Market Manipulation. Search

Ponzi schemes enforcement actions

This library records 532 enforcement actions tagged ponzi schemes. A Ponzi scheme pays returns to earlier investors from later investors' money rather than from genuine profits, which is investment fraud with no market involvement and no price to manipulate.

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 ponzi schemes technique page.

Actions
100
Total penalties
$62.4m
Median penalty
$625k
Largest
$32m
Criminal parallel
51%
Action Agency Filed Penalty Status
CFTC v. William S. Evans III (ponzi schemes, 2022) CFTC 2022-01-19 $17m judgment
SEC v. Tanmaya Kabra et al. (ponzi schemes, 2022) SEC 2022-01-06 judgment
CFTC v. New Jersey-Based Entities and Individuals (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-12-28 unknown
SEC v. Marco "Sully" Perez and Permian Basin Proppants, Inc. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-12-22 filed
SEC v. Guy Scott Griffithe and Robert William Russell (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-11-24 dismissed
SEC v. BNZ One Capital, LLC, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2021) SEC 2021-10-29 filed
CFTC v. New Jersey Resident and His Company (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-10-27 settled
SEC v. Ann M. Vick (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-10-26 settled
CFTC v. El Paso Resident and His Firm (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-10-20 filed
CFTC v. Craig L. Clavin (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-10-12 $370k judgment
CFTC v. North Carolina Companies and Their Owners (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-10-08 unknown
SEC v. Steven Pagartanis (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-10-07 judgment
SEC v. Gregory L. Ciccone, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-09-29 unknown
SEC v. Sky Group, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-09-29 filed
SEC v. Jaeson Birnbaum (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-09-28 filed
SEC v. Frantz Simeon and First Black Enterprises, Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2021) SEC 2021-09-23 unknown
CFTC v. Former Hawaii Resident (benchmark submission rigging, 2021) CFTC 2021-09-16 filed
SEC v. Jason Dodd Bullard, Angela Romero-Bullard, and Bullard Enterprises LLC (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-09-16 unknown
CFTC v. Texas Resident and others (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-09-14 filed
SEC v. Todd Elliott Hitt et al. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-09-10 dismissed
SEC v. Steven Fitzgerald Brown (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-08-31 judgment
CFTC v. Glen Galemmo (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-08-27 settled
SEC v. William B. McHenry Jr. and First South Investments, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-08-27 filed
SEC v. John J. Woods, Livingston Group Asset Management Company d/b/a Southport Capital, and Horizon Private Equity, III, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-08-25 unknown
SEC v. Martin Adrian Ruiz et al. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-08-13 unknown
SEC v. MJ Capital Funding, LLC, et al, (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-08-13 unknown
SEC v. George Heckler (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-07-28 filed
SEC v. Outdoor Capital Partners, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-07-22 unknown
SEC v. Profit Connect Wealth Services, Inc., Joy I. Kovar, and Brent C. Kovar (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-07-20 unknown
SEC v. Matthew J. Skinner, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-06-29 filed
SEC v. Robert Joseph Armijo, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-06-15 filed
SEC v. The Estate of Kenneth J. Casey (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-06-02 filed
CFTC v. Cipolla (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-05-14 $5m judgment
CFTC v. Aaron Michael Scott (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-04-27 $1.3m judgment
SEC v. Jonathan P. Maroney, Et. Al (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-04-27 unknown
SEC v. Gregory Altieri (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-04-23 judgment
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-04-08 $32m judgment
CFTC v. Douglas Lien (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-04-08 $5.2m judgment
SEC v. Zachary J. Horwitz, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-04-08 unknown
SEC v. Jason P. Wootten, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-03-23 filed
SEC v. Seth P. Levine (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-03-19 settled
SEC v. Shawn C. Cutting (paid stock promotion, 2021) SEC 2021-03-11 unknown
SEC v. EarthSource Minerals International, LLC et al. (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-03-02 $125k settled
SEC v. James T. Booth (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-02-22 judgment
SEC v. Isaiah L. Goodman (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-02-09 filed
CFTC v. New York Man (ponzi schemes, 2021) CFTC 2021-01-26 filed
SEC v. Jacob C. Glick (ponzi schemes, 2021) SEC 2021-01-19 filed
SEC v. DeAndre P. Sears et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-12-31 settled
SEC v. Gregory Altieri (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-12-30 filed
CFTC v. Mark N. Pyatt (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-12-22 $255k judgment
SEC v. Rumbaugh et al (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-11-24 judgment
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (paid stock promotion, 2020) CFTC 2020-11-04 $450k judgment
SEC v. Terrence Chalk, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-11-03 filed
SEC v. Paul Horton Smith, Sr. and others (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-10-22 judgment
SEC v. Rudden, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-10-16 judgment
SEC v. Alexander Rowland (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-10-13 filed
SEC v. Michael Staisil (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-09-30 filed
SEC v. Thomas J. Gity, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-09-30 filed
SEC v. Todd W. Mixon (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-09-30 filed
SEC v. Lewis I. Wallach (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-09-29 settled
SEC v. Craig A. Zabala (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-09-24 filed
SEC v. Scott Allen Fries (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-09-17 filed
CFTC v. 4 Florida Men (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-09-16 filed
CFTC v. Walsh (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-09-11 judgment
SEC v. Phillip W. Conley (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-09-03 filed
SEC v. Steven Fitzgerald Brown (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-09-03 settled
CFTC v. Multiple Individuals and Entities (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-08-28 filed
SEC v. Dale Tenhulzen et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-08-13 settled
SEC v. Victor Lee Farias and Integrity Aviation & Leasing, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-08-04 filed
CFTC v. California and Colorado Residents (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-07-08 filed
SEC v. Ralph C. Greaves, Esq. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-07-06 judgment
SEC v. Todd H. Lahr, Esq. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-06-24 judgment
SEC v. Todd Lahr and Thomas Megas (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-06-24 judgment
SEC v. Neil Burkholz, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-06-15 judgment
CFTC v. Unregistered Commodity Pool Operator and Its Chief Executive Officer (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-06-11 filed
SEC v. Daniel F. Putnam, Jean Paul Ramirez Rico, Angel A. Rodriguez, MMT Distribution, LLC, R & D Global (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-06-05 unknown
CFTC v. Kentucky Man (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-06-02 filed
CFTC v. Danish Man (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-05-18 filed
SEC v. Damon Elliott, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-05-06 filed
SEC v. Aequitas Management, LLC, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-04-24 $625k judgment
SEC v. Barry R. Bekkedam (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-04-22 unknown
SEC v. Stacey Beane, Justin Deckert and Travis Laska (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-03-13 $30k judgment
SEC v. Todays Growth Consultant Inc. and Kenneth D. Courtright, III (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-03-06 filed
SEC v. Brook Church-Koegel, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-03-05 filed
CFTC v. Investment Firm and VP (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-02-20 filed
SEC v. EquiAlt LLC et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-02-18 filed
CFTC v. Colorado Resident (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-02-14 filed
SEC v. Marc A. Celello, Esq. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-02-13 judgment
SEC v. DFRF Enterprises LLC, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-31 judgment
SEC v. Michael Douglas Billings and MDB Group, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-31 settled
SEC v. Edward E. Matthes (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-28 judgment
SEC v. Jeffrey P. Carpoff and Paulette Carpoff (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-24 settled
SEC v. Guy Scott Griffithe, Robert William Russell, Renewable Technologies Solution, Inc., Green Acres Pharms, LLC, and others (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-21 filed
CFTC v. US Coin Bullion LLC and its Owners (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-01-10 unknown
SEC v. Edward Espinal and Cash Flow Partners, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-07 filed
SEC v. Robert A. Karmann (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-12-18 settled
SEC v. Sam A. Antar (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-12-18 filed
CFTC v. New Mexico Resident (ponzi schemes, 2019) CFTC 2019-12-10 filed
SEC v. Lester Burroughs (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-12-05 filed
SEC v. Brett Pittsenbargar, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-11-25 filed