Rio Tinto, a global mining and metals company, has agreed to pay a $15 million civil penalty to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The violation is related to a bribery scheme involving a consultant in Guinea. The Hiring of a Consultant […]
Tag: SEC Enforcement
SEC Charges Silver Edge Financial LLC and Equity Acquisition Company Ltd. with Unregistered Broker-Dealer Activity
On March 3, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Silver Edge Financial LLC, Equity Acquisition Company Ltd. (EAC), their owners, and sales staff with unregistered broker-dealer activity related to their sales of interests in shares of various pre-IPO companies. In this article, we will discuss the details of […]
The Greenbrier Companies Settle with SEC for Failing to Disclose Perks to Executives
The SEC announced on March 2, 2023, that The Greenbrier Companies Inc. and its founder and former CEO and Chairman, William A. Furman, settled charges for failing to disclose perks provided to Furman and other Greenbrier executives, as well as compensation Furman received from Greenbrier’s charters of his private plane […]
Former Co-Lead Engineer of FTX Trading Charged by SEC for Role in Multiyear Scheme to Defraud Equity Investors
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Nishad Singh, the former Co-Lead Engineer of FTX Trading Ltd. (FTX), for his involvement in a multiyear scheme to defraud equity investors in FTX, a crypto trading platform that Singh co-founded with Samuel Bankman-Fried and Gary Wang. The scheme allegedly involved diverting […]
An SEC Subpoena, or a FINRA OTR. Now what?
When the SEC Comes Calling – 2023 Update By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. WHILE BROKERS OFTEN BECOME upset or even angry when they are named in customer arbitration, nothing strikes fear in the hearts of licensed individuals as much as receiving an SEC subpoena or a FINRA 8210 request. The […]
SEC Subpoenas – Tips for Responding – 2023
How you respond to an SEC subpoena makes a difference. Tips from an experienced securities attorney.
Ozy Media and Executives Charged with Defrauding Investors of $50 Million
The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged media and entertainment company Ozy Media Inc. and its executives with defrauding investors of approximately $50 million through misrepresentations regarding the company’s financial condition, business relationships, and fundraising efforts. The CEO of Ozy Media, Carlos R. Watson, Jr., the former COO Samir Rao, […]
SEC Settles Charges Against African Gold Acquisition Corp. for Internal Controls, Reporting, and Recordkeeping Violations
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has settled charges against African Gold Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), for violating Exchange Act provisions related to internal controls, reporting, and recordkeeping. The SEC’s order alleges that the SPAC’s former chief financial officer misappropriated approximately $1.2 million from the company’s […]
SEC Fines OCC $17 Million for Non-Compliance with Stress Testing and Clearing Fund Methodology
The SEC has ordered The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) to pay $17 million in penalties for violating its SEC-approved Stress Testing and Clearing Fund Methodology rule. The regulatory body found that OCC failed to comply with its own rule during certain times between October 2019 and May 2021. OCC, based […]
SEC Charges Terraform and CEO Do Kwon in Crypto Schemes
We discussed this case previously in connection with the firm’s CEO,s attempts to avoid service of a subpoena and his refusal to comply. The company not only refused to comply, but it sued the SEC for violation of various statutes. See, What Happens if I Ignore an SEC Subpoena. Now […]