Market Manipulation. Search

Market manipulation enforcement actions filed in 2017

This library records 227 market manipulation enforcement actions filed in 2017, brought by AMF-FR, ASIC, CFTC, OSC, 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
$34.4m
Median penalty
$107k
Largest
$8.2m
Criminal parallel
24%
Action Agency Filed Technique Penalty Status
CFTC v. Simon Posen (spoofing, 2017) CFTC 2017-07-26 Spoofing $635k judgment
SEC v. Joey Stanton Dodson (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-07-26 Ponzi Schemes $859k judgment
SEC v. Joey Giamichael and Umbrella Research, LLC (newsletter scalping, 2017) SEC 2017-07-25 Newsletter Scalping , Paid Stock Promotion $48.9k settled
SEC v. Andrew Farmer, et al. (pump and dump, 2017) SEC 2017-07-24 Pump And Dump $2m judgment
SEC v. Lubin and David (2017) SEC 2017-07-19 — judgment
SEC v. Troy Joseph Flowers, Sean Nevett and Fruition Inc. (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-07-19 Undisclosed Control Blocks $310k judgment
SEC v. John F. Stimpson (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-07-18 Insider Trading $136k settled
SEC v. Powertraderspress.com, Inc., Elite Stock Research, Inc. and others (boiler rooms, 2017) SEC 2017-07-12 Boiler Rooms — unknown
SEC v. Victory Ho (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-07-12 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Eric David Wanger and Wanger Investment Management, Inc. (marking the close, 2017) SEC 2017-07-10 Marking The Close $75k settled
SEC v. Steve G. Blasko (boiler rooms, 2017) SEC 2017-07-07 Boiler Rooms , Unregistered Distributions $945k judgment
SEC v. Cheryl L. Jones (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-07-03 Ponzi Schemes — dismissed
SEC v. Sasan Sabrdaran and Farhang Afsarpour (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-06-30 Insider Trading — judgment
CFTC non-prosecution agreements with Jeremy Lao, Daniel Liao and Shlomo Salant (spoofing, 2017) CFTC 2017-06-29 Spoofing — settled
CFTC v. Rosenthal Collins Capital Markets LLC (wash trading, 2017) CFTC 2017-06-29 Wash Trading $5.2m judgment
SEC v. Andrew S. Keck (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-06-29 Undisclosed Control Blocks $2.5k settled
SEC v. Christopher A. Conley (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-06-29 Undisclosed Control Blocks $2.5k settled
SEC v. Marilyn Stark (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-06-29 Undisclosed Control Blocks $10k settled
SEC v. Matthew L. Egna (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-06-29 Undisclosed Control Blocks $10k settled
SEC v. Nigel G. Lindsay (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-06-29 Undisclosed Control Blocks — settled
SEC v. Sarah E. Keck (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-06-29 Undisclosed Control Blocks $2.5k settled
SEC v. Diana P. Lovera (boiler rooms, 2017) SEC 2017-06-28 Boiler Rooms — judgment
SEC v. Harold L. Altvater, Maureen E. Curran, Susan L. Dubuc (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-06-27 Insider Trading $12.3k settled
SEC v. Wm Smith & Co. and William S. Smith (2017) SEC 2017-06-26 $85k settled
SEC v. James M. Farinella, et al. (matched orders, 2017) SEC 2017-06-21 Matched Orders , Pump And Dump — settled
SEC v. Yu-Cheng Lin (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-06-19 Insider Trading — judgment
ASIC v. UBS Securities (2017) ASIC 2017-06-15 — settled
SEC v. Edwin Yoshihiro Fujinaga and MRI International, Inc., et al. (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-06-15 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Jehu Hand and Antonio Katz (pump and dump, 2017) SEC 2017-06-15 Pump And Dump , Unregistered Distributions — judgment
SEC v. Tod A. Ditommaso, Esq. (unregistered distributions, 2017) SEC 2017-06-13 Unregistered Distributions $1.5k judgment
AMF France v. Jacques Tordjman (insider trading, 2017) AMF (France) 2017-06-07 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Dan (“Alice”) Zhang, CPA (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-06-07 Insider Trading $7.5k settled
SEC v. Michael Trahan (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-06-07 Insider Trading $69.7k settled
SEC v. Homero Joshua Garza, GAW Miners, LLC, and ZenMiner, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-06-05 Ponzi Schemes $2m judgment
CFTC v. David Liew (price manipulation, 2017) CFTC 2017-06-02 Price Manipulation , Spoofing — settled
SEC v. Adesh Kumar Tyagi (marking the close, 2017) SEC 2017-06-01 Marking The Close — settled
SEC v. Harrison Katzen (boiler rooms, 2017) SEC 2017-05-31 Boiler Rooms — judgment
AMF France v. A (analyst manipulation, 2017) AMF (France) 2017-05-29 Analyst Manipulation — judgment
AMF France v. Deutsche Bank AG London Branch (layering, 2017) AMF (France) 2017-05-29 Layering , Spoofing — settled
SEC v. Mark A. Jones (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-05-25 Ponzi Schemes $160k judgment
SEC v. William J. Wells and Promitor Capital Management LLC (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-05-25 Ponzi Schemes — settled
SEC v. Francisco Illarramendi, Highview Point Partners, LLC and others (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-05-24 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Imran Husain, et al. (shell factories, 2017) SEC 2017-05-24 Shell Factories , Undisclosed Control Blocks — filed
SEC v. Yasuna Murakami and Avi Chiat (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-05-22 Ponzi Schemes $185k settled
ASIC v. Macquarie Bank Limited (2017) ASIC 2017-05-19 — settled
SEC v. Robert W. Murray (price manipulation, 2017) SEC 2017-05-19 EDGAR Filing Fraud , Price Manipulation +1 — settled
OSC v. Jorge Neher (2017) OSC 2017-05-12 — settled
SEC v. Emerald Isle Exploration, Ltd. and Samuell Eads and Lloyd C. Brewer (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-05-12 Undisclosed Control Blocks $30k settled
SEC v. Walter C. Little and Andrew M. Berke (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-05-11 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Iat Hong, et al. (hack to trade, 2017) SEC 2017-05-09 Hack To Trade $5.9m judgment
SEC v. Med-X, Inc. (Regulation A suspension, 2017) SEC 2017-05-08 — dismissed
OSC v. Dennis Wing (2017) OSC 2017-05-04 — settled
SEC v. William R. Schantz III and Verto Capital Management LLC (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-05-04 Ponzi Schemes $600k settled
SEC v. David Michael Burke (2017) SEC 2017-05-02 — settled
SEC v. Mark J. Varacchi and Sentinel Growth Fund Management (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-05-01 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
Former Perth managing director sentenced to 18 months' jail for insider trading (ASIC, 2017) ASIC 2017-04-28 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Demitrios Hallas (2017) SEC 2017-04-26 — judgment
SEC v. Wilson-Davis & Company, Inc. (naked short selling debate, 2017) SEC 2017-04-26 Naked Short Selling Debate $75k settled
AMF France v. X, A and B (insider trading, 2017) AMF (France) 2017-04-21 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Kent P. Watts, et al. (unregistered distributions, 2017) SEC 2017-04-21 Unregistered Distributions — filed
AMF France v. A and B (insider trading, 2017) AMF (France) 2017-04-19 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Curtis A. Peterson (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-04-19 Ponzi Schemes $7.5k judgment
SEC v. Charles L. Hill, Jr. (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-04-18 Insider Trading — dismissed
SEC v. Christopher R. Esposito, et al. (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-04-14 Undisclosed Control Blocks , Unregistered Distributions $775k judgment
SEC v. Mustafa David Sayid, Norman Reynolds and Kevin Jasper (pump and dump, 2017) SEC 2017-04-13 Pump And Dump $235k judgment
SEC v. Ryan Gilbertson, et al. (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-04-13 Undisclosed Control Blocks — filed
OSC v. Benedict Cheng and others (insider trading, 2017) OSC 2017-04-12 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Lidingo Holdings, LLC, et al., CSIR Group, LLC, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-12 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Craig Keolanui (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Edward Borrelli and Dunedin, Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 Paid Stock Promotion $30k settled
SEC v. Galena Biopharma, Inc. and Mark J. Ahn (unregistered distributions, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 Unregistered Distributions $800k settled
SEC v. ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Joel Corenman (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 Paid Stock Promotion $25k settled
SEC v. Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 Paid Stock Promotion $100k settled
SEC v. Michael A. McCarthy (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 Paid Stock Promotion $75k settled
SEC v. Stephen Ramey (paid stock promotion, 2017) SEC 2017-04-10 Paid Stock Promotion $24k settled
SEC v. Lawrence F. Cluff, Jr. and Roger E. Shaoul (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-04-06 Insider Trading $925k settled
ASIC v. Steven Robert Noske (insider trading, 2017) ASIC 2017-04-03 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Vlad B. Spivak, et al. (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-04-03 Insider Trading $334k judgment
CFTC v. Stephen Gola and Jonathan Brims (spoofing, 2017) CFTC 2017-03-30 Spoofing $550k judgment
SEC v. LottoNet Operating Corp., et al. (boiler rooms, 2017) SEC 2017-03-27 Boiler Rooms $473k judgment
SEC v. Ariel Darvasi and Amir Waldman (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-03-24 Insider Trading $1.5m settled
SEC v. Nino Coppero del Valle et al. (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-03-24 Insider Trading $113k judgment
SEC v. William Quigley (2017) SEC 2017-03-24 — settled
SEC v. Christopher Ludwig (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-03-23 Insider Trading $16.4k settled
SEC v. Infeed Medica Corp. (undisclosed control blocks, 2017) SEC 2017-03-23 Undisclosed Control Blocks — judgment
SEC v. Sheldon Rose and MKJJ Consulting LLC (reverse merger schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-03-23 Reverse Merger Schemes , Undisclosed Control Blocks — settled
SEC v. Steven A. Hartung (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-03-23 Insider Trading $59.7k settled
SEC v. Michael J. Maciocio and David P. Hobson (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-03-20 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Patrick Churchville and ClearPath Wealth Management (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-03-17 Ponzi Schemes $225k judgment
SEC v. Todd David Alpert (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-03-15 Insider Trading $43.9k settled
SEC v. Nima Hedayati (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-03-14 Insider Trading $43k settled
SEC v. Lek Securities Corporation, Samuel Lek, Avalon FA Ltd, Nathan Fayyer and Sergey Pustelnik (layering, 2017) SEC 2017-03-10 Layering — judgment
SEC v. Arcturus Corporation, et al. (unregistered distributions, 2017) SEC 2017-03-03 Unregistered Distributions — judgment
SEC v. Thomas D. Melvin, Jr., et al. (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-03-03 Insider Trading — judgment
OSC v. Ayaz Dhanani (Also known as Azim Virani, Michael Lee, Alex Nebris, Paul Dhanani, Samuel Ramos, and Rahim Jiwa) (2017) OSC 2017-03-01 — judgment
SEC v. One or More Unknown Traders in the Securities of Fortress Investment Group, LLC (insider trading, 2017) SEC 2017-02-28 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. FX & Beyond Corporation and Steve H. Karroum (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-02-16 Ponzi Schemes $512k judgment
CFTC v. Ramirez, Gold Chasers and Royal Leisure International (ponzi schemes, 2017) CFTC 2017-02-14 Ponzi Schemes $8.2m judgment
SEC v. Patrick O. Howard and Optimal Economics Capital Partners (ponzi schemes, 2017) SEC 2017-02-14 Ponzi Schemes — settled