Market Manipulation. Search

Ponzi schemes enforcement actions

This library records 568 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
68
Total penalties
$94.8m
Median penalty
$1.5m
Largest
$32.4m
Criminal parallel
49%
Action Agency Filed Penalty Status
SEC v. Eric Aronson, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-09-02 $250k judgment
SEC v. Johnson Lambert LLP and Bradley Scott Diericx, CPA (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-08-31 settled
CFTC v. Ron Earl McCullough (ponzi schemes, 2015) CFTC 2015-08-29 $2.5m judgment
OSC v. Paul Camillo Dinardo (ponzi schemes, 2015) OSC 2015-08-20 filed
SEC v. Palladino, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-08-13 unknown
SEC v. David J. Boden, Esq. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-08-05 filed
CFTC v. Keith F. Simmons (ponzi schemes, 2015) CFTC 2015-08-01 settled
SEC v. DFRF Enterprises LLC, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-07-23 filed
SEC v. Michael R. Enea (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-07-20 judgment
CFTC v. Defendant Carl David Wright (ponzi schemes, 2015) CFTC 2015-07-11 $1m settled
SEC v. Luca International Group, LLC, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-07-06 $25.5k settled
OSC v. Terrence Bedford (ponzi schemes, 2015) OSC 2015-07-02 settled
SEC v. Malcolm Segal (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-07-01 filed
CFTC v. Illinois Resident Nick A. Wurl and His Company Ludiera Capital LLC (ponzi schemes, 2015) CFTC 2015-06-25 filed
SEC v. Phil Donnahue Williamson (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-06-23 judgment
SEC v. Equity Trust Company (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-06-16 judgment
SEC v. Capital Financial Partners, LLC et al. Will D. Allen and Susan C. Daub (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-06-15 judgment
OSC v. Davide Amato and others (ponzi schemes, 2015) OSC 2015-05-29 judgment
Alleged Ponzi scheme operator faces court (ASIC, 2015) ASIC 2015-05-26 filed
SEC v. North Dakota Developments, LLC, Robert L. Gavin, and Daniel J. Hogan, et. al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-05-06 filed
CFTC v. North Carolina Resident Barry C. Taylor and His Companies (ponzi schemes, 2015) CFTC 2015-05-01 filed
SEC v. Veros Partners, Inc., et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-04-24 filed
CFTC v. Florida Resident Dorian A. Garcia and his Companies (ponzi schemes, 2015) CFTC 2015-04-21 filed
SEC v. James A. Evans, Jr., d/b/a Cashflowbot.com, d/b/a DollarMonster (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-04-13 unknown
SEC v. Capital Financial Partners, LLC et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-04-07 unknown
OSC v. Andre Lewis (ponzi schemes, 2015) OSC 2015-04-01 filed
SEC v. Gregory W. Gray, Jr., et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-03-27 filed
SEC v. John A. Geringer (paid stock promotion, 2015) SEC 2015-02-23 judgment
SEC v. Kristine L. Johnson, Troy A. Barnes, Work with Troy Barnes, Inc. (d/b/a) The Achieve Community, Defendants, and Achieve International, LLC, Relief Defendant (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-02-18 unknown
SEC v. Edwin Yoshihiro Fujinaga and MRI International, Inc., et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-01-30 judgment
SEC v. Francisco Illarramendi, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-01-30 judgment
SEC v. Loren W. Holzhueter, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-01-29 unknown
SEC v. Frederic Elm f/k/a Frederic Elmaleh, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2015) SEC 2015-01-21 judgment
CFTC v. Allied Markets LLC (ponzi schemes, 2015) CFTC 2015-01-13 filed
Victorian couple charged with $1.5 million fraud (ASIC, 2014) ASIC 2014-11-11 filed
CFTC v. Utah Resident Scott A. Beatty and his Company (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-10-01 $1m judgment
CFTC v. Ohio Resident John R. Bullar and his Company (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-09-24 filed
CFTC v. Ohio Resident Glen Galemmo (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-09-17 filed
CFTC v. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-09-16 $280k judgment
CFTC v. North Carolina Resident Edwin A. Vasquez and His Company Vasquez Global Investments (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-08-08 filed
CFTC v. Robert Andres (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-06-20 $32.4m judgment
OSC v. Duncan Cleworth and others (ponzi schemes, 2014) OSC 2014-05-14 judgment
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-04-01 $5.8m judgment
CFTC v. Defendants Ward Onsa (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-04-01 $5.7m judgment
CFTC v. Defendants (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-03-22 $2.2m filed
CFTC v. South Carolina Residents Robert S. and Amy L. Leben (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-03-20 unknown
CFTC v. Defendants Harbor Light Asset (ponzi schemes, 2014) CFTC 2014-02-12 $5.2m judgment
CFTC v. David R. Lynch (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-12-13 $300k judgment
OSC v. TransCap Corporation and others (ponzi schemes, 2013) OSC 2013-11-21 unknown
CFTC v. UBS (benchmark submission rigging, 2013) CFTC 2013-10-25 $1.5m settled
OSC v. Bradon Technologies Ltd. and others (ponzi schemes, 2013) OSC 2013-10-03 dismissed
OSC v. Weizhen Tang (ponzi schemes, 2013) OSC 2013-09-30 dismissed
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-08-27 $350k settled
OSC v. Kevin Warren Zietsoff (ponzi schemes, 2013) OSC 2013-08-19 settled
CFTC v. Defendant Christopher Varlesi (paid stock promotion, 2013) CFTC 2013-06-26 $700k judgment
CFTC v. North Carolina Resident C. David Wright (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-06-26 unknown
CFTC v. Bentley Equities (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-06-05 $150k judgment
CFTC v. Defendants Philip Milton (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-05-24 $4m judgment
CFTC v. Christy (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-05-21 settled
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-05-14 $2.5m filed
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-04-24 $1.5m judgment
CFTC v. Defendants PMC (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-04-18 $560k judgment
CFTC v. New York Firm 4X Solutions (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-04-09 filed
CFTC v. Cilli (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-03-28 unknown
OSC v. Fernando Honorate Fagundes also known as Henry Roche and New Futures Trading International Corporation (ponzi schemes, 2013) OSC 2013-03-18 judgment
CFTC v. Ronnie Gene Wilson (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-03-01 $23m judgment
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-02-07 $2.4m settled
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (ponzi schemes, 2013) CFTC 2013-01-29 $1.5m settled