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SEC charges Sands Brothers Asset Management LLC, Steven Sands and Martin Sands

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against an investment advisory firm and three top officials for violating the “custody rule” that requires firms to follow certain procedures when they control or have access to client money or securities. Advisory firms with custody of private fund assets can comply with the custody rule by […]

SEC Announces Cases Targeting International Pyramid Scheme Operators

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against the operators of an international pyramid scheme that raised more than $129 million from investors worldwide, primarily in the U.S., China, and Taiwan.  The case follows another against a separate pyramid scheme that lured investors in the U.S., China, and Korea with seminars, webinars, and YouTube […]

SEC Charges Former Cleveland-Area Investment Promoter with $18 Million Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) filed a civil injunctive action on August 26, 2014 against Oscar F. Villarreal, formerly of Gates Mills, Ohio. The Commission’s complaint alleges that Villarreal defrauded 51 investors out of more than $18 million in three securities offerings since 2009. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the […]

Wedbush Securities Charged by FINRA With Systemic Market Access Violations, Anti-Money Laundering and Supervisory Deficiencies

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced that it has filed a complaint against Los Angeles-based Wedbush Securities Inc. for systemic supervisory and anti-money laundering (AML) violations in connection with providing direct market access and sponsored access to broker-dealers and non-registered market participants. During the period at issue, Wedbush was one of the securities industry’s […]

Ryan Bakhtiari to Speak at 2014 PLI Securities Arbitration Program

Ryan Bakhtiari has been invited to participate as a speaker at the 2014 Practicing Law Institute (PLI) conference program on Thursday, July 31, 2014. The PLI Securities Arbitration program is held at the PLI New York Center and also online by webcast.  The program brings together legal professionals with securities industry regulators to discuss hot […]