Tagged: securities and exchange commission

September 27, 2018 @ 1:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a complaint against real estate crowdfunding platform iFunding, along with co-founders William Skelley and Sohin Shaw. The complaint alleges that Skelley and Shaw pursued a “fraudulent scheme to misappropriate investor funds.” CI Senior Contributor and securities attorney… Read More

September 22, 2018 @ 10:41 am By JD Alois  |  

A letter authored by a group of prominent cryptocurrency / blockchain advocates was forwarded to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this week. The letter was addressed to Dalia Blass, Director of the Division of Investment Management at the SEC, specifically mentioning the Commission’s Staff… Read More

September 21, 2018 @ 10:13 am By JD Alois  |  

The saga of the GAW Miners / ZenMiner fraud has come to an end. On September 13, 2018, the perpetrator of the fraud, Homero Joshua Garza, was sentenced to 21 months of imprisonment. The criminal action was completed alongside an SEC civil enforcement action. The US… Read More

September 21, 2018 @ 9:49 am By JD Alois  |  

In a speech delivered this week, Stephanie Avakian, Co-Director of the Division of Enforcement at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), discussed their approach to dealing with the avalanche of initial coin offerings (ICOs) and digital assets in general. Avakian said that as of the Q2… Read More

September 18, 2018 @ 11:14 am By JD Alois  |  

Securities and Exchange Commissioner (SEC) Hester Peirce delivered a speech at the Cato Fintech event in SF this week tackling an important topic: That of regulators (and policymakers in general) being too risk averse. This is a truism in policy. We elect, or appoint, public… Read More

September 14, 2018 @ 5:00 pm By Joshua Ashley Klayman  |  

As has been reported widely, digital token sales (sometimes referred to as initial coin offerings or ICOs) arguably are becoming increasingly important as a new form of capital raising.  To date, certain regulators (including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)) have provided ongoing… Read More

September 11, 2018 @ 12:55 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says that TokenLot, a self professed ICO Superstore, will settle charges regarding allegations the firm operated as an unregistered broker dealer. The SEC notes this is the first case charging unregistered broker-dealers for selling digital tokens after the SEC… Read More

September 10, 2018 @ 9:22 am By JD Alois  |  

Riot Blockchain (NASDAQ: RIOT), a crypto company that engages in mining, development of exchange and mining pool platforms, and other investments within the sector, has announced a restructuring following the departure of CEO and Chairman John O’Rourke. O’Rourke departed the firm following an enforcement action by the… Read More

September 5, 2018 @ 4:25 pm By JD Alois  |  

In a Senate vote today, the nomination of Elad L. Roisman as a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was confirmed. Roisman received bipartisan support as 85 Senators voted to approve Roisman and only 14 Democrats voted against his nomination. Selected by President… Read More

August 29, 2018 @ 5:10 pm By JD Alois  |  

Speaking at the 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival in Nashville today, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Jay Clayton addressed the all important topic of entrepreneurship and access to capital. During his tenure at the SEC, Clayton has consistently expressed his intent to improve the ability of smaller… Read More

August 27, 2018 @ 8:13 pm By Samuel Guzik  |  

President Trump:  It’s High Time for a few More Tweets to SEC Chairman Jay Clayton Any good litigator can tell you that the difference between success and failure is often the ability to ask the right questions – at the right times – and asking… Read More

August 26, 2018 @ 6:00 pm By Steven McClurg  |  

The SEC Rejects Bitcoin ETF Proposals. The SEC has rejected nine more Bitcoin ETF proposals, one of them from a fairly well-established ETF distributor, ProShares.  The ProShares filing was due for comments on Thursday, but the SEC promptly responded a day early, as well as… Read More

August 24, 2018 @ 11:14 am By Cali Haan  |  

An SEC decision to disapprove the listing of several Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the New York Stock Exchange(NYSE) has been stayed pending review. Commissioner Hester Pierce announced the stay yesterday on Twitter. The SEC had ruled the day before to deny a rule change… Read More

August 23, 2018 @ 9:43 am By Cali Haan  |  

The SEC has rejected the Cboe BZX Exchange’s request for a rule change to allow it to trade long and short Bitcoin Futures ETFs (exchange-traded funds). The Cboe applied in January for the rule change that would allow its GraniteShares Bitcoin ETF “Long Fund” and… Read More

August 20, 2018 @ 4:16 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Michael (Mike) B. Rothenberg, and his firm Rothenberg Ventures with fraud. Rothenberg, and his company, has agreed to settle the charges without admitting nor denying the allegations incorporated in the SEC complaint. The SEC states that Rothenberg’s… Read More

August 16, 2018 @ 6:13 pm By Dror Futter  |  

Summary:    The SEC has issued a Cease & Desist Order and sanctions against a token issuer and its founder.  Among several findings, the SEC determined that the “Bounty Program” run by the issuer constituted a securities offering.  The Order states “a ‘gift’ of a… Read More

August 13, 2018 @ 6:52 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an investor alert on Self Directed IRAs. As one would expect, the individual investor manages these retirement accounts without the assistance of an investment advisor. A self-directed IRA is held by a custodian that allows investment in a broader… Read More

August 8, 2018 @ 1:48 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pumped the brakes once again this week on firms offering Bitcoin based ETF. While these exchange traded funds have the potential to expand a far wider audience to the digital asset class, so far regulators have been hesitant to… Read More

August 8, 2018 @ 11:30 am By Cali Haan  |  

The SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) announced yesterday that it will take a full 90 days to decide on a rule change that may permit VanEck SolidX to take a Bitcoin ETF to market. The latest request for a rule change came from the Chicago Board… Read More

August 6, 2018 @ 7:49 pm By JD Alois  |  

“small businesses are still shut out from equity crowdfunding due to the current regulatory constraints.” Recently, a group of prominent small business advocates and crowdfunding industry insiders sent a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Jay Clayton. The group, which included representatives of… Read More