The Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, recently filed a lawsuit in federal district court against David Post alleging he generated almost $700,000.00 in illegal profits from insider trading in two pharmaceutical companies that were about to be acquired. The SEC alleged that Post received a tip of confidential details about the impending deals by his...Read More

The Securities and Exchange Commission is not always successful in its insider trading prosecutions. In June of this year, the SEC lost its second insider trading trial within a week when a jury in federal court found a former chief executive of a technology chip company not liable for insider trading. In 2012, the SEC...Read More

If you have received a Wells Notice from the SEC, there are a few things you should know. While not a good thing, it does not necessarily mean that you will be charged. Read on to learn more about what a SEC Wells Notice is, how the process works, and why it matters. What is...Read More

CONCERNS OF FRAUDULENT SECURITIES OFFERINGS AND UNREGISTERED BROKERS The Division of Enforcement of the Securities and Exchange Commission continues to actively investigate the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as EB-5, and has to date brought two civil law enforcement actions alleging fraudulent securities offerings.  SEC v. A Chicago Convention Center, et al (involving fraudulent sale...Read More

I have seen a dramatic uptick in administrative enforcement actions by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) targeting registered investment advisors, particularly one-man shops.  While it is not clear if this is an OFR sweep, the volume of inquiries I have recently received suggest it may be. The OFR’s administrative complaints seem to be...Read More

While no company or individual wants to be the subject of an SEC investigation, it can be helpful to understand what the SEC is and how it works. Understanding the SEC and Its Investigative Process The SEC is first and foremost a civil law enforcement agency charged with the enforcement of the federal securities laws...Read More

If you are under investigation by the SEC for insider trading, you are likely to have many questions and, understandably, serious concerns. I decided to write this article to answer many of the basic questions those under investigation for insider trading typically have, as well as to provide insight into the process by which the...Read More

If you are under investigation for trading stock while in possession of material nonpublic information, you could be charged with insider trading. This is a serious crime with potentially serious consequences, including criminal exposure. Being investigated for or charged with SEC violations, including insider trading and any other form of securities fraud, can be difficult...Read More

One of the first things that a lawyer with the Securities and Exchange Commission Division of Enforcement learns is that there are too many cases and too few lawyers on staff. This fundamental reality – a wide disparity between the government’s available resources and its obligation to enforce the securities laws – explains in large...Read More

Under Investigation by the SEC, DOJ or FINRA? If you are under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), state regulators or the Department of Justice (DOJ), stay calm. Your first move should be to call a knowledgeable attorney. Contact The Law Firm of David R. Chase, P.A.,...Read More