The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Canada’s largest bank, Royal Bank of Canada, will pay a $6 million penalty to settle charges that it violated the books and records and internal accounting controls provisions of the securities…
Enforcement
SEC Charges Former Co-CEOs of Tech Start-Up Bitwise Industries for Falsifying Documents While Raising $70 Million From Investors
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin, Jr., the former co-CEOs of Fresno, California-based private technology services startup Bitwise Industries Inc., for misleading investors about the…
SEC 2024 Examination Priorities for Broker-Dealers
The SEC’s Division of Examinations prioritizes examinations of certain practices, products, and services that it believes present potentially heightened risks to investors or the integrity of the U.S. capital markets. They have announced the 2024 examination priorities. Here is a summary of the Broker-Dealer priorities for 2024. We summarized the […]
Albemarle Corp. to Pay SEC More Than $103 Million to Settle FCPA Violations
The SEC has recently disclosed that Albemarle Corporation, a prominent global specialty chemicals company headquartered in Charlotte, has agreed to a substantial settlement of over $103.6 million. This settlement is in response to the SEC’s charges that Albemarle violated several key provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), specifically […]
American Infrastructure Funds Settles SEC Charges
American Infrastructure Funds LLC (AIM), a registered investment adviser based in Foster City, California, has agreed to a settlement with the SEC, in which AIM will pay over $1.6 million to resolve charges brought against the firm. These charges stem from several alleged breaches of its duties as an investment […]
Hire a Securities Defense Attorney to Respond to an SEC Subpoena
By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. For individuals and businesses involved in securities-related matters, facing a subpoena can be daunting. These investigations can be lengthy, detailed, and quite intense. The SEC wields substantial authority to investigate potential violations of securities laws, and responding to a subpoena demands a keen understanding of […]
Linus Financial Agrees to Settle SEC Charges of Unregistered Offer and Sale of Securities
In the appropriate case in our securities defense practice, we sometimes advise clients to self-report a violation and the client’s efforts to correct the violation. The rationale is that the SEC views self-reporting in a positive light when determining sanctions, and the reporting can avoid lengthy and costly investigations and […]
SEC Charges Five Advisory Firms for Custody Rule Violations
We continue to see investigations of advisory firms for violations of the Custody Rule, which has specific requirements for the handling and reporting for firms that hold customer funds. The SEC has an extensive FAQ regarding the rule and the requirements for compliance. As always we are available to assist […]
SEC Charges Private Equity Firm Prime Group for Inadequate Disclosure of Fees Paid to Affiliate
The SEC has taken action against Prime Group Holdings LLC, a private equity firm specializing in alternative real estate assets. The SEC’s charges revolve around the firm’s failure to provide adequate disclosure concerning substantial real estate brokerage fees paid to an affiliate, owned by Prime Group’s CEO.
ETF Manager Settles SEC Charges of Fraudulent Conduct
The SEC has taken action against an ETF Manager, alleging misconduct in the management of an exchange-traded fund (ETF). This scheme involved misleading the ETF’s trustees and securing a whopping $20 million in rescue financing to avert potential bankruptcy. As a result, Masucci and his entities have agreed to a substantial settlement of $4.4 million.
