Market Manipulation. Search

Market manipulation enforcement actions filed in 2018

This library records 244 market manipulation enforcement actions filed in 2018, brought by ASIC, CFTC, FCA, 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
$551m
Median penalty
$150k
Largest
$475m
Criminal parallel
32%
Action Agency Filed Technique Penalty Status
SEC v. Barry M. Kornfeld, et al., Lynette M. Robbins and Knowles Systems, Inc. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-08-22 Ponzi Schemes $100k settled
SEC v. James T. Lentz (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-22 Insider Trading settled
Former managing director of mining company found guilty of insider trading (ASIC, 2018) ASIC 2018-08-21 Insider Trading filed
SEC v. A. Catlin Cade, IV (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-21 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Ismail Lila (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-21 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Lubin and David (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-08-21 Unregistered Distributions judgment
SEC v. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Citigroup Inc. (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-08-16 Undisclosed Control Blocks settled
SEC v. Honglan Wang (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-16 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Lauren Zarsky, CPA (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-15 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Tomahawk Exploration LLC and David Thompson Laurance (reverse merger schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-08-14 Reverse Merger Schemes $30k settled
SEC v. Alexander Charles White and Paul Douglas Vandivier (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-08-13 Unregistered Distributions unknown
SEC v. Chad Anthony Lewis (unregistered distributions, 2018) SEC 2018-08-13 Unregistered Distributions settled
SEC v. Christopher Collins, et al., Lauren Zarksy, Dorothy Zarsky (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-10 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. John C. Maccoll (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-08-09 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. Arthur Lamar Adams and Madison Timber Properties, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-08-08 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. Daniel M. Fitzpatrick, CPA (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-08-08 Undisclosed Control Blocks judgment
SEC v. Kevin M. Modany, CPA (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-08-08 Undisclosed Control Blocks judgment
SEC v. Salvadore D. Palermo (wash trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-08 Wash Trading filed
SEC v. Aaron R. Smith (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-07 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Murakami, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-08-06 Ponzi Schemes judgment
SEC v. Fei Yan, et al. (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-03 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Kurt J. Bordian, CPA (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-03 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Lozuk (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-01 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Madan (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-08-01 Insider Trading $14k judgment
SEC v. Fred Tinker (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-07-31 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Howard M. Appel (matched orders, 2018) SEC 2018-07-30 Matched Orders settled
SEC v. Robert Gadimian (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-07-26 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Rudden, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-07-26 Ponzi Schemes unknown
FCA v. Edward John Booth (churning, 2018) FCA 2018-07-25 Churning judgment
SEC v. Richard T. Cunniffe (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-07-25 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Matthew Brunstrum and Susan Brunstrum (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-07-24 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Yao Li (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-07-24 Insider Trading settled
Former executive charged with insider trading (ASIC, 2018) ASIC 2018-07-23 Insider Trading dismissed
SEC v. Mizuho Securities USA LLC (front running, 2018) SEC 2018-07-23 Front Running , Insider Trading +1 settled
SEC v. Sycamore Lane Partners LLC (naked short selling debate, 2018) SEC 2018-07-23 Naked Short Selling Debate $25k settled
SEC v. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas (naked short selling debate, 2018) SEC 2018-07-20 Naked Short Selling Debate settled
SEC v. Jay C. Lake, CPA (shell factories, 2018) SEC 2018-07-17 Shell Factories settled
SEC v. Mark E. Burns, Robert W. Murray (price manipulation, 2018) SEC 2018-07-17 Price Manipulation settled
SEC v. Gannon Giguiere et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-07-16 Paid Stock Promotion , Pump And Dump filed
CFTC v. Commodity Trading Firm (price manipulation, 2018) CFTC 2018-07-12 Price Manipulation $3.4m judgment
SEC v. Pawel P. Dynkowski, et al. (pump and dump, 2018) SEC 2018-07-12 Pump And Dump judgment
SEC v. Ryan Gilbertson, et al. (reverse merger schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-07-12 Reverse Merger Schemes unknown
ASIC v. CBA (price manipulation, 2018) ASIC 2018-07-10 Price Manipulation unknown
SEC v. Gene Shen (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-07-10 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Matthew C. Woodard (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-07-10 Unregistered Distributions judgment
SEC v. Roger S. Zullo (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-07-06 Undisclosed Control Blocks judgment
SEC v. Molina (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-07-05 Insider Trading $39.2k judgment
SEC v. Edward Lee Moody Jr., et. al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-07-03 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. Sudhakar Reddy Bonthu (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-07-02 Insider Trading filed
SEC v. Alexander Capital, L.P. (churning, 2018) SEC 2018-06-29 Churning settled
SEC v. Bayes Capital, LLC (naked short selling debate, 2018) SEC 2018-06-28 Naked Short Selling Debate settled
SEC v. James VanBlaricum, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-06-26 Ponzi Schemes settled
SEC v. Richard Weed et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-06-26 Paid Stock Promotion , Reverse Merger Schemes $150k dismissed
SEC v. James E. Hocker (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-06-21 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. Joseph A. Fiore, Berkshire Capital Management Company, Inc., and Eat at Joe's, Ltd. (n/k/a SPYR, Inc.) (newsletter scalping, 2018) SEC 2018-06-20 Newsletter Scalping filed
SEC v. Santillo, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-06-20 Ponzi Schemes unknown
CFTC v. JPMorgan Chase Bank (benchmark submission rigging, 2018) CFTC 2018-06-18 Benchmark Submission Rigging , Price Manipulation $65m judgment
SEC v. Robert M. Morano (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-06-11 Insider Trading judgment
OSC v. Peter Volk (insider trading, 2018) OSC 2018-06-11 Insider Trading unknown
SEC v. Jehu Hand, et al. (pump and dump, 2018) SEC 2018-06-06 Pump And Dump unknown
SEC v. Ralph T. Iannelli et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-06-06 Ponzi Schemes filed
CFTC v. Société Générale S.A. (benchmark submission rigging, 2018) CFTC 2018-06-04 Benchmark Submission Rigging , Price Manipulation $475m judgment
SEC v. Kon and Alexander (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-05-29 Paid Stock Promotion $20k settled
SEC v. Adam S. Tracy, Esq. (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-05-23 Undisclosed Control Blocks judgment
SEC v. Todd David Alpert (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-05-18 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Manhattan Transfer Registrar Company and John C. Ahearn (reverse merger schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-05-17 Reverse Merger Schemes , Undisclosed Control Blocks settled
SEC v. Chardan Capital Markets, LLC (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-05-16 Unregistered Distributions $1m settled
SEC v. Jerard Basmagy (undisclosed control blocks, 2018) SEC 2018-05-16 Unregistered Distributions $15k settled
SEC v. Keith Houlihan (boiler rooms, 2018) SEC 2018-05-09 Boiler Rooms judgment
CFTC v. Alcibiades Cifuentes (ponzi schemes, 2018) CFTC 2018-05-08 Ponzi Schemes $1.8m judgment
SEC v. Visium Asset Management, LP (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-05-08 Insider Trading dismissed
SEC v. Bovorn Rungruangnavarat (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-05-07 Insider Trading $2m settled
SEC v. David A. Zimliki and Russel P. Schiefer (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-05-04 Insider Trading settled
OSC v. Jens Brandt and others (spoofing, 2018) OSC 2018-05-03 Spoofing unknown
SEC v. Eddy U. Marin and Shane R. Spierdowis (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-05-02 Paid Stock Promotion , Pump And Dump settled
SEC v. Small Business Capital Corp. and others (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-05-02 Ponzi Schemes $10k judgment
CFTC v. Charles H. McAllister of Alabama (ponzi schemes, 2018) CFTC 2018-04-30 Ponzi Schemes filed
CFTC v. Glencore Agriculture B.V. and Glencore Ltd. (wash trading, 2018) CFTC 2018-04-30 Wash Trading $2m judgment
SEC v. Christopher R. Esposito, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-04-30 Paid Stock Promotion judgment
SEC v. Diane J. Harrison, et al. (fake press releases, 2018) SEC 2018-04-30 Fake Press Releases settled
SEC v. William T. Walters, et al. (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-04-30 Insider Trading dismissed
SEC v. AF Ocean Investment Management Company (reverse merger schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-04-25 Reverse Merger Schemes settled
SEC v. Andy Z. Fan (fake press releases, 2018) SEC 2018-04-25 Fake Press Releases , Matched Orders +1 settled
SEC v. ChinAmerica Andy Movie Entertainment Media Company (reverse merger schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-04-25 Reverse Merger Schemes settled
OSC v. Nicolas Blitterswyk (insider trading, 2018) OSC 2018-04-24 Insider Trading settled
SEC v. Scott Newsholme (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-04-23 Ponzi Schemes judgment
SEC v. Amrit J. S. Chahal (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-04-16 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. Douglas Nelson (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-04-16 Insider Trading $15.1k settled
SEC v. Andrew J. Kandelapas (paid stock promotion, 2018) SEC 2018-04-13 Paid Stock Promotion $240k settled
CFTC v. The Kane Capital Investment Group (ponzi schemes, 2018) CFTC 2018-04-12 Ponzi Schemes filed
SEC v. Wellness Center USA, Inc. (fake press releases, 2018) SEC 2018-04-12 Fake Press Releases , Paid Stock Promotion settled
SEC v. William C. Gennity and Rocco Roveccio (churning, 2018) SEC 2018-04-11 Churning judgment
South Australian day trader sentenced for market manipulation (ASIC, 2018) ASIC 2018-04-10 Price Manipulation unknown
SEC v. The Lifepay Group, LLC, et. al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-04-10 Ponzi Schemes filed
CFTC v. Floor Broker Anuj C. Singhal (spoofing, 2018) CFTC 2018-04-09 Spoofing $150k judgment
SEC v. AMC Holdings, LLC (boiler rooms, 2018) SEC 2018-04-05 Boiler Rooms filed
SEC v. Joseph Meli, et al., Craig H. Carton, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-04-05 Ponzi Schemes unknown
SEC v. Saverio J. Barbera (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-04-05 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Christopher James Lollar (insider trading, 2018) SEC 2018-04-04 Insider Trading judgment
SEC v. Michael Scronic (ponzi schemes, 2018) SEC 2018-04-04 Ponzi Schemes filed