a federal jury in Cheyenne returned guilty verdicts against a Pennsylvania man and two Florida men related to a stock fraud involving NuTech Energy Resources Inc., a company that claimed to operate coalbed-methane… Read More

SEC Charges Webcast Host Mark Melnick for His Role in Market Manipulation Scheme

On September 30, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced charges against Mark Melnick, a day trader and T3 Live Senior Trading Strategist for spreading more than 100 false rumors about public companies in order to… Read More

SEC Obtains Emergency Relief Against Richard Xia Charged with EB-5 Securities Fraud

On September 28, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced that it filed an emergency action and obtained an asset freeze, among other relief, against Richard Xia (aka Yi Xia) and his company, Fleet New York… Read More

SEC Sues Carebourn Capital, L.P. and Its Managing Partner Chip Rice for Acting as an Unregistered Securities Dealer

On September 24, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged Carebourn Capital, L.P. and its managing partner Chip Rice of Maple Grove, Minnesota, with acting as unregistered securities dealers in connection with their buying and selling of… Read More

Section 12(j) – SEC Termination of Registration, Revocation and Trading Suspensions

Proceedings under Section 12(j) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (the “Exchange Act”) are frequently initiated when an SEC reporting company has failed to comply with its SEC reporting requirements. Section 12(j) authorizes the SEC to revoke… Read More

SEC Charges Two Individuals for Wash Trading Scheme Involving Options of “Meme Stocks”

Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged a Florida resident and his friend for engaging in a fraudulent scheme designed to collect liquidity rebates from exchanges by wash trading put options of certain “meme stocks” in early 2021…. Read More

Forms 211: OTC Markets’ New Role – Quotation, Trading Suspensions and Listing

We’ve written several times about the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) amendments to Rule 15c2-11, first proposed in September 2019 and adopted in September 2020. The amended rule will finally become effective on September 28, 2021. That is… Read More

Amended Rule 15c-211 Is Only a Week Away – Going Public, Form S-1, Form 211

We last wrote about the Securities and Exchange Commission’s new Rule 15c2-11 in early August. The amended rule was proposed in September 2019; the final rule appeared in September 2020. Now the compliance deadline, September 28, 2021, is… Read More

SEC Surpasses $1 Billion in Total Whistleblower Awards

On September 15, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) awarded approximately $110 million to a whistleblower whose information and assistance led to successful SEC and related actions. With the award, the SEC’s whistleblower program has now… Read More

SEC Files Subpoena Enforcement Action Against Alexander Kon

On September 1, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it filed an action against Alexander Kon, a penny stock promoter and resident of Overland Park, Kansas, seeking an order directing him to comply with investigative subpoenas… Read More

A Tale of Two Unregistered Dealers – Toxic Convertible Note Lenders Under SEC Scrutiny

In 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) stepped up its efforts to reel in “toxic lenders”: individuals who profit enormously by buying convertible securities in penny stock companies and selling the shares they obtain upon conversion… Read More

SEC Whistleblower – Dodd Frank Revisions to be Proposed

On August 2, 2021, Gary Gensler, the new chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), announced that because he wasn’t entirely pleased with the amendments to the rules governing the agency’s whistleblower program that became final in… Read More

SEC Charges Unregistered Dealers Alexander Dillon, Cosmin Panait, Larry Adams and Salvador Rosillo

On Friday, August 13th, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filed charges against GPL Ventures LLC, GPL Management LLC, Alexander J. Dillon, Cosmin I. Panait (the “GPL Defendants”), HempAmericana, Inc, Salvador E. Rosillo, Seaside Advisors, LLC, and… Read More

Emerging Growth Company Status and the Going Public Process

Going public offers many benefits to companies seeking to grow their business, including: Enhanced ability to raise capital, Liquidity for founders and shareholders, Increased visibility Improved financial position, Enhanced credibility, Enhanced ability to attract and retain employees and… Read More

SEC Obtains Default Judgment in Edgar Hacking Case

On July 29, 2021, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey entered a default judgment against Oleksandr Ieremenko and Andrey Sarafanov, who were charged in connection with a scheme to trade on nonpublic earnings… Read More

Understanding the September 28 Amended Rule 15c2-11 Deadline

As the summer of 2021 enters its final months, investors in the U.S. over-the-counter market and OTC issuers themselves await the rollout of the amended Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Rule 15c2-11 on September 28. The rule is… Read More

SEC Pursues Unregistered Dealers, Toxic Financing, Toxic Convertible Notes

2020 has been a historic year for Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) enforcement action against toxic lenders as unregistered dealers.

SEC charges former Nikola CEO with securities fraud

On July 29th, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced charges against Trevor R. Milton, the founder, former CEO and former executive chairman of Nikola Corporation, for repeatedly disseminating false and misleading information – typically by speaking… Read More

SEC Charges Charlie Abujudeh in Microcap Fraud Scheme Targeting Retail Investors

On July 22, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filed an emergency action charging California resident Charlie Abujudeh with running microcap fraud schemes targeting retail investors. According to the SEC’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District… Read More

SEC charges Marlon Muller with stock manipulation

  On July 15th, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced charges against Marlon Muller for engaging in a pattern of coordinated trading intended to artificially raise and sustain the price of microcap issuer EMS Find, Inc…. Read More

TD Ameritrade puts out list of liquidation only stocks ahead of September 28, 2021 Rule 15c-211 amendments

On September 28, 2021, new amendments to Rule 15c-211 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 go into effect to enhance investor protection and improve issuer transparency. These amendments will restrict the ability of market makers to publish… Read More

SEC charges former CEO and CFO of FTE Networks, Inc with accounting fraud

Today, July 15, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) charged the former CEO and CFO of FTE Networks, Inc. (“FTE”), a network infrastructure company formerly based in Naples, Florida, with conducting a multi-year accounting fraud. The… Read More

SEC Suspends Trading in 55 Abandoned Issuers in Sweeping Order

Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) suspended trading in 55 publicly traded penny stock companies because of public interest concerns. According to the Order, all 55 issuers have stopped making public disclosures putting their operating status… Read More

SEC Charges Three Individuals with Insider Trading

On July 9th, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) charged three individuals with insider trading in advance of an announcement by Long Blockchain Company (formerly known as Long Island Iced Tea Co.) that it was going to… Read More

SEC sanctions Elaine A. Dowling and Harold P. Gewerter and charges Shawn Hackman in scheme to skirt a previous ban

On July 1st, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filed charges against banned attorney Shawn F Hackman for violating a September 10, 2002 Commission Order that suspended him from appearing or practicing before the Commission as an… Read More

SEC Charges Goldman Small Cap Research and its Owner for Failing to Disclose Compensation

On June 30, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced settled charges against Reuben Robert Goldman and his online stock promotion firm, Two Triangle Consulting Group LLC, which does business under the name Goldman Small Cap Research,… Read More

SEC Suspends Trading in Enerkon Solar International Inc (ENKS)

On Wednesday, June 23rd, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) suspended trading in Enerkon Solar International Inc (ENKS). The Suspension Order cited multiple public interest concerns. Specifically, the lack of adequate and accurate information in Enerkon’s quarterly… Read More

OTC Markets Requests 15c-211 Disclosures by June 30

    OTC Markets Pink companies will need to update their disclosure to ensure they comply with the new requirements. Alternative Reporting Companies: OTC Markets has updated the Disclosure Guidelines for Alternative Reporting Companies to include all the information… Read More