Articles Posted in SEC Press Releases

The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced that UBS Financial Services will pay more than $15 million to settle charges related to unsuitable sales of reverse convertible notes (“RCNs”) to individual (“retail”) investors.  The SEC found that UBS failed to adequately educate and train its sales force in connection with the sale of RCNs as a result…

Fraud is always a danger in the world of investment advisers. In a recent example of this, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced fraud charges against Arthur F. Jacob, age 56, and his firm, Innovative Business Solutions LLC (“IBS”) of Florida.  Jacob is a disbarred attorney and a Certified Public Accountant whose history includes misappropriation of client…

On June 29, 2015 the Securities and Exchange Commission announced fraud charges against Wisconsin-based investment advisory firm and owner Mark P. Welhouse of Welhouse and Associates Inc. The firm and owner are being charged with improperly allocating certain options trades that appreciated in value to personal and business accounts, while allocating other trades that depreciated…

On May 21, 2015 the Securities and Exchange Commission announced fraud charges against Gray Financial Group, Founder and President Laurence O. Gray, and co-CEO Robert C. Hubbard IV. According to the SEC, the advisory firm and the two executives breached their fiduciary responsibility by swaying Atlanta public pension find clients to invest in alternate investments funds offered…

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced on May 12, 2015 that fraud charges were being filed against ITT Educational Services Inc., as well as Kevin Modany (chief executive officer), and Daniel Fitzpatrick (chief financial officer). According to the SEC, the national operators of for profit colleges and its two chief executives fraudulently concealed from ITT’s investors the…

Private placements are investments that have not been registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The lack of registration is either unlawful, or lawful due to an exemption from registration under the securities laws. Private placement investments are always high-risk investments that are complex, not transparent, and illiquid (cannot be readily sold) –…

On October 30, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that is has awarded $150,000 to an anonymous whistleblower. It is the sixth award since the SEC Whistleblower program began two years ago. So far, the largest award is $14 million. Under the SEC’s program, persons who voluntarily provide original information about a possible securities…

On April 22, 2013, George Canellos and Andrew Ceresney were named as SEC’s Division of Enforcement co-directors. Both have ties to SEC’s new chairman Mary Jo White. Canellos worked as an assistant attorney to Ms. White while she was the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in the 1990s to early 2000s. Then…

On April 8, 2013, the SEC charged ThanhHa Bao, a former employee at Abaxis Inc. a California-based medical device manufacturer, with illegally tipping. Bao allegedly tipped confidential financial data to her brother, Tai Nguyen, who illegally traded in Abaxis Inc.’s stock and enabled his hedge fund clients, at Insight Research, to do the same. Bao worked…

On July 3, 2012, Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings, possibly violated Reg FD when Hastings posted corporate information on his personal Facebook. However, on April 2, 2013, the SEC decided not to initiate an enforcement action or allege wrongdoing by Hastings or Netflix. The SEC recognized that there has been market uncertainty about the application of Regulation…