A recent enforcement action from the Fort Worth Regional Office of the SEC reminds one of the agency's investor-protection mission and continued focus on those who deceive retail investors in the private offer and sale of...more
In December 2020, three days before Christmas, the SEC filed a significant case against Ripple, the major cryptocurrency company. Ripple is a major cryptocurrency company, utilizing the technology to create a global digital...more
The fourth quarter of calendar year 2020 continued trends evidenced in the third quarter of the year, although far fewer cases were initiated. There were actions brought in a number of key areas such as offering fraud cases,...more
The Commission frequently increases the rate at enforcement actions are filed in advance of the September 30th fiscal year end. That fiscal year end is followed by Congressional budget hearings where statistics are at least...more
The first quarter of 2020 ended with the markets plummeting to new lows and much of the country shuttered in an effort to avoid transmitting COVID-19. SEC Enforcement finished the quarter by not filing any new cases in the...more
The SEC has settled its fraud action against Longfin CEO Venkata Meenavalli, who has agreed to pay $400,000 in disgorgement and penalties. The SEC's complaint alleged that Longfin and Meenavalli obtained qualification for...more
The SEC charged fifteen individuals with acting as unregistered brokers or aiding-and-abetting such activity in connection with Intertech Solutions, Inc.’s fraudulent and unregistered securities offerings....more
The SEC recently announced its settlement of charges against boxer Floyd Mayweather and producer DJ Khaled for their failure to disclose payments they received for promoting Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) on their social media...more
On November 2, 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC or Commission) Division of Enforcement (the Division) released its annual report discussing enforcement-related actions and key initiatives (the...more
The lure of big profits from the settlement of large personal injury law suits was the hook used by a lawyer and his partner to attract investors to Prometheus Law. The thought of all those dollars — virtually riskless...more
Budget hearings were a focus this week as the Chair of the SEC and Chairman of the CFTC visited Capitol Hill. Both sought substantial increases, requesting more money for technology, inspections and enforcement. While the...more
In recent years the SEC has brought a series of investment and offering fraud actions. Typically those actions center on schemes which promise to-good-to-be-true returns in which investors lose substantial sums. In what may...more
The Commission prevailed on a summary judgment motion this week in a case based on an offering fraud. It also filed another settled FCPA action centered on gifts, travel and entertainment provided to healthcare professionals...more
The SEC filed its first action against a municipal adviser for breach of fiduciary duty based on a provision amended by Dodd-Frank. The agency also continued to file insider trading actions in an administrative forum....more
The Commission filed another group of settled actions under its initiative regarding municipal bond underwriters. This time a group of fourteen actions were filed. Each centered largely on claims that the underwriter failed...more
During the holiday period the SEC filed three insider trading cases as administrative proceeding. Three actions were brought involving major Wall Street banks; one centered on “parking” allegations involving Morgan Stanley...more
The SEC prevailed in one court case this week but lost in another. In an investment fund fraud action the agency won at trial. In the First Circuit, however, it lost in an appeal of the long running action against two former...more
This was the period of admissions. The SEC secured admissions in three actions over the period with beginning the week of Thanksgiving and continuing into the beginning of December. Cases filed during the period include: A...more
The SEC charged a 25 year veteran of the nursing home and retirement community business with offering fraud. The defendant has been involved multiple offerings, raising over $190 million. SEC v. Brogdon, (D. N.J. November 20,...more
The New York AG may have launched a new trend this week. Using the Martin Act, he filed a settled action against the largest coal producer in the nation alleging false statements regarding the firm’s ability to project the...more
The SEC’s apparent preference for administrative proceedings as a venue for its enforcement actions continues to draw criticism. H.R. 3798 is now pending in the House of Representatives. The bill is tilted the “Due Process...more
The Manhattan U.S. Attorney announced the filing of motions to dismiss the insider trading conviction of Michael Steinberg, formerly a portfolio manager at SAC Capitol, and six others in the wake of the Second Circuit’s...more
Self-dealing and undisclosed conflicts are a central theme of many of the enforcement actions brought recently by the SEC. Those themes are the predicate for the Commission’s action which centers on an investment manager who...more
The Commission accepted a settlement offer from one of three Respondents in an offering fraud action. It was based in part on cooperation and an undertaking to appear and testify for the staff in the future. In resolving the...more
September 30th Madness dominated this week. The drive for stats was evident as the Commission stacked up cases like cord wood at a pace seldom seen. Twenty-two municipal bond actions were filed in one swoop; an insider...more