SEC v. ROBERT DEL PRETE, No. 3:23-cv-20452, District of New Jersey (Sept. 27, 2023) — Judgment
raw: SEC v. ROBERT DEL PRETE
SEC v. ROBERT DEL PRETE, No. 3:23-cv-20452 (Sept. 27, 2023)
Robert Del Prete entered a consent judgment with the SEC to resolve allegations of securities fraud, resulting in a permanent injunction and an officer and director bar.
The SEC obtained a final judgment against Robert Del Prete for violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5. The court imposed a permanent injunction against future fraudulent securities transactions and prohibited Del Prete from serving as an officer or director of any reporting issuer. While specific penalties were not yet finalized, the court reserved jurisdiction to determine disgorgement and civil penalties upon motion by the Commission.
In a judgment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Robert Del Prete consented to a resolution regarding allegations of securities fraud involving material misstatements and deceptive practices. Del Prete is permanently enjoined from violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 in connection with the purchase or sale of any security. The judgment also imposes a bar prohibiting him from serving as an officer or director of any issuer with registered or reporting securities. The court reserved the right to determine the appropriate amounts for disgorgement and civil penalties, with prejudgment interest calculated from February 17, 2021. Notably, the judgment stipulates that any resulting debts from these violations are non-dischargeable in bankruptcy under Section 523(a)(19) of the Bankruptcy Code. Del Prete waived his right to appeal and accepted the allegations in the complaint as true for the purposes of the motion for penalties.
Extracted insights
- person general appearance
- person prejudgment interest
- person robert del prete
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- Securities And Exchange Commission filed Complaint
- Robert Del Prete entered general appearance
- Robert Del Prete consented to Court's jurisdiction
- Robert Del Prete consented to entry of Judgment
- Robert Del Prete waived findings of fact and conclusions of law
- Robert Del Prete waived right to appeal
- Court restrained and enjoined Robert Del Prete
- Robert Del Prete is prohibited from acting as officer or director
- Court shall determine appropriateness of disgorgement
- Robert Del Prete shall pay prejudgment interest
- Robert Del Prete will be precluded from arguing non-violation of federal securities laws
- Robert Del Prete may not challenge validity of Consent or Judgment
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, Plaintiff, 23-CV-20452 (MAS) (DEA) v. ROBERT DEL PRETE, Defendant. J UDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT ROBERT DEL PRETE The Securities and Exchange Commission having filed a Complaint and Defendant Robert Del Prete (“Del Prete”) having entered a general appearance; consented to the Court’s jurisdiction over Defendant and the subject matter of this action; consented to entry of this Judgment; waived findings of fact and conclusions of law; and waived any right to appeal from this Judgment. I. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Defendant is permanently restrained and enjoined from violating, directly or indirectly, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) [15 U.S.C. § 78j(b)] and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder [17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5], by using any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce, or of the mails, or of any facility of any national securities exchange, in connection with the purchase or sale of any security: (a) to employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud; 2 (b)to make any untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (c) to engage in any act, practice, or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, as provided in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(d)(2), the foregoing paragraph also binds the following who receive actual notice of this Judgment by personal service or otherwise: (a) Defendant’s officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys; and (b) other persons in active concert or participation with Defendant or with anyone described in (a). II. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, pursuant to Section 21(d)(2) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78u(d)(2)], Defendant is prohibited from acting as an officer or director of any issuer that has a class of securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78l] or that is required to file reports pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78o(d)]. III. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that upon motion of the Commission, the Court shall determine whether it is appropriate to order disgorgement of ill- gotten gains and/or a civil penalty pursuant to Section 21A of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. §78u-1] and, if so, the amount(s) of the disgorgement and/or civil penalty. If disgorgement is ordered, Defendant shall pay prejudgment interest thereon, calculated from February 17, 2021, based on the rate of interest used by the Internal Revenue Service for the underpayment of 3 federal income tax as set forth in 26 U.S.C. § 6621(a)(2). In connection with the Commission’s motion for disgorgement and/or civil penalties, and at any hearing held on such a motion: (a) Defendant will be precluded from arguing that he did not violate the federal securities laws as alleged in the Complaint; (b) Defendant may not challenge the validity of the Consent or this Judgment; (c) solely for the purposes of such motion, the allegations of the Complaint shall be accepted as and deemed true by the Court; and (d) the Court may determine the issues raised in the motion on the basis of affidavits, declarations, excerpts of sworn deposition or investigative testimony, and documentary evidence, without regard to the standards for summary judgment contained in Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. In connection with the Commission’s motion for disgorgement and/or civil penalties, the parties may take discovery, including discovery from appropriate non-parties. IV. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the Consent is incorporated herein with the same force and effect as if fully set forth herein, and that Defendant shall comply with all of the undertakings and agreements set forth therein. V. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, for purposes of exceptions to discharge set forth in Section 523 of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 523, the allegations in the Complaint are true and admitted by Defendant, and further, any debt for disgorgement, prejudgment interest, civil penalty or other amounts due by Defendant under this Judgment or any other judgment, order, consent order, decree or settlement agreement entered in connection with this proceeding, is a debt for the violation by Defendant of the federal securities 4 laws or any regulation or order issued under such laws, as set forth in Section 523(a)(19) of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(19). VI. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that this Court shall retain jurisdiction of this matter for the purposes of enforcing the terms of this Judgment. VII. There being no just reason for delay, pursuant to Rule 54(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Clerk is ordered to enter this Final Judgment forthwith and without further notice. Dated: September 25, 2023 ____________________________________ UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, Plaintiff, 23-CV-20452 (MAS) (DEA) v. ROBERT DEL PRETE, Defendant. JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT ROBERT DEL PRETE The Securities and Exchange Commission having filed a Complaint and Defendant Robert Del Prete (“Del Prete”) having entered a general appearance; consented to the Court’s jurisdiction over Defendant and the subject matter of this action; consented to entry of this Judgment; waived findings of fact and conclusions of law; and waived any right to appeal from this Judgment. I. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Defendant is permanently restrained and enjoined from violating, directly or indirectly, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) [15 U.S.C. § 78j(b)] and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder [17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5], by using any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce, or of the mails, or of any facility of any national securities exchange, in connection with the purchase or sale of any security: (a) to employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud; Case 3:23-cv-20452-MAS-DEA Document 5 Filed 09/25/23 Page 1 of 4 PageID: 34 2 (b) to make any untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (c) to engage in any act, practice, or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, as provided in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(d)(2), the foregoing paragraph also binds the following who receive actual notice of this Judgment by personal service or otherwise: (a) Defendant’s officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys; and (b) other persons in active concert or participation with Defendant or with anyone described in (a). II. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, pursuant to Section 21(d)(2) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78u(d)(2)], Defendant is prohibited from acting as an officer or director of any issuer that has a class of securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78l] or that is required to file reports pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78o(d)]. III. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that upon motion of the Commission, the Court shall determine whether it is appropriate to order disgorgement of ill- gotten gains and/or a civil penalty pursuant to Section 21A of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78u-1] and, if so, the amount(s) of the disgorgement and/or civil penalty. If disgorgement is ordered, Defendant shall pay prejudgment interest thereon, calculated from February 17, 2021, based on the rate of interest used by the Internal Revenue Service for the underpayment of Case 3:23-cv-20452-MAS-DEA Document 5 Filed 09/25/23 Page 2 of 4 PageID: 35 3 federal income tax as set forth in 26 U.S.C. § 6621(a)(2). In connection with the Commission’s motion for disgorgement and/or civil penalties, and at any hearing held on such a motion: (a) Defendant will be precluded from arguing that he did not violate the federal securities laws as alleged in the Complaint; (b) Defendant may not challenge the validity of the Consent or this Judgment; (c) solely for the purposes of such motion, the allegations of the Complaint shall be accepted as and deemed true by the Court; and (d) the Court may determine the issues raised in the motion on the basis of affidavits, declarations, excerpts of sworn deposition or investigative testimony, and documentary evidence, without regard to the standards for summary judgment contained in Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. In connection with the Commission’s motion for disgorgement and/or civil penalties, the parties may take discovery, including discovery from appropriate non-parties. IV. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the Consent is incorporated herein with the same force and effect as if fully set forth herein, and that Defendant shall comply with all of the undertakings and agreements set forth therein. V. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, for purposes of exceptions to discharge set forth in Section 523 of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 523, the allegations in the Complaint are true and admitted by Defendant, and further, any debt for disgorgement, prejudgment interest, civil penalty or other amounts due by Defendant under this Judgment or any other judgment, order, consent order, decree or settlement agreement entered in connection with this proceeding, is a debt for the violation by Defendant of the federal securities Case 3:23-cv-20452-MAS-DEA Document 5 Filed 09/25/23 Page 3 of 4 PageID: 36 4 laws or any regulation or order issued under such laws, as set forth in Section 523(a)(19) of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(19). VI. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that this Court shall retain jurisdiction of this matter for the purposes of enforcing the terms of this Judgment. VII. There being no just reason for delay, pursuant to Rule 54(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Clerk is ordered to enter this Final Judgment forthwith and without further notice. Dated: September 25, 2023 ____________________________________ UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE Case 3:23-cv-20452-MAS-DEA Document 5 Filed 09/25/23 Page 4 of 4 PageID: 37