The SEC has announced charges against OTC Link LLC, a New York-based broker-dealer, for failing to file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) for over three years. OTC Link has agreed to pay a $1.19 million penalty to settle the charges. Background Broker-dealers like OTC Link are required to file […]
Enforcement
Ideanomics and Three Executives Settle SEC Charges
SEC Cracks Down on Ideanomics and Executives for Fraudulent Activities The SEC has settled fraud charges against Ideanomics, Inc., its former Chairman and CEO Zheng (Bruno) Wu, and current CEO Alfred Poor, for misleading the public about the company’s financial performance between 2017 and 2019. Key Highlights: Misleading revenue […]
SEC Charges Founder of Social Media Company “IRL” with $170 Million Fraud
SEC Charges Abraham Shafi with Fraudulent Activities at Get Together Inc. The SEC’s Allegations Against Abraham Shafi The SEC has charged Abraham Shafi, the founder and former CEO of Get Together Inc., a social media startup known as “IRL.” Shafi is accused of defrauding investors by making false and misleading […]
SEC Charges Nader Al-Naji with Fraud and Unregistered Offering of Crypto Asset Securities
Unveiling the Allegations: Fraudulent Crypto Scheme The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Nader Al-Naji with orchestrating a multi-million-dollar fraudulent crypto asset scheme involving a social media platform named BitClout and its native token, BTCLT. Raising Funds Through Deception Starting in November 2020, Al-Naji raised over $257 million through […]
SEC Awards Whistleblower More Than $37 Million
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced an award of more than $37 million to a whistleblower whose information and assistance led to a successful SEC enforcement action. The whistleblower persisted in reporting the misconduct internally,… SEC Press Release
SEC Charges Virginia Engineer with Orchestrating $30 Million Offering Fraud
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Babu Ramaraj, a resident of Aldie, Virginia, with defrauding more than 70 investors of approximately $31 million through his company, DAB Inspection and Consulting Services LLC. The SEC’s complaint… SEC Press Release
SEC Launches Interagency Securities Council to Coordinate Enforcement Efforts Across Federal, State, and Local Agencies
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement this month launched the Interagency Securities Council (ISC), which invites federal, state, and local regulatory and law enforcement professionals to meet quarterly to discuss the latest in… SEC Press Release
SEC Whistleblower Award: A $37 Million Milestone
The SEC has granted over $37 million to a whistleblower. This individual provided previously unknown information to the SEC, significantly aiding a successful enforcement action. The whistleblower also collaborated with the Enforcement staff, identifying potential witnesses and documents, thus conserving valuable time and resources. Significance of the SEC’s Whistleblower […]
What Does a Securities Lawyer Do?
Mark J. Astarita, Esq. is a nationally recognized securities attorney, representing clients in securities investigations, arbitrations and litigation matters across the country. You can contact him at 212-509-6544 or by email at mja@sallahlaw.com Securities law is a specialized field of law encompassing various types of securities lawyers. Transactional securities lawyers […]
9 Proven Strategies for Defending an SEC Investigation
By: Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Defending an SEC Investigation Do you need an SEC Investigation Attorney? The answer is probably yes, since facing an SEC investigation can be intimidating for individuals or organizations, and defending against it requires expertise and insight. The SEC is a powerful regulatory entity that can […]