2009-09-28 sec-litreleases litigation_release 65 KB 2,701 chars

SEC v. George Wesley Harris; and Giant Operating, LLC, No. LR-21226, Northern District of Texas (Sept. 28, 2009) — Press Release

raw: George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC, Defendants, and Stephen Christopher Plunkett, Giant Petroleum, Inc. and DSSC Operating LLC, Relief Defendants

George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC, Defendants, and Stephen Christopher Plunkett, Giant Petroleum, Inc. and DSSC Operating LLC, Relief Defendants, No. 3:09-cv-01809 (Sept. 28, 2009)

Caption
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Harris
summary

George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC defrauded over 150 investors in oil and gas securities offerings, raising $13 million, and consented to a preliminary injunction and asset freeze.

paragraph

George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC allegedly defrauded over 150 investors in oil and gas securities offerings, raising over $13 million from December 2007 through 2009. Harris misappropriated at least $2 million of the proceeds by transferring funds to affiliated companies and an individual. The SEC charged Harris and Giant with violating Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b) and 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

narrative

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC with defrauding approximately 150 investors out of over $13 million through unregistered oil and gas securities offerings sold via a boiler-room operation in Irving, Texas, from December 2007 onward. Harris and his entities allegedly made material misrepresentations about the use of funds, projected returns, and fictitious third-party contracts. Harris misappropriated at least $2 million by transferring proceeds to affiliated companies—Giant Petroleum and DSSC Operating LLC—and to Stephen Christopher Plunkett, named as relief defendants. The SEC alleged violations of Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b) and 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, along with Rule 10b-5. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Harris and Giant consented to a preliminary injunction, asset freeze, receiver appointment, and expedited discovery. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions against further violations of the securities laws, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, and civil money penalties from Harris and Giant. The SEC also seeks an asset freeze, accounting, and an order preserving documents against the relief defendants in order to recover all investor funds improperly obtained by them.

Enriched metadata

Scheme
boiler-room (95%)
Court
Northern District of Texas
Case No.
3:09-cv-01809
Outcome
settled
Entity
George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC
Classified boiler-room(confidence 95%). EDGAR detection: forms Form D· recall 50% / precision 4%. detection rule →
Statutes
Parties
Securities and Exchange CommissionGeorge Wesley HarrisGiant Operating, LLCStephen Christopher PlunkettStephen G. GleboffBaker Hughes Oilfield Operations IncThe American Cancer SocietyChevron USA IncADR ProviderWilliam Carson ArnoldWick Phillips Gould & Martin, LLPGiant Petroleum Inc.State of New Mexico, Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, OIl Conservation DivisionLittle Pedersen Fankhauser, LLPDSSC Operating LLC
Keywords
giantharrisharris giantgiant petroleumsecuritiesoperatingllcgeorge wesleywesley harrisgiant operatingstephen christopherchristopher plunkettplunkett giantdssc operatingsecurities exchange

Extracted insights

Dollar amounts 2
  • $13.00M $13 million $10M–$100M
  • $2.00M $2 million $1M–$10M
Entities 6
  • company Dssc Operating LLC
  • person George Wesley Harris
  • company Giant Operating, LLC
  • company Giant Petroleum, Inc.
  • agency Securities and Exchange Commission
  • person Stephen Christopher Plunkett
Triples 1
  • U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION filed suit against George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC, as defendants, and Stephen Christopher Plunkett, Giant Petroleum, Inc., and DSSC Operating LLC, as relief defendants
View original SEC litigation releasesec.gov
Extracted body text (2,701c)
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 21226 / September 28, 2009 Securities and Exchange Commission v. George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC, Defendants, and Stephen Christopher Plunkett, Giant Petroleum, Inc. and DSSC Operating LLC, Relief Defendants, Civil Action No. 3:09-cv-01809-M (N.D. Tx)(September 28, 2009) SEC Charges Texas Oil and Gas Boiler-Room with Fraud On September 28, 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") filed an emergency civil injunctive action against George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC for their roles in defrauding investors in oil and gas securities offerings. The Commission's complaint alleges that, from at least December 2007 through the present, Harris and Giant have raised over $13 million from 150 investors located throughout the United States in at least five oil-and-gas securities offerings. The complaint alleges that the five offerings, which were not registered with the Commission, as required under the law, were sold through an unregistered boiler-room located in Irving, Texas. The Commission's complaint also alleges that Giant and Harris offered and sold these securities by making material misrepresentations regarding, among other things, the use of offering proceeds, investment returns, and purportedly lucrative contracts with third parties. The Commission's complaint further alleges that Harris misappropriated and misapplied at least $2 million of the offering proceeds by, among other things, transferring funds to Giant Petroleum and DSSC, two companies that Harris owns and controls, and to Plunkett. The Commission's complaint, filed in United States District for the Northern District of Texas, alleges that Giant and Harris violated Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b) and 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The Commission's complaint also names Stephen Christopher Plunkett, Giant Petroleum, Inc. and DSSC Operating LLC as relief defendants. Without admitting or denying the allegations contained in the Commission's complaint, Giant and Harris have consented to the entry of a preliminary injunction, asset freeze, accounting, an order preserving documents, expedited discovery, and to the appointment of a Receiver. The Commission also seeks permanent injunctions against further violations of the securities laws, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, and civil money penalties from Harris and Giant. The Commission also seeks an asset freeze, accounting, and an order preserving documents against the relief defendants in order to recover all investor funds improperly obtained by them.
OCR text (2,701c · html-text · 99% conf)
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 21226 / September 28, 2009 Securities and Exchange Commission v. George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC, Defendants, and Stephen Christopher Plunkett, Giant Petroleum, Inc. and DSSC Operating LLC, Relief Defendants, Civil Action No. 3:09-cv-01809-M (N.D. Tx)(September 28, 2009) SEC Charges Texas Oil and Gas Boiler-Room with Fraud On September 28, 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") filed an emergency civil injunctive action against George Wesley Harris and Giant Operating, LLC for their roles in defrauding investors in oil and gas securities offerings. The Commission's complaint alleges that, from at least December 2007 through the present, Harris and Giant have raised over $13 million from 150 investors located throughout the United States in at least five oil-and-gas securities offerings. The complaint alleges that the five offerings, which were not registered with the Commission, as required under the law, were sold through an unregistered boiler-room located in Irving, Texas. The Commission's complaint also alleges that Giant and Harris offered and sold these securities by making material misrepresentations regarding, among other things, the use of offering proceeds, investment returns, and purportedly lucrative contracts with third parties. The Commission's complaint further alleges that Harris misappropriated and misapplied at least $2 million of the offering proceeds by, among other things, transferring funds to Giant Petroleum and DSSC, two companies that Harris owns and controls, and to Plunkett. The Commission's complaint, filed in United States District for the Northern District of Texas, alleges that Giant and Harris violated Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b) and 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The Commission's complaint also names Stephen Christopher Plunkett, Giant Petroleum, Inc. and DSSC Operating LLC as relief defendants. Without admitting or denying the allegations contained in the Commission's complaint, Giant and Harris have consented to the entry of a preliminary injunction, asset freeze, accounting, an order preserving documents, expedited discovery, and to the appointment of a Receiver. The Commission also seeks permanent injunctions against further violations of the securities laws, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, and civil money penalties from Harris and Giant. The Commission also seeks an asset freeze, accounting, and an order preserving documents against the relief defendants in order to recover all investor funds improperly obtained by them.