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 […]
Author: Mark J. Astarita
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 […]
SEC Charges Ontrak Chairman Terren Peizer with Insider Trading
The SEC has charged Terren S. Peizer, the Executive Chairman of Ontrak Inc., a healthcare treatment company based in Santa Monica, California, with insider trading. Peizer is accused of selling over $20 million of Ontrak stock between May and August 2021, while in possession of material nonpublic negative information related […]
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 […]
Whistleblowers Need Lawyers
By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Navigate the SEC whistleblower process with our comprehensive guide. Learn how to report financial misconduct confidently and protect your identity. A detailed walkthrough ensures you understand each stage, empowering you to play a crucial role in maintaining integrity in the financial sector. The SEC whistleblower […]
SEC Investor Advisory Committee to Discuss the Growth of Private Markets, Oversight of Investment Advisers, and Open-End Fund Liquidity Risk Management at March 2nd Meeting
Feb. 24, 2023 — The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Investor Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on March 2 at 10:00 a.m. ET. The meeting will be webcast on the SEC website. The committee will host three panels to discuss: Growth of Private Markets relative to the Public […]
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, […]
Insider Trading Charges Laid Against Andrew Stiles and Gray Stiles by SEC and U.S. Attorney’s Office
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York have jointly charged Andrew Stiles and Gray Stiles with insider trading. Andrew Stiles is accused of trading Kodak and Novavax stocks based on nonpublic information related to the companies’ government partnerships aimed […]
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 […]
Ensign Peak Advisers and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Settle SEC Charges
Ensign Peak Advisers Inc., a non-profit entity owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has settled charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for failing to file required disclosure forms related to the Church’s equity investments. The SEC also announced charges against the Church […]







