SEC Defendant and FBI Fugitive Justin Costello Arrested

On October 4, 2022, SEC Defendant and FBI fugitive Justin Costello was arrested by an FBI SWAT team. Costello had been on the run from authorities as a fugitive since September 29th after failing to surrender to authorities… Read More

SEC Charges Kim Kardashian with Violating Section 17(b)

On October 3, 2022, the SEC Division of Enforcement entered into a settlement of charges with Kimberly Kardashian (“Kardashian” or “Respondent”). The SEC Offer of Settlement (the “Offer”) includes findings that: On June 13, 2021, Kim Kardashian—a well-known… Read More

SEC Targets Publicly Traded Chinese Issuers Under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act

Since Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) completed its going public transaction in August 2005 on the NASDAQ Stock Market, many U.S. investors have found themselves fascinated and frustrated by Chinese companies. Baidu, a technology giant and AI developer offering, among… Read More

SEC Charges Glenn B. Laken, Davies Wong, Richard Tang and 15 other Defendants and names Jason Black as a Relief Defendant in International Scheme to Manipulate Stocks Using Hacked US Brokerage Accounts

On August 15, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) charged 18 individuals and entities for their roles in a fraudulent scheme in which dozens of online retail brokerage accounts were hacked and improperly used to purchase… Read More

SEC Charges Broker-Dealer Alpine Securities Corporation and Two Employees with Engaging in Unauthorized Securities Transactions

On August 10, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) charged broker-dealer Alpine Securities Corporation, its former Chief Executive Officer Christopher Doubek, and its current Chief Operations Officer Joseph Walsh with engaging in a series of unauthorized… Read More

SEC Charges Eleven Individuals in $300 Million Crypto Pyramid Scheme known as Forsage

August 1, 2022 — The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) today charged 11 individuals for their roles in creating and promoting Forsage, a fraudulent crypto pyramid and Ponzi scheme that raised more than $300 million from millions… Read More

SEC Charges Empires Consulting Corp and its founders, Emerson Sousa Pires and Flavio Mendes Goncalves, and head trader, Joshua David Nicholas, with Fake Trading Scheme

On June 30, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filed fraud charges against Empires Consulting Corp (“EmpiresX”), its founders, Emerson Sousa Pires and Flavio Mendes Goncalves, and its head trader, Joshua David Nicholas, (collectively, the “Defendants”)… Read More

SEC Charges Trends Investments Inc., Clinton Greyling and Leslie Greyling

On June 9, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) charged Trends Investments Inc. and five individuals, Clinton Greyling of Florida, Leslie Greyling (Clinton’s father, a resident of the United Kingdom), former Massachusetts resident Brandon Rossetti, Roger… Read More

SEC obtains asset freezes and other emergency relief against StraightPath Venture Partners LLC, StraightPath Management LLC, Brian K. Martinsen, Michael A. Castillero, Francine A. Lanaia, and Eric D. Lachow

On May 16, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) obtained asset freezes and other emergency relief against StraightPath Venture Partners LLC, StraightPath Management LLC, Brian K. Martinsen, Michael A. Castillero, Francine A. Lanaia, and Eric D…. Read More

SEC Files Charges Against Michael Forster

On May 4, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filed a complaint alleging Michael Forster engaged in manipulative trading in connection with a microcap issuer he controlled, Cuba Beverage Company (CUBV), a purported energy drink company…. Read More

SEC Charges 15 Individuals in a $194 Million International Penny Stock Fraud

  The Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against 16 defendants, located in the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Monaco, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, for participating in multi-year fraudulent penny stock… Read More

Attorney Andrew Coldicutt faces SEC charges after getting caught in an FBI sting

On March 1, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced fraud charges against San Diego-based attorney Andrew T.E. Coldicutt for his role in a would-be pump-and-dump scheme. According to the complaint, the charges arise in part… 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 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

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 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

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 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

The SEC just suspended my stock! Now what?

It can be the worst feeling in the world. You wake up, get your trading station all ready for a new day of profitable trading, but then the unthinkable happens. The market opens, but not that volatile issuer that had been running big, making your trading account look so good.

SEC Charges Healthcare Company and Its Founder with Multimillion Dollar Fraud

On May 19, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged a New Jersey-based healthcare company and its founder, Josiah David (formerly known as Dennis Lee), with fraudulently raising nearly $4 million from over 130 investors nationwide through the sale of membership units in the company.

David C. Coggins Sentenced for $1.3 Million Securities Fraud Scheme

On Friday, May 14, 2021, David C Coggins, 42, of Miami, was sentenced to 51 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,305,000 in restitution for operating an investment scheme in which he used investor funds to repay other investors and misappropriated funds for himself, including to pay for personal use, a vehicle and travel.

TD Ameritrade to restrict orders in Caveat Emptor designated OTC securities to liquidating trades only

According to a statement posted on the TD Ameritrade website, the popular trading platform will restrict orders in Caveat Emptor designated OTC securities to liquidating trades only starting May 25, 2021.

SEC Enforcement Actions Decline in 2020

According to the annual report published by the Division of Enforcement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), there were 715 overall enforcement actions in fiscal 2020, down 17% from the previous year.

Despite the slow down, financial remedies ordered “set a new high,” according to Stephanie Avakian, the agency’s enforcement chief. The Commission obtained judgments and orders totaling approximately $4.68 billion in disgorgement and penalties – the highest amount on record.

Caveat Emptor Securities Hit with a Big Setback

Last week, E*TRADE, a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, which offers an electronic trading platform to trade financial assets including common stocks, announced that effective November 21, 2020, customers will no longer be able to open positions in Caveat Emptor securities due to the risks associated with trading shares in these companies.

SEC Awards Two Unique Whistleblower Awards

On November 13, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced an award of over $1.1 million to a whistleblower whose independent analysis led the staff to look at new conduct during an ongoing investigation. 

Do Blue Sky Laws Apply to Regulation A Resales and Secondary Trading?

A sometimes overlooked aspect of Regulation A+ is the impact of state blue sky laws on liquidity and resales also known as secondary sales. State blue sky laws are applicable to resales by purchasers in Regulation A Offerings and vary… Read More

Is My Toxic Lender and Dilution Funder a Dealer? – SEC Toxic Financing Actions

Dilution Funders have been charged by the SEC as unregistered dealers in violation of the Securities Exchange Act. Justin Keener and his company, JMJ Financial and John Fierro and his company, JDF Capital, Inc. are…

What is a SEC Trading Suspension? Securities Lawyer 101

SEC trading suspensions often leave investors in the dark. While SEC trading suspensions may be intended to prevent investor losses, the opposite is true.