Market Manipulation. Search

Market manipulation enforcement actions filed in 2018

This library records 221 market manipulation enforcement actions filed in 2018, brought by CFTC, SEC.

Counts by year reflect when an action was filed or announced, not when the underlying conduct occurred — those are often years apart. Compare across years with care: a single multi-defendant sweep can dominate a year's count.

Actions
100
Total penalties
$185m
Median penalty
$531k
Largest
$90m
Criminal parallel
30%
Action Agency Filed Technique Penalty Status
SEC v. ADT Inc. (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-12-26 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Cherubim Interests, Inc., PDX Partners, Inc., Victura Construction Group, Inc., and Patrick Jevon Johnson (pump and dump, 2018) SEC 2018-12-26 Pump And Dump unknown
SEC v. BioElectronics Corp. IBEX, LLC St. John's, LLC Whelan and others (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-12-21 Unregistered Distributions $650k judgment
SEC v. Natural Blue Resources, Inc. Cohen and others (reverse merger schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-12-21 Reverse Merger Schemes $75k judgment
SEC v. Tod A. Ditommaso, Esq. (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-12-21 Unregistered Distributions settled
SEC v. Wealthfront Advisers, LLC and and Wealthfront, Inc. (wash trading, 2018) SEC 2018-12-21 Wash Trading settled
SEC v. Robert S. "Lute" Davis, Jr., et al., Jordan E. Goodman., Alan H. New, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-12-19 Ponzi Schemes $100k settled
CFTC v. Chicago-area Trader (ponzi schemes, 2018) CFTC 2018-12-17 Ponzi Schemes settled
CFTC v. Gaylen Rust (ponzi schemes, 2018) CFTC 2018-12-17 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. Peter Cho (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-12-17 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. The Bank of New York Mellon (naked short selling debate, 2018) SEC 2018-12-17 Naked Short Selling Debate 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 Paid Stock Promotion $800k settled
SEC v. Lai Guanglin (Alan) (marking the close, 2018) SEC 2018-12-10 Marking The Close , Price Manipulation settled
SEC v. Rajeshwar R. Gannamaneni, Deepthi Gandra, and Linga R. Gannamaneni (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-12-10 Insider Trading unknown
SEC v. CoinAlpha Advisors LLC (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-12-07 Unregistered Distributions settled
SEC v. NVC Fund LLC and Frank Ekejija (pump and dump, 2018) SEC 2018-12-07 Pump And Dump unknown
SEC v. David G. Dreslin, et al. (reverse merger schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-12-03 Reverse Merger Schemes $25k settled
SEC v. Fifth Street Management, LLC (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-12-03 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Eric T. Landis et al. (matched orders, 2018) SEC 2018-11-29 Matched Orders , Paid Stock Promotion filed
SEC v. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-11-29 Paid Stock Promotion settled
SEC v. Khaled Khaled (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-11-29 Paid Stock Promotion settled
SEC v. Morrie Tobin et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-11-28 Paid Stock Promotion filed
CFTC v. Defendants Gaylen Dean Rust (ponzi schemes, 2018) CFTC 2018-11-16 Ponzi Schemes filed
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (insider trading, 2018) CFTC 2018-11-15 Insider Trading , Spoofing unknown
SEC v. Mark Burnett, Jeffrey Miller, Christian Romandetti, Frank Sarro, Anthony Vassallo, and Elite Stock Research, Inc. (boiler rooms, 2018) SEC 2018-11-15 Boiler Rooms filed
SEC v. James V. Mazzo, et al. (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-11-14 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Arthur Lamar Adams et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-11-09 Ponzi Schemes settled
SEC v. Joseph Meli, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-11-09 Ponzi Schemes settled
SEC v. Kevin B. Merrill, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-11-09 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. Pyxus International, Inc. (wash trading, 2018) SEC 2018-11-09 Wash Trading settled
SEC v. Craig H. Carton, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-11-08 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. James E. Hengen (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-11-08 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Michael E. Cone, et al (boiler rooms, 2018) SEC 2018-11-08 Boiler Rooms filed
SEC v. SeeThruEquity, LLC et al. (newsletter scalping, 2018) SEC 2018-11-08 Newsletter Scalping , Paid Stock Promotion filed
SEC v. Slobodan Dragojlovic (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-11-08 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Citibank, N.A. (naked short selling debate, 2018) SEC 2018-11-07 Naked Short Selling Debate settled
SEC v. Mark E. Fisher, Esq. (fake press releases, 2018) SEC 2018-11-02 Fake Press Releases , Pump And Dump judgment
SEC v. Brian Weber and Bebida Beverage Co. (fake press releases, 2018) SEC 2018-10-31 Fake Press Releases , Paid Stock Promotion judgment
SEC v. Philip Thomas Kueber (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-10-26 Undisclosed Control Blocks judgment
SEC v. John Madsen, Andalusian Resorts and others (fake press releases, 2018) SEC 2018-10-23 Fake Press Releases , Pump And Dump +1 judgment
SEC v. Mark E. Fisher and Joseph F. Capuozzo (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-10-22 Paid Stock Promotion , Pump And Dump settled
SEC v. Zachary S. Berkey (churning, 2018) SEC 2018-10-19 Churning judgment
CFTC v. GBI (ponzi schemes, 2018) CFTC 2018-10-18 Ponzi Schemes $2.5m judgment
SEC v. Richard J. Greenlaw et al. (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-10-18 Unregistered Distributions judgment
SEC v. Bryan B. Long (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-10-16 Insider Trading filed
CFTC v. Kamaldeep Gandhi (spoofing, 2018) CFTC 2018-10-12 Spoofing judgment
SEC v. Harold L. Altvater (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-10-11 Insider Trading filed
SEC v. Merrill, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-10-11 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. Dennis Wayne Hamilton (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-10-10 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Jeffre James and others (pump and dump, 2018) SEC 2018-10-09 Pump And Dump unknown
SEC v. Robert O. Carr and Katherine M. Hanratty (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-10-05 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Todd Elliott Hitt, Kiddar Capital LLC, Kiddar Group Holdings, Inc., as Defendants, and Kiddar AQ LLC a/k/a Kiddar Aquicore LLC, as Relief Defendants (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-10-05 Ponzi Schemes settled
CFTC v. Owner of Precious Metals Firm (ponzi schemes, 2018) CFTC 2018-10-03 Ponzi Schemes filed
CFTC v. the Bank of Nova Scotia (spoofing, 2018) CFTC 2018-10-01 Spoofing $800k judgment
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (insider trading, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-28 Insider Trading filed
CFTC v. Block Trade Broker (front running, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-28 Front Running , Insider Trading filed
SEC v. Bryan R. Ziegenfuse (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. COR Clearing, LLC (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 Unregistered Distributions $800k settled
SEC v. Edward J. Kosinski (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 Insider Trading filed
SEC v. Jehu Hand and Antonio Katz (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 Paid Stock Promotion , Pump And Dump judgment
SEC v. NL Technology, LLC et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 Ponzi Schemes $480k judgment
SEC v. Nutra Pharma Corp. et al (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 Unregistered Distributions filed
SEC v. Thomas Carter Ronk (boiler rooms, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 Boiler Rooms , Paid Stock Promotion filed
SEC v. Unal Patel and Amish Patel (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-09-28 Insider Trading settled
CFTC v. Davis Ramsey (price manipulation, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-27 Price Manipulation $325k judgment
CFTC v. Eleven Individuals and Five Entities (wash trading, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-27 Wash Trading unknown
CFTC v. Futures Trader (price manipulation, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-27 Price Manipulation $325k judgment
SEC v. unnamed respondents (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-09-27 Ponzi Schemes settled
SEC v. Thomas Earl Hayden (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-09-27 Insider Trading $198k settled
CFTC v. Adam Flavin (price manipulation, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-26 Price Manipulation $1.3m judgment
CFTC v. Two Commodity Traders (price manipulation, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-26 Price Manipulation $125k judgment
CFTC v. Mizuho Bank (spoofing, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-21 Spoofing $250k judgment
CFTC v. Geneva Trading USA (spoofing, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-20 Spoofing $1.5m judgment
SEC v. CSIR Group, LLC, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-09-20 Paid Stock Promotion judgment
CFTC v. Bank of America (benchmark submission rigging, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-19 Benchmark Submission Rigging , Price Manipulation $30m judgment
CFTC v. Futures Trader and Trading Firm (cash vs derivatives schemes, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-19 Cash Vs Derivatives Schemes , Spoofing $1.8m judgment
SEC v. Michael L. LaPenna (naked short selling debate, 2018) SEC 2018-09-19 Naked Short Selling Debate $22.5k settled
CFTC v. ICAP Capital Markets LLC (benchmark submission rigging, 2018) CFTC 2018-09-18 Benchmark Submission Rigging , Price Manipulation $50m judgment
SEC v. Ernest J. Romer, III (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-09-18 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. John Paul Waymack (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-09-18 Insider Trading unknown
SEC v. Rong Chen, et al. (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-09-14 Insider Trading filed
SEC v. Barry C. Honig, et al. (pump and dump, 2018) SEC 2018-09-07 Pump And Dump filed
SEC v. In Ovations Holdings, Inc. and Mark Goldberg (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-09-06 Paid Stock Promotion unknown
SEC v. Jeffrey Goldman and Christopher Eikenberry (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-09-05 Ponzi Schemes settled
SEC v. Amer Deeba (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-30 Insider Trading $581k judgment
SEC v. Kendricks, et al. (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-30 Insider Trading filed
CFTC v. BNP Paribas (benchmark submission rigging, 2018) CFTC 2018-08-29 Benchmark Submission Rigging , Price Manipulation $90m judgment
SEC v. David Michael Naylor, CPA (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-08-29 Undisclosed Control Blocks judgment
SEC v. Delaney Equity Group LLC Delaney and others (reverse merger schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-08-29 Reverse Merger Schemes , Shell Factories +1 $20k settled
SEC v. Fishoff, et al. (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-23 Insider Trading filed
SEC v. Gary S. Williky (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-23 Insider Trading $1.7m judgment
SEC v. Barry M. Kornfeld, et al., Lynette M. Robbins and Knowles Systems, Inc. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-08-22 Ponzi Schemes $100k settled
SEC v. James T. Lentz (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-22 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. A. Catlin Cade, IV (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-21 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Ismail Lila (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-21 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Lubin and David (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-08-21 Unregistered Distributions judgment
SEC v. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Citigroup Inc. (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-08-16 Undisclosed Control Blocks settled
SEC v. Honglan Wang (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-16 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Lauren Zarsky, CPA (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-15 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Tomahawk Exploration LLC and David Thompson Laurance (reverse merger schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-08-14 Reverse Merger Schemes $30k settled