Market Manipulation. Search

Paid stock promotion enforcement actions

This library records 219 enforcement actions tagged paid stock promotion. Paid stock promotion is publicising a security in exchange for compensation, which is lawful only if the fact of payment, the payer and the amount are fully disclosed under Securities Act Section 17(b).

Actions are listed newest first. Each row links to a case page carrying the regulator's own release and, where one was published, the complaint. For how this technique works and what statute it engages, read the paid stock promotion technique page.

Actions
100
Total penalties
$14.4m
Median penalty
$150k
Largest
$6m
Criminal parallel
30%
Action Agency Filed Penalty Status
SEC v. Reynolds and Norman T., Esq. (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-10-22 judgment
SEC v. McAfee et al. (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-10-06 filed
SEC v. Joel Stohlman, et al. (matched orders, 2020) SEC 2020-09-30 filed
SEC v. Unikrn, Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-09-15 settled
SEC v. IRTH Communications, LLC and Andrew Haag (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-07-22 $35k settled
SEC v. Plutus Financial Inc. d/b/a Abra and Plutus Technologies Philippines Corp. (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-07-13 settled
SEC v. Shawn Severson (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-02-28 $3.5k settled
SEC v. Steven Seagal (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-02-27 settled
SEC v. David Aubel and Robert Raffa (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-01-27 $150k judgment
SEC v. Lidingo Holdings, LLC, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-01-14 judgment
SEC v. Jeffrey O. Friedland, Global Corporate Strategies LLC., and Intiva Pharma, LLC (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-12-09 $2m judgment
SEC v. Michael J. Starkweather and Andiamo Corporation, William White (matched orders, 2019) SEC 2019-10-17 filed
SEC v. George Matin (matched orders, 2019) SEC 2019-09-25 settled
SEC v. Harold Minsky (matched orders, 2019) SEC 2019-09-25 settled
SEC v. Brian Robert Sodi, et al. (newsletter scalping, 2019) SEC 2019-09-19 settled
SEC v. Marvell Technology Group, Ltd. (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-09-16 settled
SEC v. Morrie Tobin et al. (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-08-30 filed
SEC v. ICO Rating (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-08-20 settled
SEC v. Samuel Brown, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-08-16 judgment
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (paid stock promotion, 2019) CFTC 2019-07-19 $2.9m judgment
SEC v. George Slowinski (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-05-29 filed
SEC v. Wilson-Davis & Co., Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-05-15 settled
SEC v. Kent R.E. Whitney, David Lee Parrish, The Church for the Healthy Self a/k/a CHS Trust, and CHS Asset Management Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-03-18 unknown
SEC v. Jason McDiarmid, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-02-12 judgment
SEC v. Edward Withrow, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-02-05 filed
SEC v. Anthony J. Thompson, Jr., et al. (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-02-01 settled
SEC v. America Modern Green Senior (Houston) LLC and America Modern Green Community (Houston) LLC and America Modern Green Residential (Houston) LLC (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-12-12 $800k settled
SEC v. Eric T. Landis et al. (matched orders, 2018) SEC 2018-11-29 filed
SEC v. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-11-29 settled
SEC v. Khaled Khaled (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-11-29 settled
SEC v. Morrie Tobin et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-11-28 filed
SEC v. SeeThruEquity, LLC et al. (newsletter scalping, 2018) SEC 2018-11-08 filed
SEC v. Brian Weber and Bebida Beverage Co. (fake press releases, 2018) SEC 2018-10-31 judgment
SEC v. Mark E. Fisher and Joseph F. Capuozzo (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-10-22 settled
SEC v. Jehu Hand and Antonio Katz (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 judgment
SEC v. Thomas Carter Ronk (boiler rooms, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 filed
SEC v. CSIR Group, LLC, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-09-20 judgment
SEC v. In Ovations Holdings, Inc. and Mark Goldberg (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-09-06 unknown
SEC v. Gannon Giguiere et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-07-16 filed
SEC v. Richard Weed et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-06-26 $150k dismissed
SEC v. Kon and Alexander (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-05-29 $20k settled
SEC v. Eddy U. Marin and Shane R. Spierdowis (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-05-02 settled
SEC v. Christopher R. Esposito, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-04-30 judgment
SEC v. Andrew J. Kandelapas (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-04-13 $240k settled
SEC v. Wellness Center USA, Inc. (fake press releases, 2018) SEC 2018-04-12 settled
SEC v. Aegis Capital Corporation (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-03-28 filed
SEC v. Terracciano and Eugene (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-03-28 unknown
SEC v. Palladino and James M. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-11-29 unknown
SEC v. Ferrone and Stephen D. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-11-08 $120k judgment
SEC v. Andalusian Resorts and others (fake press releases, 2017) SEC 2017-10-30 filed
SEC v. Artemus Mayor (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-10-26 settled
SEC v. Micheal A. Skerry (newsletter scalping, 2017) SEC 2017-09-29 $100k judgment
SEC v. Moses Investment Company, LLC and Michael S. Moses (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-09-22 filed
SEC v. Dawn J. Bennett and DJB Holdings LLC (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-08-28 filed
SEC v. Smith, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-08-11 judgment
SEC v. Joe Yiu Cheung ( and Dylon De Lu Zhang) (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-08-02 settled
SEC v. Jeffrey D. Martin, et al. (custodianship shell hijacking, 2017) SEC 2017-08-01 judgment
SEC v. Karen F. Aalders (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-07-31 judgment
SEC v. Carrillo and Luis J. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-07-26 judgment
SEC v. Huettel and Wade D., Esq. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-07-26 judgment
SEC v. Joey Giamichael and Umbrella Research, LLC (newsletter scalping, 2017) SEC 2017-07-25 settled
SEC v. James M. Farinella, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-06-21 filed
SEC v. Jehu Hand and Antonio Katz (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-06-15 filed
SEC v. Wensheng Lin and Sheng Li Chen (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-05-01 filed
SEC v. Justin D. Meadlin and Hyaline Capital Management, LLC (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-17 filed
SEC v. Christopher R. Esposito, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-14 $775k judgment
SEC v. Lidingo Holdings, LLC, et al., CSIR Group, LLC, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-12 settled
SEC v. Christopher French (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 settled
SEC v. Ciaran Thornton (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 settled
SEC v. Craig Keolanui (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 settled
SEC v. Edward Borrelli and Dunedin, Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 settled
SEC v. Galena Biopharma, Inc. and Mark J. Ahn (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 settled
SEC v. ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 settled
SEC v. Joel Corenman (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 settled
SEC v. Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 settled
SEC v. Michael A. McCarthy (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 settled
SEC v. Stephen Ramey (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 $24k settled
SEC v. Notis Global, Inc. (f/k/a Medbox, Inc.), et al. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-03-09 $6m judgment
SEC v. Cort Poyner et al. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-01-19 judgment
SEC v. Empire Stock Transfer, Inc. and Matthew J. Blevins (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-12-16 $50k settled
SEC v. Richard Weed et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-10-04 judgment
SEC v. Marcus A. Luna, et al. (boiler rooms, 2016) SEC 2016-09-30 filed
SEC v. Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC Oz Management LP Och and others (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-09-29 settled
CFTC v. Advanced Trading Workshop (newsletter scalping, 2016) CFTC 2016-09-28 $470k judgment
SEC v. Jason A. Wallace (boiler rooms, 2016) SEC 2016-09-27 filed
SEC v. Manuel E. Jesus aka Manny Backus, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-09-13 $235k judgment
SEC v. Contrarian Press, LLC, Scott S. Fraser, and Nathan Yeung (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-09-06 filed
SEC v. James Hugh Brennan, III, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-07-25 unknown
SEC v. Albert Fried & Company, LLC (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-06-01 settled
SEC v. Christopher R. Esposito, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-05-26 filed
SEC v. Imran Husain, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-05-12 unknown
SEC v. Asher Z. Zwebner and Luke C. Zouvas, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-04-26 unknown
SEC v. William E. Mapp, III, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-04-11 $200k settled
SEC v. David Aubel and Robert Raffa (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-04-07 unknown
SEC v. Tobin Smith, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-03-29 $75k settled
SEC v. Guy Gentile (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-03-23 filed
SEC v. Cary Lee Peterson, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-03-16 filed
SEC v. Mark A. Jones (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-03-16 filed
SEC v. Reed J. Killion, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2016) SEC 2016-03-10 judgment
SEC v. Jehu Hand and Antonio Katz (paid stock promotion, 2015) SEC 2015-12-11 filed