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SEC settles with company over ETP implementation failure
On July 19, the SEC announced a settlement with a financial services company for its role in alleged compliance failures connected to volatility-linked-exchange traded products (ETPs). According to the order, the issuer of the ETP, which was designed to track short-term volatility expectations in the market as measured against derivatives of a volatility index, warned the company that it was not suitable to hold the product for extended periods of time, and that the product’s offering documents proved that the product’s value was likely to decline. The SEC alleged that the company violated the Advisers Act and Advisers Act Rule, such as Section 206(4), because the company failed to adopt reasonably designed written policies and procedures directed at ETPs and failed to implement its existing policies and procedures. The order includes allegations that the company prohibited brokerage representatives from soliciting sales of the product and placed other sales restrictions of the product, but did not place similar restrictions on some financial advisers’ use of the product in discretionary managed client accounts. The order further noted that the company allegedly adopted a concentration limit on ETPs but failed to implement a system for monitoring and enforcing that limit for five years. The order, which the company consented to without admitting or denying the findings, imposes a civil money penalty of approximately $8 million and $96,344 in disgorgement, and requires the company to cease and desist from committing or causing any future violations of Section 206(4) of the Advisers Act and Advisers Act Rule.
SEC obtains TRO and asset freeze against investment scam
On July 19, the SEC announced that it had obtained a temporary restraining order and asset freeze to halt an ongoing fraud offering by a Las Vegas-based company and two individual defendants, including a recidivist, (collectively, “defendants”) that allegedly raised more than $12 million from nearly 300 retail investors. According to the complaint, the defendants violated several provisions of securities laws by allegedly promising investors that their money would be invested in securities, bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies based on recommendations made by an “[a]rtificial intelligence supercomputer,” which allegedly “consistently generate[d] enormous returns” and allowed the defendants to guarantee fixed returns of 20-30 percent annually with compounding interest. However, the SEC alleged that over 90 percent of the defendants’ funds came from investors, and that the defendants did not use these funds for the stated purposes. Rather, defendants transferred millions of dollars to one of the individual defendant’s personal bank accounts, paid millions of dollars to promoters who led investors to the defendants, and made “Ponzi-like” payments to other investors. The complaint seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties.
New Jersey orders company to stop selling unregistered securities
On July 19, the New Jersey Bureau of Securities (Bureau) announced a cease and desist order against a financial services company for allegedly selling unregistered securities in the form of interest-earning cryptocurrency accounts and failing to explain to investors that the accounts were not licensed in New Jersey. According to the order, the company has been funding its lending operations and proprietary trading business since 2019 by selling interest-bearing cryptocurrency accounts that are not protected by or registered with any federal or state securities regulator. The order notes that the company “held the equivalent of $14.7 billion from the sale of these unregistered securities in violation of the Securities Law.” In addition, the order, which become effective July 22, requires the company to stop selling any unregistered security or violating any securities law. According to the Bureau, the recent action “comes amid rising concerns over the proliferation of decentralized finance platforms like [the company] that seek to reinvent traditional financial systems such as banks and brokerages for digital asset investors,” and that “[u]nlike traditional, regulated banks and brokerage firms, however, investors’ losses are not insured against or protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or Securities Investor Protection Corporation.”
FINRA to require filing of retail communications for private placement offerings
On July 15, FINRA announced amendments to Rules 5122 and 5123 to require that members file retail communications that promote or recommend private placement offerings. Rule 5122 applies to private placements of unregistered securities issued by a member or a control entity, and requires that the member or control entity provide prospective investors with a private placement memorandum (PPM), term sheet, or other offering document that reveals the intended use of the offering proceeds and expenses, among other things. Rule 5123 requires that “members file with FINRA any PPM, term sheet or other offering document, including any material amended versions thereof, used in connection with a private placement of securities within 15 calendar days of the date of first sale.” According to FINRA, the amendments require a member to file retail communications with the FINRA Corporate Financing Department “no later than the date on which the member must file the private placement offering documents under Rules 5122 and 5123.” The amendments become effective on October 1.
SEC announces whistleblower awards totaling approximately $4 million
On July 21, the SEC announced that it awarded a whistleblower approximately $3 million for providing information that, according to the redacted order, led to a successful SEC enforcement action. The SEC noted that the whistleblower helped open the investigation and conserved resources by giving valuable information and ongoing assistance, such as providing documents that helped staff understand key components in the investigation.
Earlier on July 15, the SEC announced that it awarded a whistleblower more than $1 million for providing information that, according to the redacted order, also led to a successful SEC enforcement action. The SEC noted that the whistleblower helped conserve significant staff time and resources by giving valuable information and ongoing assistance, such as participating in interviews with enforcement staff, and providing documents that helped staff understand key components in the investigation.
The SEC has awarded approximately $942 million to 186 individuals since issuing its first award in 2012.
SEC settles with company over misrepresentation of ICO
On July 14, the SEC announced a settlement with the owners and operators of a software platform provider, resolving allegations that the company violated anti-touting provisions by failing to disclose the compensation it received from issuers of the digital asset securities it profiled. According to the order, the company’s website, which was accessible in the U.S. from 2016 to August 2019, publicized offerings for digital tokens. The platform claimed to “list” or profile the “best” token offerings, such as so-called initial coin offerings (ICOs) and initial exchange offerings. The company also allegedly claimed that its “mission [was] to make it easy and safe for people around the world to join ICOs.” According to the order, the platform profiled more than 2,500 different token offerings, which compromised fundraising of over $10 billion. The SEC alleged that the company violated provisions of the Securities Act, such as Section 2(a), because the digital tokens publicized by the company included those that were offered and sold as investment contracts, and 17(b), because the company promoted a security without disclosing that they received compensation for doing so. The order, which the company consented to without admitting or denying the findings, imposes a civil money penalty of $154,434 and $43,000 in disgorgement, and provides that the company must cease and desist from committing or causing any future violations of the anti-touting provisions of the federal securities laws. SEC Commissioners Hester M. Peirce and Elad L. Roisman dissented from the settlement, stating they agreed that “touting securities without disclosing the fact that you are getting paid, and how much, violates Section 17(b)” but “[they] are disappointed that the Commission’s settlement with [the company] did not explain which digital assets touted by [the company] were securities[.]”
SEC awards $1 million to whistleblower
On June 24, the SEC announced that it awarded a whistleblower more than $1 million for providing information that, according to the redacted order, led to multiple successful SEC enforcement actions. The SEC noted that the whistleblower provided valuable information and ongoing assistance, participated in interviews with enforcement staff, and helped staff understand key players in the investigation. The whistleblower also helped conserve significant staff time and resources by providing information that was otherwise inaccessible to staff and suffered personal and professional hardships. The SEC added that there was also “substantial law enforcement interest in the information.”
The SEC has awarded approximately $938 million to 179 individuals since issuing its first award in 2012.
SEC charges liability company with Exchange Act violations
On June 23, the SEC announced charges against a New York-based limited liability firm for Securities Exchange Act violations because the firm allegedly used language in the firm’s compliance manual that prohibited potential whistleblowers from speaking out to regulators. According to the order, over a four year span, the firm’s compliance manual stated that employees were “strictly prohibited from initiating contact with any Regulator without prior approval from the Legal or Compliance Department,” and that violation of this policy may result in “disciplinary action by the Firm.” The order noted, however, that the agency was “unaware of any specific instances” where an employee of the firm was prevented from disclosing to the SEC staff about possible violations. In 2018 and 2019, the firm also provided annual compliance training to its employees that allegedly included similar language. Specifically, a slide in the training contained language that prohibited employees “from initiating contact with any regulator without prior approval from Legal or Compliance, including conversation[s] regarding an individual’s registration status with FINRA.” The SEC further alleged that the firm’s employees were also required to comply with the code of conduct maintained by the firm’s indirect parent company, but acknowledged that the code was not meant to restrict employees’ whistleblower protections, and employees were not prohibited from reporting to government agencies. However, the firm’s manual also noted that “personnel should follow the more restrictive” of the various policies, “absent explicit direction to the contrary.” The order noted that the firm took remedial steps to correct the issues, including altering the language in the compliance manual to instead advise employees of their right to communicate with regulators about possible concerns without obtaining prior approval. The firm communicated the revisions to its employees by administering a compliance alert, which linked to the revised manual. The SEC charged the firm with violating Rule 21F-17 of the Securities Exchange Act and ordered the firm, to cease and desist for committing future violations of Rule 21F-17 and pay a $208,912 penalty.
SEC sues mutual fund for diverting investor funds into shell companies
On June 21, the SEC filed a complaint against a Cayman Islands-registered mutual fund and its operators (collectively, “defendants”) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging they diverted millions of dollars in investor funds to shell companies under the defendants’ control through uncollateralized loan transactions, and issued “false or misleading statements of material facts to investors to disguise their misconduct.” According to the SEC, the defendants have also blocked investors from redeeming the roughly $106 million they invested in the fund, and have transferred $64 million of the investors’ deposits into the fund’s brokerage account, from which the assets were allegedly “subject to further dissipation and misappropriation.” The SEC’s complaint alleges violations of the antifraud provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and seeks a permanent injunction against the defendants, a permanent ban prohibiting the participation in future securities offerings through entities owned or controlled by the defendants, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, civil penalties, and an asset freeze.
SEC settles with blockchain company over unregistered ICO
On June 22, the SEC announced a settlement with an intellectual property search software platform provider and its CEO resolving allegations that the company made materially false and misleading statements in connection with an unregistered initial coin offering (ICO) of digital asset securities. According to the order, the company raised $7.6 million from investors by offering and selling digital tokens. In promoting the ICO, the company and its CEO made multiple materially false statements to investors and potential investors, including false statements about the company’s revenues, number of employees, and the platform’s user base. The SEC alleges that the company violated Section 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act because the digital assets it offered and sold were securities under federal securities laws, and the company did not have the required registration statement filed or in effect, nor did it qualify for an exemption from registration. The order, which the company consented to without admitting or denying the findings, imposes a $7.6 million penalty, and requires the company to “destroy all [of the digital tokens] in their possession or control,” publish notice of the order on the company’s social media accounts, request removal of the tokens from trading platforms, and refrain from participating in future offerings of a digital asset security.