SEC Charges Former Executives of Lucent Polymers, a Plastics Manufacturer with Fraud

On February 12, 2019, the SEC charged two former high-ranking executives,  of an Indiana-based plastics manufacturer with concealing from potential buyers of the manufacturer the fact that the company’s core business model was a sham. According to the… Read More

Court Imposes Lifetime Officer-And-Director Bars On Michael J. Kipp, Swisher’s former CFO, and Joanne K. Viard

A federal district court has permanently barred two former corporate officers of a North Carolina-based hygiene and sanitation company from serving as officers or directors of public companies. The SEC charged the two officers of Swisher Hygiene, Inc., Michael… Read More

SEC Obtains Final Judgment Against Niket Shah in Ponzi Scheme Targeting Retail Investors

The SEC obtained a final judgment on February 8, 2018, against Niket Shah, a New Jersey resident who was charged last year by the agency with stealing more than $250,000 in a Ponzi scheme in which his friends… Read More

SEC Charges Robert Alexander, Founder of Online Gaming Company for Defrauding Investors

On February 7,2019, the SEC charged Robert Alexander with fraudulently raising approximately $9 million from more than 50 individuals by selling investments in Kizzang LLC, a purported online gaming business. According to the SEC’s complaint, among other misrepresentations,… Read More

Scottsdale and John Hurry Push Back to Stop FINRA Investigation

On December 17, 2018, John Hurry broker dealer, Scottsdale Capital Advisers Corporation sued the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), for breach of contract in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  Scottsdale and its sister company,… Read More

SEC Charges Taiwan-Based Insurance, China United with Fraudulent Market Manipulation Scheme

A Taiwan-based insurance company, China United Insurance Service, Inc. and one of its former managers have agreed to settle fraud charges brought by the SEC relating to a scheme to manipulate the company’s trading volume. The complaint alleges that,… Read More

SEC Obtains Asset Freeze Against Former Thomas Laws CEO Charged with Misappropriating Investor Funds

The SEC announced on December 14, 2018 charges against Thomas Laws, the former CEO of Santa Fe Gold Corporation, for the misappropriation of investor funds. The SEC also obtained an asset freeze against Thomas Laws. The SEC’s complaint, unsealed… Read More

SEC Sues Orange County Investment Adviser, Craig Arsenault for Defrauding Clients

On December 14, 2018 the SEC charged Craig Arsenault, a California investment adviser with misappropriating client funds and misleading his clients about how their money was invested and how their investments were performing. The SEC is seeking an… Read More

Court Enters Final Judgments in Eb-5 Scheme, Ordering Return of $25.8 Million to Defrauded Chinese Investors

On November 19, 2018, a U.S. District Court for the Central District of California entered final judgments on consent against defendants Edward and Jean Chen, husband and wife, and five entity defendants who had been charged with defrauding… Read More

Owner of Options Trading Website, Mark Suleymanoy Charged for Defrauding Retail Investors

On December 3,2018 the SEC charged Mark Suleymanov of Glen Cove, New York with engaging in an online binary options scheme that defrauded retail investors out of approximately $4 million. The SEC’s complaint alleges that from at least… Read More

David Dreslin and Michael Toups charged with Orchestrating a Fraudulent Public Shell Company Scheme

The SEC announced on December 3,2018 fraud charges against a Florida-based CPA, a former broker, and his spouse, for their roles in a fraudulent scheme involving the creation and sale of a public shell company and false regulatory… Read More

A Kentucky Man, Jared Forrester charged for Role in Nationwide Oil Investment Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a 35-year-old Jared Forrester for his role in a scheme that resulted in the fraudulent offering and sale of at least $15 million of securities to more than 150 investors. The SEC’s… Read More

SEC Charges Eric “EJ” Dalius, Network Marketer with Masterminding a Multimillion Dollar Ponzi and Pyramid Scheme

The SEC has charged Eric “EJ” Dalius and seven corporate entities that he controlled with defrauding investors through the promotion and operation of a multimillion dollar Ponzi and pyramid scheme. The SEC alleges that Eric “EJ” Dalius, who… Read More

SEC Obtains Final Judgement Against Steven Newman

On November 9, 2018, the Honorable Nicholas G. Garaufis of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered a final judgment against defendant Steven Newman. The final judgment imposes on Newman a permanent… Read More

Court Enters Final Judgment in Case Against Immigration Lawyer, Steve Qi and His Law Firm

On November 5, 2018, a U.S. District Court for the Central District of California entered a final judgment on consent against immigration attorney, Steve Qi, and his law firm who were charged with violations in connection with the… Read More

Hurricane Restoration Company and Executives Settle SEC Accounting Fraud Charges

The former CEO and CFO of a now-defunct Dallas and New Orleans-based disaster remediation and construction business, Home Solutions of America, Inc have agreed to pay disgorgement and penalties to settle accounting fraud charges brought by the SEC…. Read More

Biopharmaceutical Company Clovis Oncology Inc. & Executive Patrick Mahaffy Charged With Misleading Investors About Cancer Drug

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that a Boulder, Colorado-based biopharmaceutical company, its CEO, and its former CFO will pay more than $20 million in penalties to settle charges of misleading investors about the company’s developmental lung cancer… Read More

SEC Charges Cloud Communications Company and Senior Executives Mark Greenquist And Michael Swade With Misleading Revenue Projections

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a cloud communications company and two executives with providing misleading quarterly revenue estimates. The company and executives agreed to pay over $1.9 million in penalties to settle the SEC’s charges. According to… Read More

SEC Charges U.S. Congressman Christopher Collins and Others With Insider Trading

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced on Aug. 8, 2018  the filing of insider trading charges against Congressman Christopher Collins, the U.S. Representative for New York’s 27th Congressional District, his son, Cameron Collins, and a third individual, Stephen Zarsky…. Read More

Yao Li Settles Insider Trading Charges

On July 24, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that Yao Li, a senior executive at a Silicon Valley fiber optics company agreed to settle charges that he made nearly $200,000 in illicit profits by trading on… Read More

SEC Charges John Paulsen for Aiding & Abetting Pay-To-Play Scheme

On July 26, 2018, the Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed a civil injunctive action against John A. Paulsen, a former managing director and fixed income research analyst at a registered broker-dealer, for aiding and abetting a pay-to-play… Read More

Chardan Capital Charged by SEC

On May 16, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged Chardan Capital Markets LLC (Chardan Capital) and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Financial Services LLC (ICBCFS), a New York City based brokerage firm, alleging the report… Read More

SEC Charges Gregory Bercowy with Market Manipulation Scheme

On April 4, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) charged Gregory Bercowy with a fraudulent scheme to manipulate the stock price of Aureus, Inc., a penny stock company incorporated in Nevada. The SEC alleges that between August… Read More

SEC Charges Andrew Kandelapas in Penny Stock Fraud Scheme

On April 13, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Andrew Kandelapas with making false and misleading statements in the company’s SEC filings and press releases and with manipulating the company’s stock. The SEC’s complaint against Andrew Kandalepas,… Read More

Capital Cove Bancorp LLC and Christopher Lee aka Rashid Khalfani Charged with Defrauding Investors to Pay Over $3.8 Million

On April 11, 2018, a federal district court has ordered Christopher Lee aka Rashid Khalfani, whom the Securities and Exchange Commission charged in 2015 with pocketing money raised from investors, to pay over $3.8 million in disgorgement and… Read More

SEC Charges Michael Scronic with Engaging in Ponzi-like Scheme

On April 4, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Michael Scronic with fraud stemming from lies to retail investors about the value of their investments in a Ponzi-like scheme. The SEC alleges that, starting in approximately 2010,… Read More

SEC Charges Michael Liberty with Fraudulent Scheme to Defraud Investors and Misappropriate Funds

On April 4, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Michael Liberty, the founder of the fintech startup now known as Mozido, Inc., with a fraudulent scheme to trick hundreds of investors into investing in his shell companies… Read More

SEC Charges Amrit Chahal with Fraud

On April 16, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Amrit Chahal with orchestrating an investment scheme over several years. The SEC’s complaint alleges that, from at least February 2015, Amrit Chahal, of Fairfax, Va., used his company,… Read More

SEC Detects William Gennity and Rocco Roveccio Defrauding Customers

On September 28, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged William Gennity and Rocco Roveccio with making unsuitable recommendations that resulted in substantial losses to customers and hefty commissions for the brokers. One of the brokers agreed to… Read More

SEC Charges Charlie Chen and Shui Foon Mok in Multi-Year Trading Scheme

On April 5, 2018, The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Charlie Chen for making an extraordinarily profitable series of unlawful trades in the securities of Massachusetts-based VistaPrint, N.V. According to the SEC’s complaint, Charlie Chen used private information… Read More