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: 19
Total penalties: $767k
Median penalty: $44k
Largest: $700k
Criminal parallel: 42%

Action	Agency	Filed	Penalty	Status
SEC v. Joseph Catapano and Michael Piervinanzi (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-10-26	$44k	judgment
SEC v. Andrew Farmer, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-10-09	—	unknown
SEC v. Frank Morelli III and Louis Buonocore (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-09-21	—	filed
SEC v. Marco Babini et al. (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-09-14	—	judgment
SEC v. Bennett Group Financial Services, LLC Bennett and Dawn J. (churning, 2015)	SEC	2015-09-09	—	unknown
SEC v. unnamed respondents (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-08-10	—	judgment
SEC v. unnamed respondents (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-07-14	—	filed
SEC v. Ireeco, LLC Ireeco Limited (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-06-23	—	settled
SEC v. Norstra Energy Inc., Glen Landry and Eric Dany (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-06-18	—	judgment
SEC v. Sand Hill Exchange and Gerrit Hall and Elaine Ou (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-06-17	—	settled
SEC v. Edmond L. Lonergan and Green Planet Group, Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-06-02	—	unknown
SEC v. Adam S. Gottbetter, Mitchell G. Adam, and K. David Stevenson (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-05-28	—	settled
SEC v. Mike Taxon and Itamar Cohen (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-05-28	—	settled
SEC v. Houston American Energy Corp. Terwilliger and others (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-04-23	$22.5k	settled
SEC v. Mieka Energy Corporation, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-04-10	—	filed
SEC v. Gary S. Williky (insider trading, 2015)	SEC	2015-03-02	—	settled
SEC v. John A. Geringer (paid stock promotion, 2015)	SEC	2015-02-23	—	judgment
CFTC v. Texas-based RFF GP (paid stock promotion, 2013)	CFTC	2013-07-13	—	unknown
CFTC v. Defendant Christopher Varlesi (paid stock promotion, 2013)	CFTC	2013-06-26	$700k	judgment