SEC announces first crowdfunding enforcement action

Securities Enforcement SEC Crowdfunding Securities Act Securities Exchange Act

On September 20, the SEC brought its first regulation crowdfunding enforcement action against several entities and related individuals allegedly involved in a fraudulent scheme to sell nearly $2 million of unregistered securities through two crowdfunding offerings. According to the SEC’s complaint, two of the entities issued securities without registering with the SEC, while their principals diverted investor funds for personal use rather than using the funds for the disclosed purposes. These actions, the SEC claimed, violated the antifraud and registration provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Among other things, the SEC claimed that one of the individuals—“a driving force behind both offerings”—also allegedly concealed his participation in the offerings from the public to hide a past criminal conviction arising from a mortgage fraud scheme out of concern that it could deter prospective investors. The SEC also charged the crowdfunding platform that hosted the offering, and its founder and CEO, with violations of the Securities Act and Regulation Crowdfunding for ignoring red flags about the other defendants. The complaint seeks disgorgement plus pre-judgment interest, penalties, permanent injunctions, and officer and director bars. Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, Gurbir S. Grewal, stressed the importance of full and honest disclosures in these types of offerings: “As companies continue to raise funds through crowdfunding offerings, we will hold issuers, gatekeepers and individuals accountable and enforce the protections in place for all investors.”