Notable litigation filed during February 2023 includes: (1) Tell v. Modica Microindustries, Inc. and (2) Pelham v. VBit Technologies Corp., et al.
New Complaint – Securities and Exchange Commission v. Lam, et al.
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Lam, et al. was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on September 22, 2022, claiming Defendants Brian Lam (“Lam”), Nathan Nguyen (“Nguyen”), NineSquare Capital Partners LLC (“NineSquare Capital”), and Nguyen Group LLC (“NGL”) (collectively, “Defendants”) violated several provisions of the Securities Act and Securities Exchange Act. Specifically, the SEC seeks permanent injunctive relief against all Defendants to prevent future violations of the federal securities laws, permanent injunctions prohibiting Defendants Lam and Nguyen from participating in an unregistered securities offering, disgorgement with prejudgment interest from Defendants and Relief Defendants Yi Ping Lu and Thy Stacy Nguyen (the “Relief Defendants”), and civil penalties against Defendants.
The SEC filed this action against Defendants for operating an offering fraud that targeted the Vietnamese-American community, which raised $11.7 million from 73 investors nationwide from March 2020 to January 2022. Defendant Lam orchestrated the fraud through his company NineSquare, a Delaware limited partnership which purported to be a hedge fund. Defendant Nguyen is the principal of NGL, a company that helped solicit investors in NineSquare. The two Relief Defendants, Yi Ping Lu, Lam’s wife, and Thy Stacy Nguyen, Nguyen’s wife, purportedly used proceeds from the fraud to pay for luxury homes purchased in their names.
Continue Reading… New Complaint – Securities and Exchange Commission v. Lam, et al.
New Complaint – Freitag, as Receiver for ANI Development LLC v. Dean Libs, et al.
Freitag, as Receiver for ANI Development LLC v. Dean Libs, et al. was filed in the Southern District of California on January 25, 2022, asserting one claim for fraudulent transfer.
Plaintiff is the court-appointed permeant receiver for ANI Development LLC (“ANI Development”), American National Investments, Inc., and their subsidiaries and affiliates (“Receivership Entities”) in an action titled SEC v. Gina Champion-Cain, et al., Case No. 3:19-cv-01628-LAB-AHG (“SEC Action”). Plaintiff was appointed Receiver in the SEC Action and was vested with exclusive authority and control over the assets of the Receivership Entities, as well as investigatory powers. This action is against Defendant Dean Libs, in his individual capacity, and Defendant Dean Libs Inc., a California corporation.
Continue Reading… New Complaint – Freitag, as Receiver for ANI Development LLC v. Dean Libs, et al.
New Complaint – SEC v. Rege, et al.
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Swapnil J. Rege and SwapStar Capital, LLC was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on October 26, 2021, claiming the defendants violated the Investment Advisors Act by engaging in fraudulent or deceptive conduct upon an advisory client and charging Rege with violating a 2019 SEC Order barring him from associating with an investment adviser.
Continue Reading… New Complaint – SEC v. Rege, et al.
New Complaint – Chang, et. al. v. Interactive Brokers LLC
Chang, et. al. v. Interactive Brokers LLC (“IB”) was filed in the Northern District of California on August 2, 2021. The complaint seeks civil damages for claims of aiding and abetting fraud, aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, and violation of California Business and Professions Code.
Continue Reading… New Complaint – Chang, et. al. v. Interactive Brokers LLC