SEC v. DANIEL E. RUETTIGER; ROCCO BRANDONISIO; STEPHEN DECESARE; PAWEL P. DYNKOWSKI; KEVIN S. KAPLAN; GREGG R. MULHOLLAND, et al., No. 2:11-CV-02011, District of Nevada (Jan. 1, 2011) — Complaint
raw: SEC v. DANIEL E. RUETTIGER
SEC v. DANIEL E. RUETTIGER, No. 2:11-CV-02011 (Jan. 1, 2011)
Thirteen defendants, including Daniel E. Ruettinger, were charged by the SEC with orchestrating a pump-and-dump securities fraud scheme that artificially inflated microcap stock prices via false press releases and promotional campaigns, generating over $100 million in illicit proceeds before dumping shares, resulting in a civil complaint seeking disgorgement, penalties, and injunctions.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint on December 16, 2011, against 13 defendants for orchestrating a massive pump-and-dump fraud scheme targeting microcap stocks such as Global Green Energy and BioPharmX. The defendants allegedly used false and misleading press releases and coordinated promotional campaigns to inflate stock prices, then sold their shares for over $100 million in illicit proceeds, violating Sections 10(b), 14(a), and 17(a) of the Securities Exchange Act. The SEC, joined by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, sought permanent injunctions, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest, and civil penalties, but no criminal charges were included in this filing.
On December 16, 2011, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada against 13 defendants, including Daniel E. Ruettinger, Rocco Brandonisio, Stephen Decesare, and others, for orchestrating a widespread pump-and-dump securities fraud scheme. The defendants allegedly manipulated the prices of microcap stocks such as Global Green Energy and BioPharmX by issuing false and misleading press releases and coordinating promotional campaigns to create artificial demand. Once stock prices were inflated, the defendants sold their shares for over $100 million in illicit proceeds, reaping massive profits at the expense of unsuspecting investors. The SEC charged the defendants with violations of Sections 10(b), 14(a), and 17(a) of the Securities Exchange Act, as well as aiding and abetting these violations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada joined the enforcement action, underscoring the severity of the fraud. The complaint sought permanent injunctions to halt further violations, disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest, and civil monetary penalties. No criminal charges were included in this filing, as it was a civil enforcement action, but the scale of the fraud and the number of defendants signaled a major regulatory crackdown on microcap stock manipulation.
Extracted insights
- person Blaine T. Welsh ×2
- person Andrea M. Ritchie
- person Angelo R. Panetta
- person Chad P. Smanjak
- person Daniel E. Ruettiger
- person Gary J. Yocom
- person gregg r. mulholland
- person Joseph a. Padilla
- person Kevin J. Quinn
- person Kevin S. Kaplan
- person Kyle M. DeYoung
- person Mehmet Mustafoglu
- person paul w. kisslinger
- person Pawel P. Dynkowski
- person Rocco Brandonisio
- organization Securities and Exchange Commission
- person stephen decesare
- organization United States District Court
- agency United States Securities And Exchange Commission
- organization United States Securities And Exchange Commission
- United States Securities and Exchange Commission is Plaintiff
- Blaine T. Welsh is Assistant United States Attorney
- Case was filed 12/16/11
- United States Securities and Exchange Commission sued the listed defendants
- Complaint was filed 12/16/11
Paul W. Kisslinger Kyle M. DeYoung UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 100 F Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20549-5977 (202) 551-4427 (tel) (Kisslinger) (202) 772-9292 (fax) (Kisslinger) [email protected] Blaine T. Welsh Assistant United States Attorney Nevada Bar. No. 4790 333 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 5000 Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 Phone: (702) 388-6336 Facsimile: (702) 388-6787 [email protected] UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEVADA – LAS VEGAS SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, Plaintiff, Case No. 2:11-cv-2011 v. DANIEL E. RUETTIGER, ROCCO BRANDONISIO, STEPHEN DECESARE, PAWEL P. DYNKOWSKI, KEVIN S. KAPLAN, GREGG R. MULHOLLAND, MEHMET MUSTAFOGLU, JOSEPH A. PADILLA, ANGELO R. PANETTA, KEVIN J. QUINN, ANDREA M. RITCHIE, CHAD P. SMANJAK, and GARY J. YOCOM, Defendants. COMPLAINT
Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 1 of 27 Paul W. Kisslinger Kyle M. DeYoung UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 100 F Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20549-5977 (202) 551-4427 (tel) (Kisslinger) (202) 772-9292 (fax) (Kisslinger) [email protected] Blaine T. Welsh Assistant United States Attorney Nevada Bar. No. 4790 333 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 5000 Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 Phone: (702) 388-6336 Facsimile: (702) 388-6787 [email protected] UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEVADA – LAS VEGAS SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, Plaintiff, Case No. 2:11-cv-2011v. DANIEL E. RUETTIGER, ROCCO BRANDONISIO, STEPHEN DECESARE, PAWEL P. DYNKOWSKI, KEVIN S. KAPLAN, GREGG R. MULHOLLAND, MEHMET MUSTAFOGLU, JOSEPH A. PADILLA, ANGELO R. PANETTA, KEVIN J. QUINN, ANDREA M. RITCHIE, CHAD P. SMANJAK, and GARY J. YOCOM, Defendants. COMPLAINT mailto:[email protected] mailto:[email protected] Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 2 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 3 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 4 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 5 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 6 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 7 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 8 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 9 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 10 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 11 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 12 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 13 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 14 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 15 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 16 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 17 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 18 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 19 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 20 of 27Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 21 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 22 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 23 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 24 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 25 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 26 of 27 Case 2:11-cv-02011 Document 1 Filed 12/16/11 Page 27 of 27