Weekly Enforcement Action Tracker (May 26 – May 30)
SEC
Penalties: $45,332.00
Respondent: Alexander Kon
Violation: After various email exchanges and phone calls between the Former CEO and Kon, they agreed that for $25,000, Kon would run a marketing campaign on Issuer A stock on April 14, 2014, via four websites that Kon operated: 1) 007stockchat.com; 2) awesomestocktips.com; 3) otcfire.com, and 4) pennystockspy.com… Read More
Penalties: TBD
Respondent: Content Checked Holdings, Inc., e.Digital Corp. and Liberty Coal Energy Corp.
Violation: Content Checked failed to comply with Exchange Act Section 13(a) and Rules 13a-1 and 13a-13 thereunder because it has not filed any periodic reports with the Commission since the period ended December 31, 2015… Read More
Penalties: TBD
Respondent: Gregory M. Bercowy
Violation: In August 2016, Bercowy attempted to manipulate the stock of Aureus, Inc., a penny stock company, through amassing over three million shares of Aureus in the brokerage accounts of his relative through his online access of his relative’s accounts… Read More
Penalties: TBD
Respondent: Steven Pagartanis
Violation: defrauding long-standing brokerage customers in an $8 million investment scam… Read More
Penalties: N/A
Respondent: Emanuel Pantelakis
Violation: Pantelakis and his co-conspirators fraudulently induced investors to invest by, among other things: (a) drafting and disseminating false and misleading press releases and announcements relating to Terminus; (b) drafting, causing to be drafted, and disseminating false and misleading PPMs; and (c) drafting and disseminating false and misleading business plans, executive summaries, and presentations relating to Terminus… Read More
Penalties: N/A
Respondent: SEC Complaint – Steven Pagartanis
Violation: Pagartanis, defrauded at least nine retail investors of approximately $8 million by soliciting and selling them securities using false and misleading statements from 2013 to at least February 2018… Read More
FINRA
Penalties: N/A
Respondent: Maria N. Tamburro
Violation: Between September 27 and 29, 2016, Tamburro effected at least 35 unauthorized trades in the accounts of six Firm customers, in violation of FINRA Rule 2010. Further, from March 2017 to November 2017, Tamburro failed to timely respond to requests for documents and information issued pursuant to FINRA Rule 8210, in violation of FINRA Rules 8210 and 2010… Read More
Penalties: $10,000.00
Respondent: John Krohn
Violation: Over approximately four years, Krohn engaged in four outside business activities and made more than two dozen personal purchases of securities away from his firm without notifying it about those activities or purchases, violating NASD Rule 3040 and FINRA Rules 2010, 3270, and 3280… Read More
Penalties: N/A
Respondent: Anthony Bernard Didonato, III
Violation: Didonato refused to appear for on-the-record testimony that was requested pursuant to FINRA Rule 8210. As a result, Didonato violated FINRA Rules 8210 and 2010… Read More
Penalties: $5,000.00
Respondent: Kenneth K. Jobson
Violation: Between February 2015 and January 2017, while registered with Morgan Stanley, Jobson engaged in an outside business that specialized in manufacturing and refurbishing custom motor homes, (the “Motor Home Company”), without providing written notice to Morgan Stanley. Between approximately June 2015 and January 2017, Jobson also engaged in another outside business that provided fuel system services (the “Fuel Service Company”), without providing written notice to Morgan Stanley… Read More
Penalties: $10,000.00
Respondent: Morey Goldberg
Violation: TFrom October 2014 through August 2015, while registered with M Holdings, Goldberg failed to disclose one outside business activity to his member firm, in violation of FINRA Rules 3270 and 2010. In addition, from November 9, 2014 through November 18, 2014, while registered with M Holdings, Goldberg distributed to eleven potential customers a presentation regarding a private placement offering that was not fair and balanced and that failed to provide a sound basis for evaluating the investment referenced in it, in violation of FINRA Rule 2210 and 2010… Read More
Penalties: $10,000.00
Respondent: Carlos Velazquez
Violation: Between February 2016 and December 2016, Velazquez was involved in an outside business without providing full and complete written notice to, or obtaining the requisite approval from, Waddell & Reed. By virtue of this misconduct, Velazquez violated FINRA Rules 3270 and 2010. Velazquez also provided false and misleading information to FINRA. in response to a request for a written statement. By virtue of this misconduct, Velazquez violated FINRA Rule 2010… Read More
