Welcome to Stock Promoters in the news. We search various news sources and bring you the stories here. Feel free to use the "Contact us" to send us additional stories any time.
August 28, 2008
Columnist Kearney's influence paid off
August 27, 2008
Parekh, others refused bail in stock scam case
August 27,2008
Inherit the Spin: The NCSE Answers "Ten Questions to Ask Your Biology Teacher About Evolution" With Evasions and Falsehoods
August 27, 2008
Auction Rate Securities Probe Focusing on Fidelity, Goldman Sachs Ties
Aug 27, 2008
August 26, 2008
Court OKs shareholder settlement with owner of Blairstown plant
August 26, 2008
Accused stockbrokers try to slip regulatory noose
August 22, 2008
Minkow Drops Campaign Against Herbalife
August 22, 2008
SEC Busts International Stock Scam
August 22, 2008
Herbalife says group retracts lead claims
August 22, 2008
Greenberg in AIG Suit Faces Losing Most of $1 Billion
August 22, 2008
Greenberg, other ex-AIG heads accused of $US1b diversion
August 21, 2008
Hackers' Potential Damage Increases
August 20, 2008
CellCyte stops paying its remaining employees
August 20, 2008
Indian activists assert priorities before DNC
August 20, 2008
The Do-Not-Call list may benefit investors
August 20th, 2008
Fidelity Should Buy Back Auction Rate Securities, Massachusetts Officials Says
August 19, 2008
Home Depot Retirement Fund Holders Get Second Chance in Court
August 19th, 2008
Brokerages Not Keen on Buying Back Auction Rate Securities
August 18, 2008
Grokking SCO's Demise
August 18, 2008
Apple: Great Company with Lofty Valuation - Due for Pullback
August 18, 2008
Auction Rate Securities Buy Backs Leave Out Some Investors
August 16, 2008
VeriSign, SEC Trying New Ways to Beat Penny Stock Pushers
August 16, 2008
SEC: Freeze Spaniard's assets
August 16,2008
U.S. SEC freezes funds in trans-Atlantic "pump and dump" scheme
August 16,2008
SEC Charges Bremerton Company with Illegally Pumping Up Stock Price
August 15, 2008
Startup hacks: 7 questions VCs will ask you, what they really mean, and how you can answer them
August 15, 2008
Judge Frederic Block: A Good Draw For Cioffi and Tannin?
August 15, 2008
Brothers in Jericho stock scam get 5 years in prison
August 15,2008
The ARS Market: Essentially a Massive Ponzi Scheme
August 14, 2008
Steal the Company
August 13th, 2008
Report Says Auction Rate Securities Concerns Raised in 2005
August 13,2008
2 North Texas men accused of securities fraud
August 12, 2008
Software Targets Illegally Inflated Stocks
August 12, 2008
New Anti-pump and dump software developed
August 12, 2008
VeriSign Unveils Real-Time Protection Against "Pump and Dump" Fraud
AUGUST 12, 2008
VERISIGN UNVEILS REAL-TIME PROTECTION AGAINST " PUMP AND DUMP" FRAUD
AUGUST 12, 2008
2 NORTH TEXAS RESIDENTS ACCUSED OF CHEATING INVESTORS OF MILLIONS
August 12, 2008
VeriSign tackle 'pump and dump' scammers
August 11, 2008
VeriSign Reveals First of Its Kind Real-Time Protection Against ‘Pump and Dump’ Stock Trading Fraud
August 11, 2008
Pump and Dump' conmen targeted
August 11,2008
VeriSign Reveals First of Its Kind Real-Time Protection Against 'Pump and Dump' Stock Trading Fraud
August 9, 2008
Senators: Why was Arroyo at signing of ex-aide’s deals?
August 8, 20008
VeriSign releases stock fraud protection service
August 8,2008
Banks Lining Up to Settle Auction Rate Securities Charges
August 8, 2008
IIROC: New Securities Watchdog Leaps onto Scene
August 7, 2008
SEC sues penny stock impresario profiled by The Register
August 7, 2008
Stock promotions are search for victims
August 7,2008
Final solutions
July 4, 2008
B.C. man close to end of 12-year legal ordeal in Bulgaria
July 3,2008
A look at Judge in Bear case
July 3,2008
Apple Hit by new Stock Fraud Suit
July 2, 2008
Custard Cream is new entry in Concise Oxford English Dictionary
July 2, 2008
Three Common Investment Mistakes
July 2,2008
Steve Jobs and Company Sued for Stock Fraud
July 1 ,2008
Can Speedo Speed Up Warnaco's Profits? A Little Poolside Trend-Spotting
July 1, 2008
Rodeo: Action gets off to fast start at Black Hills Roundup
June 29, 2008
Answering some not-so-stupid questions
June 28,2008
Ducks waive Todd Bertuzzi
June 27, 2008
Spammers Cash in on Credit Crunch to advertise products and services
June 27, 2008
Ignorance of greed not good for business
June 26, 2008
Lerach: Bum Rap
June 26, 2008
Goldman cuts U.S. broker ratings, Citi a 'conviction sell'
June 25, 2008
NHL: Cooked Duck May Be Good Eats for the Toronto Maple Leafs
June 24, 2008
Who Profited from the Latest Microsoft/ Yahoo Rumors?
June 23, 2008
Seeking Alha.com And 'Liam Mulcahy' Bring Down Microvision (MVIS)
June 23, 2008
Arrests should put those in subprime business in S.J. County on notice
June 22, 2008
Hot stock tips often leave you in lurch
June 21, 2008
Bail Relaxed for CEO accused of stealing millions
June 20, 2008
Ex-Nortel CEO faces stock fraud charges
June 19, 2008
Commentary: Straight answers to smart questions about recent columns
June 19, 2008
Ameritrade Attempts to settle Spam Lawsuite Blocked
June 18, 2008
NSE vows to check abnormalities in private placement
June 17, 2008
'Flight Risk' and 'Dangerous' -- But Judge Loosens Bail For CEO
June 16, 2008
Ex-Broadcom CEO Pleads Not Guilty On 21 Charges
June 13,2008
The newest Twist in ConnectU V. Facebook
June 13,2008
Police Say man adds to long Criminal History
JUNE 13,2008
How I'm going to make smallcap stocks less scary
June 13,2008
Commentary: Newsletter's boost for penny-stock Striker Oil & Gas strikes out
June 12, 2008
SEC Charges Six in Pump-and-Dump Case
June 11, 2008
The Energy underworld
June 9, 2008
White-collar criminals use power, position to defraud
June 9, 2008
Cedar Rapids superintendent against open- loop Geothermal
June 8, 2008
Update Hebalife rebuts lead claims,says no safety issues
June 6, 2008
Investors gather for fun, profit and to make a difference
June 3, 2008
Scottsdale man gets 20 years for Stock cam
June 3, 2008
Global Fine Wine & Spirits, Inc to Acquire SIPP, Inc
June 3, 2008
Stock fraud: Two arrested by EFCC
June 2, 2008
Penny Stocks fetch 100% return despite market slide
June 2, 2008
A money Manager's Ultimate Fight Game
May 30, 2008
Indicated lawyer says New Orleans firm steeped in corruption
May 30, 2008
Unloved Stocks Ready to Shine
May 30, 2008
India Inc says cheers to ECB relaxations
May 29, 2008
Temptation and Greed applying lessons from Sports to trading
May 27, 2008
Renewed Energy: out look sunny for securities Fraud as well
May 27, 2008
Ex-lawyer charged with stealing $1.3 accounts
May 27, 2008
Disclose offshore derivative Instrument activities
may 25, 2008
Securities / stock Fraud: Big boys Roll the dice and the little guys loses
May 23, 2008
Unloved Stocks Ready to Shine
May 22,2008
Immoral Hazard
May 20, 2008
Sc allows banks, Fls to recover Dues from Parekh
May 19, 2008
Group says Herbalife products have too much lead
May 19, 2008
Xziex: air into water, olde timee alkemiste
May 19, 2008
Court Hits market Manipulators with $21 million in penalties
May 19, 2008
Step aside popular stocks, it's time for smaller more volatile plays
May 19, 2008
Accused Broadcom Founders bring in legal top guns
May 17, 2008
State news briefs: Firefighters gaining ground on wildfires
May 16, 2008
Ex-PurchasePro Chief Found Guilty of Fraud, Obstruction
May 16, 2008
Confessions of a money manager : beware " hot" stock sectors
May 16, 2008
Are Warned of a new Scam
May 15, 2008
Court rules against promoter of Nutraceutical
May 14, 2008
Usana Gets Bid From CEO-Led Group
May 14, 2008
Enforcement Proceedings Federal Court Grants Summary judgment, orders stock
May 12, 2008
Morning Wrap
May 12, 2008
9th Circuit Blasts US Prosecutor withholding Documents
May 7, 2008
Hedge Funds Sued for Slander
May 7, 2008
USANA ordered to pay for SLAPP violation
May 04, 2008
What Goes Around Comes Around in the Equity Market
May 06, 2008
Staten Island man sentenced in stock scam
April 30, 2008
Sometimes, things go wrong with some help
April 27, 2008
There Is Plenty to Fear in This Market
April 21, 2008,
Accoona Shrinks to Focus on Twing
April 21, 2008
SEC Enforcement and White-Collar Criminal Defense Lawyer Joins US Firm Pepper Hamilton
April 18, 2008
Potholes on the road to electric cars
April 17, 2008
Reynolds needs break on Tv
April 16, 2008
Life Imitates Art In "Forget About It"
April 16, 2008
Bennett, Bearcat face charges in stock scam involving Chase
April 15, 2008
Casavant aware of charges
April 15, 2008
Beating Botnets at Their Own Game
April 11, 2008
Ferris in talks on SEC penalty
April 11, 2008
Ex-Con raises red Flags at Herbalife
April 10, 2008
Saskatchewan man charged with diamond stock scam
April 9, 2008
Man loses $773,000.00 in Stock Scam
April 8, 2008
CMKM Diamonds Faces SEC Charges in $64 million Stock Fraud
April 4, 2008
Jury finds Broker Liable for Fraud
On April 3, the Commission obtained a jury verdict against stock promoter Cort L. Poyner of Pompano Beach, Fla., in a case entitled Securities and Exchange Commission v. The Children's Internet.
March 31, 2008
Internet investment scheme illustrates Growing Problem
Penny-stock fraud, schemes involving low-priced shares of small, obscure companies, is on the rise, the SEC says, and the regulator says the case of Beverage Creations should be a warning to everyday folks looking for the next best thing.
March 29, 2008
Man accused in Fraud finds money for Bond
Bedke said investigators continue to find more assets in overseas accounts. She said the case, previously thought to involve $70 million, is now up to $100 million, "and counting."
March 26, 2008
Slap Down "Free Market" Pirates
Its executives were notorious for testing the limits of the law by sheltering shady stock promoters and bucket-shop brokerages, and by swelling the assets ...
March 21, 2008
US Authorities say Stock Fraud cost overseas investors $50 Million
The scope of the scheme became known this week with the indictment of two Florida men on money laundering charges. They and 18 people in Brazil, including the suspected ringleader, had been arrested in February.
March 20, 2008
TV Producer Charged with Stock Fraud
Drew Levin, 54, the founder of Team Communications Group, Inc., was indicted by a federal grand jury on 13 counts, including conspiracy, falsifying his company's books and records, making false statements in annual and quarterly reports and lying to the company's auditors, the U.S. attorney's office said.
March 19, 2008
StockPromoter received 10 year Sentence For...
The Commission today announced that on March 14, Michael Saquella, a.k.a. Michael Paloma, was sentenced to serve ten years in federal prison consisting of 60 months for conspiracy to commit securities fraud and 60 months for conspiracy to commit electronic mail fraud.
Lawyer gets 7 years in NJ Stock Fraud Scam
A Denver lawyer is heading to federal prison for seven years after admitting his role in a large-scale penny stock fraud that cost investors more than $15 million and had some of its roots in New Jersey.
March 18, 2008
SEC Suit accuses firm of inflating Share Price
The civil lawsuit filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission against Saddle River resident Jack Belluscio Jr., Anscott Industries and the two promoters accuses them of scheming to improperly pump up the share price in 2003.
March 17, 2008
SEC Suspends Trading of 3 Companies on YouTube
The Securities and Exchange Commission today continued its highly successful pursuit against stock market e-mail spam by suspending trading in the securities of three companies...
SEC Lawsuit says pair used "Pump and Dump" Scheme
Want to make $5.5-million in just two months?...
Daughter Accused in Fraud Released
A federal judge agreed Monday to release on bond half of a father-daughter team charged with participating in a $70 million stock fraud scheme that may involve more than 1,000 investors overseas.
March 15, 2008
Texas Bar Suspends Dallas Lawyer over Role in Alleged Stock Scams
Dallas attorney Phillip W. Offill Jr. won't be able to practice law in Texas for three years after a disciplinary panel ruled that he violated professional standards in 2005.
March 14, 2008
SEC moves to Stumble House of Cards
A fledgling Mendota Heights company that promised to develop the next generation of sports drink is no more than a shell for a "pump and dump" stock scheme involving a small group of investors hoping to get rich quick, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleges.
SEC Sues Penny Stock Traders, Alleging Manipulation
The Securities and Exchange Commission this week sued Jason Wynn, 25, and Ryan Reynolds, 36, alleging they illegally manipulated the stock price of a Minnesota-based company called Beverage Creations Inc. for their own profit.
Pair Allegedly rn $70m Stock Scam
MIAMI - A father-and-daughter team accused of duping 15,000 mainly elderly British investors out of $70 million was arrested in Florida yesterday, US officials said. Paul Robert Gunter, 58, of Odessa, and Zibiah Joy Gunter, 25, of Oldsmar, are suspected of hijacking the identities of dormant, publicly traded companies and selling fake stock in them to clients in Britain through high-pressure and misleading sales techniques.
Stock Fraud may bring Additional arrests
Federal authorities said they expect to make more arrests in the case of a $70 million international stock scam that already has a Tampa Bay area father and daughter behind bars.
March 13, 2008
Internet Law - Typical Structures of Internet Investment Frad
Numerous online forms of investment fraud mimic frauds previously committed over the phone or through direct mail. The Internet have provided new opportunities for defrauders including the ability to easily construct and develop online advertising, bulletin boards, online newsletters, e-mail, chat and Websites.
Raser Technologies: All Talk, No Profits
Despite another quarter of red ink, Martin Petersen, Chief Financial Officer of Raser Technologies, Inc (RZ), which is looking to develop geothermal assets as an alternative energy source, said the Company "made tremendous progress in achieving [our] goals during the year, setting the stage for a productive and exciting 2008."
March 11, 2008
Infomercial Stars Charged in Stock Fraud
Linda Woolf, 48, of Sandy, Utah, and David Gengler, 34, of Draper, Utah, passed themselves off as successful investors and persuaded consumers to pay anywhere from $3,000 to $40,000 to learn the "Teach Me to Trade" stock picking system, according to an indictment in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.
March 7, 2008
New York Prosecutors Charge former mortgage exec with $4 Billion...
The US Attorney for the Southern district of New York filed the charges against Mario S. Levis, who formally worked for the Puerto Rico-based Doral Financial Corp.
March 4, 2008
Ex-broker gets jail term in money-laundering plot
Rhett Howard Kirchhoff, 43, of Upper Township, Cape May County, must pay $11.6 million in restitution under a sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Jerome Simandle.
Clearwater Woman Ran Stock Scam Police Say
Instead, Abreu took the $410,000 entrusted to her by Paul Jallo of Tarpon Springs and used the money for personal gain, Clearwater police said. March 2, 2008
ScamState: Pump and Dump Schemes
Pump and dump schemes revolve around stock in small companies, whose executives may be perpetrators or victims. A key point is the stock is "thinly traded" - with infrequent transactions and few buyers and sellers - which makes the price easier to manipulate...
February 28, 2008
4 Staten Islanders named in Mob Indictment
An alleged Rossville mobster collected money for his imprisoned father, a high-ranking Luchese crime family member, feds charged today in an indictment that named eight on racketeering and drug charges, including three Staten Islanders.
February 26, 2008
Energy Firm, CEO defrauded Investors
Federal securities regulators have accused a Casselberry businessman and his energy technology company of bilking investors and raising millions of dollars by spreading false information about the company's prospects, according to a lawsuit filed recently in Orlando federal court.
February 25, 2008
Jordan Belfort: Confessions of the Wolf of Wall Street
Fifty per cent of everything he earns is going to the investors he defrauded. In five years, he has paid back $14 million of the $110 million he owes....
February 22, 2008
SEC Nabs Penny Stock Pump-and-Dumpsters
The SEC has charged a Washington-based company, its CEO, and a stock promoter, with orchestrating a pump-and-dump scheme that defrauded investors of more than half a million dollars in just six months.
February 20, 2008
SEC Watching Lawyers More Closely
So far his year, the SEC has already brought seven cases against lawyers. Those cases largely involved pump-and-dump scams, said Joan McKown, chief counsel at the Division of Enforcement.
February 19, 2008
SEC Says Connect-A-Jet may have broken Securities Laws
The SEC sued Mr. Reynolds and other stock promoters Sept. 26, alleging violations of securities law involving a host of penny stock companies that allegedly were created with the help of Dallas attorney Phillip Offill. Mr. Offill has denied wrongdoing.
Trend Micro Sees Growth of Underground Cyber Crime Economy
This past year, the NUWAR (Storm) botnet expanded in scope when Trend Micro researchers found proof that the Storm botnet is renting its services to host fly-by-night online pharmacies, dabble in stock pump-and-dump scams, and even portions of its backend botnet infrastructure.
February 18, 2008
Last of $12 million "Pump and Dump" trio Sentenced
stock promoter Herbert Cannon, a convicted felon, Schweitzer and Steven Staltare, the manager of Global Financial Group in Fort Lauderdale were indicted in federal court in Manhattan for their involvement in a scheme to manipulate four small, publicly traded companies by bribing brokers at Global Financial Group, Inc.
Ohio Regulators ramp up inspection of Brokers
Mr. Nelson had fallen afoul of Ohio regulators, who, after years of neglect, last year were in the middle of a massive surge in reviewing brokers' records and flagged Mr. Nelson for an ugly stock scam in which he had unwittingly been a part in 1999 when he was breaking into the business.
February 15, 2008
Berkeley man faces criminal charges over Stock Fraud
A self-styled stockbroker, already under a court order to repay $5.7 million to aggrieved investors, now could face prison time.
February 11, 2008
Ralph Rogari and Mary Lee Secure Jury Award of $71 Million...
Attorneys Ralph Rogari and Mary Lee demonstrated to the seven person federal court jury that in early 2001, Erica Kim, Christopher Kim and Bora Lee conspired to acquire control of Optional Capital for use in a pump and dump stock fraud scheme.
February 10, 2008
Squeeze the truth our of Citrus Scam
A couple of thousand investors ended up getting burned and lost millions in a pump-and-dump stock scheme, only a few shipments of citrus ever made it to China...
February 8, 2008
Bellingham Penny-Stock firm acused of Pump, Dump Scam
The company's chief executive, Robert Pratt, of Lynden, racked up profits of more than $628,000 by selling shares at the height of the promotional effort, the suit says.
ENFORCEMENT PROCEEDINGS - SEC Alleges "Pump and Dump Market Manipulation By...
The complaint alleges that from February to August 2004, SMPP issued a series of materially false and misleading press releases...
February 7, 2008
SEC Thwarts Pump-And-Dump Spammer
The SEC today announced a settlement with a lawyer in California that they say helped against a multi-million dollar fraud...
SEC Charges California Attorney for role in Spam - Fueled Pump-and-Dump Schemes
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced a settled enforcement action against attorney Kenneth M. Christison of Mill Valley, Calif., for facilitating a multi-million dollar fraud by issuing a series of bogus legal opinion letters used by fraudsters in spam-fueled pump-and-dump schemes.
February 1, 2008
South Korean Court Gives Lone Star Head 5 Years for Stock Fraud
The unexpected verdict against Paul Yoo related to Korea Exchange Bank's credit card unit, which Lone Star acquired shortly after the 2003 purchase of its parent at the behest of financial regulators. Lone Star and Korea Exchange Bank were also each fined W25 billion ($26.5 million)
January 30, 2008
Qtrax Free Music Launch Crashes - Stock Doubles
It‘s like opening the doors to your new Cheese Shop, without stocking any actual cheese. Qtrax spent over a million dollars on a gala launch party Sunday night at a music conference in Cannes. The subsidiary of Brilliant Technologies had arranged names like James Blunt, LL Cool J and Don Henley to trumpet the groundbreaking music file sharing service that promised users 25 million free songs.
Spammers dive into Google's Lucky dip
The IT security firm found that so-called search engine spam, which only came to light in the past few weeks, accounted for 17 per cent of all the spam the company saw in January.
January 29, 2008
Suspect in Bucks Fraud Arrested in Moscow
Mogilevich, described in some law-enforcement reports as a godfather of international organized crime, was charged with masterminding a multimillion-dollar stock-fraud scheme centered on YBM Magnex, a now-defunct company based in Newtown, Bucks County, in the late 1990s.
January 28, 2008
Montreal Businessman Andre Charbonneau gets seven years for Stock Fraud
Andre Charbonneau had been charged with 119 counts of defrauding 440 investors as he solicited funds for L'Alternative, a life insurance company he was starting.
January 24, 2008
SEC Settles Securities Fraud Charges against Aims
The Commission announced today that it has settled its enforcement action, which involves charges of a deliberate "pump and dump" scheme to defraud investors in the stock of Aimsi Technologies, against Defendants Aimsi Technologies, Inc. and Winfred Fields.
January 23, 2008
Former Monster CEO Admits Stock Fraud...
Today’s admission by former Monster chairman and CEO Andrew McKelvey that he participated in a stock backdating scheme that cost the company $340 million is only the first act curtain in a criminal investigation that appears likely to ensnare other executives from as far back as 1996.
January 22, 2008
Cancer Drug Securities Fraud Schemer Pleads Guilty
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that on Friday, January 18, 2008, defendant Richard A. Anders pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Adalberto Jordan to one count of securities fraud in connection with a scheme that led to millions of dollars of losses for investors for a start-up company for a purported novel cancer treatment drug...
January 17, 2008
Swindled Investors could be Reimbursed
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week filed a plan to reimburse people bilked by former Springfield businessmen Wayne Gorsek and Lyndell Parks in a 1999 fraud case.
January 16, 2008
shareholder files Suit against CellCyte
The lawsuit seeks class-action status. The lead plaintiff is a San Diego-area stockholder who bought and sold several thousand CellCyte shares in the past three months, but attorney Steve Berman said the firm had been contacted by other investors as well.
Broker Fined, Suspended
The Investment Dealers Association of Canada issued the penalties this week against Chak (Jason) Ng, formerly of HSBC Securities, after a panel found he had not conducted proper checks of clients who participated in a "pump and dump" stock scheme at Markham-based Pender...
Why is SeekingAlpha giving Penny Stock Promoters a Soapbox?
That's why I was greatly disappointed to see that the site is providing a venue for Beacon Equity Research, a stock promoter that issues "analyst reports" in exchange for cash and/or stock from the company or third parties.
SEC Sues Russian Trader in Options Scam
Anatoly Russ, 25, used stolen user names and passwords for seven online brokerage accounts to place orders that offset his own trading in iShares Lehman Aggregate Bond Fund options, the Securities and Exchange Commission SEC said.
January 15, 2008
High Court Shields Bankers in Stock Fraud Cases
The case of Stoneridge Investment Partners vs. Scientific-Atlanta Inc. arose after Charter Communications, a St. Louis-based cable TV company, was sued for fraud after its stock price plummeted...
Northport Man Charged in Investment Scheme
Michael MacCaull, 36, was charged yesterday with bilking hundreds of customers out of more than $68 million by setting up a company, Razor FX, with offices in Great Neck and Saddle River, N.J., that purportedly could earn investors astronomical returns by trading in foreign currency.
January 13, 2008
Inside a Stock Fraud
The future didn't look bright for serial swindler and parolee Michael Lee Mitton when RCMP officers frisked him at Vancouver International Airport on a cloudy June day in 2004.
January 10, 2008
Oil Speculators crashed Silverjet, not analysts
January 10, 2008
Let there be Light Crude: Zion's Holy Profits
Over the past 10 years, Ness has issued 180 million shares and collected almost $10 million from investors. ..
January 9, 2008
Novato Hi-Tech Firm Declares Bankruptcy
Officials blamed the declaration on a lawsuit filed by the SEC in U.S. District Court in San Francisco in December that accused former CEO Robert Olins of pocketing $2.6 million in a stock scam...
January 8, 2008
Commtouch Releases Year End email Threat Report
Throughout Q4 the so-called "Storm Worm" botnet was responsible for numerous outbreaks, including MP3 spam, in which an audio stock pump-and-dump message was distributed as an .mp3 email attachment.
How to Avoid the 10 Worst Internet Scams in 2008
Here is ScamBusters.org's top 10 predictions of scams you may confront in 2008 and what you can do to avoid them...
January 7, 2008
Ralsky Indictment Won't Reduce Spam
Many security experts say the overall impact to the amount of spam on the Web will likely be negligible...
Staten Island Man, Associates, Nabbed in Multi Million Dollar Stock Scam
A judge in Manhattan federal court recently imposed the civil sanctions against Vincent Danio, Richmond Global Ltd. and five other companies with variants of that business name, stemming from a multi million-dollar stock scam.
January 5, 2008
8 Indicted in "Pump-And-Dump" Securities Fraud Scheme
One of the defendants, 63-year-old Beverlee Kamerling, of Bellevue, has a history of stock fraud. In 1999, she was barred by a U.S. District Court judge from ever serving as an officer or director in a public company and she was ordered to pay back $1.5 million from another scheme.
January 3, 2008
Purported Spammer Accused of Stock Fraud
Alan Ralsky, 52, of suburban West Bloomfield Township, made about $3 million through the scheme in summer 2005 alone...
SEC Hits Brothers with Fraud Charges
The regulator filed fraud charges against Scott and Brian Lines in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The Commission also named Lines Overseas Management (LOM), a Bermuda-based group of financial services companies that included several broker-dealers, in the charges as well.
Mich. Spammer, 10 others Indicted in Alleged Pump-And-Dump Scam
Michigan spam king Alan Ralsky , his son-in-law and nine others have been indicted in Detroit on charges of violating federal anti-spam laws, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
January 2, 2008
Hamilton CEO Accused of $2.6 million in Stock Fraud
The SEC charges that from 2004 to 2006, Olins and the Argyle Capital Management Corporation, “a company of which Olins is the sole owner and director” forged auditor consents, engaged in illegal insider trading, and made unregistered sales of “hundreds of thousands” of shares.
Canadian Stock Promoter Alexander Barred Again
The British Columbia Securities Commission permanently barred James "Terry" Alexander from trading stock or being a company director for violating a 1999 order that had already prohibited him from that for 20 years.
January 1, 2008
BC Companies Accused of Inflating Stock Prices
LOM (Holdings) Ltd. and brothers Brian Lines and Scott Lines (who also operate as Lines Overseas Management) and two of their clients have been accused of making $6 million US in 2003 selling restricted shares in the two Vancouver companies - SHEP Technologies Inc. and Sedona Software Solutions Inc., both of which traded on the virtually unregulated over-the-counter bulletin board in the U.S.
December 31, 2007
PENNY STOCKS... Hearing-aid marketer sold short after merger with Dallas band firm.
Whether they knew it or not, through their merger with 226 Music Group, Hear At Last's executives appear to have hooked up with a network of penny stock promoters in Dallas, some of whom have been targeted by securities regulators.
December 28, 2007
Stockster Fraud Costs $1.8 Million
U.S. District Judge Otis Wright ordered Nicholas Czuczko to pay nearly $1.8 million, including a $100,000 civil penalty and "ill-gotten gains from his stock manipulation scheme" valued at $1.6 million.
Lake O Man ordered to pay $2M after Stock Scheme
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, alerted to the scheme by an article published in The Oregonian in 2006, alleged that Nicholas Czuczko, formerly of Lake Oswego, used a Web site called The Stockster (www.thestockster.com) to promote thinly traded "penny stocks" in what's typically referred to as a pump-and-dump scheme...
December 26, 2007
Pump-and-Dump Scam Spam switches on Video
Pump-and-dump stock scammers have begun spiking their spam with high-quality video clips -- the latest move in a long-running scheme that in the past has relied on image files, PDF documents and even robotic audio to dupe consumers, a security company said today...
December 24, 2007
SEC Files Lawsuit against former SpatiaLight CEO
The litigation, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, accuses former CEO Robert Olins of pocketing $2.6 million in a stock scam, selling stock based on inside information and lying to regulators about a company audit.
December 23, 2007
How the RCMP Botched a Sting
The affidavits became public as part of court proceedings involving an alleged stock fraud.
December 19, 2007
Hedge Fund Mobster Scammed $20M
A reputed mobster who scammed $20 million with a fake hedge fund has been sent to prison.
December 18, 2007
Staten Island man sentenced for role in Mob Stock Scam
John Baudanza, 37, of Rosebank was also ordered to pay $22,500 restitution for his part in a wide-ranging Colombo crime family racketeering conspiracy that manipulated stocks through extortion between 1994 and 2005.
December 15, 2007
Ohio fund Manager Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison over Stock Scam
David A. Dadante, 53, was sentenced to federal prison Friday by U.S. District Judge Kathleen O'Malley following a two-year investigation by the FBI and SEC after being found guilty on two counts of securities fraud in August.
December 14, 2007
SEC, FBI Busts 7 in Stock Kickback Sceme
The sting operation was set up in Florida. It sent word through the penny stock community that a hedge fund manager was willing to buy shares of stock for a 25% to 35% kickback fee.
Microcap Execs Pitch Big Investors on Small Stocks
The world of microcap investing has a reputation for attracting sketchy companies and stock promoters who purposely pump up share prices and then dump stocks once they've built enough hype.
December 13, 2007
Divergent Paths for two cited in Yellow School Case
Takesian, two of his family members, and five other people lost a federal civil suit that alleged they were swindled out of thousands of dollars in a questionable business deal with a Boston stock promoter, who had already been convicted of securities fraud.
December 12, 2007
Slipping into the Swamp of Moral Hazard
As a result of my values and life experiences, I chose conservative personal finances. Due to my preference for security and prudence, I forego the opportunity for larger gains and windfalls in exchange for the lower risk and security.
December 10, 2007
Closing Arguments in PurchaseProTrial: Prosecution began in 2002
A month later, in an official filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the revenue tally dropped even lower, to just $16 million. The stock price fell by more than 50 percent.
December 9, 2007
CellCyte Shares ride a Wave of Hype
A wave of glossy brochures and spam faxes, touting CellCyte with lofty claims, has helped propel the company's total market value to more than $440 million.
December 8, 2007
6 Arrested Over Plots to Pump Up Share Prices
What began with an undercover F.B.I. agent’s posing as a corrupt hedge fund manager led to the indictments of six people yesterday on charges of fraud in the shadowy world of penny stocks, federal prosecutors said.
December 7, 2007
InterFinancial Securities Fraud Case Dwaws a Guilty Plea
Gerald Kingston of Dallas has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit securities fraud in the manipulation of shares of Dallas-based InterFinancial Holdings Corp., a thinly traded penny stock.
The FBI as Hedge Fund Manager
Some stock promoters did, the government says. The FBI set up the phony hedge fund to make bad investments, and now the charges are being filed. Indictments are due later today, but the SEC has announced five civil cases.
December 6, 2007
Woman held in Alleged Fraud over Penny Stocks
A Bellevue stock promoter banned from the U.S. market eight years ago is among eight people arrested Wednesday on federal charges alleging they ran several "pump-and-dump" securities-fraud schemes.
Former Exec Convicted in Stock Fraud
The former vice president of human resources at Brocade Communications Systems Inc. was convicted Wednesday in the company's second criminal stock options backdating case to go to trial.
Park Capital Founders charged in Pump and Dump Scam
The three men operated a scheme to defraud customers between March 2002 and March 2003 involving the sale of penny stock in Orlando, Fla.-based Cordia Corp., said U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell in Brooklyn.
Penny Stock Promoters due ETrade for Racketeering
Sebastian River Holdings, a penny stock company, says it is suing E*Trade Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: ETFC) for "collusion amongst E-trade and its employees to unlawfully, manipulate the company's stock."
December 5, 2007
Eight Indicted in Securities-Fraud Scheme
A Seattle grand jury has indicted eight people in Washington, Florida and Utah after an investigation into an alleged "pump and dump" securities-fraud scheme that involved buying a public company, falsely inflating its worth and then dumping the stock through brokerages in the U.S and Canada, and the Turk and Caicos Islands.
December 4, 2007
Buffett to Testify in Stock Fraud Case
Federal prosecutors intend to call billionaire investor Warren Buffett to testify against five former senior insurance executives charged with helping the American International Group to manipulate its financial statements through $500 million in phony transactions, according to court documents.
Novori, Gullin, Paper, Trustcash Holdings named in Stock Promoters
The spam touting Novori said that a company named either Strategic Capital or Green Strategic Capital had been hired by an unspecified third party consultant to receive $115,000 for publication and circulation of the report.
December 3, 2007
HR Chief Goes on Trial in Brocade Backdating Case
The criminal fraud trial of Stephanie Jensen, the former head of HR at Brocade Communications, got under way last week in San Francisco. Jensen’s attorneys tried to make the case a battle over which department—HR or finance—is to blame for an allegedly illegal compensation and accounting scheme.
Upstart Storm Swiftly gained Web Strength
Large botnets can be used to launch massive scams, including e-mail pump-and-dump schemes, in which criminals purchase cheap stocks, trick others into buying to briefly drive up the price, and then unload them at a profit.
December 2, 2007
It's not a time for the Faint Hearted
The warning was drafted in the 1990s. It was aimed at the “pump and dump” firms that specialised in churning out penny shares with big spreads between the buying and selling prices, and used high-pressure sales teams to flog them to an unsuspecting public.
Why White-Collar Crime Team Fizzled
The sting included Jack Purdy, a Canadian stock promoter who was charged, but later acquitted of money laundering.
November 30, 2007
Prosecutors: Identity Theft hid Stock Fraud
A federal grand jury indicted Eric Richfield Majors, 37, of South Africa and Joshua Neale Wolcott, 34, of Denver. Majors was CEO and Wolcott CFO of Maximum Dynamics, a now-defunct Colorado Springs company. November 28, 2007
Seeing through False Identities, SEC Charges 2 with Fraud
The SEC has filed charges against Maximum Dynamics, Inc. CEO Eric R. Majors of South Africa and CFO Joshua N. Wolcott of Denver, Colorado, for their roles in a fraudulent scheme to offer and sell 8 million shares of company stock.
"Strongest Lawyer" Wilts in Stock Market Fiasco
For years, Furusho has worked closely with notorious B.C. stock promoter Beverlee Kamerling, a.k.a. the Queen of Outrage.
November 28, 2007
Scam 101: Don't get Burned
We put our trust and our financial lives in their hands, but how can we be sure that our financial advisers are reputable?
Live and Die in Micro Cap Time
Forbes.com recently called up Chace to find out which companies he's buying right now, how he avoids the pump-and-dump schemes that riddle the micro-cap universe, and how he applies the lessons he learned in the Peace Corps to managing money.
November 26, 2007
After Warm-Ups, Regulators get Serious about Compliance
In October, the Securities and Exchange Commission brought its first case for not following its 2003 investment adviser compliance rule, against Consulting Services Group LLC of Memphis, Tenn. The firm's founding partner, Joe Meals, was barred permanently from serving as a compliance officer of a securities firm...
Former Brocade HR Exec Goes on Trial
Federal prosecutors say Jensen told Brocade staff how to back-date stock options and then took steps to cover her trail, instructing employees not to talk about the action.
November 24, 2007
What Would you Sacrifice for Mind-Blowing Returns?
While the AMEX sees TAP as a "farm system for micro-cap stocks," I see a haven for penny stocks and pump-and-dump schemes. And the AMEX doesn't necessarily disagree.
November 21, 2007
Federal Judge Cites Crime-Fraud Exception in Ordering Attorney's Testimony
A group of investors filed suit in 2005 against Hauppauge, N.Y.-based Defense Technology Systems Inc., as well as several company officers and other individuals, charging that the company's stock was used in a "pump and dump" scheme.
State Wins Stock Fraud Case
The state has won a $19 million settlement in a fraud case against a communications company.
November 20, 2007
Universal Express: The Goofy lil' Stock Promotion that gets more Outrageous each Month
Universal Express certainly wasn't the biggest promotional pump and dump of all time, but it's definitely one of the most brazen. Much of former CEO Richard Altomare's looting of shareholders through the sale of unregistered securities took place after the SEC had told him to stop and ordered him to resign as CEO.
November 16, 2007
Former Islander with Alleged Mob Ties gets 10 Years for Stock Scam
A one-time Richmond Valley resident was sentenced earlier today in Brooklyn federal court to 10 years behind bars and fined $100,000 for his role in a mob-controlled stock scam that allegedly raked in more than $20 million.
November 15, 2007
CEO and Three Others Indicted for Manipulation of Smart Online Stock
MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that DENNIS MICHAEL NOURI, the former Chief Executive Officer and President of Smart Online, REZA ERIC NOURI -- a former Smart Online employee and brother of the CEO -- and stock brokers RUBEN SERRANO and ALAIN LUSTIG were indicted today..
November 14, 2007
Judge Drops Bribery Charges Against Camera Company
Blodgett assumed the role of CEO less than one year ago after then CEO Mark A. King, stepped down in a stock fraud scandal, admitting that he and the company's number two official at the time "violated the company's code of ethics for senior financial officers."
Fraud and Scam Attacks increased 18% in October
Bowers said other things that were notable include the debut of MP3 spam. He said that MP3 joins a long line of pump and dump stock spam that included image spam.
November 13, 2007
Forget Iraq. Private Security Contractors Loose in Washington
Mr. Mogilevich is accused in a 45-count racketeering and money-laundering indictment in Philadelphia of masterminding an elaborate stock fraud using a web of shell companies in Europe.
November 11, 2007
Looser CEO's Raking it In
Who knows what the class-action suits against Merrill and Citi for stock fraud will cost? Merrill's stock has deflated from almost $100 per share to $60. Citi's stock is down from $55 per share to $36.
November 10, 2007
Tough Guy with Charm, Often Living on the Edge
He would continue to call Mr. Ray his best friend until Mr. Ray was indicted in March 2000 for a minor role in the mobster’s stock fraud scheme.
November 9, 2007
Kim Kyung-Joon to Arive on Nov. 17
A Korean-American businessman, a former business associate of South Korea's leading opposition presidential candidate, will arrive in Seoul next week in the custody of prosecutors.
The Woman between the Snake and the Dinosaur
The front runner, Lee Myung Bak, who had over 50% support in opinion polls until recently, had his lawyers try to trip up the extradition of his former business partner, Chris Kim, who allegedly had run to the US with $49 million of stolen money from stock fraud.
November 8, 2007
$4-million Securities Case
Two men involved in a Red Deer stock scam have been permanently banned from trading.
November 7, 2007
Street Pariah
His card-table patience and strategic sense have guided the firm through previous imbroglios, such as its 1999 federal fine for providing back-office services for penny-stock scam house A.R. Baron.
November 6, 2007
Accused Thief Seeks Creditor Protection
A former government employee charged with defrauding the RCMP's stock-fraud section of thousands of dollars is so badly in debt that she recently went to court to seek protection from her creditors.
November 5, 2007
Hosting Firm claims to beat MP3 Spam
A web hosting firm claims to have developed spam filtering technology that can weed out MP3 attachments.
Last Call: Herbalife Shares Drop
The report alleged that Herbalife's distributors are attempting to recruit Chinese sellers to increase sales in the country. The report was released by the Fraud Discovery Institute, which Barry Minkow founded after serving eight years in prison for stock fraud.
November 1, 2007
VOIP is the nest target for Spammers
Henning Schulzrinne, co-author of the session initiation protocol (SIP) that is used by all the major VoIP services except Skype, believes the attack (which left unsolicited marketing messages on multiple phone extensions at Columbia University) might have been targeted at him, but could also have been a result of the institution not having a stringent firewall policy in place.
November 2007
Whose Money is it anyway?
October 26, 2007
Play & Pump / Cheap Seats / Eye am a Camera...
E-mails are sent with an attached MP3 file purporting to be a song by such artists such as Elvis Presley, Fergie and Carrie Underwood. Users may click on the MP3 file expecting to hear these artists' files; however, it contains a voice -- randomly altered in an attempt to avoid detection by anti-spam filters -- encouraging people to buy shares in specific Canadian companies.
Fired Smart Online Employee Sues Company
The suit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, claims that Durham-based Smart Online fired Nouri not because he did anything wrong personally but because he is the brother of Michael Nouri and Eric Nouri, two former employees who have been charged with securities fraud.
October 25, 2007
WellCare shares plunge on Fed Raid
Shares of health care provider WellCare Health Plans Inc. plummeted Thursday, a day after questions about a federal investigation of the company led to a rapid sell-off.
West Vancouver Stock Promoter Arrested in Italy
Italian police have arrested West Vancouver stock promoter Robert Papalia in Milan and charged him with associating with Mafia figures.
Securities Lawyer Accused of Fraud is Forced to Resign
Martin E. Weisberg, a corporate lawyers accused of participating in a $55 million stock fraud scheme, resigned from Baker & Mckenzie on Thursday after the firm asked him to.
October 24, 2007
Raids Capture Alleged Mob Kingpins
Arrested in Milan yesterday A long-time resident of Vancouver, the 62-year-old stock promoter has frequently run afoul of police and government regulators over the past three decades...
Pump-and-Dump Spammers Proliferating, Agency Warns
A U.S. securities regulator has warned investors to be wary of scams touting huge potential profits from energy-related stocks, when the only people likely to make money are those running the schemes.
October 23, 2007
XDSL CEO Settles SEC Charges: Should they look at XDSL?
So the fact that MPhase Technologies (OTC BB: XDSL) CEO Ronald Durando just settled charges with the SEC related to an alleged pump and dump scheme involving shares of a company called PacketPort might raise some questions for investors.
Indicted Partner in Stock Fraud Scheme was Aquitted in 1991 Texas
The Baker & McKenzie partner indicted Friday on stock fraud charges in the Eastern District of New York was previously tried and acquitted on similar charges in a 1991 case brought by federal prosecutors in Texas.
FINRA Identifies Energy Stocks as Latest "Pump and Dump" Scheme
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued an Investor Alert today warning investors to be wary of energy-related stock "pump-and-dump" scams that entice investors to purchase stocks that promise exponential price growth.
October 22, 2007
SUNY Alum Funds new "Trading Room"
The panel's majority found that Pasternak's response to numerous red flags in the stock fraud was "woefully inadequate," according to a news release.
Is Carmen Electra selling herself to Shady Penny Stock Promoters?
I don't know the extent of Ms. Electra's involvement with these companies/stock promotions. But the fact is she has gotten herself involved with some pretty shady characters, and it's something her handlers may want to keep an eye on: Associating with the targets of SEC investigations can be a career-killer.
Baker & McKenzie Partner Charged with Stock Fraud
The pair allegedly evaded the restrictions on the shares by short-selling the companies' stock, using the discounted shares to cover their positions. Prosecutors charge they also paid Weisberg and executives of the two companies millions of dollars in kickbacks.
October 19, 2007
Garden State Business Briefs
Two Nutley men and a Springfield attorney accused by securities regulators of participating in a "pump and dump" stock fraud have agreed to settle a civil lawsuit, the Securities and Exchange Commission said yesterday.
October 18, 2007
Fox in for fun not Investment Advise
Even a double-barrelled blast of Maria Bartiromo and Jim Cramer, the manic stock promoter, on Fox's rival CNBC could not match this cocktail.
MP3 Spam being Deployed for Pump and Dump Hype Stock Scam
The latest spam is a 30-second MP3 file recorded at low bit-rate featuring a synthetic, heavily-distorted female voice promoting a particular stock. The distortion lets the attachment thwart signature-based anti-spam technology.
Enforcement Proceedings - In the matter of PacketPort.com, Inc...
On October 18, the Commission instituted settled cease-and-desist proceedings against issuer PacketPort.com, Inc. and six individuals and companies for violations of the registration and other provisions of the Securities Act of 1933
October 16, 2007
Deer Park man arrested for Stock Fraud
In September of 2007, he was approved for options trading and deposited a check for $95,000 in the account to cover his trading activity.
CA $6M Stock Fraud Sentence
United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt announced that Vencent A. Donlan was sentenced today in federal court in San Diego by United States District Court Judge John A. Houston to serve 46 months in prison, following Donlan’s guilty pleas to federal fraud and tax charges.
October 13, 2007
Queen of Outrage Banned from Albert's Market
Everywhere Beverlee Kamerling has gone, she has left a vapour trail of outrage. The aging seductress has conned hundreds of people into investing in her rotten stock deals, and she has talked plenty of brokers, accountants and lawyers into assisting her.
October 11. 2007
Fraud Cases of Businessman, Ex-Judge Linked
Sam Currin laundered about $1.4 million through some of the same shell companies in the Bahamas that David Hagen is accused of using, court records show.
October 10, 2006
Screen Payoff for Fraudster
The Queens-born schemer just published "The Wolf of Wall Street," which has been optioned by Martin Scorsese. Belfort, who'll be played by Leonardo DiCaprio, will serve as consultant. And he's already pounding out a sequel.
October 2008
A shark in Kid's Clothes
A Wolf in Thief's Clothing
But it’s hard to tell whether Wolf is an apology or a frenzied recounting of fast-living days where money was limitless and Belfort carelessly indulged his tastes for toys, hookers, Quaaludes and cocaine. When a man admits to racking up a $700,000 hotel bill, it's always going to seem more like enduring hubris than regret.
Stock-Scam Crackdown: Too little, Too late?
So far, the SEC has suspended 42 companies under its anti-spam initiative. In its latest penny-stock regulatory action, the SEC on October 4 suspended the stocks of Alliance Transcription Services, Prime Petroleum Group and T.W. Christian.
Justices Skeptical of Suit by Investors
The justices heard arguments in a closely watched case involving Charter Communications Inc. that asks who can be sued for a stock fraud - just the company that perpetrated the fraud or all those who participated in its fraudulent scheme?
Junior Johnson on Trial again for dot.com fraud
A one-time dot-com billionaire and former University of Cincinnati basketball star not only cheated investors at his now-defunct software firm, he also tried to defraud a federal court at his trial last year by pushing his lawyer to introduce phony e-mails as evidence, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Octobder 6, 2007
In the matter of Certain companies Quoted on the Pink Sheets... Order of Suspension of Trading
The Commission is of the opinion that the public interest and the protection of investors require a suspension of trading in the securities of the companies listed above.
October 5, 2007
SEC says Crackdown on Stock-Touting Spam pays Dividents
"Operation Spamalot," as it was called, marked a more aggressive government effort to tackle spam e-mails touting a company's stock by falsely claiming a major new oil discovery or a new drug breakthrough.
Dad Accused of Clocking Son's Football Coach
Romano's family has close ties to New York organized crime. His brother, Salvatore (The Pizza Guy) Romano, was nabbed by the feds in a $20 million stock fraud scheme in 2004, and set to turn state's witness against Gambino family boss John (Junior) Gotti last year.
Gatelinx Owner Nabbed in New York
The affidavit accuses Hagen of using erroneous Web sites purporting to give tips to drive up the stock price of his Southern Pines-based business GTX Global, formerly known as Gatelinx Corp, so that he could sell his stock.
October 4, 2007
Book Review: Jordan Belfort's The Wolf of Wall Street
Jordan Belfort was the king of pump-and-dumps during the 1990's, presiding over Stratton Oakmont, a real life version of Boiler Room's J.T. Marlin. He was earning millions of dollars each month, doing enormous quantities of cocaine and a drug called Quaaludes, and sleeping with dozens of prostitutes, in spite of his marriage to a beautiful and wonderful lady he calls the Duchess of Bay Ridge...
SEC Crackdown on Stock Spam Grows
The Securities and Exchange Commission expanded a seven-month crackdown Thursday on the use of "spam" e-mails to inflate stock prices, halting trading in shares of three additional companies.
October 1, 2007
Man gets Prison for Internet Stock Fraud
Faisal Zafar, the president of Secure-Minds, a computer repair company, was convicted of making $870,000 in what prosecutors believed was the first known extensive use of Internet bulletin boards in a pump-and-dump fraud.
Corporate Chairman / CEO Sentenced to 240 Months in Prison for Stock Scheme That Swindled over $15 Million from Investors
The major shareholder who also served as Chairman and CEO of TeleServices Internet Group, Inc., was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison today for operating an intricate stock fraud and money laundering scheme that cost public investors more than $15 million in losses, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced...
September 30, 2007
Don't Beleive STock Tips you get Online, Via Fax
It's called pump and dump, and it's probably as old as the stock market. The concept is simple. The bad guy buys a stock that is going nowhere. He then spreads a hot tip that the company has struck oil, or landed some big new contract and the stock is about to go through the roof...
September 26, 2007
The See-Through Stock Scam
The problem, federal regulators say, is that Keeney was advising Frederick's board on May 17, 2006, when directors formally moved to pursue the merger. And starting the next month, Keeney directly participated in the merger talks and served as an intermediary between the two boards, the S.E.C. said.
SEC Announces New Initiative To Warn Investors About Questionable Securities Solicitations - Commission Seeking Public Comment On Web-Based Program Aimed At Unregistered Soliciting Entities
Through its "Public Alert: Unregistered Soliciting Entities" (PAUSE) program, the Commission will publish on its Web site certain factual information about unregistered soliciting entities that have been the subject of complaints forwarded by investors and others around the globe, including foreign securities regulators.
Smart Online Reaches Settlement with SEC
The Durham software company will not pay any monetary penalty in the settlement, it said.
September 25, 2007
Business Man gets 20 Years for Fraud
After a four-week trial in the spring, Robert P. Gordon, 57, of St. Petersburg, Fla., was convicted by a jury of defrauding public investors of more than $15 million.
September 24, 2007
Understanding Pink Sheets
Pinks sheets when it comes to stock markets refers to the color of the paper that quotes were made on in the past. The pink sheets as we know it today - is an electronic quotation system for over the counter securities.
September 23, 2007
A Cleanup man in Brennan Aftermath
Last October, the Securities and Exchange Commission mailed checks worth $28.6 million to nearly 54,000 Brennan investors. About 11,700 of those checks worth $4.5 million were never cashed.
September 21, 2007
Party's over for Hedge King
"I would like to thank the thousands of inept corporate management teams, shady brokers, boiler rooms, stock promoters, market manipulators . . . for your endless scheming and undying greed without which my fortune would never have been possible."
September 20, 2007
For Repeat Fraudsters, Crime DOES Pay
This time, he wound up working an alleged scheme to pump and dump the price of micro-cap shares, making a $2.15 million profit, according to the SEC.
September 18, 2008
SEC Cuts Off Telecom Stock Fraud
The SEC has halted an unregistered securities scam that it claims bilked investors across the country out of $1.13 million.
September 17, 2007
SEC Charges Two in $3M Scam
Kaplan and Paloma also faced criminal charges for their part in the pump-and-dump scheme. The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Paloma plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and one count of electronic mail fraud in an Alexandria, Va. federal court.
September 16, 2007
The Greedy Bunch
20 Years after the release of Wall Street "Greed is Good" Still rings true...
The New Arms Race
Criminal spammers have unleashed an aggressive assault on e-mail inboxes around the world -- part of an increased campaign expected to cost the global economy $100 billion in 2007.
September 15, 2007
TD Ameritrade Client Data Stolen in Computer Breach
Stock promoters may use the stolen e-mail to pump up share prices so they can sell their holdings at a profit, Paller said.
September 14, 2007
Fugitive Wanted in Inland Investment Scam Arrested
Richard M. Harkless, the former head of Riverside-based MX Factors LLC, was arrested in connection with an investment network that took in $58.5 million from more than 500 people. Investors are still owed more than $39 million from the scam, according to officials...
Pump-and-Dump Stock Spammers Face up to Ten Years in Jail
All four men have pleaded guilty to counts of fraud and are facing between 5-10 years in prison when sentenced later this year. Saquella and Kaplan have also admitted multiple Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) violations. Three other defendants, Steven P. Luscko, Gregory A. Neu, and Brian G. Brunette, have already been sentenced to between 1-5 years in prison..
TD Ameritrade's 6 Million customers hit with Security Breach
The discovery was made a couple of weeks ago, when the online broker learned that investment-related spam had infiltrated the brokers' system. The malicious code allowed a hacker to access some of the information stored in the database.
September 12, 2007
Smart Online Chief, brokers accused of Stock Fraud
Dennis Michael Nouri, the CEO, and his brother, Smart Online employee Reeza Eric Nouri, are accused of bribing brokers for several months in 2005 to sell the company's stock to their customers so the share price would rise, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan said...
September 11, 2007
MX Factors Former Head Charged with running a Ponzi Scheme
Federal authorities arrested Richard M. Harkless, former head of MX Factors LLC, and charged him with operating a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of more than $39 million.
Mark Armand Rousso's Friends
I followed it up with several blog posts with more information on history of its founder, Mr. Rousso, a long -time stock promoter who plead guilty to stock...
Beware of the Penny Stock Hype
Traditional penny stock campaigns follow a simple formula. Promoters and insiders use these advertising campaigns to increase the price of stock they own, then often sell shares at pumped-up prices...
September 10, 2007
Fallen "Master of the Universe" writes his own Tale of Wall Street Depravity
Jordan Belfort, boiler room kingpin, felon and author, cackled with glee. "There is the scene of the crime," he said, pointing out a car window at the off-ramp leading to the Bronx...
September 6, 2007
Penny-Stock Promoters Plead Guilty
Two Arizona-based stock promoters pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges and agreed to be barred from penny-stock deals under a related settlement of a civil lawsuit under a settlement announced Thursday by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SEC Charges Software Firm with Stock Scam
FacePrint Global Solutions and its CEO Pierre Cote, sold millions of shares of stock to the public through nominee accounts, without registering the shares with the Commission. According to the complaint, Cote then funneled the proceeds of the sales back to FacePrint, a struggling start-up company purportedly in the business of developing facial recognition software for use in fighting crime and terrorism.
SEC and US Attorney charge Repeat Stock Promoter and Penny Stock Trader with Illegal IPOs and Pump-and-Dump Manipulation Schemes
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced a settled civil action against two Arizona-based scammers alleging their participation in an elaborate market manipulation scheme that involved unlawfully taking public seven microcap companies, inflating their share prices, and dumping millions of shares into the public market.
Department of Justice Reports four Defandants Plead Guilty on Securities Fraud-Related Charges - Pump-and-Dump Scheme
Four defendants have pleaded guilty to defrauding investors of over $20 million in stock manipulation schemes involving 15 different publicly traded companies, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg for the Eastern District of Virginia announced
September 5, 2007
Judge Orders Receiver for Universal Express
New York Federal Court Judge Gerard Lynch ordered a receiver to take over Boca Raton-based Universal Express which would end Richard Altomare's tenure as chairman and chief executive officer.
Breathless Pitches for Penny Stocks now in Newspapers
The promotion of penny stocks, for years a staple of Internet spam and “boiler rooms” running illegal pump-and-dump schemes, has recently burst forth in splashy full-page ads in major daily newspapers.
August 31, 2007
Penny Ante Hustler turns to Gold Stock
In addition to stock fraud, he became an expert in GST fraud. Federal Crown prosecutors alleged that from 1995 to 2001, he submitted claims for GST refunds ...
August 30, 2007
Fresno Anti-Terrorism Software firm with Illegal Stock Scheme
FacePrint Global Solutions Inc. (OTC: FPRN), a Fresno-based start-up company attempting to develop facial recognition software for use in crime and terrorism prevention, and its CEO, Pierre Cote, have been charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission with supposedly conducting an illicit stock-selling scheme that raised nearly $1.5 million.
Singing Scammer to Audition at Hearing
Salvatore Romano, a convicted scammer who fleeced more than $20 million from investors in "pump and dump" stock schemes, will take the stand against wiseguy John "Johnny G" Gammarano, a longtime foe of the Junior Don as well as his late father, the erstwhile Dapper Don, John Gotti Sr.
August 29, 2007
Stock Scam worth $6.7 Million
A former Goldman Sachs analyst pleaded guilty yesterday to a wide-ranging insider trading operation that relied in part on illegal stock tips from a grand juror and leaked copies of a market-moving magazine to make millions of dollars.
Reputed Mobsters to face the music in Stock Scam
Two Staten Island men, who, federal prosecutors say, headed a wide-ranging Colombo crime family racketeering conspiracy that manipulated stocks at more than a dozen brokerage firms through extortion are about to pay the piper -- to the tune of up to 20 years in prison and restitution of $1 million.
Wave of Text Message Spam Hits area cell Users
"It was a stock offering of some kind or some kind of stock sale," he said. "I was just appalled. It was the first time I'd ever gotten anything like that."
August 27, 2007
Stratton Oakmont's Legacy of Fraud
Founded in 1989 in a car dealership in Queens, Stratton quickly moved to an office building on Marcus Avenue in Lake Success. Riding a wave of investor enthusiasm for small stocks during the great bull market of the last decade, Jordan Belfort and his partner Daniel Porush, who also later went to jail, amassed large fortunes by perfecting the art of the "pump and dump" scheme...
New Book by LI's "Wolf of Wall Street" ex-con
Belfort, who in the late 1990s pedaled nearly worthless stocks to thousands of unsuspecting investors at Stratton Oakmont, a now-defunct brokerage in Lake Success, has sold a 500-page book that he calls a "satirical reconstruction" of his career to a unit of publisher Random House Inc.
August 26, 2007
Dark Days in Bamfield
CLOSED Dust gathers at the Bamfield Inn, one of a number of properties around Bamfield owned by former Vancouver stock promoter Jack Purdy.
Police Use Soaps to fight Scams
Britain's top soap operas are being persuaded to join the battle against 'boiler room' investment scams.
August 25, 2007
A National Regulator is needed to tame our Wild West Markets
Felderhof's acquittal on charges of insider trading means that not one executive from Bre-X will be punished for one of the greatest securities frauds in Canadian history.
August 23, 2007
Court Closes SEC's $5M Fraud Case
A federal court in Southern California has entered final judgments against two San Diego men that the SEC originally charged with securities fraud. The two men, Todd DiRoberto and Brian Lee, allegedly raised more than $5 million from an illegal private placement offering in two internet companies—Zandria Entertainment Networks and LevelRed Investments both internet companies.
FTC, Whole Foods CEO Both Wrong
He resorted to the tactics favored by penny-stock promoters and small-time Internet scammers, and he now finds himself under scrutiny from the SEC. ...
August 22, 2007
Misgivings Spoil Plans of Start-Up
On Monday, Maxim Group, the underwriter, pulled out of the offering, though it did not cite any specific reason for its change of heart...
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